The Restaurant Guys

This is a Vintage Selection from 2005The BanterThe Guys discuss the issues with destruction of certain animals and why eating them may be the will of the divine.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are thrilled to welcome respected food and cocktail writer Bill Grimes to talk about the story of the American cocktail and Bill’s next book on the history of dining in NY. Bill tells where we've been and who helped us get here.The Inside TrackThe Guys relied upon Bill’s book Straight Up or On the Rocks while they built their cocktail bar (which is now the longest-running craft cocktail bar in the world!) While the three take their cocktails seriously, Bill thinks all drinks can play a part.Bill: A cocktail that's like a well-made entree where the flavors are meaningful in relationship to each other and give pleasure because there's a certain tension or balance. But I'll also say there's a role for sort of the nutty, crazy, stupid cocktail too. I think a cocktail is a cocktail. It should encourage all kinds of kind of wacky inventiveness Mark: You believe that that the fuzzy wuzzy woo-woo does have a place in our society and serves a purpose?Bill: It’s the price you pay for freedom.BioWilliam “Bill” Grimes is a longtime contributor to The New York Times. He has served in numerous editorial and writing capacities—magazine writer, culture reporter, and restaurant critic.He has written many critically acclaimed books on food and drink: Straight Up or On the Rocks: The Story of the American Cocktail (a foundational cocktail history), and Appetite City: A Culinary History of New York His work earned nominations like the James Beard Foundation nod for culinary journalism.InfoBill Grimes NYT Cookinghttps://cooking.nytimes.com/author/william-grimesFor recipes: TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.comOur 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

This is a Vintage selection from 2005The BanterThe Guys compare dining experiences: Francis decisively won that round. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys get to speak with Kate Krader about Food & Wine’s Cocktail Book and the trends that have made Food & Wine declare 2006 “The Year of the Cocktail.” From making grenadine to martini glass size to home cocktail parties, they cover what’s in and what’s out. The Inside TrackThe Guys and Kate bond over the importance of ice in a drink. Francis: You know what? The three of us are a bunch of dorks talking about ice.Kate:  Oh, and I thought we were really smart.Francis:  Yeah, believe me, you wanna have one of the three of us putting your cocktail party together. Mark: You can’t call us dorks. We're talking about the thermodynamics of ice here. This is important stuff!Kate Krader on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005BioKate Krader is a distinguished food and beverage journalist and editor. With over two decades of experience at Food & Wine magazine—where she led news, restaurant, and chef coverage and helmed its iconic Best New Chefs program—she has been instrumental in spotlighting culinary talent and shaping industry narratives Since joining Bloomberg Pursuits as food editor in August 2016, Kate has expanded her scope to include elevated dining, innovative chefs, luxury food travel, and beverage culture across various media. In 2022, she relocated to London to deepen her coverage of the UK food scene while retaining her global focus.InfoKate Krader at Bloomburghttps://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AS8jz1KttbA/kate-kraderSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

The BanterThe Guys talk about how to ruin a good drink.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys sit down with Rob D’Elia, the owner of iconic dive bar Ale ‘n ‘Wich Pub in New Brunswick, NJ. The ‘Wich has hosted a few celebrities and a lot of personalities over the years. They reminisce and talk about the je ne sais quoi of local bars.The Inside TrackThe Guys used to shoot darts at the Ale ‘n ‘Wich in college. In fact, it was where Francis had his first legal drink. They’ve watched it go through various phases and Francis asks who are the regulars now. Rob: It's hippies, hipsters, artists, musicians, ink, LGBTQ, United Nations of Colors, professors, professors with their students who are over 21 that sit here and do discussions as part of a part of their class. Age? 21 to 60.. 65…70.Francis: Notice he made it 65. Because I'm 60. I was at the limit. I got an extension there!-Rob D’Elia on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioRobert D’Elia is the owner of Ale 'n Wich Pub in New Brunswick, NJ, a landmark bar known for its historic charm and strong community ties. After a successful career in mortgage banking, D’Elia became a partner in the business in 2005 and took full ownership in 2012. He has since preserved the pub’s authentic atmosphere while making thoughtful updates, ensuring it remains a beloved local institution for students, artists, and longtime regulars alike.Ale ‘n ‘Wich Pubhttps://alenwich.com/***Win an Ale ‘n Wich t-shirt!!***Email TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcst.comSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

