Explore every episode of the podcast The Restaurant Guys
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pisco Passion | Johnny Schuler | 13 Nov 2025 | 00:38:10 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2012. The Banter The Guys talk about The Balkans International Wine Competition and the implementation of Wine Diplomacy. Hear the Balkan wine suggestions you didn’t know you needed. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are joined by Johnny Schuler from his vineyards in Peru. He runs the oldest working distillery in the Americas that is both state-of-the-art and traditional to create the classic pisco that has been made there for centuries (yes, centuries!). The Inside Track The Guys came across Johnny when they were learning about his beloved pisco. Both Peruvians are unique and something you want to have in your restaurant. “My argument that pisco is for friendship, pisco is for drinking pisco is for conversation,” Johnny Schuler on The Restaurant Guys 2012 Bio Johnny Schuler is one of the world’s leading ambassadors of Peruvian pisco. A restaurateur, distiller, and TV host, he’s best known for guiding audiences through the history, craft, and culture of Peru’s national spirit on the hit television series “Por Las Rutas del Pisco”. As master distiller at Pisco Portón / La Caravedo, Schuler helped introduce premium Peruvian pisco to a global audience. For more than 20 years, Johnny has played an integral role in rallying government ministries and the private sector to regulate the Pisco industry in Peru. The Peruvian Congress awarded Johnny the Medal of Honor. Info Caravedo Pisco https://www.caravedopisco.com/hacienda-la-caravedo Book Johnny mentioned The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld by Herbert Asbury On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jeff Bell: Raising the Bar in NYC | 11 Nov 2025 | 01:00:20 | |
The Banter The Guys discuss a restaurant experience that let the rabbit out the hat. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with buddy Jeff Bell to discuss the bar scene in New York. From humble beginnings as a barback at PDT to owning it and several other of the coolest places in NYC, Jeff tells about his experiences of becoming a business owner, including (the requisite) major disaster during his first year. The Inside Track The Guys have known Jeff for years and were taken by his wisdom of bartending preparing him for fatherhood. “ Being a bartender for years is just absolutely great training for parenthood. There is this volatility you get from people drinking [of] the highs and lows where they can just start laughing for no reason or crying for no reason… or have a bodily fluid mistake,” Jeff Bell on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025 Bio Jeff Bell has been bartending and running bars for over 15 years. At Please Don’t Tell (commonly known as PDT) in the East Village of NYC, he started as a bar-back, worked his way up to head bartender and, eventually, owner. He is also a managing partner in PDT Hong Kong. In 2025, Jeff co-launched a new venture: a bar concept called Mixteca, an agave-forward cocktail bar in the West Village. The concept is rooted in tequila and mezcal. He will be opening Kees bar, a different concept in the same location, later this year. He also was in charge of restoring Peacock Alley in the Waldorf Astoria to “its original grandeur” reviving the space and cocktail offerings from the hotel’s rich history Throughout his tenure at PDT Jeff has earned numerous accolades including Spirited Award: American Bartender of the Year 2017. Info Mixteca bar, NYC https://cocteleriamixteca.com/ On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| The Culinary School Promise — And the Kitchen Reality | Nicholas Harary | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:37:28 | |
Vintage episode (2007)
The Guys kick off the show discussing date night plans that don’t involve food. Spoiler, there aren’t many.
The Restaurant Guys welcome back Nicholas Harary, owner of Restaurant Nicholas. The Guys quip that newborn Nicholas Jr. may start work in the kitchen immediately then they discuss the balance of family and work in a life of hospitality. The conversation moves Harary's passionate tirade against the state of culinary education and what he’s doing at his place to improve the experience for everyone.
The Guys have known fellow New Jersey restaurateur Nicholas for years. While he is a culinary school graduate, he speaks out against the current institution and says this about its students. “They’re going to the best schools in the world to learn their craft. They’re getting charged ridiculous amounts of money, but they’re not being prepared to do anything,” Nicholas Harary on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007 Bio Nicholas Harary is an award-winning chef and restaurateur best known for founding Restaurant Nicholas, one of New Jersey’s most acclaimed fine-dining destinations. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Harary earned top honors from The New York Times and Zagat before reimagining his concept into Barrel & Roost, a modern, chef-driven comfort food restaurant in Red Bank. Alongside his wife Melissa, he also runs Nicholas Creamery, offering artisanal small-batch ice cream. Harary is a published cookbook author and passionate about food, family, and hospitality. Info Nicholas’ current restaurant https://www.barrelandroost.com/ Nicholas Creamery https://www.nicholascreamery.com/ On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Patrick O'Connell, Self-Taught Chef - 3 Michelin Stars | 09 Jan 2025 | 00:36:52 | |
The Banter The Guys find humor in the imitation Twinkie kit marketed to families. Just let ‘em eat cake! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys hear all about chef Patrick O’Connell’s extreme measures to heighten the guest experience at The Inn at Little Washington. He tries to view everything from the arrival to the meal to how they will speak about the visit through the eyes of the patron and crafts an unparalleled sojourn in his oasis in Virginia.
The Guys have stayed at Patrick O’Connell’s Inn at Little Washington and couldn’t have enjoyed it more. It is a thrill to get a peek behind the curtain of how he creates an individualized ultimate dining fantasy for each guest. “And you find that you can't just create one fantasy. You have to intuit what the guest's fantasy is and deliver that and even raise the bar give them something beyond which they imagined could happen,” Patrick O’Connell on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio Along with Reinhardt Lynch, he began a catering business in 1972 in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1978, O'Connell and Lynch opened the Inn at Little Washington in an abandoned gas station. O'Connell was one of the first American chefs courted by the France-based Relais & Chateaux. He is recognized as one of their "Grands Chefs" (formerly the designation was "Relais Gourmands" referring to establishments of two Michelin Star quality or better). He has won numerous awards including Outstanding Chef in America in 2001 and Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region in 1993, both awarded by the James Beard Foundation. In 2019, he was awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of the American Culinary Federation and was inducted into the ACF Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2019, O'Connell was awarded the National Humanities Medal. Info Inn at Little Washington Patrick’s book
On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Giorgio Bargiani: Behind The Connaught Bar | 07 Jan 2025 | 00:40:57 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about their meals at home and, unsurprisingly, they are persnickety. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys reconnect with award-winning Head Mixologist of The Bar at the Connaught Hotel in London, Giorgio Bargiani. Giorgio describes some of the specialties Connaught Bar is known for, but it’s difficult to capture what makes it so magical. They discuss Giorgio’s path to the Connaught Bar and how rewarding creating memories can be. The Inside Track The Guys have been to Connaught Bar many times and have had the pleasure of being hosted by Giorgio. Giorgio believes that the road to being excellent is consistency. “ Excellent is very much related to consistency. If you do something well you are doing something extraordinary for one day, because life goes on, people tend to forget, but when you are consistent. We provide an experience that is always unique for our guests, and we never compromise on who we are. We never compromise on what we do. We have a style of doing things that never sells out to others,” Giorgio Bargiani on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Giorgio Bargiani is a celebrated mixologist who has risen to international acclaim as the Head Mixologist at The Connaught Bar in London. In 2014, Giorgio joined The Connaught Bar team under the mentorship of master mixologist Agostino Perrone, he began as a bar back and was promoted to head mixologist in 2019. The Connaught Bar has been repeatedly recognized as one of the world’s best bars. Among many other awards and