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The Restaurant Guys

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The Restaurant Guys is one of the original food and wine podcasts, launched in 2005 by restaurateurs Mark Pascal and Francis Schott.

With roots as a daily radio show, the podcast features in-depth conversations with chefs, bartenders, winemakers, authors, and hospitality professionals—offering the inside track on food, cocktails, wine, and restaurant culture.

New episodes and vintage conversations because the best stories, like the best bottles, age well. Expect insightful, opinionated, and entertaining conversations about food, wine, and the finer things in life.

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#237
Yesterday · 58 min
Martini Expo 2026 | Vol. 2: Colin Asare-Appiah, François Monti & Ryan Maybee
Recorded on location at the Martini Expo in Chicago. Why This Episode Matters Colin Asare-Appiah takes The Guys inside Ajabu, the cocktail and spirits festival connecting bartenders across Africa and the wider cocktail world, and discusses Black Mixcellence and the Black voices too often missing from cocktail history. François Monti explains why vermouth deserves far more respect than the neglected bottle at the back of the bar and how Madrid’s cocktail culture changed the way he thought about both vermouth and the martini. Ryan Maybee traces the unlikely revival of J. Rieger & Co., from a pre-Prohibition Kansas City whiskey brand to a modern distillery and hospitality destination, and explains why their American gin deliberately looks to classic London dry tradition. The Conversation Colin Asare-Appiah talks about co-founding Ajabu, created to spotlight the ingredients, bartenders and rapidly developing cocktail cultures across the African continent. The conversation turns to his book Black Mixcellence, the importance of recovering Black contributions to cocktail history, the enduring legacy of Tom Bullock and the Pornstar Martini created by his late friend Douglas Ankrah. Colin also explains why he sees the martini as a timeless drink—and why his choice between gin and vodka depends on what’s on the table. Belgian-born, Madrid-based writer François Monti joins The Guys for a deep dive into vermouth. He explains Spain’s culture of drinking vermouth on its own, his journey from Belgian beer to cocktails, and Madrid’s long history of serious cocktail bars. The conversation eventually becomes unexpectedly personal when Mark explains why he disliked his early martinis: old vermouth or virtually no vermouth at all, and the fresh bottle that finally convinced him that vermouth could be delicious. Ryan Maybee tells the story of discovering the forgotten J. Rieger & Co. whiskey brand while researching the history of a Kansas City hotel and ultimately helping bring it back to life. He recalls the visit to Milk & Honey that changed his career, describes the easygoing Midwestern hospitality he brought to Manifesto, and explains the historical use of sherry in Kansas City whiskey. The Guys taste Rieger Gin before Ryan discusses the freedom of American gin, why his own version deliberately embraces London dry tradition, and the classic martini experience that showed him just how much presentation matters. Guest Bios Colin Asare-Appiah is a Ghana-born, London-raised bartender, drinks industry veteran and co-founder of the Ajabu Cocktail and Spirits Festival in South Africa. He is co-author of Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology. François Monti is a Belgian-born spirits and cocktail writer based in Madrid. His work has appeared in publications including Punch, and he is the author of 101 Cocktails to Try Before You Die. Ryan Maybee is a bartender, restaurateur and co-founder of J. Rieger & Co. in Kansas City. He previously opened Manifesto and has played a significant role in the development of Kansas City’s modern cocktail culture. Timestamps 00:00 — Back at the Martini Expo: three more conversations from Chicago 02:30 — Colin Asare-Appiah and the Ajabu cocktail experience 09:30 — Black Mixcellence, Tom Bullock and recovering Black cocktail history 17:00 — The Pornstar Martini, the cocktail canon and Colin’s martini philosophy 22:30 — François Monti: from Belgian beer to Madrid cocktail culture 28:30 — Why vermouth is more than a martini ingredient 34:00 — François’ martini revelation—and Mark’s problem with bad vermouth 39:00 — Ryan Maybee: resurrecting J. Rieger & Co. 50:30 — American gin, London dry tradition and Ryan’s martini moment Info Martini Expo Colin Asare-Appiah — Ajabu Cocktail and Spirits Festival Book: Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology François Monti — 101 Cocktails to Try Before You Die Writing: Bottoms Up Ryan Maybee — J. Rieger & Co., Kansas City, MO Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#236
Tuesday · 1 hr 1 min
Martini Expo 2026 | Vol. 1: Toby Maloney, Jackson Cannon, Federico Lombardi & Dan Smith
Recorded on location at the Martini Expo in Chicago. Why This Episode Matters Toby Maloney looks back at the first wave of the modern cocktail renaissance from Milk & Honey to The Violet Hour and explains why great ice, precise dilution and serious technique still have to serve hospitality. Jackson Cannon recalls bringing serious cocktails into a high-volume Boston restaurant at Eastern Standard, building a team around consistency and collaboration, and why, after all the technique and innovation, the guest still matters most. Federico Lombardi, formerly of Barcelona’s Paradiso and now working in the U.S., compares European and American cocktail cultures and explains the lesson that taught him why temperature, dilution and precision make the martini such an exacting drink. Dan Smith takes The Guys inside Chicago’s Queen Mary Tavern, where a 1940s neighborhood bar became an elegant cocktail destination without losing its soul and explains why, when every small detail of a martini comes together, “it is perfection.” Banter Before heading into the Expo, The Guys compare notes on their very compact Chicago hotel rooms and discover that the Moxy apparently shares Stage Left’s taste in wallpaper: monkeys smoking cigars and drinking vodka. The Conversation Toby Maloney goes back to the beginnings of the modern craft-cocktail movement, including becoming the first bartender hired at Milk & Honey and later helping establish The Violet Hour in Chicago. He and The Guys geek out over metal-on-metal shakers, why experienced bartenders can hear the quality and quantity of ice in a tin, and how dilution changes a drink. Toby also reflects on The Violet Hour’s influence, the danger of cocktail expertise becoming pretentious, and his newer project, The Elbow Room in Vancouver, Washington. Then he explains his unusual martini built around vermouth-and-sherry granita topped with frozen gin. Jackson Cannon joins the conversation to talk about opening Eastern Standard in Boston in 2005, when serious cocktails were still largely disconnected from serious restaurant dining. He recalls the self-taught first generation of the cocktail revival, building consistency across a large bar team and creating buy-in rather than simply dictating technique. Looking at where cocktail culture has gone since, Cannon argues that technique and creativity aren't enough to sustain a career behind the bar. What matters most is still the guest: as he puts it, borrowing from Julia Child, “It’s not what’s on the table, it’s what’s on the chairs.” Federico Lombardi compares the cocktail cultures of Italy, Spain and the United States, talks about creating drinks through the lens of chefs and food, and recalls the training that made him understand the martini as a drink in which every detail has to be right. Finally, Dan Smith explains how old movies first made him curious about cocktail culture, how The Violet Hour turned that curiosity into a career, and how a Polish neighborhood tavern sealed up for four decades became Queen Mary Tavern. He gets into the judicious use of salt in cocktails, the gin-and-rum Navy Strength Old Fashioned, and the Violet Hour martini that showed him what happens when dilution, bitters, temperature and technique all land exactly where they should. Guest Bios Toby Maloney is a bartender, author and longtime