The Restaurant Guys

The BanterThe 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 ConversationThe 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 TrackThe 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!BioIn 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. InfoJim’s Instagram@mixographyJim's BookThe Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar  by Jim Meehan and Bart Sassohttps://www.thebartenderspantry.com/The NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

This is a Vintage Selection from 2006The BanterThe Guys discuss new trends in desserts as Francis nurses his sugar hangover.The ConversationThe 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 TrackThe 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 2006BioSteven 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.InfoSteven Rinella’s bookThe Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine: How I Spent a Year in the American Wild to Re-create a Feast from the Classic Recipes of French Master Chef Auguste EscoffierSteven Rinella’s YouTube channelMeatEater - YouTubeSteven Rinella’s Podcasthttps://www.themeateater.com/listen/meateaterThe NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

The BanterThe Guys share a funny review of their restaurant, Catherine Lombardi, that was rated in “gold chains.”The ConversationThe 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 TrackThe 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 2024BioJonathan 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. InfoLegend Importshttps://legendaustralia.com/John’s book is available on the Legend pageThe NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

This is a Vintage Selection from 2006The BanterThe 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 ConversationThe 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 TrackThe 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 2006BioChef 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. He holds honorary doctorates in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University and The Culinary Institute of America. Chef Keller led a team from the U.S. to its first-ever gold medal in the Bocuse d’Or, a prestigious biannual competition that is regarded as the Olympics of the culinary world.There are more than 1.5 million copies of his cookbooks in print.InfoTo access all of Thomas Keller’s conceptshttps://www.thomaskeller.com/thomas-kellerThe French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas KellerChef Thomas Keller on Instagram@chefthomaskellerThe NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

The BanterThe 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 ConversationThe 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 TrackThe 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 2024BioChef 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. InfoTim’s Restaurantshttps://www.timothyhollingsworth.com/restaurantsTim on IG@cheftimhollingsworthChainFEST NYC - Sept 21, 2024https://ny.chainfest.com/Roku Special on Chain and ChainFESTThe NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

The Banter The Guys discuss the problematic “Scotch in a can” and come up with some amusing products of their own.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome wine and spirits expert and lecturer Steve Olson. They talk about exposing consumers to new and interesting things by contextualizing these items through story. They express their love of mezcal then pivot to discuss a serious issue facing the small producers in Mexico. Francis concludes with a funny story about mezcal.The Inside TrackThe Guys have crossed paths with Steve in the industry numerous times and always like to catch his lectures. They are of the same mind in that we need to offer the guests a wide variety of different, interesting things that they have not heard of before that enhance their meal.  “I treat my beverages in my programs as condiments. To me, my wine and my cocktails and everything else that I choose for that restaurant are the salt and pepper, the lemon, the Worcestershire, the mustard, the ketchup, whatever you want to call it. It is the condiments that help make the food taste better and make the experience even more fun,” Steve Olson on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2012BioSteven Olson has been helping to shape the beverage industry for over 40 years. Getting his start in restaurants, he’s gone on to be a writer, consultant, educator, and lecturer. He earned the title of Kikisake-shi (Sake Master) from the Sake Service Institute of Japan, awarded CHEERS Magazine’s Beverage Innovator of the Year, a lifetime achievement award in 2005, and was honored as Best Bar Mentor at the Spirited Awards at the 2012 Tales of the Cocktail.In March 2006 in New York City, Olson, along with four partners, Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, MS, MW, Paul Pacult, and Dr. David Wondrich, started Beverage Alcohol Resource®, LLC (BAR®). BAR® is an independent organization whose mission is to educate, guide, and propagate responsible use of beverage alcohol products. BAR® was chosen as CHEERS Magazine Beverage Innovator of the Year 2007.InfoBeverage Alcohol Resource, LLChttps://beveragealcoholresource.com/Tequila Interchange Projecthttps://tequilainterchangeproject.org/The NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

The BanterThe Guys sound the alarm that what’s in your bottle is not what it used to be and find out Francis’ favorite ice cream.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys reconnect with Sother Teague about the beginning of Amor y Amaro 13 years earlier,  his multitude of establishments and his viral video last year.  Be sure to listen to find out how you can get a Super Secret Sother Cocktail! (Psst, scroll down.)The Inside TrackThe Guys met Sother through Dale DeGroff and Audrey Saunders (cocktail legends). He was generous to help them celebrate their 30th anniversary of Stage Left Steak and has attended several special events at their restaurants. They met up at Tales of the Cocktail last month for oysters.On why some love the hospitality business:“As you're making 10 (cocktails) and dealing with the bar and listening to the ticket machine rattle at you, it's a high pressure situation, but I think that there are folks like the three of us who thrive on that. I don't think I'm ever going to step away from this stuff,” Sother Teague on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024BioSother Teague worked in kitchens for 12 years and was a culinary educator. He came out of the kitchen and landed behind a couple of  bars in New York before opening Amor y Amargo in 2011. His Overthrow Hospitality Group has nearly a dozen venues such as Avant Garden and Soda Club in New York and Ubuntu in Los Angeles. In 2018 Sother was awarded Mixologist of the Year by Wine Enthusiast. Sother Teague, along with Damon Boelte, and Greg Benson have hosted The Speakeasy podcast since 2011. It won Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for Best Podcast.InfoSother’s podcastThe SpeakeasyOverthrow Hospitality Concepts (including Amor y Amargo)https://www.overthrowhospitality.com/all-venues/Sother on all platforms@creativedrunkSother’s bookI'm Just Here for the Drinks: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails  by Sother TeagueSother’s Cocktail RecipeNap Time  1.5 oz Mezcal (I used @RosaLuna for its soft smoke) .75 oz @SuzeOfficial1 Dash @BettersBitters foamer.5 oz Grapefruit Juice .5 oz lime juice .25 2:1 syrupVigorously shake with ice to chill, dilute, and aerate. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express oils from a grapefruit twist over the top and ornament accordingly.The NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

**If you’d like to become a Restaurant Guys Regular to get two extra episodes per month, all episodes commercial-free, bonus content and Restaurant Guys Regular events, subscribe here:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390435/subscribeThis is a Vintage Selection from 2007The BanterThe Guys discuss the virtues of boiling water and wine, the former being necessary at times and the latter being appalling. Hear about Mark’s brush with the great Julia Child. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome highly acclaimed Chef Eric Ripert to the show to talk about all things fish–acquiring, preparing, pairing with wine and serving guests. They touch on new culinary trends and the benefits of comfort food (if you call roasted chicken with truffles “comfort food.”) The Inside TrackThe Guys have dined at Le Bernardin several times and confess that they recently canceled a reservation….but they are going to return.BioEric Ripert is the chef and co-owner of acclaimed Le Bernardin in NYC and Blue in Grand Cayman. He also has Aldo Sohm Wine bar with Maguy Le Coze and Aldo Sohm. Le Bernardin has received four stars from The New York Times since 1995, the only restaurant to stay in that realm of excellence for nearly 20 years. Le Bernardin holds three Michelin stars (since 2005) and has been named one of the top restaurants in the world by numerous publications. Chef Ripert has authored many books including The New York Times Best Sellers Seafood Simple: A Cookbook and Vegetable Simple: A Cookbook. His first television show Avec Eric garnered Daytime Emmys and James Beard Foundation Best Show Award. InfoLe Bernardinhttps://www.le-bernardin.com/Eric Ripert’s websitehttps://www.ericripert.com/Avec Eric (TV show)https://www.aveceric.com/The NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

This is a Vintage Selection from 2007The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are thrilled to host master restaurateur Danny Meyer to discuss his new book and the Guys’ favorite restaurants.  Check out the secret to his success across multiple venues. The Inside TrackThe Guys have the inside scoop of what it's like to work for Danny Meyer and his organization as they have more than a few friends who have done so for years. They know that the Union Square Hospitality Group practices this "radical" form of hospitality starting with their team members.  BioDanny Meyer opened his first restaurant Union Square Cafe in 1985 at the age of 27. Thirty years later, Danny’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) comprises some of New York’s most acclaimed restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Maialino, and more. Danny and USHG founded Shake Shack, the modern-day “roadside” burger restaurant, in 2015. He has written several books notably The Union Square Cookbook co-authored with Chef Michael Romano and Setting the Table.Meyer has been generously recognized including the 2017 Julia Child Award, the 2015 TIME 100 “Most Influential People” list.  USHG’s restaurants and individuals have won an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, including Meyer accepting Outstanding Restaurateur (2005) and Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America (1996). InfoDanny Meyer’s bookSetting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in BusinessThe NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

The BanterThe Guys geek out over a vertical wine tasting they had with the prescient California winemaker Cathy Corison and give some tips on how to buy and age wines.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys have an enlightening interview with Michelin two-star Chef Michael Cimarusti from Los Angeles. Learn how he brings sustainability at his restaurant Providence to another level–the roof!. The episode concludes with a cameo by Jane Park, a staff member who has worked for both the hosts and Chef Cimarusti.The Inside TrackChef Michael was reunited with a former employee of his, and current maître d' of The Guys’ restaurants in New Brunswick, NJ, while in their place for dinner. He’s from New Jersey and Stage Left Steak and Catherine Lombardi restaurants are regular stops when he’s on the east coast. “I've been at your restaurant several times and, love it. And I'll be there again, in just a couple of weeks,” Chef Michael Cimarusti on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024BioChef Michael Cimarusti worked at Le Cirque then was the opening chef at Osteria Del Circo in New York City. After some time studying in France, he moved to Los Angeles as chef de cuisine for Wolfgang Puck’s Spago. Later he held the position as executive chef at Water Grill. In 2005 he opened Providence with wife Crissi Echiverri and Donato Poto. Providence achieved and maintained two Michelin stars among and many other accolades. The next venture was Connie and Ted’s in West Hollywood. There he serves classic New England seafood as he had growing up when he visited his grandparents in the northeast. Cimarusti is committed to sustainable fishing and farming and boasts a rooftop ecosystem at Providence which garnered a coveted Michelin green starHe has been a guest judge on Master Chef, Top Chef Family Style, Hells Kitchen and Top Chef. He has competed on Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef America.In 2019, he was recognized as James Beard Foundation Best Chef: West. InfoChef Michael Cimarusti’s restaurantshttps://providencela.com/https://www.connieandteds.com/Cathy Corison wines @ Stage Left Wine Shop https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/websearch_results.html?kw=corisonThe NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3The Restaurant Guys will be podcasting from there May 2. Come see us!https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festivalOur PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com