The Restaurant Guys

This a Vintage Selection from 2006The BanterThe Guys kick around some questionable burger ideas that they don’t find appealing. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome Plymouth Gin Master Distiller Sean Harrison from across the pond. Sean talks about the trials and rebirth of gin and even shares the secret Plymouth Gin recipe. The Inside TrackThe Guys are fans of Sean’s Plymouth Gin both in and out of cocktails. Francis: Sean, will you tell us how gin is made and why gin is so much more flavorful than it's the other clear spirit vodka? Sean: Yeah, because gin is a recipe. In all, if you actually look at what gin is, we take very neutral alcohol. That very neutral alcohol, we can actually put it into a bottle and call it vodka. So gin is the original flavored vodka. Francis: So basically you're saying that vodka is incomplete gin? Sean: Yes. It's halfway to God's world, basically. Sean Harrison on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006BioSean Harrison, Plymouth Gin Master Distiller, joined Plymouth Gin in 1994 as Assistant Manager, rising to become Master Distiller. He is the keeper of their coveted 200 year old recipe, passed down verbally to every Master Distiller since 1793. InfoPlymouth Ginhttps://www.plymouthgin.com/en/If you want the recipe for a Vesper 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

The BanterThe Guys talk about remarkable Italian wines that you should try including an alternative to the amazing, and pricey, Amarone. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys appreciate Charlotte Voisey, newly minted Executive Director of The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, taking time to talk to them when Tales of the Cocktail Conference is merely days away. They go over the past, present and future of both Tales of the Cocktail and Charlotte and how the intersection created The Contemporary Cocktail Landscape, internationally!The Inside TrackThe Guys have been attending the Tales of the Cocktail Conference in New Orleans for years, crossing paths with Charlotte. Francis: I remember the first time I met you. I was in a bar in New Orleans, I think, and you came in in full regalia at a Tales thing and you were carrying a croquet mallet and then you opened your mouth and a British accent spilled out. And I thought, wow, that girl's really going all the way with it.Charlotte: That sounds about right.Charlotte Voisey on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioAs Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail, Charlotte Voisey oversees the Foundation’s mission to educate, advance, and support the global drinks community. Prior to the Executive Director appointment, Charlotte served as the Overall Chair of the Spirited Awards from 2016 to 2024. In 2010 her contributions were recognized when she won a Spirited Award for “Best American Brand Ambassador.”Her career is also marked by her tenure at William Grant & Sons, where she led the company’s globally respected Brand Ambassadors. Charlotte has been recognized as UK Bartender of the Year, Mixologist of the Year, and a Silver Medal at the World Female Bartender Championships.  InfoTo attend the LIVE podcast in NOLA on July 22, 2025 emailTheGuys@RestaurantGuysPodcast.comTales of the Cocktail Foundationhttps://talesofthecocktail.org/BAR 5 Day https://beveragealcoholresource.com/bar-5-day-program/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 a Vintage Selection from 2007The BanterThe Guys talk about what Altoids and Cap’n Crunch have in common. They also “cover” some issues with “uncovered servers”The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome wine writer Ray Isle who explains biodynamic viticulture and shares his 7 rules for pairing wine and food. Find out what Ray calls the shortstop of wine. The Inside TrackThe Guys have had Ray on the show previously and wanted to have him back on to discuss his Seven Rules. Ray: Some wines do go better with some foods than others. So I do think it's possible to have some basic rules at hand that actually do work. Once in a while they may slightly backfire on you, but I came up with seven. I'm willing to go to the mat to say that they're pretty effective.Mark: So, Ray, do you know how you know that I liked your seven rules? I brought you on the show. If I were just gonna make fun of 'em, I wouldn't have embarrassed you in person. -Ray Isle on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007BioRay Isle was a senior editor at Wine & Spirits magazine. In 2005, he moved to Food & Wine. He writes the monthly “What to Drink Next” column as well as regular feature articles. He’s also the wine editor for Travel + Leisure.His writing on wine, spirits, travel and other topics has appeared in Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Wine & Spirits, Time, Martha Stewart Living, and others. He has won awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), the American Food Journalists and the North American Travel Journalists Association, and is a James Beard Award nominee. His book is The World in a Wineglass.He appears regularly in national media such as Today and Weekend Today.InfoRay’s sitehttps://rayisle.com/Ray’s contribution to Food & Winehttps://www.foodandwine.com/search?q=ray+isleEmail us for Ray’s 7 Rules for Perfect Pairingtheguys@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 read some fan mail and discuss the reviews a couple of unusual restaurants–would you prefer drawbridges or beds?The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome Kim Chauvin who tells us all about the American shrimp industry and the superior product of fresh, wild shrimp. She also talks about the hardships of hurricanes and as well as and life in the family business. Inside TrackThe Guys hit it off with Kim Chauvin and even got invited to her boat blessing! They were impressed with the hearty stock shrimpers are made of, particularly during hurricanes. Francis: Your husband stayed on the boat. What is it like to ride out a category five hurricane on a boat? Kim: Well, you have to realize it really wasn't a five hitting where we were. Francis:  Um, okay. Category three, then. I don't walk outside when it's thundering, okay? -Kim Chauvin on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005InfoMariah Jade Shrimp is part of David Chauvin Seafood Companyhttps://www.davidchauvinsseafood.com/https://americanshrimp.com/suppliers/mariah-jade-shrimp/Mariah Jade Shrimp is a mobile dock.David Chauvin's Seafood Company is an unloading facility of shrimp, ice house, fuel dock and a supply house for commercial and recreational fishing vessels. They sell shrimp and seafood to consumers. Located in Dulac, LA. Bluewater Shrimp Company is a processing facility and unloading facility located in Dulac, LA.Kim Chauvin's Seafood Company is a brand new company to an older facility. It’s an unloading facility of shrimp and fish, ice house, fuel dock and supply house for commercial and recreational fishing vessels. They sell shrimp and seafood to consumers. Located in Grand Isle, LA. The Ninja New York Review by Frank Brunihttps://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/dining/yelping-warriors-and-rocks-in-the-broth.htmlSubscribe: 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 the joys and heartbreak of urban and suburban gardening. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys get expert advice about the goings on in the world of caviar from Deborah Keane. She is a pioneer in sustainable caviar farming and is changing the game again with her no-kill caviar. Hear how tradition, politics and technology have all played a role in the caviar we have today and the extracted version we can have very soon.The Inside TrackThe Guys get to ask Deborah about an age old tradition of keeping metal away from caviar.Francis: There's an old kitchen rule that you never touch caviar with a metal utensil. So we have these mother-of-pearl spoons with which we serve caviar. Is that true? And if it's true, why?Deborah:  So I will start with the king of the culinary world, Jacques Pépin. He says to me, “Deborah, the caviar is never long enough on the spoon to make it make a difference.”  And he's right! So use whatever you want. -Deborah Keane on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioDeborah Keane, dubbed the “Caviar Queen”,  built a complete, vertically integrated spawning-to-serving enterprise and is a leading pioneer in sustainable fish farming. She is the first female-owned and operated caviar company in the world and the first female fish farm owner in the state of California, California Caviar Company. She is on the cutting edge again harvesting caviar using a no-kill method.InfoCalifornia Caviar https://californiacaviar.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 a Vintage Selection from 2005The BanterThe Guys talk about the Big Apple BBQ 2005 that Francis attended with their chef. Sadly, Mark had to miss because he had a newborn. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys interviewed the best pitmasters from all over the U.S. at Big Apple BBQ in NYC. The masters shared their regional styles, methods and colorful personalities while the guys “pigged out” on the good stuff that used to be hard to come by in the northeast. The Inside TrackThe Restaurant Guys are culinarily well-versed from fine dining restaurants to hamburger joints, but they had some things to learn about Q.  Francis: What's snoot? Smoki O’s: Snoot is the anterior prolongation of the pig's nose.Francis: Is that your specialty?Smoki O’s: Barbecue is our specialty. We barbecue anything from the pig's nose to the, um, from the rooter to the tooter! -The Restaurant Guys Podcast at Big Apple BBQ 2005Guests & Info Chef Anthony BuccoSpecial Guest HostMichael RodriguezSalt Lick BBQDriftwood, TX https://saltlickbbq.com/driftwood/Ron BlasingameWhole Hog CafeLittle Rock, AR (& in NJ, too!)https://www.wholehogcafe.com/Elaine & Garry RoarkUbon’s (The Barbecue of Yazoo)Yazoo, MShttps://ubonsbbq.com/ Carolyn MacklemoreBig Bob Gibson Decateur, ALhttps://bigbobgibson.com/Kenny CallahanBlue Smoke (2002-2024)NY, NYhttps://www.bluesmoke.com/Smoki O’s (closed 2021)St Louis, MOEd MitchellNorth Carolinahttps://www.thepitmasteredmitchell.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