figure in the American craft-cocktail movement. He was the first bartender hired at Milk & Honey and later helped open Chicago’s influential Violet Hour. He is the author of The Bartender’s Manifesto and The Classic Cocktail Sessions and is now involved with The Elbow Room in Vancouver, Washington. Jackson Cannon helped shape Boston’s modern cocktail culture as the longtime bar director at Eastern Standard, which opened in 2005 with serious cocktails integrated into a large, full-service restaurant. He later partnered in The Hawthorne and became an influential mentor to a generation of Boston bartenders. Federico Lombardi is an Italian bartender who worked at Paradiso in Barcelona when it reached No. 1 on The World’s 50 Best Bars list. He has since moved to the United States and works behind the bar at Dante in New York. Dan Smith is managing partner of Queen Mary Tavern in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. His approach combines serious cocktail technique with the warmth and accessibility of a neighborhood tavern. Timestamps 00:00 — Chicago, Martini Expo and the Moxy Hotel 03:45 — Toby Maloney: Milk & Honey, The Violet Hour and hearing the ice 14:30 — The Elbow Room, free pouring and Toby’s vermouth-granita martini 24:45 — Jackson Cannon: bringing craft cocktails to Boston 31:00 — Building bartenders, cocktail culture and hospitality 34:45 — Federico Lombardi: Europe vs. America and his martini lesson 42:45 — Dan Smith: The Violet Hour and the story of Queen Mary Tavern 54:00 — Navy Strength Old Fashioned and Dan’s perfect martini moment Info Martini Expo — https://www.martiniexpo.com/ Toby Maloney — The Elbow Room, Vancouver, WA Books: The Bartender’s Manifesto; The Classic Cocktail Sessions Jackson Cannon — Eastern Standard; The Hawthorne Federico Lombardi — Paradiso, Barcelona; Dante, New York City Dan Smith — Queen Mary Tavern, Chicago Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#235
September 24 · 29 min
Hospitality Should Be Fun | Rick Tramonto
This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Rick Tramonto makes the case for fine dining that is polished and precise without being stiff or intimidating. The Guys tackle an enduring hospitality dilemma: when does accommodating one guest diminish the experience for everyone else? Tramonto reflects on restaurants as a place for nontraditional careers, mentorship and finding a sense of belonging. The conversation ends with the importance of cooking, family and gathering around the table. Banter Mark and Francis discuss a 2006 proposal to block cell-phone signals in movie theaters—and whether restaurants should do the same. That leads to the story of guests who opened a laptop in the Catherine Lombardi dining room and started watching a movie with the sound on. The Conversation Rick Tramonto joins the cell-phone debate from the perspective of Tru, where the philosophy was to cherish the customer and say yes whenever possible—until one guest’s behavior began interfering with everyone else’s experience. From there, he explains his approach to fine dining: maintain impeccable technical standards, but lose the stiffness, read the table and make people feel comfortable. The conversation broadens into why restaurants attract people who take unconventional paths. Tramonto talks about cooking as a combination of art, science, craft and business, and about the responsibility chefs and operators have to mentor young people drawn to the intensity of restaurant life. He closes with the importance of home cooking, family meals and keeping people gathered around the table. Guest Bio Rick Tramonto is an acclaimed chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. At the time of this 2006 conversation, he was chef-partner of Chicago’s celebrated Tru restaurant and one of the leading figures in American fine dining. Timestamps 00:00 Vintage introduction 01:00 Cell phones and dining-room etiquette 08:00 Rick Tramonto joins: when hospitality has to say no 14:00 Taking the intimidation out of fine dining 18:00 Restaurants as a path for nontraditional learners 22:00 Mentorship and restaurant culture 25:00 Family, home cooking and gathering around the table Info More about Rick https://tramontocuisine.com/ Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#234
September 22 · 48 min
Pasta, Balsamic & Calm Chaos: Inside Monteverde | Sarah Grueneberg
Recorded on location at Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago Why This Episode Matters Grueneberg explains why being willing to step down in title to keep learning can be one of the smartest career moves in hospitality. Monteverde turns pasta production into part of the dining-room experience with its open pastificio, including filled pasta made to order. The restaurant’s batteria of balsamic barrels isn’t just decoration: Grueneberg sees the continuously aging, fermenting vinegar as part of Monteverde’s living soul. She also shares what comes next: Trattoria Lo So, Monteverde’s forthcoming second restaurant in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, with longtime Monteverde chef Bailey Sullivan leading the kitchen. The Conversation Grueneberg traces the path from Brennan’s of Houston to Chicago, where she deliberately went back to garde manger at Spiaggia because she wanted to learn Italian cooking. She and The Guys talk about the value (and ego check) of taking a lower position in order to learn from the right people, as well as what Chicago’s restaurant culture gave her that she was looking for at that stage of her career. At Monteverde, that education shows up in both the food and the room. Grueneberg wanted guests to feel what she calls “calm chaos”: a restaurant alive with music, smells, movement and pasta being made in full view. She explains why the pastificio was brought out of the prep kitchen and put onstage, how Monteverde handles both extruded and filled pastas, and why its seven-barrel balsamic batteria has become part of the restaurant’s identity. The conversation moves into Grueneberg’s approach to Italian cooking “a traditional heart with a modern hand” from pork neck ragù to cacio whey pepe, and how traveling through Italy gave her permission to respect tradition without simply reproducing it. She also breaks news about Trattoria Lo So, her team’s next Chicago restaurant. Then, after dinner, Mark and Francis return to the microphones to report on whether Monteverde lived up to everything they had just heard. Spoiler: Mark finds a meatball worthy of discussion, which is not a low bar. Guest Bio Sarah Grueneberg is the chef and co-owner of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago’s West Loop. She previously spent eight years at Spiaggia, rising to executive chef during a period when the restaurant earned one Michelin star for three consecutive years, and is a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Great Lakes. Her cooking combines Italian traditions with influences from her Texas upbringing, travels and training. Grueneberg and her Monteverde partners are preparing to open Trattoria Lo So in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood in early 2027. Bailey Sullivan will lead the kitchen as executive chef, with Grueneberg serving as creative director. Timestamps 00:00 The Restaurant Guys arrive in Chicago and head to Monteverde 01:30 Sarah Grueneberg’s path from Houston to Spiaggia; taking a step backward to learn 08:00 — Chicago hospitality, “Midwestern nice” and building a restaurant team 14:00 — Creating Monteverde’s “calm chaos” 18:30 — The pastificio: fresh pasta, filled pasta and making it to order 21:00 — Monteverde’s balsamic batteria and how traditional balsamic is made 28:00 — Grueneberg’s approach to Italian cooking “Traditional heart, modern hand” 33:00 — The Italy trip that changed her career 37:00 — Sarah’s new Trattoria Lo So and what comes next 39:00 — After dinner: The Guys review Monteverde, from meatballs to agnolotti Info Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio https://monteverdechicago.com/ Trattoria Lo So Bucktown, Chicago; expected to open in early 2027 Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#233
September 17 · 27 min
Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job | Father Greg Boyle
