Chef Victor Muñoz of Oro Miami cooks with fire—literally and figuratively. From tortas ahogadas in Guadalajara to foie gras gelato concha sandwiches, his food is bold, unapologetic, and rooted in culture. He sat down to talk with our team about the dish that shaped his childhood, his dream taco-meets-yakitori concept, and why great cookware should feel like a trusted sous chef.
- What’s a dish that tastes like home?
- If you could open a novel restaurant concept that was guaranteed to be a success, what would it be?
- When did you know you wanted to cook for the rest of your life?
- What’s the best meal you’ve had recently?
- What chefs inspire you?
- If you could add one thing to your menu that doesn’t make sense but you love making, what would it be?
- Which piece of Made In cookware do you reach for the most?
- What do you expect out of your cookware?
- How important is having good kitchen tools?
- What’s one way you use Made In cookware to finish a favorite dish on the menu?
What’s a dish that tastes like home?
Torta ahogada, hands down. A crusty birote roll drowning literally in fiery chile de árbol sauce, stuffed with slow-braised carnitas. It’s messy, it’s intense, it fights back… just like home. Growing up in Guadalajara, if you didn’t have red sauce running down your elbows, were you even eating? This dish isn’t just food, it’s a rite of passage.
If you could open a novel restaurant concept that was guaranteed to be a success, what would it be?
A fine-dining Mexican yakitori taco bar. Imagine the fire and smoke of a Japanese robatayaki, but instead of chicken skewers, we’re talking charred octopus al pastor, wagyu asada, and duck carnitas glazed in mezcal and piloncillo. Small bites, high intensity, paired with Sake & Tequila. Let’s break the rules, make it fun, and cook with flames like our ancestors!
When did you know you wanted to cook for the rest of your life?
The moment I saw a whole pig come out of an oven at my abuelita’s house. I was a kid, and instead of being freaked out, I was fascinated watching my family pull the meat, crisp the skin, and make tacos right there on the spot. That’s when I realized cooking wasn’t just about feeding people, it was about storytelling, culture, and gathering people around something primal and real. I knew I wanted to do that forever.
What’s the best meal you’ve had recently?
I had this ridiculously good Haitian griot crispy pork, pikliz, and fried plantains cooked by one of our team members. No fancy plating, no tweezers, just soul and technique. That’s the kind of food that hits different. The kind that makes you stop talking and just eat.
What chefs inspire you?
A lot of them, but recently the ones that nobody talks about enough. The grandmothers making mole from scratch, The street vendors hustling, The line cooks who never miss a beat in a 100-degree kitchen. These are the chefs that remind me what real cooking is about passion, precision, and community.
If you could add one thing to your menu that doesn’t make sense but you love making, what would it be?
A concha ice cream sandwich with a foie gras gelato & chamoy caramel. It’s sweet, savory, buttery, and just the right amount of wrong. You take a soft, sugar-crusted concha, fill it with a punchy Foie Gelato, and drizzle it with a chamoy caramel that’s salty, rich, umami, and slightly dangerous. It makes zero sense, but I dare you to take one bite and not fall in love.
Which piece of Made In cookware do you reach for the most?
The Carbon Steel Pan because I like my cookware like I like my food: fiery, indestructible, and built for a lifetime of abuse. It gets scorching hot, gives me that perfect sear, and just gets better with time. Honestly, if I could season my chefs the way I season that pan, I’d be unstoppable.
What do you expect out of your cookware?
I need my cookware to be tough, dependable, and ready to handle heat without complaining. If it warps, sticks, or can’t take the pressure, it’s out. Good cookware is like a good sous chef, it makes me better at my job.
How important is having good kitchen tools?
You wouldn’t build a house with a toy hammer, so why cook with bad tools? A chef’s gear is our armor. Good knives, solid pans, and reliable equipment separate the professionals from the amateurs. Skill means nothing if your tools can’t keep up. Precision starts with the right foundation.
What’s one way you use Made In cookware to finish a favorite dish on the menu?
- Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan
- 10"
- $119
At Oro, we finish our Porterhouse in a Made In Carbon Steel Pan, basting it with butter, garlic, and herbs until it’s perfectly caramelized. The heat retention gives it that deep, golden crust while keeping the inside buttery and tender. That’s the difference between ‘good’ and ‘next level’ precision, patience, and the right tools.
