Go behind the scenes of a Spanish-language TV shoot at this Charlotte restaurant
Charlotte’s food scene has once again made its way into the national spotlight, this time in “Que Delicia: El Sabor De America,” a new television series hosted by renowned “Despierta América” resident chef Jesús Diaz.
The Spanish-language show, which translates to “What a Delicacy: The Taste of America,” launched Oct. 12 on the free ViX app and features Diaz visiting several cities around the nation to discover the true flavor of Latin cuisine and its impact on America’s favorite foods.
Episode four — now available for streaming — spotlights several Charlotte area Latin restaurants, including Manolo’s Bakery, Felix’s Handmade Empanadas, El Toro Bruto and Salud Cerveceria, a best bar semifinalist in the 2023 James Beard Awards.
Diaz calls the show, “a masterclass, not only in gastronomy, but also in our culture, in our strength and our character.”
“It has been a blessing to have my own show in which, more than cooking and showcasing the wonders of our Latin cuisine, I was able to live and tell the stories of those who achieved their American dream through cooking,” Diaz said in a statement.
[READ MORE: Dive into Hispanic culture at these Latin-owned Charlotte restaurants.]
Salud owner: ‘It was a match made in heaven’
After the Charlotte episode aired, CharlotteFive spoke with Dairelyn Glunt, who owns Salud with her husband, Jason. She offered details from behind the scenes and discussed what it meant to share a taste of Charlotte’s Latin community with the world.
Asked to describe the show, Glunt said it’s “just like ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,’ but Spanish and more classy.” (It’s worth noting that the Glunts have also been featured on Food Network.)
“They did such an amazing job capturing everything and showcasing our story,” Glunt said. “We were thrilled to spend such quality time with Chef Jesús and to have the opportunity to cook up something special together. … With his expertise in all things culinary and our passion for crafting delicious, unique pizzas, it was a match made in heaven.”
Salud’s segment was filmed in May, with the crew on site from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the one-day shoot. The Glunts decided to shut down the restaurant for breakfast and lunch so Diaz could spend quality time in the kitchen with Salud’s pastry chef, Jessica Ceara. They made Salud’s famous roasted Latin Lingo Pizza, which has a white sauce base, topped with Mexican street corn and chicken.
“He raved about it and wanted us to teach him how to make it,” Glunt said.
Diaz also tried several of Salud’s beers, including a seasonal stout and house lager, and sat down with the Glunts to learn about their backgrounds and the origins of Salud.
By 1 p.m., Salud’s doors were open for business as usual. Producers filmed around the customers, although some of the Glunts’ family and friends signed release forms and are featured in the episode.
“Chef Jesús was amazing to work with; a very humble guy who moved to the US as a teenager just like me,” Glunt said. “It feels unreal to see how everything played out on TV. I never thought I’d be in a show of this magnitude for the Latin community. I’m very proud.”
Salud Cerveceria
Location: 3306 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Cuisine: American, pizza
Instagram: @saludcerveceria