This is a Vintage episode from 2006 with a current day introductionThe BanterThe Guys add a modern day discussion about an easy and tasty bar garnish that you ought to try.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys catch up with third generation restaurateur Jimmy Bannos Sr. Jimmy joins The Guys to talk about his love of New Orleans cooking at his restaurant Heaven on Seven in Chicago. They discuss the great history of cocktails in New Orleans and Jimmy’s Big Easy Cocktails book. The Inside TrackThe Guys and Jimmy share a love of New Orleans and they like to eat their way through it.“ You go to Cafe Dumont for some beignets in the morning and then where are we gonna go for mid meal? We do a mid meal before lunch. So then we go there. Then after that we're going, well, where are we going for lunch? And then where we're going for supper? Where we're going for dinner and where we're going for late night? That's the whole kind of New Orleans culture. It's all about food, beverage and people,” Jimmy Bannos Sr. on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006BioJimmy Bannos Sr., a third-generation restaurateur, worked at his parents’ diner when he was growing up. After receiving his formal culinary education at Washburne Trade School, Bannos became infatuated with Crescent City cooking in the early 1980s and worked with famous New Orleans chefs, such as Paul Prudhomme at K-Paul’s, Frank Brigtsen and Emeril Lagasse.Jimmy’s bustling New Orleans-style Heaven on Seven restaurants have been one of the most popular eateries in Chicago for decades (recently closed).Jimmy’s books are The Heaven on Seven Cookbook and Big Easy Cocktails, Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites. He and his son, Jimmy Bannos Jr. will be opening Koulkas Greek Eatery in Illinois later this year. InfoJimmy Sr. and his son, Jimmy Jr., will be opening Kouklas Greek Eatery in 2025kouklasgreekeatery.comSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

The BanterThe Guys talk about sourcing new products including attending the Fancy Food Show and getting a good tip from a podcast guest. Hear about the latest one that has caught their attention.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are sharing two conversations with two chefs who are fusing cuisines. Tyler Akin has gotten attention for marrying Corsican and Sardinian dishes at Bastia in Philadelphia . Chaz Lindsay in Jackson, MS has taken his culinary experiences in NYC and Italy back to his home in Mississippi where he blends in down home Southern cooking. BioTyler AkinTyler Akin is a Philadelphia-based chef, restaurateur, and founder of Form-FunctionHospitality. Akin is currently the chef-partner of Le Cavalier at the Green Room, at the iconic Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, DE. Tyler also serves as chef-partner of Bastia, at the Hotel Anna & Bel in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood. Bastia was named a “Must-Visit New Restaurant” by Bon Appétit prior to opening, it has since earned accolades including placement on Esquire’s list of “Best New Restaurants in America” for 2024.Chaz LindsayChaz Lindsay was raised in Belhaven, MS, graduated Culinary Institute of America, externed and worked at Eleven Madison Park. He was a sous chef at Colicchio and Sons and Craft in NYC before leaving  to work in Tuscania, Italy. Chaz returned to the states and in 2023 he opened Pulito Osteria in Jackson MS. Pulito Osteria’s menu merges Italian cuisine with flavors of the Deep South. In 2025, he opened Rowan’s bar with fresh takes on pub classics. InfoTyler’s Bastia, Philadelphia, PAhttps://www.bastiafishtown.com/Chaz’s Pulito Osteria, Jackson, MShttps://www.pulitojackson.com/Elephant Green Chili  Chutneyhttps://elephantgreenbrand.com/Francis’ Caesar salad recipe email TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.comSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

Current day intro and the interview is a Vintage Selection from 2005The BanterThe Guys, in 2025, set the scene for this interview with Ruth Reichl, a newspaper restaurant critic who changed the landscape of professional reviews. The Guys share reviews they have received and ones they were glad they didn’t. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys interview Ruth Reichl to discuss the roles of critic and restaurateur and how they must stay focused on enhancing the diner experience. Ruth talks of hate mail, disguises and the enormous pressure on critics to get it right.The Inside TrackThe Guys finally got to talk to Ruth about whether to acknowledge a critic in your restaurant. If only she could have told them sooner…Francis: You spot the restaurant critic in the dining room. My inclination is to go over and say hello. Like I say hello to everybody in my dining room. Ruth: Well, you probably shouldn't.Mark:  Yeah, we're sure of that now. -Ruth Reichl on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005BioRuth Reichl started out as a co-owner and chef of Swallow Restaurant in Berkeley, California. She became the restaurant editor then food editor and critic at the Los Angeles Times. Ruth returned to her native New York in 1993 to become the restaurant critic for the New York Times where she rocked the NYC restaurant scene with her dual review of Le Cirque in 1993. She stayed until 1999 when assumed the role of editor of Gourmet magazine. She has written a dozen books and has appeared as a judge on Top Chef Masters.Currently, Ruth co-hosts a podcast and posts a food writer newsletter on Substack.Ruth is a winner of six James Beard Awards as well as their Lifetime Achievement Award.InfoRuth’s podcast, Three Ingredientshttps://threeingredients.substack.com/Ruth’s Substack, La Briffehttps://ruthreichl.substack.com/Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

