When Colombians get together, they roll deep. So when we went to Bogotá to sample former Mario Batali pupil Daniel Castaño’s classical Italian fare at his restaurant, Emilia Romagna, we brought a big-ass bus to cart around the crew. And true to form, we filled the bus with a rowdy bunch of sous chefs, friends, and other restaurateurs.

After sampling Bogota’s eclectic range of culinary styles—including Memphis barbecue, Spanish tapas, and of course, Colombian grilled meats—Daniel and his buddies were pouring an anise-flavored sugar-cane liquor called aguardiente (a national specialty) down one another’s throats on our way back to his Brooklyn-inspired restaurant, Gordo, where he whipped up some late-night grub.