Thanksgiving hacks from the team behind MaryGold's

Buzzy restaurant MaryGold's opened Friday inside the new hotel, Arlo Wynwood.

• Axios caught up with a couple of the brains behind the new venture: James Beard-nominated chef Brad Kilgore (formerly of Alter, Ember and Kaido) and cocktail king Gabriel Orta, who co-founded BarLab with Elad Zvi and has run the bar at venues including Broken Shaker and The Anderson.

• They kindly shared some drinking and dining tips you can apply to Thanksgiving. (The Q&A has been lightly edited for style.)

What are your hacks for Thanksgiving Day?

Kilgore: Most things can be cooked ahead of time and reheated. There is often little room to heat everything up at once, so let the more dense items like a casserole heat up first and put the rest on the stove or counter with a foil cover or lid, because it will hold its heat longer.

What's your favorite holiday cocktail?

Orta: A coquito! With rum, coconut and spices. It is like a tropical eggnog but way better.

What's an easy dish that will wow everyone?

Kilgore: Mashed potatoes — using Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Idaho — with smoked cheddar cheese and roasted garlic folded in.

Any tips on having a very Miami Thanksgiving?

Kilgore: Put together a nice punch for a welcoming drink to get the party started; hibiscus-pomegranate margarita comes to mind!

Orta: Enjoy tres leches for dessert, and cafecitos to get you off the food coma.