This is part 1 of a 2 part episodeThe ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are thrilled to sit down with Andrew Zimmern to talk about food television, globe-trotting and some surprisingly delicious foods. Hear the tale about the BEST family feud Andrew, or anyone, has ever experienced!The Inside TrackThe Guys have had Andrew on their podcast several times years ago. They all agree that humans are designed to care for each other and break all kinds of bread together. “With food, you can be very indiscriminate. One night I'm going out for sushi, and the next night I'm cooking at home, and then I'm gonna go over to this person's house and they're gonna make me something.There is a level of sharing with that intimacy that crosses more boundaries than if Gael [Greene] was here, I would say, than sex does. So there's an argument that it is the most universal of intimate acts,” Andrew Zimmern on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioAndrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and passionate global citizen. As the creator, executive producer and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food, MSNBC’s What’s Eating America, the Emmy-nominated Family Dinner, Outdoor Channel’s Wild Game Kitchen and Field to Fire, and the Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food.InfoAndrew’s sitehttps://andrewzimmern.com/Andrew’s 2008 appearance on The Restaurant Guys Podcasthttps://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/episode-98-andrew-zimmernAndrew’s new book (out in October 2025)The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future (A Comprehensive Guide, from Buying and Preparing to Cooking Delicious Nutritious Blue Food Recipes)By Andrew Zimmern and Barton SeaverSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

This is part 2 of a 2 part episodeThe ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are thrilled to sit down with Andrew Zimmern to talk about food television, globe-trotting and some surprisingly delicious foods. Hear the tale about the BEST family feud Andrew, or anyone, has ever experienced!The Inside TrackThe Guys have had Andrew on their podcast several times years ago. They all agree that humans are designed to care for each other and break all kinds of bread together. “With food, you can be very indiscriminate. One night I'm going out for sushi, and the next night I'm cooking at home, and then I'm gonna go over to this person's house and they're gonna make me something.There is a level of sharing with that intimacy that crosses more boundaries than if Gael [Greene] was here, I would say, than sex does. So there's an argument that it is the most universal of intimate acts,” Andrew Zimmern on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioAndrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and passionate global citizen. As the creator, executive producer and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food, MSNBC’s What’s Eating America, the Emmy-nominated Family Dinner, Outdoor Channel’s Wild Game Kitchen and Field to Fire, and the Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food.InfoAndrew’s sitehttps://andrewzimmern.com/Andrew’s 2008 appearance on The Restaurant Guys Podcasthttps://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/episode-98-andrew-zimmernAndrew’s new book (out in October 2025)The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future (A Comprehensive Guide, from Buying and Preparing to Cooking Delicious Nutritious Blue Food Recipes)By Andrew Zimmern and Barton SeaverSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

David Wondrich, celebrated cocktail historian and author of Imbibe!, joins to explore cocktail history and its revival. He discusses how Prohibition shaped drinks, the return to spirit-focused, well-crafted cocktails, the role of glassware and garnishes, and why bartending is equal parts technique and theater. Short, lively conversations on trends, palate building, and restoring cocktail integrity.

The BanterThe Guys raise a glass to honor an iconic cocktail bar that has recently closed its doors.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys catch up with world-renown bar operator Steve Schneider. Steve talks about his experiences working in and running various types of bars and how a few chance encounters catapulted his career. He describes how he strives to create the perfect vibe in his bar and tells how a night off at the theatre altered his perspective. The Inside TrackThe Guys have been long-time fans of Steve. Francis even had a brief appearance in Steve’s movie Hey Bartender!Steve waxes sentimental about one little wish he has that many experienced bartenders probably share.“If I could have one more shift in my twenties at EO (Employees Only), I would go back. That's what I would do. I would go back to freaking like 2012 and I would work one more shift with my old team and just be debaucherous,” Steve Schneider on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioSteve Schneider has more than 20 years of bar experience in New York, Singapore, Shanghai and Panama City, earning a reputation as one of the most respected and inspiring bartenders in the industry. Steve is a Partner at Employees Only Singapore, The Odd Couple in Shanghai and The Elysian Café in Hoboken, N.J. These positions followed a long-time stint as a Principal Bartender at Employees Only in New York when it earned “The World’s Best Cocktail Bar” Award at Tales of the Cocktail.Steve is Bar Manager and Head Bartender at Guzzle.InfoSip & Guzzlehttps://www.sipandguzzlenyc.com/Hey Bartender! Movie trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLHdqCXe-OMSubscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our 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.comFollow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast