Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What happens when you bet everything on yourself and refuse to quit?
Chef Ivan Barros has one of the most inspiring stories you'll hear this year. Born in New York, raised in Miami, he went from having hoop dreams and no culinary experience… to becoming an executive chef, a TV champion, and a restaurant owner building his empire right here in Miami.
In this episode of The Big Dawgs Podcast, Manning Sumner sits down with Chef Ivan for a raw, real, and deeply motivating conversation about what it actually takes to go all in on yourself with no safety net, no connections, and no shortcuts.
What you'll hear in this episode:
• How a random culinary school pamphlet changed the entire course of his life
• Working 20 hours a week for free in a 5-star kitchen just to level up
• Moving to LA with $2,000, no car, and nobody to call
• How showing up even when it's hard opens doors you never expected
• Winning the cooking competition show Ciao House on Max, filmed in Italy
• Building Magie and the upcoming Bar Fideo alongside his wife Caroline
This episode is for every person grinding in silence, doubting themselves, and wondering if it's all worth it. It is. Keep going.
🎙️ The Big Dawgs Podcast with Manning Sumner
🍽️ Follow Chef Ivan Barros: @chefivanb
📍 Visit Magie in Little River & Coconut Grove, Miami, FL
What happens when you bet everything on yourself and refuse to quit?
Chef Ivan Barros has one of the most inspiring stories you'll hear this year. Born in New York, raised in Miami, he went from having hoop dreams and no culinary experience… to becoming an executive chef, a TV champion, and a restaurant owner building his empire right here in Miami.
In this episode of The Big Dawgs Podcast, Manning Sumner sits down with Chef Ivan for a raw, real, and deeply motivating conversation about what it actually takes to go all in on yourself with no safety net, no connections, and no shortcuts.
What you'll hear in this episode:
• How a random culinary school pamphlet changed the entire course of his life
• Working 20 hours a week for free in a 5-star kitchen just to level up
• Moving to LA with $2,000, no car, and nobody to call
• How showing up even when it's hard opens doors you never expected
• Winning the cooking competition show Ciao House on Max, filmed in Italy
• Building Magie and the upcoming Bar Fideo alongside his wife Caroline
This episode is for every person grinding in silence, doubting themselves, and wondering if it's all worth it. It is. Keep going.
🎙️ The Big Dawgs Podcast with Manning Sumner
🍽️ Follow Chef Ivan Barros: @chefivanb
📍 Visit Magie in Little River & Coconut Grove, Miami, FL