This is a Vintage episode from 2007. Why This Episode Matters Father Greg Boyle explains how Homeboy Industries uses jobs, training and support to help former gang members build different lives. Rival gang members work side by side — and Boyle describes what happens when people who once saw each other as enemies begin to know one another. The conversation gets at something restaurants can do particularly well: teach skills, create pride in work and offer a path that doesn’t require a traditional academic route. Boyle makes the case for employment as intervention in one unforgettable line: “Nothing stops a bullet like a job.” The Conversation Father Greg Boyle joins The Restaurant Guys to talk about Homeboy Industries, the Los Angeles organization he founded to help people leave gang life through employment, training and support. He explains how former rivals learn to work side by side, and how services such as tattoo removal and mental-health care grew out of the needs of the people coming through the program. The conversation turns to the role of food and restaurants in that work. Boyle describes the pride that comes from making something tangible at Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe, while Francis reflects on restaurants as places where people can learn by doing, build skills and create a career without following a traditional academic path. Boyle also talks about replacing hopelessness with the possibility of a future for people who have often been “planning their funerals and not their futures” and why, as Homeboy puts it, “nothing stops a bullet like a job.” Guest Bio Father Greg Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles. In this 2007 conversation, he discusses the organization’s work creating employment, training and support for former gang members through ventures including Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe. Timestamps 00:00 Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries 02:20 Rival gang members working side by side 04:00 Tattoo removal, food and the dignity of creating something 08:30 Learning the basic skills of work 13:00 Restaurants, apprenticeship and planning futures instead of funerals 16:00 “Nothing stops a bullet like a job” 22:30 The Guys on good causes, good food and why quality still matters More Information Homeboy Industries https://homeboyindustries.org/ Elijah’s Promise School https://elijahspromise.org/promise-culinary/ Father Boyle’s book G-Dog and the Homeboys: Father Greg Boyle and the Gangs of East Los Angeles by Celeste Fremon (Author), Tom Brokaw (Introduction) Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#232
September 15 · 44 min
Last Call at the Funeral Home: Inside a Secret Speakeasy | Andrew Loos & Phil Worden
Why This Episode Matters Til Death The Speakeasy is literally hidden beneath a working funeral home outside Kansas City and unlike most modern “speakeasies,” it really isn’t generally open to the public. The room comes complete with a casket bar, an urn used to smoke cocktails, mysterious doors and at least one unexplained doorbell incident. The basement’s secret-drinking history predates its current owners: decades ago it reportedly served as a discreet drinking club for local Southern Baptists. What started as a cocktail obsession became a charitable passion project, raising money for organizations including Veterans Community Project and inspiring Til Death’s cocktail education program. Banter Before heading underground, Mark and Francis find an object lesson in how not to communicate hospitality: a neighborhood restaurant whose storefront has slowly accumulated signs telling customers what NOT to do. As Francis puts it, the whole storefront seems to say: “Go away! Don’t do this! You’re all wrong!" The Conversation Andrew Loos and Phil Worden join The Guys from Til Death The Speakeasy, a private Prohibition-inspired cocktail room beneath a working funeral home near Kansas City. They explain how home bartending, Sasha Petraske’s cocktail movement and Kansas City’s bar scene inspired them to transform a forgotten basement into a genuinely secret speakeasy. Guests enter through the funeral home before descending through a series of doors which naturally leads Francis to start planning his own funeral and cocktail party there. Andrew and Phil also share the stranger side of Til Death: an unplugged doorbell that mysteriously rang after an event, cocktails smoked in an urn and served on a casket, and the basement’s earlier life as a secret drinking spot. Beyond the novelty, Til Death has become a vehicle for giving back. Andrew and Phil discuss their work with Veterans Community Project, along with other charitable events, and explain how Til Death The Academy teaches cocktail enthusiasts to become more knowledgeable bar patrons. Guest Bio Andrew Loos and Phil Worden are the team behind Til Death The Speakeasy. Together with their families, they run cocktail events, Til Death The Academy and charity fundraisers beneath Andrew’s working funeral home. Timestamps 00:00 The restaurant storefront that says “Go away” 05:45 Inside Til Death: a speakeasy beneath a working funeral home 13:00 Francis plans his own speakeasy funeral 15:00 Ghosts, an urn smoker and the basement’s secret drinking history 25:00 Turning cocktails into a charitable passion project 29:00 Veterans Community Project and the tiny-home model 37:00 Til Death The Academy Info Veteran’s Community Project https://vcp.org/ Til Death https://tildeathkc.com/ Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#231
September 10 · 29 min
Are We Loving Seafood to Death? | Rick Moonen
This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Long before sustainable seafood became a mainstream restaurant conversation, Rick Moonen was pushing chefs and diners to think about where their fish came from and how it was caught. Moonen explains why cooking fish requires precision and why buying the freshest fish often means abandoning your shopping list and letting the market decide dinner. From beluga caviar to Chilean sea bass, the conversation shows how quickly popularity can put pressure on a species. And because this is The Restaurant Guys, a serious discussion about ocean conservation eventually leads to foie-gras potatoes and steaks stuffed with oysters. Banter Mark and Francis consider the economics of extraordinarily expensive restaurants and why a casino might happily operate one without worrying much about the restaurant itself making money. Naturally, this gives them an idea: put slot machines downstairs at their own restaurant. There is, unfortunately, the small matter of getting arrested. The Conversation Rick Moonen joins The Guys shortly after making the move from New York to Las Vegas, where RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay represented the biggest opportunity of his career. They talk about why seafood can be unforgiving to cook, Moonen's effort to make home cooks more comfortable preparing fish, and how to shop for seafood by looking at what's freshest rather than arriving at the market with a fixed plan. Then the conversation turns to sustainability. Moonen discusses the pressure on sturgeon and caviar, the enormous popularity of Chilean sea bass, and the responsibility chefs have when deciding what goes on their menus. His message extends to diners, too: ask where your seafood came from, ask how it was caught, and don't assume one person's choices don't matter. Finally, the conversation returns to the friendship between Moonen, Mark and Francis through their years in the Red Meat Club including one memorable cookout featuring potatoes cooked in foie gras fat and carpetbagger steaks stuffed with oysters. Guest Bio Rick Moonen is a chef best known for his work at The Water Club, Oceana and RM Seafood, as well as his longtime advocacy for responsible seafood sourcing. In this 2006 conversation, he was also working on his cookbook Seafood Without a Doubt. Timestamps 0:00 The price of luxury dining 5:30 Rick joins: leaving New York for Mandalay Bay 9:00 Why cooking fish intimidates home cooks 13:00 How to buy fresh fish and cook what's in the market 15:30 Sustainable seafood, caviar and Chilean sea bass 21:20 The Red Meat Club, responsible sourcing and an upscale cookout Info & Links Rick’s book Seafood Without a Doubt Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals-the-ocean/how-to-choose-sustainable-seafood/seafood-guides Perry's Restaurants — Rick Moonen currently serves as Master Development Chef Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#230
