From New Orleans to Con Amor: Chef Taylor Dillon on Mexican Food, Identity, and Building with Purpose

Chef Taylor Dillon's path into Mexican cuisine wasn't traditional, and that's exactly what makes this conversation interesting.
Born and raised in New Orleans, trained in some of New York's most demanding kitchens including Daniel and Jean-Georges, Taylor eventually found himself completely immersed in the craft, history, and technique behind Mexican food. What started as curiosity turned into obsession, studying nixtamalization, grinding corn from scratch, and building a deeper understanding of a cuisine rooted in generations of tradition.
Now, alongside his wife Kayla, he's built Con Amor, a restaurant shaped by passion, discipline, and a genuine respect for the culture behind the food.
In this episode, we talk about identity in cooking, earning credibility inside a cuisine that isn't tied to your own heritage, opening a restaurant while building a marriage at the same time, and why some of the best chefs never stop learning.
We're also joined by Leigh Wilson, Director of Marketing for Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, for another segment of What's Hot Tampa Bay, discussing the evolution of the local food scene and why chefs telling more personal stories through food is resonating now more than ever.
This one is about culture, humility, growth, and building something with intention.

• Chef Taylor Dillon shares how growing up in New Orleans and training in elite New York kitchens shaped his culinary foundation.
• Why Mexican cuisine became a personal obsession, and how self-teaching nixtamalization changed his direction as a chef.
• The importance of respecting culture, technique, and tradition when cooking outside your own heritage.
• Opening Con Amor alongside his wife Kayla, and balancing marriage with restaurant ownership.
• Why collaboration and mentorship matter more than competition in today's culinary landscape.
• Leigh Wilson of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay joins the conversation for another segment of What's Hot Tampa Bay, discussing how the local food scene is evolving through more personal storytelling and chef-driven concepts.

BRAND PARTNERS
Metro Foodservice Solutions & Trimark USA metro.com
TriMark USA (trimarkusa.com)
Commercial-grade storage, transport, and workflow systems trusted across professional kitchens.
RAK Porcelain USA rakporcelain.com
Professional tableware engineered for durability and presentation.
Citrus America citrusamerica.com
Premium citrus solutions supporting chefs, retailers, and distributors.
Crab Island Seafood crabislandseafood.com
Florida-based supplier delivering responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice partners.
Testo North America testo.com/en-US
Precision measurement and food safety solutions for professional kitchens.
Franki getfranki.com
A platform connecting restaurants with high-intent diners through real experiences and user-generated content.
CAUSE PARTNERS
The Burnt Chef Project theburntchefproject.com
Advocating for mental health awareness in the hospitality industry.
Operation BBQ Relief operationbbqrelief.org
Providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters.
Sustainable Supperclub sustainablesupperclub.com Pop-up dining experiences focused on sustainability and food access.
TRADE SHOW & INDUSTRY PARTNERS Florida Restaurant Show therestaurantshows.com/florida
New York Restaurant Show therestaurantshows.com/new-york
California Restaurant Show therestaurantshows.com/california
Pizza Tomorrow Summit pizzatomorrow.com
U.S. Culinary Open usculinaryopen.com/About
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay cltampa.com
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