recognition, Giorgio won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for Best International Bar Team (with Agostino Perrone) in 2020 and International Bartender of the Year in 2023. Along with Perrone and Maura Millia have written a Cocktail Recipe book The Connaught Bar, Recipes and Iconic Creations. Info Giorgio’s Book On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Floyd Cardoz Spices Up New York | 02 Jan 2025 | 00:30:42 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2005 The Conversation The Restaurant Guys finally meet chef Floyd Cardoz of the acclaimed Tabla restaurant in New York City. Floyd talks about his experiences that brought him to where he is today and how he melded cuisines of India and the ingredients available in the New York region to create the first New York Times three-star Indian-fusion restaurant. The Inside Track The Guys are huge fans of Floyd and later they became friends. Floyd’s passing in 2020 was a loss to them both professionally and personally. He left a legacy of passion for his craft and his heritage. “Everything I put on my menu is not created from my head. It's all created from my heart. It's related to an experience I've had in the past, something I've eaten in the past, something I've seen in India. So everything I do has a story attached to it,” Floyd Cardoz on The Restaurant Guys 2005 Bio Floyd Cardoz was born in India and received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry before exploring culinary school and moving to New York City in 1988. After working with chef Gray Kunz at Lespinasse he began working for Union Square Hospitality Group. He collaborated with Danny Myer to open Tabla in 1998. Cardoz was a four-time James Beard Award nominee and the author of two cookbooks. He is winner of season 3 of Top Chef Masters. He was named among the "Top 50 Most Influential Global Indians" by GQ Magazine in 2011. Info Cardoz Legacy On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| The Restaurant Guys: An Incendiary Episode | 31 Dec 2024 | 00:13:52 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about elevating their town’s New Year’s Eve celebration and mishaps of New Year’s Eves past. We are grateful for your support of the re-launch of The Restaurant Guys Podcast and wish you wonderful things in 2025! Happy New Year! On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| TEASER! Restaurant Guys Radio: The Last Call-in Show | 28 Dec 2024 | 00:09:07 | |
This is just a teaser from a bonus episode for our subscribers. If you'd like to become a Restaurant Guys' Regular and listen to the entire episode and other commercial-free episodes, subscribe here The Banter The Guys host their last terrestrial radio show in 2008 by taking calls from their audience, revisiting meaningful topics and giving away things! Hear what the long-time listeners have to say about The Restaurant Guys. On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Robert Tinnell and His Feast of the Seven Fishes | 26 Dec 2024 | 00:31:57 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2011 The Banter The Guys discuss a New York Times Review from their newly opened Catherine Lombardi restaurant. They are pleased because they met their expectations, if not their aspirations. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome author Robert Tinnell to talk about his graphic novel The Feast of the Seven Fishes. It’s a tale of an Italian-American hosting Christmas Eve and bringing a newcomer to the spectacular dinner. Robert shares the impetus for writing this book and his dream (that came to fruition in 2018). The Inside Track The Guys have attended many Italian-American Christmas eves. Mark has experienced them his entire life and Francis joined in once he saw the magic. Robert and Mark compare notes on their varied experiences with big Italian-American families and the feast of the seven fishes. “There's a growing disconnect when you get three, four, five generations, removed from the original immigrants, who themselves were just gung ho about becoming Americans. I'm happy to be a good American, but there's just a lot of wonderful things about my Italian heritage I'd like not to lose,” Robert Tinnell on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2011 Bio Robert Tinnell is a director, producer, and graphic novelist. Robert directed such films as Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019), Frankenstein and Me (1996), and Kids of the Round Table (1995). His producer credits include Back Fork (2019), The Hunted (2013) and Surf Nazis Must Die (1987). His graphic novel writing includes Flesh and Blood, The Living and The Dead, The Black Forest, The Wicked West, and the Eisner Award Nominee Feast of the Seven Fishes. Info Graphic Novel Movie On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| The Restaurant Guys Christmas Reminiscing | 24 Dec 2024 | 00:23:11 | |
This show is ad-free. Happy Holidays! The Guys talk about toys around the tree, special holiday foods and new traditions that began with their restaurant families. However you celebrate or don’t, enjoy time with family and friends during this season and always. On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Colman Andrews, Campbeltown Scotch Sings This Song | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:35:10 | |
This is a vintage selection from 2006 The Banter The Guys talk about Long Island wines and what the future may hold. When is a wine like a snarky adolescent? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys have Colman Andrews, editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine, to talk about the often unsung region of Campbeltown scotch. Colman goes over the broad strokes then gets into the nitty gritty details of what makes scotch so varied and gives it a sense of place. He also gives his thoughts about the next big beverage on the horizon. Was he correct? The Inside Track The Guys and Colman are in agreement about the culture and traditions around food and beverage being an integral part of the enjoyment. Colman wrote, “I like the trappings of imbibing, the company it keeps, the restaurants and cafes and bars and the people who gather in them. I drink, frankly, because I like the glow, the softening of hard edges, the faint anesthesia. I like the way my mind races one zigzag step ahead of logic. I like that flash flood of the unexpected, utter joy that courses quickly through me between this glass and that one.” Mark: Did you really say that? Colman: I must have been drinking when I wrote that. -Colman Andrews on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio Colman Andrews started off as a restaurant reviewer. He went on to write for lifestyle magazines, guest review for the Los Angeles Times and served as senior editor for New West magazine. In 1994, Andrews became a co-founder of Saveur magazine and later editor-in-chief. During his tenure, Andrews won six James Beard Journalism Awards, and in 2000, Saveur became the first food magazine to win the American Society of Magazine Editors' award for General Excellence. He left Saveur in 2006, becoming the restaurant columnist for Gourmet where Reichl was editor-in-chief. He has written numerous cookbooks captivating the cuisine of specific regions and cultures (Catalan, The Riviera, Ireland, Italy, etc) as well as a book about Ferran Adria. Info Saveur magazine To get the recipe for Caipirinha, email TheGuys@RestaurantGuysPodcast.com On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Dr. Rachel Barrie, First Lady of Scotch | 17 Dec 2024 | 00:50:44 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about their introduction to scotch then later single malts and how it impacted them. Francis discloses an error in judgment that involved Scotch. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys share a dram with Master Distiller of Glendronach, Dr. Rachel Barrie prior to a scotch dinner at their restaurant. Listen if you want to know how a saxophone, brambles and the ghost of a Spanish lady relate to Glendronach. The Inside Track The Guys have Rachel in their restaurant for a Glendronach scotch dinner so they decided to record their conversation. They immediately bonded over their love of enjoying spirits out of a wine glass! “I love this so much. You've got no idea how much I love this because I was trying to convince people exactly what you do. You guys are the best! In my 32 years making whiskey. No one else has brought out a wine glass. This is just complete synchronicity. It's just blowing my mind right now!” Dr. Rachel Barrie on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024
Dr. Rachel Barrie has been making whisky for decades at developing brands such as Glenmorangie, Bowmore, Laphroig and currently Glendronach, Glenglassaugh and BenRiach. In 2003 she became the first woman to be a master blender. Rachel has worked for the Scotch Whisky Research Institute and distilleries from all the regions of Scotland. She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and has been inducted as a Keeper of the Quaich. Accolades include being voted Master Blender of the Year, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award and becoming the first lady of Scotch inducted into the Whisky Hall of Fame.
