MI Great Plates

About MI Great Plates

MI Great Plates is your passport to Michigan's vibrant culinary landscape, showcasing the hottest restaurants, food and beverage-focused brands, and the passionate people behind them. Hosted by Justin Near, the region's top food and beverage publicist, this monthly show explores the state’s booming food scene, where new delights pop up weekly and reservations are a coveted prize. With exclusive insights from hospitality-driven news media and food influencers, MI Great Plates brings you the stories, flavors, and trends that are transforming Michigan into a foodie paradise. Tune in at 8 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month to experience the culinary magic that makes Michigan a great place to eat!

Publisher

Cumulus Media Detroit

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Apr 2025

Latest episode

28 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Carlos Parisi on Detroit’s Food Scene: Small Businesses, Big Community

   Aug. 27, 2026 ~ Host Justin Near sits down with Carlos Parisi, the entrepreneur behind Aunt Nee’s, host of WDIV’s Carlos Eats Detroit and creator of the Detroit Sandwich Party. They discuss Carlos’ journey, the independent businesses and diverse communities driving Detroit’s nationally recognized food scene, and what guests can expect at this year’s Sandwich Party.

2. 

   24 Jul 2026

   Beyond the Plate: Stories Told Through Food

   July 23, 2026 ~ On this episode of MI Great Plates, host Justin Near welcomes award-winning food journalist Serena Daniels, founder of Midwest Mexican and the new food critic for HOUR Detroit Magazine. Together, they explore the evolving role of food journalism, Detroit's dynamic restaurant scene, the responsibility of restaurant criticism and how food serves as a powerful lens into culture, community and identity.

3. 

   26 Jun 2026

   Building More Than Restaurants: Matthew Kenney's Culinary Empire

   June 25, 2026 ~ On this episode of MI Great Plates, host Justin Near sits down with internationally renowned chef, entrepreneur and author Matthew Kenney to discuss his journey from New York's restaurant scene to becoming one of the world's leading voices in plant-based cuisine. Matthew shares the story behind his latest venture, BESOS in downtown Birmingham, reflects on the evolution of consumer dining trends, sustainability and hospitality, and discusses how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are helping shape the future of food and restaurant operations.

Who has been a guest on MI Great Plates

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Yumna Jawad
• Lyndsay Green
• Sameer Eid
• Samy Eid

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 20 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

27

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32