September 3 · 36 min
Preserving the Seasons: Canning, Pickling & Seasonal Cooking | Paul Virant
This is a Vintage episode from 2012. Why This Episode Matters Chef Paul Virant explains how preservation can extend truly seasonal cooking well beyond the growing season. Canning and pickling can deepen a restaurant's relationship with local farmers while creating new possibilities in the kitchen and behind the bar. Preserving peak-season ingredients isn't necessarily cheaper. The value comes from flavor, identity and having something uniquely your own. From pickled vegetables and aigre-doux to cocktail ingredients, preserves can become ingredients rather than simply condiments. Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott visit DeBragga & Spitler and get a hands-on look at dry-aged beef at different stages of the aging process. They talk about why properly aged meat costs more, what actually happens to a piece of beef as it ages, and why tasting and comparing things side by side is one of the best ways to learn. The Conversation Chef Paul Virant joins Mark and Francis to talk about The Preservation Kitchen and the preservation program that became a signature of his acclaimed restaurant Vie. For Paul, preserving wasn't simply about opening a jar of pickles alongside a dish. Brines, pickled vegetables, preserved fruits and sweet-and-sour preparations became building blocks in his cooking adding acidity, contrast and unexpected flavor to everything from roasted meats to cocktails. The conversation explores the practical side of cooking seasonally in places like Chicago and New Jersey, where the growing season doesn't last all year. Paul and the Guys discuss buying directly from farmers, preserving crops when they're at their peak, reducing waste and creating a restaurant pantry that reflects the local harvest long after summer is over. They also get into the economics. Preserving food takes ingredients, jars, storage and substantial labor, and it often costs more than simply buying a commercial product. The payoff is something different: exceptional ingredients captured at their best, stronger relationships with farmers and food that belongs uniquely to your restaurant. Also: home winemaking gone wrong, preserving fruit with spirits, using every drop of a pickling brine, and Paul's beer-jam Manhattan made with Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Guest Bio Paul Virant is an acclaimed Chicago-area chef known for his focus on seasonal Midwestern ingredients, preservation and relationships with local farmers. His restaurant Vie earned a Michelin star and operated in Western Springs, Illinois, for 19 years before closing in 2023. Virant currently operates Petite Vie in Western Springs, Vistro Prime in Hinsdale and Gaijin in Chicago. He is the author, with Kate Leahy, of The Preservation Kitchen: The Craft of Making and Cooking with Pickles, Preserves, and Aigre-doux, originally published in 2012. Timestamps 00:00 Dry-aged beef and why artisan food costs more 05:45 Paul Virant on preserving the seasons 11:30 How preserves become part of the cooking 15:30 Working with farmers and preserving the harvest 17:45 Beer-jam Manhattans and unexpected uses for preserves 25:45 Why preserving isn’t cheaper, yet it’s still worth doing Info Paul’s book The Preservation Kitchen Paul Virant with Kate Leahy Paul’s Places (all in Illinois) Petite Vie Vistro Prime Gaijin Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#229
September 1 · 49 min
Knowing When to Change: Ice Cream, Fine Dining & Reinvention | Nicholas Harary
Why This Episode Matters Nicholas Harary explains why he chose to reinvent one of New Jersey’s most acclaimed fine-dining restaurants before the business forced him to. A surprisingly technical look at what separates great ice cream from mediocre ice cream: butterfat, overrun, and the cold chain. Nicholas, Mark Pascal and Francis Schott debate whether traditional fine dining is dead or simply evolving. The conversation turns to Michelin: what its stars mean today, how the Guide’s expansion model complicates perceptions of independence, and why restaurateurs should always focus on the customers in the room. Banter Mark and Francis return from Sonoma with stories from Paul Hobbs’ 35th anniversary, smoke drifting across wine country and conversations with winemakers about what actually causes smoke taint. They make it onto Martinelli’s famously steep Jackass Hill where tasting zinfandel grapes directly from vines behind a wine he has loved for decades proves considerably more appealing than actually working a harvest. The Conversation Nicholas Harary and his wife, Melissa, opened Restaurant Nicholas in 2000 and spent two decades building it into one of New Jersey’s defining fine-dining restaurants. But Nicholas had already begun another chapter. What started in 2018 as a small seasonal ice cream shop where their kids might work became Nicholas Creamery. On opening weekend, police were directing traffic while Nicholas realized the 300 gallons of ice cream they had made weren’t going to be enough. That leads to a deep dive into ice cream: why controlling temperature matters, why Nicholas had a freezer truck custom-built, how butterfat and overrun affect quality, and what happens when you melt different commercial ice creams side by side. Nicholas also explains the elaborate process behind flavors such as bourbon barrel-aged coffee chocolate chunk. Then the conversation moves from ice cream to reinvention. Even after Restaurant Nicholas had its best year, Nicholas could see diners changing. Rather than gradually dilute what the restaurant had been, he closed it and rebuilt the concept as the much more casual Nicholas Barrel & Roost. His philosophy is simple: if your business looks exactly the same five years from now, you may have a problem. Nicholas, Mark and Francis debate whether the version of fine dining they grew up with is gone and what has replaced it. They ask what gets lost when restaurants begin designing for the camera as much as the diner. Finally, they tackle the Michelin Guide from changing definitions of a Michelin-worthy restaurant to the financial arrangements used to bring Michelin into new markets before Nicholas offers his advice to younger chefs: concentrate on the people inside your restaurant, not the people outside talking about it. Guest Bio Nicholas Harary is the chef and restaurateur behind Nicholas Barrel & Roost, Nicholas Creamery and Nicholas Wines. He and his wife Melissa opened Restaurant Nicholas in 2000; during its 20-year run, the restaurant received an “extraordinary” from The New York Times Harary later transformed the space into the more casual Nicholas Barrel & Roost while expanding Nicholas Creamery across New Jersey. Timestamps 00:00 Sonoma, smoke taint and Jackass Hill 08:08 Nicholas Harary joins the Guys 09:50 How Nicholas Creamery unexpectedly took off 14:40 Why the cold chain matters for great ice cream 17:00 Butterfat, overrun and what you're really paying for 21:05 Jersey flavors and bourbon barrel-aged coffee ice cream 23:30 Why Nicholas walked away from fine dining at its peak 28:25 Is fine dining dying or just changing? 34:45 What does a Michelin star mean now? 42:15 Michelin, Sysco and the appearance of impartiality Info Nicholas Barrel and Roost https://www.barrelandroost.com/ Nicholas Creamery https://www.nicholascreamery.com/ Nicholas Wines https://www.nicholaswines.com/ Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#228
August 27 · 11 min
The Mystique, Money and Madness of Truffles | Jane Black | Preview
