Flavorphiles

This week on Flavorphiles, Tanner and Jerry are making The Ick List — the restaurant habits that instantly make someone less attractive. A dinner date is not just about dinner. It is a test of manners, taste, generosity, patience, curiosity, and whether you can treat a server like a human being. From filming every dish to saying “I know the owner,” we’re breaking down the food behaviors that ruin...

This week on Flavorphiles, we’re giving hot dogs the serious culinary examination they obviously deserve. Tanner and Jerry start with a Hot Dog Martini — made with “dirty hot dog water” gin, mustard oil, pickle oil, and a poppy seed/celery salt rim — before breaking down what actually makes a great dog: the meat, the snap, the bun, the toppings, and why ketchup may be the enemy. Then Eric Mittenth...

A great night out does not happen by accident. This week on Flavorphiles, Tanner and Jerry break down how to get the most out of every restaurant experience—from choosing the right place to ordering like someone who knows what they’re doing. We start with the Amuse Booze: amaro, the bittersweet Italian liqueur you should probably be drinking at the end of dinner. Then, Tanner shares how to spot a...

Before it’s plated, paired, or priced—luxury starts in the dirt. In this episode, we follow the path from soil to status. Tanner and Jerry begin by unpacking the reality of “farm to table,” where menus are shaped by weather, relationships, and a level of unpredictability most diners never see. Then, we hear from the people who live that reality every day. The owner of Altima Caviar shares the deca...

Spring is here, and we’re taking things outside. This week on Flavorphiles, we’re throwing the ultimate Garden Party—from what to grow, to what to drink, to what actually belongs on your table. We kick things off with our Amuse Booze: a classic sour cocktail, a smash, and a highball that unlock the perfect ratios you can use to create nearly endless drinks. Once you understand the balance, you don...

This week on Flavorphiles, we’re skipping the theme and letting curiosity run the show. We kick things off with a homemade absinthe for Amuse Booze—because if you’re going to go off-script, you might as well start with something a little dangerous. From there, it’s a rapid-fire mix of questions and hot takes: what farm-to-table actually means (and when it’s just marketing), how to make non-alcohol...

TikTok has a food hack for everything—drink more water, eat more protein, save money, cook faster. But how much of it actually holds up? This episode, we react to some of the biggest trends taking over your feed. We start with the viral “buy half a cow” craze and why it’s not quite the deal it looks like. Then, with the help of a nutritionist and a fitness expert, we dig into hydration trends, “he...

Easter might be the strangest food holiday we celebrate. A rabbit delivers eggs. We hide them in the yard. And somehow, all of it ends with a pile of candy that only exists for a few weeks a year. In this episode of Flavorphiles, we unpack how it all came together. We start with the question no one really asks: why eggs? From ancient symbols of rebirth to medieval fasting rules, eggs became the ce...

This week on Flavorphiles, we explore the strange line between food traditions that are centuries old and the ones we invented last Tuesday. We begin with a game of Authentic… or Not?, where Jerry tries to determine whether famous dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala, Caesar Salad, and sushi rolls are actually traditional to the cuisines they’re associated with—or clever culinary imposters. Then we’re...

The future of food and hospitality is changing fast—and in some cases, unraveling in real time. This week’s episode starts with one of the biggest stories in the industry: the allegations surrounding René Redzepi and his departure from Noma. As one of the most influential chefs of this era steps away, we unpack what happened—and what it says about the culture that defined modern fine dining. From...

Amuse Booze: Frozen irish Coffee This week on Flavorphiles, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the way it was meant to be celebrated: by questioning almost everything about it. In Segment 1, we look at how St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is very different from the green-beer spectacle it’s become in North America. Tanner explains why owning a bar on St. Patrick’s Day isn’t quite the party people think it...

Amuse Booze: 20% Martini In Episode 20 of Flavorphiles, Tanner and Jerry explore the power dynamics shaping modern hospitality — from tipping culture to food journalism to the way television has redefined what we think kitchens look like.  We begin with a listener question that sparked a bigger debate: if someone tips $40 on a $500 bill, and the server balks, who’s in the wrong? That conversation...