Glendronach Distillery The Jancis Robison One Glass On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Kevin Zraly, Icon & Mentor | 12 Dec 2024 | 00:35:34 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2005 The Banter The Guys talk about what December means for retail and restaurants along with managing family feasts. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys host writer and iconic consumer wine educator Kevin Zraly. Kevin talks about the best ways to teach consumers, how to find value and what is the most important thing to consider when selecting a wine. The Inside Track The Guys use Kevin’s book as a primer for their employees and Francis has taken his course. Kevin wrote Francis letters of introduction that he took with him to visit wineries all over the world! (On how people enjoy wine) Kevin: Think of it as sex. The whole thing is that people are doing it, but they're not sure they're doing it correctly. So it's the same thing with wine. Francis: Well, I'm fairly sure that I'm doing both of those things correctly. -Kevn Zraly on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005 Bio Kevin Zraly is an award-winning wine writer and one of the world's foremost wine educators. Kevin has been teaching wine for over 50 years. He has written eight books about wine and food, including his annually updated Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, which has sold more than four million copies - making it the number one wine book in the United States. In 1976, famed restaurateur Joe Baum hired Kevin to "Create the biggest and best wine list New York has ever seen" for Windows of the World, located in New York City's World Trade Center. Not only did Kevin create an award-winning wine list, he also started what became the most well-known wine education program in the world – the Windows on the World Wine School. The school continued uninterrupted for 25 years until the tragic destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Eventually, Kevin relaunched the school in the Marriott Marquis Hotel and it ran successfully until 2016. Kevin then continued teaching his Advanced and Master classes in various locations in New York City. Since the pandemic, Kevin has continued his wine school virtually by partnering with Wine.com. Kevin is the youngest person to receive the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award (2011). Info Kevin’s Website On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Rajesh Bhardwaj, Visionary Behind Indian Fine Dining | 07 Oct 2025 | 00:53:20 | |
The Banter The Guys share some of the cool cocktail experiences they had on their safari the night before. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome Rajesh Bhardwaj, operator of the first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the U.S. Rajesh talks about cultivating his vision, curating a team to execute it and how he continues to change the landscape of Indian cuisine in the United States. The Inside Track The Guys listen as Rajesh shares his vision of creating the unique experience at Junoon. “ We are fusion, but not of tradition or of flavors. We are fusion of technique,” Rajesh Bhardwaj on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025 Bio Rajesh Bhardwaj is the founder and CEO of Junoon, the acclaimed Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in New York City. A visionary restaurateur, Rajesh has redefined modern Indian dining in the United States. He blends deep cultural roots with a sophisticated, contemporary approach to cuisine and service, earning Junoon international recognition and loyal acclaim. Info Clemente Bar Hawksmoor Junoon Jazba On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Josh Noel: Malört, Why? | 10 Dec 2024 | 00:49:24 | |
The Banter The Guys make “scents” out of the smells some companies use to entice you into their establishments. The Guys do it the old fashioned way. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome Josh Noel who recently penned Malort: The Redemption of a Revered & Reviled Spirit. Hear how Malört’s devoted supporters fought for its independence and prosperity. It’s a David and Goliath story you won’t want to miss! The Guys have been mystified by Malört for a long time and Josh’s book had them marveling at the (eventual) success of this “evil spirit” (On liquor executive George Brody’s marketing strategy for Malört) Josh: He initially tries to position it as a very high end product, something you need to learn to savor. The first time you taste it, maybe it doesn't quite click for you, but sit with it and soon you'll understand the elegance. That did not work for Malört. So he pivoted quickly to what you were saying, which is, are you man enough? Literally, are you man enough to drink this? Francis: I'm not, by the way, I'm definitely not! -Josh Noel on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Josh Noel, food and beverage journalist, had a decades-long tenure at the Chicago Tribune in addition to contributions to This American Life, the New York Times, and other publications. He has authored two books Barrel-Aged Stout and Selling Out, followed by the forthcoming Malört: Redemption of a Revered & Reviled Spirit. Info Josh’s Website Check Out #malortface On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Andrew Zimmern: Bizarre Foods and Stories | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:36:49 | |
This is a Vintage selection from 2007. The Guys discuss Francis’ upcoming trip to the land of prairie butter and why you want to know how to use it. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome famed food writer and television personality Andrew Zimmern. He tells some wild tales of the foods and animals he has encountered, but the scariest story of all took place in Dai’s House of Unique Stink. The Inside Scoop The Guys get a kick out of Andrew’s brazen culinary adventures and his television antics. “When the first line in the recipe is quarter your moose head and boil it in four gallons of water, you've got an interesting recipe,” Andrew Zimmern on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007
Andrew Zimmern is a chef, food writer, radio show host, author, and host of award-winning television series Bizarre Food franchise among others. He is a four-time James Beard Award winner for his television shows. He has received many Emmy nominations and won for The Zimmern List. He is the author of several books for all ages about bizarre foods as well as an adventure book for middle school students. Currently, Andrew is on The Outdoor Channel’s series, Field to Fire.
Andrew’s Website On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Cathy Corison & Grace Corison Martin: The Next Generation | 03 Dec 2024 | 00:51:09 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about what Robert Simonson calls “the cold switcheroo” and what’s next in the world of martini. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys get two Corisons on one show! They catch up with Cathy Corison and her daughter Grace Corison Martin who will, perhaps along with her sister, take over the winery one day. They discuss the challenging past, bright present and brilliant future of Corison Wines. The Inside Track They have been avid fans of Cathy Corison’s wines (Corison Winery) and they have hosted wine dinners at their places with Cathy and she has hosted them when they visit in California. On the idea of her daughters eventually taking the reins at the winery, Cathy says, “I’m just so grateful to know that it's going to go forward after me because we're farmers. It's a very long term business. And in fact, the wines I'm making today are still going to be on the youthful side when I'm gone. So just to know that it's going to go forward is, is very, very gratifying,” Cathy Corison on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Cathy Corison’s winemaking journey began nearly 50 years ago when she took a wine appreciation course. Two years later she graduated, and two days after that, arrived in the Napa Valley, bent on making wine. A master’s degree in Enology at UC Davis followed. She made wine at Chappellet Vineyard for the 1980’s. In 1987, toward the end of her tenure at Chappellet, there was a wine inside her that she needed to make and she began to buy grapes and barrels. Using other wineries’ facilities, she was able to create the wine of her own. She founded her own winery, Corison Winery, in 1987. The winery is located in St. Helena, California in a barn built by Corison's husband, William Martin. They have two daughters, Grace and Rose, who are poised to take the reins in the future. Grace Corison Martin earned a BFA in Acting from Syracuse University and then worked in restaurants in NYC. Since moving back to the Napa Valley, Grace completed her Winemaking Certificate at UC Davis, and her Level 3 WSET.
Corison Winery See the Kronos table! On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Lidia Bastianich: Blending Cultures Through Food | 28 Nov 2024 | 00:31:29 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2010 The Guys are horrified to hear about red bees…and it’s not because of their sting. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are long-time fans of Lidia Bastianich’s restaurants and her retail phenomenon Eataly. They are eager to talk about her new book and bridging cultural divides with food. Listen to her mission to keep hearts and bellies full. The Inside Track The Guys grew up with a strong sense of cultural heritage and appreciate Lidia’s desire to share hers with the world. “I am blessed with two of the biggest cultures, the most beautiful cultures in the world, the Italian and the American. And I was given the opportunity to pull them together. I did it through food,” Lidia Bastianich on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2010
Lidia Bastianich immigrated from Italy when she was 12. She opened two restaurants in Queens during the 1970s which were very successful. In 1981, she sold those and purchased a brownstone in Manhattan which would be home to Felidia. In 2005 she opened Del Posto to great acclaim. Currently, she has Lidia Kansas City and Becco in New York, New York. In 2010, she was integral in the opening of the first Eataly in Manhattan, NY. She has had several television series including Lidia’s Italian Table, Lidia's Family Table, Lidia's Italy, Lidia's Italy in America, and Lidia's Kitchen as well as numerous specials and guest appearances. She has authored more than a dozen books. She has received numerous awards and honors including many James Beard Foundation awards for Best Chef in New York, Best Outstanding Chef, Best Cooking Show, Outstanding Documentary. Info Lidia’s Italy Lidia’s Book On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Ellen Yin: JBF Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year! | 26 Nov 2024 | 00:55:04 | |
The Banter The Guys recount some troubling restaurant stories involving drought, flood, snow and nine foot flames! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys meet Ellen Yin, a successful restaurateur out of Philadelphia. They all have been running restaurants for decades and discuss the joys of retaining key employees and the benefits of a pool house as well as the challenge of not being a chef. Ellen shares about her newest venture a.kitchen+bar in Washington, DC and the excitement of learning the culture of a new city. The Inside Track The Guys have been taken by Philadephia’s post-pandemic food scene. This is what Ellen has to say. “Well, having been in it for twenty some years, I'd like to think that it's been a great food city, but only recently has it been publicly confirmed to be a great food city,” Ellen Yin on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Ellen Yin, a graduate of the Wharton School for Business at the University of Pennsylvania, opened her first restaurant, Fork, in Philadelphia in 1997. She is founder and co-owner of High Street Hospitality Group which operates some of the most celebrated restaurants in Philadelphia. In addition to Fork, they operate a.kitchen+bar, High Street, High Street Bakery, The Wonton Project and recently opened a.kitchen+bar in Washington, DC. In 2023, she was awarded Outstanding Restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation. Yin was honored with Philadelphia Business Journal’s: Women of Distinction award in 2020. Her restaurant Fork was named one of the most influential restaurants of the 1990s. Info Ellen Yin’s Restaurant Group High Street Hospitality Eli Kulp’s Podcast On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| La Petraia: The Guys Go to Italy! | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:42:18 | |
The Conversation The Restaurant Guys were so taken with the stories behind a book by Susan McKenna Grant that they took a detour while at an Italian wine festival to stay at her beautiful property that she is restoring, La Petraia. This interview in this episode was recorded on location at Radda in Chianti at the farm (you can hear the pigs snorting) interspersed commentary from The Guys after they arrived home. The amount and variety of products acquired from that farm is amazing! The Inside Track The Restaurant Guys Podcast was Susan’s soundtrack as she lovingly restored La Patraia. After she wrote her book Piano, Piano, Pieno , she sent it to them and they just had to have her on the show. A few years later, they went to see her and stayed at the gorgeous La Petraia. “We've got old maps of the property from a couple of hundred years ago and you can look at those maps and see that it's still exactly the same today as it was then. There's the same amount of field and there's the same amount of forest. The house is the same size. It's just the way it is,” Susan Grant McKenna on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2010 Bio Susan McKenna Grant spent several years traveling in Europe and studying cooking, pastry, and artisan bread baking. She attended the Cordon Bleu and Ecole Lenôtre in Paris, the San Francisco Baking Institute, the Ecole Française de Boulangerie d’Aurillac in the Auvergne region of France and the Boscolo Etoile Academy in Italy. In 2001, Susan and her husband, Michael, purchased La Petraia in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany in Italy. The couple spent fifteen years restoring La Petraia to its origins as a sustainable, mixed working farm. The couple also operated a luxury agriturismo, which included four guest rooms, a restaurant and cooking school. Petraia was the inspiration for Susan’s two award winning cookbooks. Susan currently resides in Switzerland where she continues to write about food and sustainable foodways. Info Susan Leaves La Petraia (click for photos of the property) Susan’s Books On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Tom Colicchio: Tippity Top Chef Visits The Guys | 19 Nov 2024 | 00:56:34 | |
The Banter The Guys express what they look for in a dinner party host and what to do as a guest….and they hope you invite them over. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome Tom Colicchio back on the show after 18 years! Giving some insights from his book Why I Cook, Tom tells stories from his early years, how he ended up where he is and shares some behind the scenes tea from Top Chef. The Inside Track The Guys understand the NJ culture Tom experienced while growing up and one of them had the same first boss! Several years later, he returned to 40 Main with aspirations. “So Jerry and I were ambitious. We didn't want 40 Main just to be a great restaurant in Milburn. We wanted it to be a great restaurant period,” Tom Colicchio from his book on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024
Tom Colicchio got his start in suburban New Jersey restaurants with stints in NYC and abroad. In July 1994, Colicchio and his partner Danny Meyer opened the Gramercy Tavern in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. It was voted Most Popular Restaurant in New York City by the Zagat Survey in 2003 and 2005. In spring 2001, he opened the first Craft restaurant one block south of Gramercy Tavern. Craftsteak and ‘wichcraft followed. Tom won the 2010 Outstanding Chef award from the James Beard Foundation. He has written three cookbooks and just released his memoir and cookbook Why I Cook. Tom has been involved with Top Chef since its beginning in 2006, where he has served as head judge. He won an Emmy Award in 2010 for Outstanding Reality-Competition Programming as an executive producer of Top Chef, on which he appears. Info About Tom and His Book Why I Cook On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Cathy Corison: A Wine of One’s Own | 14 Nov 2024 | 00:33:54 | |
This is a Vintage Episode from 2006 (where they tell a story that they later re-told on the Curtis Duffy 2024 episode about the worst food they’ve ever served) The Banter The Conversation The Inside Track “So the answer is no, I don't. And if I cared about that, I wouldn't be as stubborn as I've been to make a wine that is still elegant,”Cathy Corison on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio She founded her own winery, Corison Winery, in 1987. Corison Winery makes primarily cabernet wines and produces 2,500 cases a year. She was named San Francisco Chronicle Winemaker of the Year 2011 Info Corison Wines at Stage Left Wine Shop, NJ Current article linking asthma and hamburger On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Charles Neal: Armagnac, Calvados and Cognac, Oh My! | 12 Nov 2024 | 00:42:01 | |
The Banter The Guys chat about when it’s all right to share their expertise, when it is not advisable and why novice waiters might not want The Guys in their section. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys have their long-time distributor, author and spirits expert Charles Neal on the show to discuss French brandy. Charles tells his journey of discovering and importing products from family distillers of these libations and how he used the Normandy Invasion to do it! The Inside Track The Guys and Charles have the same goal: finding lesser-known, high-quality products made by small producers and sharing them with a broader audience. They have carried Charles Neal Selections for decades and appreciate Charles’s good taste and tenacity. Charles: And so I thought what I'll do is I'll go there and in three months I’ll see every Armagnac producer because I had a list of them and there were about 120 of them. Francis: I like your style! I wish I had been on that trip. -Charles Neal on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Charles Neal is an importer and distributor of wines and spirits based in San Francisco, California. His company, Charles Neal Selections, has been in existence since 1998. He is a leading authority on Armagnac and Calvados, having written benchmark books on both brandies Armagnac: The Definitive Guide to France's Premier Brandy and Calvados: The Spirit of Normandy. His book on Cognac will be coming out in 2025. In addition to these spirits, Charles imports wines from nearly every French wine region. He pursues those who make quality products and continue to hone their craft, humble producers carrying on a tradition from generations past and building a future for generations to come. Info Charles Neal Selections Charles Neal’s Books On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Grant Achatz Creates a Chemistry Experience | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:37:50 | |
This is a vintage selection from 2007 The Banter The Guys discuss an article titled “Chef’s Kids Eat the Darndest Things” in New Jersey Monthly Magazine where Mark’s son’s creation was featured. Find out what unusual sandwiches are being made in the Pascal household. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys host Grant Achatz, cutting edge chef of Alinea restaurant in Chicago. Grant talks about his unusual dishes, methods and how he crafts the diner’s experience. The Inside Scoop The Guys have been intrigued by the cuisine that some call molecular gastronomy or avant-garde, but Grant Achatz can’t put a name on it. He does describe how he gets inspiration for it from daily life. “It's a little bit out there, but a lot of it is just like being aware of your surroundings... If you're listening to a certain song and you hear an extreme tempo change, I say to myself: How can I incorporate that tempo change into the experience? How can I make a 24 course meal shift instantly and go from savory and then back to sweet again, in the matter of three courses?” Grant Achatz on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007 Bio Grant’s culinary journey began at his family’s diner. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he honed his skills at Charlie Trotter’s, The French Laundry, and elBulli in Spain before assuming the executive chef position at Trio. In 2004, Grant and Nick Kokonas co-founded Alinea. Alinea has earned many accolades since, including 13 consecutive years with 3 Michelin stars - the longest of any fine dining restaurant in the U.S Grant’s culinary ventures expanded with Next restaurant and The Aviary bar, both receiving critical acclaim and awards. In 2016, he opened Roister, which earned a Michelin star in its first year, followed by St. Clair Supper Club in 2019. Chef Grant Achatz is recognized as the Best Chef in the United States by the James Beard Foundation and honored by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Grant’s story of recovering from tongue cancer is told in his memoir Life, On the Line and featured in the documentary Spinning Plates and Netflix’s Chef’s Table. Info All of Grant’s Restaurants On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Martini Expo | Part 3: Joe Magliocco, David Wondrich, and More | Preview | 04 Oct 2025 | 00:14:26 | |
This is a TEASER in our Martini Expo series Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Guests Joe Magliocco is the president of Michter’s Distillery, where he has been instrumental in reviving the historic American whiskey brand. His company is involved in creating eco-sustainable Farmer’s gin. Dale DeGroff known as “King Cocktail,” is a legendary bartender, author, and educator known for reviving the craft of the classic cocktail. Dale is a James Beard Award winner and founding president of the Museum of the American Cocktail. David Wondrich is a cocktail historian, author, and James Beard Award winner recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on drinks and drinking culture. Robert Simonson, co-founder of The Martini Expo and The Mix with Robert Simonson, is an award-winning journalist and author who writes about cocktails. He has authored several acclaimed books, including The Martini Cocktail. Mary Kate Murray, co-founder of The Martini Expo and The Mix with Robert Simonson, is a drinks writer and event producer. Her career spans communications and media where she shares a deep love for the communal spirit of drinking. Lisa Laird Dunn is the ninth-generation family member behind Laird & Company, America’s oldest licensed distillery and the historic producer of Laird’s Applejack. Info Martini Expo 2025 https://martiniexpo.com/ David's book The Comic Book History of the Cocktail The Mix with Robert Simonson https://robertsimonson.substack.com/ On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Curtis Duffy: Reaching the Stars | 05 Nov 2024 | 00:53:05 | |
