You’ve probably seen their faces on a cookbook cover or stumbled across their site while desperately trying to figure out why your black beans taste like water. We're talking about Raúl Musibay, Jorge Castillo, and Glenn Lindgren. They are better known to the internet—and to thousands of hungry home cooks—as the Three Guys From Miami. Honestly, if you live in South Florida or just really love a good lechon asado, these guys have likely been your digital godfathers of garlic and lime for the last couple of decades.
It started as a hobby. Seriously. Back in the mid-90s, when the internet was mostly just blinking text and dial-up tones, these three brothers-in-law decided to put their family recipes online. They weren't celebrity chefs. They weren't trying to "disrupt" the food industry. They were just three guys who realized that a lot of people—especially the Cuban diaspora scattered across the U.S.—were losing touch with their grandmother’s cooking.
The Accidental Empire of the Three Guys From Miami
Most people think you need a massive marketing budget to rank on Google for things like "perfect Cuban sandwich." You don't. You need authenticity. The Three Guys From Miami proved that early on. Raúl and Jorge were born in Cuba; Glenn was the guy who married into the family and fell in love with the culture (and the food). That mix of perspectives is exactly why they blew up. They could explain the soul of a dish to someone who grew up in Havana, but they could also explain the mechanics of it to someone in Minnesota who had never seen a plantain before.
They didn't just share recipes. They shared the vibe.
When you visit their platform, it isn't some sterile, corporate food blog with 400 photos of a single sprig of parsley. It feels like walking into a backyard party in Hialeah. There’s salt, there’s vinegar, and there’s probably someone arguing about whether or not to put olives in the picadillo. (The answer is yes, by the way, though it’s a fiercely debated topic in Miami circles).
Why Their Approach to Cuban Food Actually Works
Cuban cooking is deceptively simple. It’s built on the "Holy Trinity" of the sofrito: onions, green bell peppers, and plenty of garlic. If you mess that up, the whole thing falls apart. The Three Guys From Miami became the gold standard because they refused to "fancy up" the classics.
In a world where every influencer is trying to put kale in a tamale, these guys stayed true to the lard.
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They understood that the secret isn't some rare spice you can only find in a boutique shop. It’s patience. It’s letting the beans simmer until the starch breaks down and creates that thick, velvety gravy. It’s the mojo—that aggressive, citrusy, garlicky marinade that makes Cuban pork what it is. They documented the techniques that used to be passed down only through oral tradition. They basically saved a generation of "bad cooks" from ruining their family heritage.
The Cultural Impact Beyond the Kitchen
It’s easy to dismiss a food site as just a collection of ingredients. But for the Three Guys From Miami, it was always about identity. In the early 2000s, Miami was changing fast. The "old guard" of Cuban exile culture was aging, and a younger generation was looking for a way to connect with their roots without necessarily needing to speak perfect Spanish.
The guys bridged that gap.
They became cultural ambassadors. They've appeared on the Food Network and Travel Channel, not as "characters," but as experts. When Anthony Bourdain or Andrew Zimmern rolled into Miami, these were the types of people they’d look to for the "real" story. It wasn’t just about the food; it was about the Cuban-American experience—the music, the cigars, the coffee, and the late-night conversations over a game of dominoes.
The Mystery of the Perfect Mojo
Let's get technical for a second. If you look at their famous Mojo Criollo recipe, it’s a masterclass in balance. You have the sour orange—the naranja agria. If you can’t find it, they tell you to mix orange juice with lime or grapefruit juice. This kind of practical, "here's how you actually do it in a normal kitchen" advice is why they stayed relevant.
They didn't just say "find this rare fruit." They said "here's the hack."
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That’s the difference between a chef and a cook. A chef wants to impress you; a cook wants to feed you. The Three Guys From Miami are, and have always been, cooks. Their books, like Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban and Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Christmas, aren't just manuals. They are stories. They describe the chaos of a Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) pig roast, where the real work happens in a pit in the ground, and the beer is as important as the meat.
Dealing With the "Authenticity" Critics
Whenever you become the face of a culture’s cuisine, people are going to come for you. Some critics argued that because the guys were based in Miami and one of them was an "outsider" (Glenn), they weren't the "true" voice of Cuban food.
That's nonsense.
Culture isn't a museum piece. It evolves. The way people eat in Miami today is a reflection of decades of adaptation. The Three Guys From Miami leaned into that. They acknowledged that ingredients change when you move from an island to a mainland. They embraced the "Miami-ness" of it all. They weren't trying to recreate 1950s Havana; they were celebrating 2000s Miami.
What You Can Learn From Their Success
If you're a creator or a business owner, there’s a massive lesson here: Niche down until it hurts. They didn't try to be "The Guys Who Cook Latin Food." They weren't doing tacos or empanadas from every country in South America. They owned the Cuban space. They became synonymous with a very specific feeling. When you think of a Cuban sandwich, you think of them. When you want to know how to make ropa vieja that actually shreds properly, you go to their site.
They also understood the power of "evergreen" content long before it was a buzzword. A recipe for arroz con pollo doesn't expire. It doesn't care about the news cycle. It doesn't care about the latest iPhone. People will be hungry for it in 2026 just like they were in 1996. By building a library of high-quality, dependable content, they created a machine that works while they sleep.
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How to Cook Like the Guys (The Actionable Part)
If you want to actually use the wisdom of the Three Guys From Miami, you have to start with the basics. Don't go buying a $200 immersion sous-vide machine. Go buy a heavy-bottomed pot and some fresh garlic.
1. The Garlic Rule
Never use the stuff from a jar. Seriously. If you’re following the Three Guys’ philosophy, you’re peeling and mashing fresh cloves. Use a mortar and pestle (a mortero). It releases the oils in a way a knife never will.
2. The Citrus Balance
In Cuban cooking, acid is king. It cuts through the fat of the pork. If your food tastes "flat," you probably need more lime or sour orange. The Three Guys often emphasize that the marinade is where the soul lives. Give it time—at least 24 hours for a pork shoulder.
3. The "Sofrito" Patience
Most people rush the onions and peppers. Don't. You want them soft and translucent. You want them to give up their sweetness. This is the foundation of almost every dish they promote. If your sofrito is weak, your meal is weak.
4. Don't Fear the Fat
Authentic Cuban food isn't "diet" food. It uses lard or olive oil generously. The Three Guys have always been honest about this. If you try to make these recipes low-fat, you're missing the point of the texture and the mouthfeel that defines the cuisine.
Final Thoughts on the Miami Legends
Raúl, Jorge, and Glenn created something that outlasted dozens of food trends. They survived the transition from the early web to social media to the era of AI-generated junk. Why? Because they are real. You can't fake the chemistry of three guys who actually like hanging out together and eating good food.
They proved that if you provide genuine value—and a really good recipe for flan—people will keep coming back for decades. They aren't just "influencers." They are the keepers of the flame for a specific, beautiful, and delicious way of life.
Your Next Steps for Authentic Cuban Cooking
- Audit your spice cabinet: Throw out the stale stuff. Get fresh cumin and oregano. Cuban cooking relies on high-quality basics, not a million different ingredients.
- Master the black bean: Start from scratch with dried beans. Follow the Three Guys' advice on the "no-soak" method versus the soak method to see which texture you prefer.
- Find a local Latin market: If you're serious about this, you need to find naranja agria (sour orange). If your local grocery store doesn't have it, look for the Goya bottled version as a backup, but always aim for fresh.
- Invest in a pressure cooker: Whether it’s an old-school stovetop version or a modern electric one, this is the secret weapon for making tough cuts of meat tender in record time.