Amuse Booze: The Gin & Tonic — The Original Location-Driven Cocktail In the first segment, Tanner and Jerry break down the psychology of space—why rooftop restaurants feel expensive, basements feel exclusive, strip malls hide greatness, and beach restaurants often get a pass. From airport dining to vacation mode, they examine how context changes perception and why the bar is often the best sea...

Amuse Booze: Tepache — Fermented & Safe, despite what the Dallas Health Department Says Tanner and Jerry explore the darker side of dining in an episode dedicated to foods that kills. They begin with cautionary tales from history, including embalmed milk, a 2008 CEO who went to prison, and arsenic-laced candy—reminders that food safety hasn’t always been a given.  In the second segment, they s...

Amuse Booze: The Spicy Pickle Martini Tanner and Jerry take on the science—and the suffering—behind the hangover. They start by breaking down what a hangover actually is, how it happens, and whether certain spirits are truly better or worse when it comes to next-day consequences. In the second segment, they sort fact from fiction on hangover cures: what works, what doesn’t, and the surprising glob...

Amuse Booze: The Orange Julep (Montréal) Tanner and Jerry celebrate Valentine’s Day with an episode dedicated to romance, food, and the realities of making it all work. The conversation begins with nutritionist Lianne Phillipson, as they unpack the idea of aphrodisiacs—Tanner shares his favorite “romance foods,” while Lianne breaks down whether there’s any real science behind the magic. Next, they...

Amuse Booze: The Batanga Bar Tanner and Jerry kick off Super Bowl Sunday with a guest who truly understands excess. Taylor Rause, Tanner’s business partner and the architect of what may be the most over-the-top Super Bowl party on record, joins the show to explain how and why he goes all in—from a massive food spread to 27 TVs so you never miss a play, even in the bathroom. In the second segment,...

With Dry January in full swing, Tanner and Jerry start the episode with a spirit-free Tea Old Fashioned that proves you don’t need alcohol to make a serious drink. Jerry shares a few kitchen woes, which leads Tanner to tackle one of the most common questions home cooks ask: what knives do you actually need—and which ones can wait.  Next, they look ahead to the coming year with a breakdown of emerg...

Tanner kicks things off by sharing the relief of passing the Level 1 Sommelier exam, and why the experience of taking the test was harder than the questions themselves. From there, the conversation heads to the movies as acclaimed film critic Richard Crouse joins the show to break down the best films about restaurants and food culture. Tanner weighs in on how accurate those portrayals really are—f...

Tanner and Jerry take a look at how the way we drink is changing. They discuss how more people are cutting back on alcohol, the rise of THC beverages, and what those shifts could mean for bars and restaurants moving forward. From there, the conversation turns to the latest diet traps—how good intentions can lead to healthy but flavorless meals, and how to avoid sacrificing taste in the name of wel...

Tanner and Jerry ring in the new year with an episode dedicated to Champagne and the traditions that surround it. They trace the history of Champagne and how it came to be, including the irony of Dom Pérignon—who famously tried to prevent bubbles, not celebrate them. Then they walk through the right (and wrong) ways to open a bottle, from the classic cork to the dramatic saber, including a story o...

Tanner and Jerry celebrate the season with a Christmas episode full of traditions, tips, and a little holiday mischief. They start by revisiting the Thanksgiving discussion on how to be a great guest, answering new questions listeners raised after the episode aired. Then they share one of their favorite traditions—Drink of the Day—where each person creates a featured cocktail all Christmas week. N...

Amuse Booze: Negroni  Tanner and Jerry dig into the world of reviews and why restaurants seem to get more feedback—solicited or not—than any other profession. They explore how chefs handle criticism, including the story of one who famously banned a critic from his restaurant. Then they sit down with D Magazine’s food critic to learn how the job really works: what to taste for, how to write with cl...

Tanner and Jerry turn up the heat with an episode dedicated to peppers in all their forms. They start with where chilis came from, how they traveled across the globe, and the ways they shaped entire cuisines. From there, they break down how to cook with peppers for flavor—not just fire—so even heat-averse cooks can get more out of them in the kitchen. Then things get intense as they welcome a Guin...

Tanner and Jerry take off for an episode all about travel. Tanner shares the chaos and charm of playing plane-shot roulette and revisits his appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives—including the now-legendary Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake from Rye. Then they break down how to find great places to eat when you’re away from home, from hidden gems to local standouts worth the detour. The conversation c...