You’re hearing a preview of this subscriber bonus episode. Restaurant Guys’ Regulars can hear the full episode, plus other commercial-free bonus episodes, at restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com . This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Why one of the world's most prized ingredients commands extraordinary prices. How truffle cultivation began challenging the romantic image of hunters searching the woods with trained dogs. Why aroma, scarcity and spectacle are as important to the allure of truffles as flavor. What happens when restaurants get their hands on thousands of dollars' worth of an ingredient that doesn't stay fresh for long. Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott begin with a tale of New Jersey lobster justice that makes Maine's system of informal fishing rules look positively genteel. A territorial dispute involving lobster pots somehow progresses to gunfire, arson and a neighboring boat unfortunately parked in the wrong slip. Then, reports of people eating, and even cooking and driving, while asleep lead Mark to identify the true indignity: consuming thousands of calories without even getting to remember the meal. The Conversation Food writer Jane Black joins Mark and Francis after traveling through Spain to report on the changing world of truffles. The romantic picture is familiar: a hunter and his dog wandering through the woods in search of an elusive underground treasure. What Jane found instead were truffle orchards, inoculated trees and farmers trying to turn an unpredictable delicacy into a viable agricultural business. They explore why truffles became so scarce and expensive, how a former peasant food became one of dining's ultimate luxury ingredients, and why their remarkable aroma may matter more than their actual taste. Jane and the Guys also get into the sensual reputation of truffles, the theater of shaving them tableside and the questionable proliferation of truffle oil. Then come the cautionary tales: an enormously valuable white truffle purchased at a charity auction that was locked in a safe and allowed to rot, and Francis's considerably more personal horror story about a chef who received thousands of dollars' worth of beautiful fresh truffles—and immediately preserved them in oil. 2026 update: At the time of this conversation, successful cultivation of the prized Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum) remained elusive. Researchers have since documented controlled production of the species in a French orchard. Guest Bio Jane Black is a food journalist who covers food, culture, politics and sustainability. At the time of this interview, she was food editor at Boston Magazine and had written for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BusinessWeek and Newsweek International. She later became a staff writer at The Washington Post and co-host of the James Beard Award-winning podcast Pressure Cooker. Timestamps 0:00 New Jersey vigilante lobster justice 4:35 Sleep eating, Ambien and forgotten calories 7:20 Jane Black enters the changing world of truffles 12:00 How truffles went from peasant food to luxury 15:00 Why truffles smell like sex—and why aroma matters 22:20 The $35,000 truffle disaster, Francis’s truffle tragedy and the future of cultivation Info Jane’s article on truffles “Cultivating a Mystique,” The New York Times (2006) Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#227
August 25 · 17 min
Stripper Food, Bachelor Parties & Other Bad Ideas | Inside Track
This is a Vintage compilation from 2010. Why This Episode Matters A Real Housewives of New Jersey cookbook introduces one particularly memorable piece of dietary advice: avoid “stripper food.” “Juicy bits from Joe” require Mark to summon his Nutley Italian accent. Things deteriorate from there. A New York Times story about changing bachelor parties sparks a conversation about great food, excessive drinking and what actually makes a night memorable. Then come the restaurant stories: security deposits, chicken suits, and three unexpected strippers. The Conversation Mark Pascal and Francis Schott find the ridiculous side of food, restaurants and the ways people celebrate. First, a cookbook associated with The Real Housewives of New Jersey offers some reasonable food advice and one rule Mark and Francis are unlikely to forget: never eat anything that could also be a stripper’s name. Cookie, Candy and Cupcake quickly lead to Bambi, Bunny and the question of what Michael Pollan would make of all this. Then a story about increasingly food-focused bachelor parties gets them talking about why a great meal might be more memorable than the traditional blowout. Naturally, this leads to their own restaurant experience including a three-page rulebook that clearly existed for a reason and a bachelor party that somehow acquired three strippers from elsewhere in the building. Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#226
August 20 · 47 min
Can Local Food Save a Town? | Ben Hewitt
This is a Vintage episode from 2010. Why This Episode Matters Hardwick, Vermont became an early test case for whether local food and small agricultural businesses could help revitalize a struggling rural economy. Ben Hewitt challenges the feel-good version of the local food story: What happens when artisanal food creates jobs but remains too expensive for many people in the community? The conversation explores how small farms can compete through distinctive, value-added products rather than commodity agriculture. Mark, Francis and Ben dig into questions that remain central to the food system: affordability, farm viability, subsidies, food access and what “sustainable” actually means. The Conversation In 2010, Hardwick, Vermont was attracting national attention for an unusual concentration of farmers, food producers and agricultural entrepreneurs. Writer and farmer Ben Hewitt chronicled the town in The Town That Food Saved, but he wasn't interested in presenting Hardwick as a simple local-food success story. Ben joins Mark Pascal and Francis Schott to examine what was actually happening in this working-class Vermont community from Jasper Hill's approach to artisan cheese and the rise of value-added agriculture to the advantages of diversified farms and shorter supply chains. The conversation soon gets to the harder question: Can a local food economy truly strengthen a community if the people producing the food can't always afford to eat it? Mark, Francis and Ben debate the economics of small farms, food access, agricultural subsidies and the tension between building viable food businesses and making good food broadly accessible. They also take on the language of sustainability, the growing concentration of the food and seed industries, and whether a more decentralized food system could create something both economically durable and better connected to the communities it feeds. Guest Bio Ben Hewitt is a Vermont farmer and writer and the author of The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Wired, Men's Journal and other publications. Timestamps 1:00 Ben Hewitt and the Hardwick, Vermont story 3:00 How food businesses began reshaping a working-class town 8:00 The “agri-preneurial” revolution and Jasper Hill 12:00 Why small farms need value-added products 13:00 The affordability problem with local food 19:00 Farm subsidies and an unequal playing field 23:00 Shorter supply chains and diversified farms 27:00 Food access, Pies for the People and sustainable businesses 35:00 What “sustainable” really means and who controls the food system Info Ben’s books The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food Making Supper Safe Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#225
August 18 · 50 min
How Do We Get a New Generation Into Wine? | Tony Margiotta
Why This Episode Matters Why wine may not be losing younger drinkers so much as failing to introduce itself to them well How small, independent producers can offer something industrial wine cannot: place, history and story Why wine education works better through tasting, comparison and discovery than scores and intimidation How restaurants, retailers and wine lovers can make wine more approachable to people just beginning to explore it Banter Francis returns from the Russian River Valley with a deeper appreciation for Pinot Noir and plenty to say about what he learned. The Guys talk about how tasting wines side by side reveals the differences between vineyards, soils and winemaking choices, why visiting wine country can teach you what books can not and the considerable injustice of Francis losing a toga contest to a baby. The Conversation Tony Margiotta, founder of Gladiator Wine Distribution, joins Mark and Francis to talk about wine as culture, place and connection not just what's in the glass. Tony traces his path from Italian-American family dinners and summers in Molise to discovering small Italian producers whose wines rarely made it to the U.S. That curiosity eventually became Gladiator Wines and a mission to tell the stories behind independent producers. The conversation then turns to Tony's book Wine in Your 20s and the challenge of bringing a new generation into wine. Tony argues that wine hasn't necessarily lost younger drinkers: it hasn't introduced itself to them well. He and The Guys explore how approachable wines, tastings, good storytelling and less intimidation can help new drinkers discover wine on their own terms. Guest Bio Tony Margiotta is the founder of Gladiator Wine Distribution, specializing in independent Italian wine producers with a strong connection to place, culture and tradition. He is also the creator of Gladiator Wine TV and the author of Hidden Gems of Italy and Wine in Your 20s. Timestamps 00:00 — Russian River Pinot Noir, side-by-side tasting and learning wine through experience 05:00 — Francis buys a real toga—and loses the contest to a baby 09:00 — Tony Margiotta and the philosophy behind Gladiator Wines 11:30 — Growing up with wine, Italian-American family dinners and Molise 17:00 — Why wine seems to taste better in Italy 20:30 — Discovering Italy's small producers and creating Gladiator Wines 22:00 — “Real wine tastes like a place”: story, context and terroir 28:00 — Learning to love wine in your 20s 32:00 — Why younger generations aren't connecting with wine 40:30 — How to introduce new drinkers: approachable wines, tastings and low-risk discovery 44:00 — Backyard vineyards, homemade wine and keeping traditions alive Info Tony Margiotta / Gladiator Wine Distribution Gladiator Wine TV https://www.youtube.com/@GladiatorWineTV Wine in Your 20s Hidden Gems of Italy Stage Left Wine Shop stageleftwineshop.com Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#224
August 13 · 29 min
Heirloom Seeds, Local Farms & Better Food | Erica Renaud
This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Erica Renaud explains why heirloom, traditional and open-pollinated seeds matter to agricultural biodiversity. Mark and Francis share how they worked directly with local farmers to plan crops, commit to purchases and even shoulder some of the farmer's risk. The conversation connects sustainable agriculture with something more immediate to a restaurant: better-tasting food. From backyard tomatoes to restaurant purchasing, they explore ways consumers, chefs and farmers can build a closer connection to where food comes from. The Conversation In 2006, organic farmer and researcher Erica Renaud of Seeds of Change joined Mark Pascal and Francis Schott for a conversation about something fundamental to the food on our plates: the seed. Erica explains the differences among heirloom, traditional and open-pollinated varieties and why preserving genetic diversity matters. The discussion moves from seed saving and organic agriculture to the relationship between farmers and chefs—and that's where Mark and Francis bring the conversation directly into their restaurants. They describe meeting with farmers before planting season to decide what to grow, committing to buy entire crops and sharing some of the agricultural risk. When hundreds of pounds of Jersey tomatoes arrived at once, the restaurants put them across the menu and preserved the harvest so they could serve local tomato sauce in the middle of winter. For Mark and Francis, the motivation wasn't simply philosophical: the food tasted better. Their argument is that the search for the most sustainably grown tomato and the search for the best-tasting tomato can lead you to the same farm. Erica also makes the case for growing something yourself—even in a container or small garden—as a way to understand food differently. From teaching children where food comes from to discovering how dramatically one tomato variety can taste from another, the conversation follows food from seed to farm to restaurant to plate. Guest Bio At the time of this 2006 conversation, Erica Renaud was an organic farmer and researcher and the Research and Farm Manager for Seeds of Change, working on organic seed production, agricultural biodiversity and programs connecting farmers with chefs and consumers. Timestamps 00:00 Heirloom seeds, open pollination and preserving biodiversity 04:00 Seed patents, hybrids and who controls the food supply 07:00 Why chefs and farmers should plan together 12:00 Sustainable food often tastes better and everyone should grow something 18:30 Why organic food should start with organic seed 24:30 How consumers can drive demand for better, more sustainable food Info Seeds of Change https://www.seedsofchange.com/ The organization discussed in this 2006 interview has evolved considerably since the original broadcast. The Seeds of Change garden-seed brand is currently part of Green Garden Products and continues to offer seeds described by the company as 100% organic and 100% non-GMO. Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#223
August 11 · 52 min
Authentic Italian Food vs. the Algorithm | Vincenzo Prosperi
Why This Episode Matters Italian food isn’t one cuisine. Vincenzo Prosperi explains why Italy’s regional traditions matter—and what gets lost when everything is reduced to pizza, pasta and red sauce. Authenticity and innovation can coexist. The question isn’t whether chefs should create new dishes, but whether classics should be changed beyond recognition and still carry the old name. Social media is changing restaurants. Vincenzo, Mark and Francis dig into influencer culture, food designed for photographs and the pressure on restaurants to pay for attention. Preserving tradition means supporting the people still cooking it. Vincenzo is shifting his platform toward regional chefs, family restaurants and food traditions that might otherwise disappear. Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott talk about why their restaurant events have never come from a marketing plan. They come from things they, their staff, and their guests can all get excited about. They look ahead to their annual Big Night dinner and revisit the early days of their table-to-farm dinners, including one memorable attempt that involved hauling restaurant tables and a wood-burning grill to a farm... just in time for the rain. The Conversation Vincenzo Prosperi grew up in Abruzzo surrounded by his grandparents, great-grandparents and the food traditions that came with them. After moving to Australia, he saw the distance between the Italian cooking he knew and much of the “Italian” food being served around the world. His wife suggested he turn that frustration—and his passion—into what became Vincenzo’s Plate. Vincenzo talks with Mark and Francis about the reaction videos that helped build his audience, from cream-laden carbonara to celebrity chefs taking liberties with Italian classics. But as reaction content became increasingly negative and crowded, he changed direction. Today, his focus is on teaching, ranking Italian products and using his audience to introduce viewers to regional Italian chefs and traditions. The conversation expands into a bigger question: What happens to traditional food in a culture built around clicks, trends and influencers? Vincenzo worries that regional Italian cooking is being replaced by a more standardized version of fine dining while small family restaurants struggle for attention. Mark and Francis see a similar problem in restaurants designed around what photographs well rather than what tastes good. They also tackle the line between preservation and creativity. Vincenzo isn't against innovation—quite the opposite. But before you riff on a cuisine, you should understand what you're riffing on. A new dish can be anything you want it to be. Carbonara, however, has a history. And yes, peas remain under suspicion. Guest Bio Vincenzo Prosperi is the creator of Vincenzo’s Plate, devoted to authentic Italian cooking and the traditions behind it. Born in Pescara in Italy’s Abruzzo region and now based in Australia, Vincenzo has built a worldwide audience through recipes, food education, product rankings and collaborations with chefs throughout Italy. Timestamps 00:00 Great restaurant events are about creating memorable experiences 09:30 Meet Vincenzo Prosperi of Vincenzo’s Plate 11:30 Growing up with Italian food traditions in Abruzzo 18:00 Celebrity chefs, reaction videos and crimes against carbonara 25:00 Why Vincenzo moved beyond reaction content 28:00 Trust, sponsorships and building an audience without selling out 35:00 Is fine dining erasing Italy’s regional food traditions? 38:00 Influencers, restaurant economics and food made for Instagram 43:00 Innovation vs. tradition: when should a classic be left alone? 47:00 Mark and Francis remember an old-school trattoria in Italy Info Vincenzo’s Plate https://www.vincenzosplate.com/ Vincenzo’s Plate on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@vincenzosplate Events @ The Guys' Places https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#222
August 6 · 30 min
Non-Alcoholic Pairings at Thomas Keller’s Restaurants | Paul Roberts
This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Why guests who are not drinking deserve a beverage experience equal to the food, not simply still or sparkling water. How sommeliers can build non-alcoholic pairings using the same principles as wine: weight, acidity, texture and flavor. Why thoughtful glassware and presentation communicate that every guest matters. How one memorable beverage program can turn the non-drinker into the person who chooses the restaurant for the entire table. The Conversation Mark Pascal and Francis Schott are joined by Master Sommelier Paul Roberts, then director of wine and beverages for Thomas Keller’s restaurants, including The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon. Paul explains how a lunch at The French Laundry changed his thinking about non-alcoholic beverages. When a knowledgeable 12-year-old diner was offered little beyond water, Paul improvised a beverage pairing and began developing a program for children and anyone who simply preferred not to drink alcohol. The conversation explores house-made tonic, teas, infusions, grape juices and less-sweet sodas. Paul explains why non-alcoholic pairings should be approached like wine pairings, matching the weight and flavors of a beverage to the dish. He also shares one of the program’s more unexpected combinations: artisanal root beer with foie gras. They discuss the importance of ingredients, glassware and presentation, along with the business case for taking non-drinkers seriously. A single guest who feels genuinely considered may be the person who brings the entire party back. It is a remarkably current conversation about hospitality, inclusion and the rise of sophisticated non-alcoholic drinking recorded years before the modern no- and low-alcohol movement took hold. Guest Bio Paul Roberts was the director of wine and beverages for Thomas Keller’s restaurant group, overseeing programs at The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon, as well as a team of 14 full-time sommeliers. A Master Sommelier, Paul became known not only for world-class wine service but also for pioneering thoughtful non-alcoholic beverage pairings. Timestamps 00:00 Paul Roberts and the origins of the non-alcoholic pairing program 07:35 House-made tonic and treating cocktails like serious cuisine 10:20 Teas, infusions, grape juices and foie gras with root beer 17:25 Why glassware matters for guests who are not drinking 19:25 The non-drinker who may choose the restaurant for the whole table 23:00 Dry sodas, quality over sweetness and becoming “the soda sommelier” 27:00 Last recommendation for non-alc pairing with lobster Info Beverages and producers mentioned: Navarro Vineyards grape juice, Boylan’s, Sprecher root beer Grown Up Soda https://drinkgus.com/ Dry Soda https://drinkdry.com/ Elderflower syrup https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/food/Nikolaihof-Hollunderbluten-Sirup-No-Alcohol-w4694002sy Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#221
August 4 · 53 min
Farm-to-Table Was Only the Beginning | Spike Gjerde
Why This Episode Matters What local sourcing looked like before restaurants had reliable farm-to-kitchen distribution. Why supporting local agriculture is an economic commitment not merely a menu description. How “farm-to-table” became vulnerable to greenwashing and what genuine sourcing requires. Why whole-animal butchery, preservation and culinary craft are increasingly difficult to sustain under modern restaurant economics. Why “sustainable seafood” may be too simple and how ocean warming, acidification, habitat loss shape the larger story of what reaches the plate. The Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott return from Tales of the Cocktail with lessons in hospitality...and staffing. They share Ti Martin’s story about transforming a frazzled guest’s evening with one perfectly timed gin and tonic, then recap what happened when their New Orleans beefsteak produced an unexpected third shift for the hosts. Thirty-four years into the restaurant business, apparently there are still new ways to discover that you need two more employees. The Conversation Baltimore chef and restaurateur Spike Gjerde joins The Restaurant Guys for a candid discussion about what it actually takes to build a regional food system. Spike, Mark and Francis compare the early days of sourcing local ingredients, when chefs drove to farmers markets or directly from farm to farm because restaurant distribution simply did not exist. Spike explains why Woodberry Kitchen pushed the idea much further, even excluding ingredients such as lemons so more of the restaurant’s purchasing dollars could remain with Mid-Atlantic growers. They explore large-scale preservation, farm-to-table greenwashing and the tension between environmental responsibility and economic survival. Spike also reflects on Parts & Labor, his restaurant and butcher-shop experiment designed around whole-animal butchery and the stubborn reality that nearly everyone still wanted rib eye and tenderloin. The conversation turns to the rising cost of skilled labor, the loss of culinary craft and the pressure pushing restaurants toward standardized, premade food. Spike explains how his newer restaurants broaden Woodberry’s original mission by applying local agricultural relationships to the cuisines of Provence, Spain and the Levant. Finally, they challenge the language of “sustainable seafood,” discuss the ecological importance of Chesapeake menhaden and revisit Shoofly, Spike’s premium diner concept that may simply have arrived before diners were ready for a $24 omelet. Guest Bio Spike Gjerde is a Baltimore chef and restaurateur best known for Woodberry Kitchen and his decades-long commitment to strengthening regional food systems. He received the 2015 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Timestamps 00:00 Tales of the Cocktail, live shows and a lesson in hospitality 07:40 Spike Gjerde and the early days of local sourcing 14:25 Why local food became an economic mission 20:05 Farm-to-table greenwashing and the future of regional food systems 27:15 Whole-animal butchery and the Parts & Labor experiment 31:10 Rising labor costs and the disappearance of culinary craft 35:40 The Ecco Project: expanding the mission beyond farm-to-table 40:10 Sustainable seafood—and a diner concept that may have arrived too early 47:35 The diner, the record-store owner and a wild New Brunswick crime story Info Spike’s Places Woodberry Kitchen https://www.woodberrykitchen.com/ Ecco Project https://www.eccoproject.com/ Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#220
July 30 · 27 min
Can Wine Unlock Creativity? | Michael Gelb
This is a Vintage episode from 2010. Why This Episode Matters Discover how wine can encourage creativity, conversation and more mindful experiences. Learn why comparative tasting helps develop your palate faster. Understand how fear of being wrong prevents people from describing what they taste. Hear why making time for memorable experiences may change how we perceive our lives. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys, Mark Pascal and Francis Schott, welcome author and organizational consultant Michael Gelb to discuss Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices. Michael connects wine and creativity to the ancient Greek symposium, where philosophy, poetry and conversation flowed alongside the wine. He explains how thoughtful drinking can loosen inhibitions, encourage expression and make wine feel less intimidating. The conversation covers memorable food-and-wine pairings, Château d’Yquem and the value of tasting similar wines side by side. Michael and The Guys explore how comparison sharpens sensory memory, why beginners sometimes notice what experts miss and the difference between professional analysis and personal enjoyment. After the interview, Mark and Francis reflect on memory, routine and why meaningful experiences may make life feel fuller and time move a little more slowly. Guest Bio Michael J. Gelb is a bestselling author and organizational consultant known for How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci. In Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking, he uses comparative tasting, conversation and creative exercises to help people experience wine with greater curiosity and enjoyment. Timestamps 00:00 Michael Gelb and Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking 04:45 Food-and-wine pairings to experience at least once 08:15 Creating memorable tastings for friends 10:00 Why side-by-side tasting improves sensory memory 11:20 Fear of embarrassment and the adult learning block 13:20 Advantages of beginners and professionals 16:45 Knowing everything about wine—and missing its beauty 20:45 Making room for joy in everyday life 22:15 The advice from Francis’s father that may improve your life Info Michael’s book Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices Michael’s site https://michaelgelb.com/ Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#219
July 28 · 32 min
The American Beefsteak: Politics and Excess | Sother Teague
Recorded live at the House of Suze during Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans 2026. Why This Episode Matters Discover how the American beefsteak became a tool for political organizing in New York and New Jersey. Learn the feast’s essential rules: endless meat, bread as a plate and no concern for remaining clean. Hear how Prohibition and women’s suffrage changed public drinking—and the beefsteak itself. Find out how New Jersey preserved the tradition after it faded elsewhere. The Conversation Mark Pascal, Francis Schott and Sother Teague take the stage together to explore one of America’s messiest, and most political, dining traditions. The American beefsteak began as a nineteenth-century feast where politicians served voters and ward leaders all the steak and beer they could handle. Matching aprons erased the appearance of social rank, and the room became a place to reward loyalty, recruit supporters and build political alliances. The panel lays out the beefsteak’s non-negotiables: slices of beef served continuously on pieces of bread, no forks, no knives and traditionally no napkins. Diners eat the meat, stack the bread and use their aprons to wipe their hands. As Sother puts it, the guiding principle was “opulence over elegance.” They trace the tradition through Tammany Hall, organized labor and the East Side–West Side beefsteak rivalry. They also examine how Prohibition and women’s suffrage helped transform the formerly all-male event into a more social and mixed-gender gathering. When beefsteaks began disappearing after World War II, New Jersey butcher Garrett “Hap” Nightingale revived them as fundraisers for fire departments, churches, and community organizations. The conversation also compares the beefsteak with Southern pig pickin’s, crab boils, clambakes and pancake breakfasts. Along the way, Sother recounts the six-plane journey that brought him to Tales, while Mark and Francis explain how they transported steaks, produce and Himalayan salt bricks from New Jersey to New Orleans. The evening’s menu includes brisket, roast beef, Wagyu, house-made mozzarella and steaks finished on 500-degree salt bricks. Steak sauce is permitted, although putting it on the Wagyu may cause Francis emotional distress. Guest Bio Sother Teague is a bartender, hospitality professional and drinks historian best known for Amor y Amargo and Overthrow Hospitality. He is also a co-host of The Speakeasy and Sauced podcasts. Timestamps 00:00 Live from the House of Suze at Tales of the Cocktail 02:15 What is an American beefsteak? 05:00 Tammany Hall, political organizing and “opulence over elegance” 10:00 Six planes, ten cooler bags and salt bricks on an airplane 13:00 Excess, Prohibition and the end of the all-male beefsteak 21:00 How New Jersey revived the tradition 23:00 Pig pickings and other regional communal feasts 25:00 Wagyu, salt bricks and the steak-sauce debate Info Sother Teague https://www.overthrowhospitality.com/team Podcasts: The Speakeasy, Sauced Recorded At House of Suze Tales of the Cocktail New Orleans, Louisiana Featured Partners Suze and BCI Old Forester Serene Craft Beer Distributors Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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#218
July 23 · 46 min
How Prohibition Backfired on America | Daniel Okrent
This is a Vintage episode from 2010. Why This Episode Matters How a freedom-loving nation came to outlaw the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol through a constitutional amendment. Why women’s suffrage, progressive reformers, wealthy industrialists and economic politics created unexpected alliances on both sides of Prohibition. How Prohibition fueled corruption and organized crime while weakening Americans’ respect for the law. Why speakeasies helped create nightclubs, cocktail parties and social drinking among men and women. The Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott debate a New York Times writer who confronted chef Marc Forgione after hearing him berate an employee during service. The Guys agree the chef was out of line, but walking into his kitchen to reprimand him was, too. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are joined by author and historian Daniel Okrent to discuss Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Daniel explains how Prohibition grew from a surprisingly broad political coalition that included progressives, suffragists, religious reformers and working-class organizations. Meanwhile, some wealthy conservatives opposed it because they feared government interference—and wanted liquor taxes to replace income taxes. They explore the unintended consequences of America’s “noble experiment,” including widespread bribery, poisoned liquor, the creation of national organized-crime networks and a growing disregard for laws that much of the population refused to obey. Prohibition also transformed American social life. Speakeasies welcomed women into public drinking establishments, introduced table service and entertainment, and helped give rise to nightclubs, cocktail parties and the modern dinner party. Daniel also reveals his other claim to fame: inventing fantasy baseball—an achievement Mark considers nearly as important as documenting Prohibition. Guest Bio Daniel Okrent is an author, editor and historian whose books include Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. A Pulitzer Prize finalist and former public editor of The New York Times, he is also credited with inventing Rotisserie League Baseball, the game that launched modern fantasy sports. Timestamps 00:00 When a diner confronts a chef 13:45 Daniel Okrent joins the show 16:00 How Prohibition became law 21:00 Women’s suffrage and the temperance movement 24:00 America’s drinking culture before Prohibition 28:40 Why Prohibition began to collapse 31:20 Corruption and the rise of organized crime 34:40 How speakeasies changed nightlife 39:00 Prohibition’s lasting cultural impact Info Daniel’s book Author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Oct 23, Friday - Winemaker Dinner w/ Neri Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/ Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Magyar Bank https://www.magbank.com/ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steak https://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restaurant https://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ Reach Out to The Guys! TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com
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