The Banter The Guys are alarmed to find out how some folks are flavoring their beverage..and so is the Board of Health. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys get deep with chef Curtis Duffy, who received Michelin stars for his restaurants Grace and Ever in Chicago. Curtis shares his story, how he leads his team and what keeps him striving for excellence. The Inside Track The Guys highly recommend you watch the movie For Grace about the opening of Curtis’s restaurant Grace. The three find plenty to talk about being lifers in a challenging industry. This is how Curtis handles every day. “My daily drive and my daily vision was to be better than what I was yesterday. And I pushed the team and led the team that way. That was always my commitment to the restaurant. We have to be better. We have to be better,” Curtis Duffy on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024
Curtis Duffy began his career in Chicago working under chef Charlie Trotter then later chef Grant Achatz. Curtis became head chef at Avenues, which earned two Michelin stars after his arrival. He and Michael Muser opened Grace in Chicago in 2012. In 2013, the Robb Report named Grace the best restaurant in the world. Grace earned three stars in the Michelin Guide four years in a row. The James Beard Foundation named Duffy Best Chef, Great Lakes in 2016. In 2020, Duffy and Muser opened Ever restaurant which was awarded two Michelin stars in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In 2022, he opened After lounge, and the following year Esquire named After one of the Best Bars in America. Curtis has appeared in numerous television shows such as Top Chef, Top Chef: Colorado, Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. A couple of episodes of The Bear were filmed inside his restaurant Ever and Curtis made and plated the dishes that appear in season 2 episode 7. Chef Duffy's journey is chronicled in the acclaimed documentary For Grace highlighting his rise from adversity to culinary greatness. Info Ever Restaurant For Grace (movie) On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Brian Miller: Tiki Pirate Captain | 31 Oct 2024 | 00:41:58 | |
This is a Vintage selection from 2012 The Guys discuss Bloody Mary variations including some that provide a meal in a glass. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with Tiki barman Brian Miller who was behind the bar at Lani Kai in SoHo (NYC) on Monday nights serving tropical drinks while dressed in pirate garb. They talk about defining Tiki, where it came from and how it fits into modern bar culture. Brian concludes by walking us through constructing a Queens Park Swizzle that will have you heading to the closest establishment with a lele. The Inside Track The Guys know Brian through the industry and have had the pleasure of enjoying many of his creations. They know Brian is passionate about Tiki as he describes below: “To me, that's kind of the allure of it. I think these drinks are just as complex and deserve just as much respect as any of the pre-prohibition and classic cocktails out there. …There's a true art in taking several different rums or several different spirits within one drink, blending them all together and being able to taste every single flavor that's in that drink,” Brian Miller on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2012 Bio Brian Miller worked the bar scene in New York City for several years before being on Audrey Saunder’s opening staff at Pegu Club. He then worked for Phil Ward at Death & Company. After Brian took the reins as head bartender, Death & Company won Spirited Awards Best American Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu at Tales of the Cocktail in 2010. That same year, Brian was nominated for Spirited Award International Bartender of the Year. He was a partner and ran the bar program at The Polynesian, New York City. He is currently the bar manager at the historic and newly re-opened Stockton Inn in Stockton, NJ. On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| David Wondrich: Professor of the Cocktail | 29 Oct 2024 | 00:52:01 | |
The Banter The Guys discuss the strange case of misappropriation Grand Cru Burgundy. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys get to hear from Dr. David Wondrich about the past, present and future of the cocktail in America. They discuss his nine year compendium, a drink category he likes so much he wrote the book about it and a new comic book coming out next year. The Inside Track The Guys have had the pleasure of David attending events at their restaurant to share his expertise (over cocktails, of course). David quips about cocktails without context. “On the one hand, there's an ice cold vodka martini. On the other hand, there's a semi frigid aqueous solution of C2H5OH. Those are exactly the same thing. But the one has James Bond behind it,” David Wondrich on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio David Wondrich is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the history of the cocktail and one of the founders of the modern craft cocktail movement. He is a Drinks Correspondent for Esquire magazine, the author of countless newspaper and magazine articles and five books, including the influential Imbibe!, which was the first cocktail book to win a James Beard award. He completed the enormous Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (2021). He is a founding partner in Beverage Alcohol Resource, America’s leading advanced training program for bartenders and other mixologists. Info David’s Books Mentioned (He has more!) The Parasol Invented at Catherine Lombardi Restaurant 2005 2 oz Aperol .5 Pisco 1 oz simple syrup .5 oz lemon .25 lime 1 egg white Dash Angostura bitters Shake all together except bitters and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with streaks of bitters On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| José Andrés: Feeding the World | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:37:01 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2008 The Guys discuss steps taken by the EPA in 2008 to eliminate reporting of noxious gas emissions due to lawsuits being filed against those who are emitting the toxins. Huh? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are happy to have acclaimed chef José Andrés. They discuss two of his restaurants Jaleo and Minibar which offer quite different styles of excellent dining experiences. Find out how José prefers to eat and what’s next in world cuisine. The Inside Track The Guys were thrilled to know that José loves the show! Here is his response to being a guest. “Thank you, I'm honored. You rock, guys! It's a great show. I download the podcast. It's great, so keep up the good work,” José Andrés on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2008 Bio José Ramón Andrés Puerta was born in Mieres, Asturias, Spain. He met Ferran Adrià in Barcelona, and he worked three years at El Bulli. In December 1990, he decided to move to the United States. In 1993, Andrés was hired to lead the kitchen at Jaleo in Washington, D.C. Later, he helped the owners of Jaleo to open more restaurants: Cafe Atlantico, Zaytinya and Oyamel. In 2003, Andrés started Minibar at a six-seat counter within Cafe Atlantico. Minibar eventually became a stand alone restaurant that has a twelve-seat counter. He continued to open more restaurants in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Puerto Rico. Andrés starred in his own cooking show in Spain, Vamos a Cocinar, and published his book Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America. In 2010 Chef José Andrés developed World Central Kitchen (WCK), a nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines providing fresh meals in response to crises. Info José’s website Made in Spain with Jose Andres On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Dan Richer, Pizza Aficionado | 22 Oct 2024 | 00:54:55 | |
The Banter The Guys chat about old school dining experiences and ways to serve martinis. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys geek out with Dan Richer who, according to The Guys and other reputable sources, makes some of the best pizza in the world! Hear how his obsession with sourcing, tasting and analyzing brings folks from around the globe to Razza Pizza Artiginale in Jersey City, NJ. The Inside Track The Guys recognized Razza pizza as something special when it opened. Conveniently, it is around the corner from Francis’ house so he is a frequent patron. All three attended Rutgers University and got a thorough education in pizza during their college years. “I was so curious as to why the food was so much better in Italy than anything I ever tasted. So I started to cook, and I knew at that moment what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted to figure out why, how, and I wanted to bring that to New Jersey,” Dan Richer on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Born and raised in New Jersey, Dan Richer received his Bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University, where he skipped the graduation ceremony and flew to Italy. There, he found food and a way of cooking that was so incredibly different than anything he had ever experienced in the United States. After returning home, he began to cook and was inspired to learn everything he could about Italian cooking techniques and ingredients. In 2007, Dan purchased a small pizzeria in Maplewood, New Jersey, and turned a struggling pizzeria into a fun, lively neighborhood restaurant lauded for its fresh ingredients and artisanal pizza. In recognition of his cooking, Dan was a James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef semi-finalist in 2011. In 2017, Razza received a 3 star review from the New York Times, and in 2019 was named Best Pizza in North America by 50 Best. Info Dan’s Place Dan’s Book Le Veau D’or in NYC
On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Audrey Saunders: Queen Mother of The Cocktail Renaissance | 17 Oct 2024 | 00:36:43 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2006 The Banter The Guys discuss a new trend in 2006: the Avant-garde cocktail. Is it a drink? A chemistry experiment? Hear their take on it. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with Audrey Saunders the year after opening The Pegu Club. They talk about old books and the problem with soda guns. Audrey discusses her vision for Pegu and what inspires and motivates her (and what doesn’t). The Inside Track The Guys are frequent guests at The Pegu Club and appreciate Audrey’s mission to create a warm space with delicious libations. “When you talk about artisan, you're talking about just basic things. It's really all about balance in a cocktail, the way it would be balanced in a dish starting with a classic foundation,” Audrey Saunders on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio Today, Audrey serves as a consultant for the cocktail industry, and her future plans include the establishment of a cocktail institute and think tank on their property in Washington state. On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Tony Abou-Ganim, Modern Mixologist | 15 Oct 2024 | 00:46:58 | |
The Banter The Guys find that maps of bars from the Victorian era were created with a very different purpose than expected. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are eager to hear from Tony Abou-Ganim’s about Negroni week in Dubai. From running spirits competitions to writing to charity work, Tony shares what he’s doing to leave a legacy for those who come next. The Inside Track The Guys crossed paths with Tony in New York City when the cocktail renaissance was merely a glimmer in Dale DeGroff’s eye. Tony on bringing craft cocktails to Las Vegas in the 90s: Bio Tony's journey in mixology began under the tutelage of his cousin Helen David, where he learned the art of classic cocktails. After gaining experience and notoriety on both coasts, Tony was selected by Steve Wynn to craft the cocktail program for Bellagio Las Vegas, introducing his philosophy of quality ingredients and technique across the resort's bars. He authored The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails and Vodka Distilled. Info Tony’s Website TAG Spirit Awards Atlas Obscura Article of Victorian Drink Maps Mai Tai Recipe ¾ oz. Appleton’s V/X Jamaican Rum Combine in a mixing glass and shake with ice. On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Frank Brunacci: Truffles from Down Under | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:34:15 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2012 The Guys talk about the decline of professional food writing and support by the media. Is it good that many amateur voices have drowned out the professional ones? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys reach around the world to talk with Frank Brunacci, King Truff, provider of excellent Australian truffles. Frank tells how this got started and why they are able to produce such excellent truffles. The Inside Track The Guys somehow got in contact with Frank to sample his Australian truffles and they were blown away! They wanted to have him on their show in 2012 and he’s still their truffle purveyor in 2024. Frank on experiencing Australian truffles: “So from the moment I first saw them, I smelt them, I was just in love, and I just knew that this was an opportunity of a lifetime,” Frank Brunacci (King Truff) on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2012 Bio Frank Brunacci was raised in Australia and trained under culinary greats. Brunacci eventually moved on to Victor’s at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans, LA, where his career as a chef took off.During his tenure at Victor’s, the restaurant received a five diamond rating from AAA, becoming the only restaurant in the state of Louisiana to garner this award. Brunacci became a bit more well-known in Chicago after in early 2008 he helped launch the Michelin-starred Sixteen in the Trump International Hotel & Tower. He left in 2011 to pursue a gig as a truffle importer with his wife, Lillian. The duo formed The Chef's Diamond Company now Subdus and pursue what they call their great passion, obtaining truffles for high-end restaurants nationwide. Info Frank’s Truffle Company Brett Anderson currently writes for The New York Times On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Ben Shewry Finds Uses for Obsession | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:58:41 | |
The Banter The Guys try some homemade Applejack. You can’t taste it, but learn about this centuries-old northern American spirit and why Johnny Appleseed was really planting those apples! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome chef-owner of Attica, a restaurant regularly ranked among the best in the word. Attica is just outside Melbourne, Australia. Chef Shewry continues to learn about native foods, particularly those unique to that part of the world so he can share their splendor with others. His book Uses for Obsession will be released October 2024. The Guys compare stories from their decades running restaurants The Inside Track The Guys became acquainted with Ben Shewry through their former employee now author and Australian wine importer Jon Ross. A friendship was quickly formed over their mutual passion for service, food and the hospitality business. “Attica was nothing until I realized, thankfully fairly early on, that the service was actually the most important thing. Some people would balk at that because Attica really is a restaurant known for its cooking, but the service is what carries it. It’s what the great memories are built on. It's the human interactions,” Ben Shewry on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio From a childhood in New Zealand with some early experience at The Roxborough, Shewry moved to Australia and then America to further cement his skill set in the fundamentals of exquisite cookery. He has a passion for respectfully utilizing the foods unique to Australia and New Zealand. Ben Shewry was named “Best New Talent” by Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine in 2008. His restaurant Attica is often ranked among the world’s top 100 restaurants. Ben’s book Uses for Obsession will be released October 2024. Info Ben’s Book
Ben’s restaurant Attica On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Ted Lange: Your Love Boat Bartender | 03 Oct 2024 | 00:35:41 | |
This is a vintage episode from 2012 with special introduction by Sother Teague in 2024 The Guys invite mixologist Sother Teague to introduce this vintage selection about his and America’s favorite bartender of the 1970s Isaac from The Love Boat, actor Ted Lange. After some reminiscing, Sother shares where Isaac has left his mark on pop-culture and where we hope we may encounter that likeness and mustache again. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys interview beloved television bartender Ted Lange who played Isaac on The Love Boat. He discusses his ground-breaking character and the impact it had on television. They chat about celebrities, favorite cocktails and the one characteristic that’s imperative for a good bartender to have. The Inside Track The Guys happen to be at Tales of the Cocktail in 2012 at the same time as Ted Lange who was giving a talk on his work to become the first iconic television bartender. They come up with an idea for a phenomenal joint project. (On being cast in a racially integrated television show and its influence) Ted Lange: So the idea of having an ethnic person in there as a bartender was a sharp idea. Smart idea.Then some of the Princess Cruise Lines had to start doing that. And the bartenders had to grow mustaches! Francis: I gotta tell you, that was a spectacular mustache with that signature smile. Ted Lange on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2012 Bio After debuting on Broadway in Hair, Ted was in some other live productions as well as a few television roles. He made history by becoming the first recurring bartender character on one of the first racially integrated television shows The Love Boat. He’s a Shakespearean actor, writer and director. He has been in show business for over 50 years. For his work theater directing, Lange received the NAACP's Renaissance Man Theatre Award, the Heroes and Legends HAL Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Dramalogue Award. Lange has also been the recipient of the James Cagney Directing Fellow Scholarship Award from the American Film Institute along with the Paul Robeson Award from Oakland's Ensemble Theatre Info Ted Lange’s IMdb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0486198/ On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Martini Expo | Part 2: William Elliott, Tim Cooper, and Sarah Morrissey | 02 Oct 2025 | 00:48:50 | |
Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Guests William Elliott is the bar guru and creative force behind Brooklyn’s legendary Maison Premiere. Rising from opening-team bartender to Managing Partner & Executive Bar Director, he helped guide Maison to a James Beard Award and international acclaim. Known for blending theatrical flair with obsessive precision, he helped launch sister concept Sauvage and co-authored The Maison Premiere Almanac. Tim Cooper is a veteran NYC bartender-turned spirits advocate—serving as Director of Advocacy for Fords Gin in the U.S. garnering Best Brand Ambassador Spirited Award. With over 20+ years in the beverage world, he’s worked behind the stick, built beverage programs, consulted, and now brings the brand to life in the U.S. market. Sarah Morrissey is a seasoned NYC bartender renowned for her innovative approach to classic cocktails, particularly the martini. At Le Veau d’Or, she reimagined the martini by incorporating high-proof Old Raj gin, fino sherry-based La Copa Extra Seco vermouth, and orange bitters, served alongside a salty vermouth sidecar featuring dirty ice and Vichy Catalan mineral water highlighting her as a key figure in NYC's cocktail scene. On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Robert Simonson Gets in The Mix | 01 Oct 2024 | 00:50:28 | |
The Banter The Conversation The Presidential Stormy Porn Star Martini Ingredients Combine all above ingredients in a mixing glass. The Inside Track “Cocktails come with an attached culture and I don't think I would have spent so many years writing about cocktails if that culture wasn't so fascinating,” Robert Simonson on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Info On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Lindsey Williams: Taking Soul Food to a Whole ‘Nutha Level | 26 Sep 2024 | 00:34:06 | |
This is a vintage selection from 2006 The Guys discuss their recent trip to the Bastianichs’ relatively new restaurant Del Posto in NYC. It manages to be opulent, friendly and “New York” all at once while serving delicious meals. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys connect with soul food royalty Lindsey Williams author of Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level about his upbringing, rise, fall and what it’s like being back on top. Lindsey has found a way to continue family tradition with healthy versions of the soul food he was raised on to keep body and soul together a little bit longer. The Inside Track The Guys were impressed by Lindsey’s success in food, music and now as a cookbook author and how he draws on all of his experiences for his most recent gig. He made a lot of connections while in the music industry and he’s now a caterer to the stars.
Francis: So not only do you have the food skills, you've also got LL Cool J's cell phone number, so that really helps. -Lindsey Williams on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio Lindsey Williams, is the grandson of Harlem's matriarch of soul food, Sylvia Woods. He grew up in the kitchen of his grandmother's legendary eatery, Sylvia's Restaurant, where he learned the art of authentic soul food cooking. He became a successful music producer and Executive Vice President of Urban Music at EMI Records before returning to the hospitality industry as a caterer. Realizing that he could not continue living well at over 400 pounds, he completely changed his lifestyle and his diet, lost more than half his weight, and created his own brand of healthy soul food cooking. He wrote a cookbook Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level. He is a student at The Natural Gourmet Cooking School in New York City, and the owner of Neo Soul Events and Catering.
Lindsey’s book On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Melba Wilson: Queen of Soul Food | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:50:56 | |
The Banter The Guys discuss the most sought-after restaurant in France which is probably not what you think. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are thrilled to meet soul food royalty Melba Wilson. Melba recounts her childhood centered around food and frugality which is what led her to where she is today. She brought gospel brunch to Windows on the World and helped revitalize a Harlem neighborhood by bringing folks together over home cooking at her restaurant Melba’s. There may be a Melba’s coming closer to you. Find out where! The Inside Track The Guys knew Melba was a go-getter, but they were not expecting such a powerhouse! They were so taken with her they decided to attend her gospel brunch shortly after this conversation. “Well, I look at my story truly as the American dream. That's my life story. I'm someone who was born, bred and buttered, right here in the village of Harlem that had a dream,” Melba Wilson 2024 on The Restaurant Guys Podcast Bio After some experience at her aunt Sylvia’s restaurant, the iconic Sylvia’s, she struck out on her own in Harlem serving soul food to big wigs and regular folks. She created gospel brunch on Sundays first at Windows on the World then at her own place, Melba’s, which she opened in 2005. She appeared on the Food Network shows Beat Bobby Flay, Worst Cooks in America, and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay Her book is Melba's American Comfort: 100 Recipes From My Heart to Your Kitchen Info Melba’s Restaurant Le Grande Buffet in Narbonne, France Boulom (Paris Buffet Restaurant) On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jacques Torres: Mr. Chocolate Loves NY | 19 Sep 2024 | 00:36:06 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2007 The Guys talk about the idea of “forbidden foods” and the ethics of whether to seek them out as a travel article suggests. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys dig into the details (and a box) of chocolate with chocolatier Jacques Torres. They discuss sourcing, technique, perishability and the transcendent power of chocolate. How is a chocolatier like a winemaker? Find out.
The Guys are fans of Jacques Torres chocolates and were excited to have a high-energy chat about all things chocolate. Jacques makes hot chocolate like Mark’s grandmother and he gives a tip for making it spectacular.
Jacques Torres, affectionately known as Mr. Chocolate, is an expert in the field of chocolate and beyond. He worked at Le Cirque, as the Executive Pastry Chef. In 2000, Torres left Le Cirque and opened his own chocolate factory and retail shop in Brooklyn. Eventually, He went on to open seven shops, including two chocolate factories and an ice cream shop. Jacques was a pioneer in the bean to bar movement, he was the first artisan chocolatier in New York City to start from cocoa beans and make his own chocolate. He has received numerous awards over the years as well as The James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year Award in 1994, and inducted in The James Beard Who’s Who of American Food & Beverage Award in 2003. In 2016, Dessert Professional Magazine inducted him in the Chocolate Hall of Fame and also the same year was awarded the highest honor in France, The Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. He authored several cookbooks and has been the head judge on “Nailed It!”. The show has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Competition Program. Info Jacques Torres Chocolates Jacques' Books On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jacques Torres: A World of Chocolate | 17 Sep 2024 | 00:47:05 | |
The Banter The Guys discuss the fall of one of Mark’s old employers where you may have enjoyed a "fest." The Conversation The Restaurant Guys have a talk with Jacques Torres, Mr. Chocolate, while enjoying the fruits of his labor. They discuss sourcing high quality ingredients, the future of the cacao bean and why his hot chocolate is so incredible. The Inside Track The Guys hosted Jacques Torres on their radio show back in 2007 and are thrilled to speak with him again. They are long-time fans of both his and his chocolate. “Chocolate and pastry. This is my life. This is what I do. I've got that in my veins,” Jacques Torres on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Jacques Torres, affectionately known as Mr. Chocolate, is an expert in the field of chocolate and beyond. In 1988, he came to the U.S. as the Corporate Pastry Chef for Ritz Carlton Hotels. After a year, Sirio Maccioni invited Jacques to New York City to work at his restaurant, Le Cirque, as the Executive Pastry Chef. In 2000, Torres left Le Cirque and opened his own chocolate factory and retail shop in Brooklyn. Eventually, he went on to open seven shops, including two chocolate factories and an ice cream shop. Jacques was a pioneer in the bean to bar movement, he was the first artisan chocolatier in New York City to start from cocoa beans and make his own chocolate. He has received numerous awards over the years as well as The James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year Award in 1994, and inducted in The James Beard Who’s Who of American Food & Beverage Award in 2003. In 2016, Dessert Professional Magazine inducted him in the Chocolate Hall of Fame and also the same year was awarded the highest honor in France, The Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. Jacques has been the head judge on “Nailed It!”. The show has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Competition Program. He also hosted a television series, Chocolate with Jacques Torres, on the Food Network. His cookbooks: Dessert Circus: Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home , and Dessert Circus At Home, A Year in Chocolate . Info Jacques Torres’ Shop Cacao Trace video On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Charlie Trotter: A Pillar in American Cuisine Gone Too Soon | 12 Sep 2024 | 00:49:02 | |
The Banter The Guys reply to a listener email about a faux pas in his favorite restaurant. They address how to craft a complaint for the best result including ingratiating yourself with the management. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome back Chef Charlie Trotter to hear what’s going on in Chicago and Las Vegas, especially during challenging economic times. You’ll hear Chef Trotter’s advice on culinary school, making stocks at home and many things in between. The Inside Track The Guys welcome Charlie Trotter on their show for a second time. They were pleased to know that Chef Trotter played his previous interview on The Restaurant Guys Podcast to his staff. “I've told so many people that this (podcast) is basically Car Talk for food,” Charlie Trotter on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2009 Bio Charlie Trotter opened Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant in 1987. Twice it received two Michelin stars and other acclaim. He closed it in 2012. Restaurant Charlie in Las Vegas received the Michelin Guide One Star Award as well as the James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant. He opened other concepts such as a high-end delicatessen store and a seafood restaurant in Mexico. He received multiple James Beard Foundation Awards including Humanitarian of the Year Award for his philanthropic work. Trotter was the host of the 1999 PBS cooking show The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter, Info Charlie’s Books Home Cooking with Charlie Trotter by Charlie Trotter Lessons in Excellence from Charlie Trotter Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter Lessons in Wine Service by Charlie Trotter On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jose Garces: A Philadelphia Story | 10 Sep 2024 | 00:52:52 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about fast food and the Super Size Me guy, Morgan Spurlock, a former guest on the show whose work impacted their lives. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with Chef Jose Garces in his busy kitchen to discuss his story from Spain to New York to Philadelphia. Chef and The Guys both opened up restaurants in October 2005 named after their grandmothers! The Inside Track The Guys and Chef Garces have crossed paths over the past several decades and held friends in common, but never met. “I think it was a turning point for me as a chef, I realized then that I could drive traffic with just consistent food, consistent, fresh, delicious food day in and day out,” Chef Jose Garces on The Restaurant Guys 2024 Bio Chef Jose Garces is known as a leading culinary authority of Spanish and Latin-American food from the Spanish tapas at Amada, his first restaurant, to the playful Japanese street food at Okatshe in Atlantic City, Chef Garces continually pushes the boundaries of culinary excellence. To help provide ongoing and actionable assistance to the immigrant community, Chef Garces co-founded The Garces Foundation in 2011. The Garces Foundation provides services, including community health days, English language skills classes, and a providing food supplies to the food insecure. Chef Garces won James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic as well as the title Iron Chef. He is the author of two cookbooks, Latin Evolution and The Latin Road Home Info Chef’s Projects Chef’s Restaurants Jamon Iberico de Bellota On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jim Meehan: PDT Speakeasy Cocktails | 05 Sep 2024 | 00:50:03 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about Calvados, what makes it special and why we should taste a wide range of spirits to find the ones you truly enjoy. To this end they run The Spirits Project at their restaurant where they offer samplings of high-end spirits at cost to consumers to further community and conversation. It’s still happening in 2024. If you’re near central NJ, join us! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys talk with Jim Meehan, an accomplished bartender and operator of Please Don’t Tell speakeasy and now author of The PDT Cocktail book. The Guys are taken with the recipes, artwork and beauty of the book. Hear about Jim’s inspirations behind it all. The Inside Track The Guys are so friendly with Jim he has a special nickname for Francis. "You guys, thank you so much. It's been such an inspiration to me to come to your restaurants over the years. To not only get to know you guys as restaurateurs, but to get to know you guys as friends. So, it's really exciting for me to share this with you on your great show,” Jim Meehan on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2011 Bio In 2007 Jim Meehan, a seasoned bartender, opened Please Don’t Tell speakeasy bar in the East Village (NYC) which garnered much acclaim. Jim has been awarded numerous Spirited Awards from Tales of the Cocktail including American Bartender of the Year, World’s Best Cocktail Bar, Best New Cocktail Book, and Best Bar Mentor. He received James Beard Foundation Awards for Outstanding Bar Program and Best Beverage Book as well as numerous other accolades. He has written countless articles and three books. The most recent is The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar.
Jim’s Book mentioned in the podcast Jim’s Instagram On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jim Meehan: Cocktails at Home | 03 Sep 2024 | 00:57:43 | |
The Banter The Guys talk about sourcing products for their restaurants through relationships with local farms and hobbyists. Catherine Lombardi, Mark’s grandmother and the inspiration for his restaurant of the same name, had family heirloom vinegar pots brought from Italy. The Guys recently began experimenting and making vinegar. Hear how it’s going! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with mixologist, author and friend Jim Meehan. They discuss various bar trends over the years and what might be coming next. They highlight Jim’s most recent book which is a way to make truly unique cocktail. The Inside Track The Guys have known Jim for years from frequenting his bars and through the industry. They are even “restaurant in laws.” Listen to find out how! Bio In 2007 Jim Meehan, a seasoned bartender, opened Please Don’t Tell speakeasy bar in the East Village (NYC) which garnered much acclaim. Jim has been awarded numerous Spirited Awards from Tales of the Cocktail including American Bartender of the Year, World’s Best Cocktail Bar, Best New Cocktail Book, and Best Bar Mentor. He received James Beard Foundation Awards for Outstanding Bar Program and Best Beverage Book as well as numerous other accolades. He has written countless articles and three books. The most recent is The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar. Info Jim’s Instagram Jim's Book https://www.thebartenderspantry.com/ On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Steven Rinella: A Wild Meal | 29 Aug 2024 | 00:35:33 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2006 The Guys discuss new trends in desserts as Francis nurses his sugar hangover. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys hear the tale of Steven Rinella’s experience spending a year collecting wild game to create a 45 course meal from Chef Auguste Escoffier’s book Le Guide Culinaire. From turtles to elk to blue trout, don’t miss this epic adventure! (You won’t believe what he went through to acquire squab.) The Inside Track The Guys were fascinated by Steven Rinella’s determination to cook obscure dishes from Escoffier and were eager to speak with him. “You just kind of get a sense that you want the world to be sort of as big and as beautiful as it can be. And that sense for me comes very much just from being around animals and seeing animals and having the occasion to eat them,” Steven Rinella on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio Steven Rinella is the host of the long-running television show MeatEater and top-ranked MeatEater podcast. and the audio original, MeatEater's Campfire Stories: Narrow Escapes and More Close Calls. The Scavenger’s Guide to Haute Cuisine was the first of many books authored by Rinella. He is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books dealing with wildlife, hunting, fishing, and wild game cooking, most recently Outdoor Kids in an Inside World: Getting Your Family Out of the House and Radically Engaged with Nature. He is the recipient of the Conservation Achievement Award from The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Info Steven Rinella’s book Steven Rinella’s YouTube channel On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Martini Expo | Part 1: Salvatore Calabrese, Liam Davy, and Charlotte Voisey | 30 Sep 2025 | 00:54:33 | |
This was recorded at the Martini Expo 2025 Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Guests Intro with Robert Simonson, co-founder of The Martini Expo, creator and writer for The Mix with Robert Simonson, and a James Beard Award–winning drinks writer for The New York Times. He authored The Martini Cocktail, one of the definitive modern works on the world’s most iconic drink. __________ Salvatore Calabrese, “The Maestro,” is one of the world’s most celebrated bartenders. Creator of the iconic Breakfast Martini and the Duke’s Martini, author of best-selling cocktail books, he’s spent over 40 years shaping modern mixology. __________ Liam Davy is a seasoned bar leader and the driving force behind Hawksmoor’s beverage programs. With roots in London’s cocktail scene and a two-decade career under his belt, he’s risen through roles at Milk & Honey and Match Bar. __________ Charlotte Voisey is a leading mixologist and the Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. She began behind the bar as an award-winning bartender (UK Bartender of the Year, Mixologist of the Year), continued as a brand ambassador for Hendrick’s gin until her current role at TotC Foundation. Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Info The Mix with Robert Simonson https://robertsimonson.substack.com/ On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Jon Ross (Master Sommelier and Stage Left Alum): Comes Home From Australia | 27 Aug 2024 | 00:31:45 | |
The Banter The Guys share a funny review of their restaurant, Catherine Lombardi, that was rated in “gold chains.” The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are joined by Jon Ross, former employee, Master Sommelier now wine importer and author. They reminisce about time together early in Jon’s career and follow his path that led him to where he is today including a nearly-forgotten and surprising connection to The Restaurant Guys Podcast. The Inside Track The Guys hired Jon as a young adult and nurtured his interest in wine and hospitality. He rose up through their organization while experiencing professional wine tastings, the Union Square green market and a Tales of the Cocktail convention. Through the years they have kept in touch (The Guys proudly witnessing Jon’s accomplishments) and were happy to interview Jon about his book shortly before they hosted a consumer wine tasting of Jon’s portfolio. On having Mark & Francis as mentors: “I've always felt that your mentors are people who show you what you want to become, not tell you what you want to become,” Jonathan Ross on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Jonathan was a member of the award-winning wine team at Eleven Madison Park and held the title of Head Sommelier. In 2017, Jon passed the prestigious Master Sommelier exam. He makes his own wine in Australia under a label called Micro Wines, which is sold in Australia and the United States. Jon co-authored How to Drink Australian with wife Jane Lopes, a definitive modern guide to Australian wine. Info Legend Imports John’s book is available on the Legend page On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| Thomas Keller | One Chef, Two Coasts | 22 Aug 2024 | 00:35:55 | |
This is a Vintage Selection from 2006 The Banter The Guys discuss WalMart’s announcement that they will be offering organic produce. How do we define “organic”? What is “sustainably produced”? What impact will WalMart’s marketing choice have on the American farmer? The Conversation The Guys welcome Thomas Keller, who holds multiple three-star ratings in the Michelin Guide for his establishments The French Laundry in California and Per Se in New York City. He discusses what went into opening a second world-class restaurant across the country from his first. Hear about Chef Keller’s four basic principles he uses to come up with his amazing dishes. The Inside Track The Guys were lucky enough to dine at Per Se and French Laundry so they enthusiastically welcome Thomas Keller to the show. Will Chef Keller take Francis’s advice about a new product line? “Yeah, I think that's why I took it nice and slow, was because I really enjoyed being in the kitchen. I really enjoyed working with my team. I really enjoyed the guest interaction. I enjoyed being at the French Laundry,” Thomas Keller on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006 Bio Chef Thomas Keller is renowned for his culinary skills and high standards. He has established a collection of restaurants that sets a new paradigm within the hospitality profession, including The French Laundry, in Napa Valley, and Per Se, in New York, among others. He is the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the prestigious Michelin Guide, as well as the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor. He has received countless accolades, including The Culinary Institute of America’s “Chef of the Year” Award and the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef” and “Outstanding Restaurateur” Awards. Info To access all of Thomas Keller’s concepts The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||
| The French Laundry, Otium and Chain | Tim Hollingsworth | 20 Aug 2024 | 00:52:14 | |
The Banter The Guys chat about qualities of produce to be shipped versus riding home from your local farm stand and what new product on the market may be able to capture both. Corn, tomatoes and berries….oh my! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys meet renowned chef Tim Hollingsworth of Otium and Chain. Chef discusses rising up through the ranks at The French Laundry, striking out on his own with Otium and how he levels up the fast food he (and everyone) loves into a smash hit in California…and elsewhere. The Inside Track The Guys enjoy getting to know Tim Hollingsworth and will let YOU know how to experience Chain on the east coast! Tim (about fried chicken sandwiches at his place CJ Boyd’s): making really good sauces, really good fried chicken, using a really good bun and, you know, assembling these, these amazing sandwiches. I mean, I'm salivating. Francis: Awesome. That's awesome. Tim Hollingsworth on The Restaurant Guys 2024 Bio Chef Timothy Hollingsworth is an award-winning chef and restaurateur in Los Angeles. In 2015 he opened Otium, a contemporary American restaurant which features eclectic, vibrant flavors inspired by the wood fire and global influences. It is scheduled to close in September 2024. In 2018, he opened C.J. Boyd’s in LA, a fried chicken stand that pays homage to Chef Tim’s grandfather Cecil Boyd and his southern roots. Before he moved to Los Angeles in 2012, Hollingsworth started his career at The French Laundry where he worked for 13 years including four years as the Chef de Cuisine. Hollingsworth has won multiple awards throughout his career, including the Rising Star Chef Award from The San Francisco Chronicle and the Rising Star Chef of the Year Award, presented by the James Beard Foundation. In 2018, he competed on Netflix’s The Final Table, a global culinary competition series. Info Tim’s Restaurants Tim on IG
On Friday, May 22 we'll be celebrating our 34th Anniversary with a 34 Bottle Walk Around Tasting. Join us! https://www.stageleft.com/event/52226-34th-anniversary-party-ft-34-bottle-wine-spirits-tasting/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak Catherine Lombardi Restaurant Stage Left Wineshop Reach Out to The Guys! | |||