The BanterThe Guys discuss cookout foods for the 4th of July. Find out Mark’s cheat code for eating hotdogs.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome George Motz, hamburger historian and operator of Hamburger America in NYC. George tells the story of his steady rise to expertise (and fame) and shares his passion for creating an authentic, multi-napkin burger experience. The Inside TrackThe Guys recently visited Hamburger America and found George at the flat top making burgers. They particularly enjoy George’s featured hamburgers that he, along with the current creator, craft to be exactly like the iconic burgers found around the U.S. George tells how he had to re-create one that had not been served in years: The Doodle Burger.George: Between his memory, my memory and my photos, we actually did this sort of food forensics figuring out exactly what went into this burger. To the point where when he had the first bite of that burger, he criedFrancis: Oh, oh, that's amazing. I love it! It's like you're the Jurassic Park of Hamburgers.-George Motz on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025 BioGeorge Motz is an American television personality, burger flipper, author and filmmaker. George directed the 2004 documentary film Hamburger America and has written books detailing the history of the hamburger in the United States. He hosted the Travel Channel show Burger Land from 2012 to 2013. He is a contributor for First We Feast on YouTube with a series titled Burger Scholar Sessions. He is also the owner and head chef of Hamburger America, a luncheonette-style restaurant in SoHo, Manhattan.InfoGeorge’s sitehttps://www.georgemotz.com/Hamburger America, NYChttps://www.hamburgeramerica.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 a preview of a full subscriber episode from 2008. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys talk with Aldo Sohm about what it took to be pronounced The Best Sommelier in the World. They talk about wine competitions, formal wine service and pairings –both the wine with food and, most importantly, the guest with wine . The Inside TrackThe Guys have enjoyed Le Bernardin where Aldo is the sommelier. They all love the business they are in and Aldo states it simply.“What is more beautiful than eating and drinking?” Aldo Sohm on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2008 BioAldo Sohm earned the title “Best Sommelier in the World 2008,” Aldo oversees a 15,000 bottle wine collection at Le Bernardin and his namesake Aldo Sohm Wine Bar. He was awarded M. Chapoutier prize for the Best Sommelier of Les Grandes Tables du Monde in 2019 and Wine Spectator’s Grand Award for Le Bernardin's restaurant wine program in 2021.Aldo released his first book Wine Simple in 2019. He is the ambassador for Zalto glassware by Denk'art, has designed his own signature Laguiole corkscrew. His has a TV series "An Austrian Wine Journey" ("Eine österreichische Weinreise").InfoAldo’s sitehttps://aldosohm.com/Le Bernardin, NYChttps://www.le-bernardin.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 an unfortunate situation where Francis suffered.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys have filmmakers Max Well and Alex Lamb on to discuss their documentary The Donn of Tiki about Don the Beachcomber’s life. The story includes rum-running, globe-trotting, the Mafia and amazingly creative marketing that started a movement. The Inside TrackThe Guys were able to interview Alex and Max right before The Guys hopped on a train to NYC for a tiki party with Jeff “Beachbum” Berry  (who appeared in the film). Alex succinctly describes how the stars aligned so Don the Beachcomber could work his magic.“ He had run rum with his brother, so he had an in with the rum industry and knew how to sell rum to a generation of people who really weren't that interested in drinking rum until he created these cocktails. Also he had collected all these things on his travels that he was using as props in films in the 1930s. So he just kind of threw a bunch of stuff on the wall and the tiki bar was born!” Alex Lamb & Max Well on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioSince 2007, co-directors Alex Lamb and Max Well have been producing music videos, documentaries, children's shows, commercials, and branded content. Last year, after a deep dive into the history of Tiki bars, they decided to tell the story of the incredible life of Donn Beach.InfoThe Donn of Tiki filmhttps://www.facebook.com/TheDonnOfTikiSubscribe: 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 Selection from 2006The BanterThe Guys talk about a big change in NYC restaurant ownership as well as the implications of invasive grass.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome William Alexander to hear about the trials of being a home gardener and the shocking realization that his home-grown tomatoes cost him $64. The Inside TrackThe Guys have an amusing conversation with Bill discussing the battles with deer, groundhogs and the neighbor’s cat.Bill: My latest battle was with the neighbor's cats who insisted on peeing on my organic lettuce. Mark:  That's still organic. Bill: Well, you know, I think I found a way to get, get even with them. I started to use their litter box. But I think the moral is that no matter what you do, animals are going to get into your garden because of the simple truth: You may be smarter, but they've got more time. -William Alexander on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006BioWilliam Alexander, spent nearly four decades as director of technology at a psychiatric research institute.Having broken into writing with the critically-acclaimed, bestselling memoir The $64 Tomato, Bill wrote Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World. Bill has contributed over a dozen op-eds to the New York Times, where he has opined on such varied issues as Martha Stewart's release from prison, what the honeybee crisis means to the home gardener, the difficulties of being organic, and The Benefits of Failing at French, which achieved the distinction of being the most viewed, e-mailed, tweeted, and Facebook-ed article of the day.InfoWilliam’s sitehttps://williamalexander.com/index.phpWilliam’s bookThe $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect GardenSubscribe: 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