The Best Ceats Podcast

The day has finally come! After many texts, and DM's, and reschedules, I am thrilled to finally have my friend Ali Coyle on the show! She is the wine director for her family's three restaurants, Fable & Spirit , Dublin4 Gastropub , and Wineworks For Everyone . Her profound talent in wine aside, she is also (as anyone who listens to this show knows) a very, very talented musician. She is very s...

When you have a favorite sports team or are just a fan of something, you wear apparel to tell the rest of the world, "Hey, I care about this, and I want you to see that." How do you show support for what you love though if you're a bartender? Well, that's where Mover & Shaker Co . comes into play. I am lucky enough to hop onto a Zoom call with co-founder, Nick Hogan , to talk about how the bra...

Chef Joel Gutierrez has taken over the reins at Lido Bottle Works after cutting his teeth there for the past several years. I really like LBW, and his menu follows the style of former chef and friend of the show, Amy Lebrun, to a "T," all the while attaching his own style and flair. The food is excellent, plain and simple, and he is driven, and talented to boot. The Best Ceats Podcast brings unpre...

I am so humbled, and thrilled, to be sitting down with Master Distiller Morgan McLachlan . Co-founder of AMASS - located in the Arts District of LA - Morgan is responsible for developing the company's ever-growing portfolio of fantastic spirits, and more. She is wildly creative, with an encyclopedic knowledge of developing flavors and practices to derive the most flavor from every ingredient of a...

Episode 54 of The Best Ceats Podcast is a very, very cool one. I sit down with one new guest, in Dr. Yasmine Mason, and one familiar guest, Chef Amy Lebrun , formerly of Lido Bottle Works. Chef has now joined her friend Dr. Mason, at the health-forward store, and for lack of a better term, think tank, Fermentation Farm . A labor of love many years in the making, "Ferm Farm" has a great local follo...

When I launched this podcast, I wanted to try and showcase all aspects of the hospitality industry. There is nothing wrong with a show that only features, say, Top Chef winners, or high profile bartenders, but I wanted something more. Not to say those shows aren't great, because they are, and they certainly have a place. However, I want to try and give every corner of the industry a voice, which i...

I am very excited and humbled today to be able to sit down (digitally) with Rachel Keeney , bartender at the sublime new addition to the Orange County dining scene, Porch & Swing . She has tended bar at some of the best cocktail spots around SoCal, and really knows what she is doing. She has a great soul and kind heart, but, like so many folks, has her own demons she deals with. We sit down to...

The joy of creating this podcast has been meeting wonderful new guests with each and every episode. Every person - in good times or bad - brings an unparalleled passion for their respective trade or business. Chelsey Rosetter and Ben Farber of the soon-to-open Benny Boy Brewing are no different as they bring a deep passion for their upcoming LA-based cidery. Join me as we sit down at their Venice...

Well, here we are. Fifty episodes of this pokey little podcast. I hope you enjoy this special episode as we flip the script format-wise. I won't spoil any other details, but I do hope you enjoy it, and, thank you for your support! None of this is possible without you. The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you t...

I am so excited to bring you episode 49 (so close to 50!)  I am sitting back down with one of the very first guests of the show, Niyaz Pirani of Knife And Spork PR .  One of the first guests and supporters of the show, Niyaz is a friend and ardent supporter of all things delicious and genuine. He is someone I am proud to know, and support. We sit down to discuss life post-pandemic, clien...

As the world reopens, there is a desire for a return to "normal." Whatever that means, it will mean changes. New restaurants will open, some will close, and things like outdoor dining and to-go cocktails could come or go. Along the way, there will be a constant - liquor licenses. To help people with them is my guest for this episode, owner of AAA Liquor License Consulting , Jason Kho . We jump ont...

Some restaurants are special for different reasons. Maybe there is a heralded chef, or a premier bar program. Perhaps it is well designed or offers something different than the surrounding businesses. Then, some places are amazing, not for just one reason, but because there is no reason at all. They simply are excellent and trying to pin down a reason why is like asking a magician to reveal how a...

Chef/Owner of Craft House in Dana Point, Blake Mellgren , is an anchor of the community. Dana Point is an evolving town, and Chef Mellgren has been helping to shape its future since opening Craft House just over 5 years ago. He is young, talented, and understands the area around him very well. We sit down to talk about celebrating career milestones amid a pandemic, the uncertainty of ABC guideline...

Restaurants and bars can only truly come to life when you inject great people into them. Once in place, then you need to have great products, and relationships that continue to help the business grow beyond just a pile of bricks and mortar. Landers Liquor Bar in Costa Mesa is not an establishment that is short on personality - but where does that personality come from? Its DNA has been infused wit...

I am so happy to share this massive episode with you all. I was so grateful to sit down with Marc Shelton for episode 44 of The Best Ceats Podcast . Marc is the owner of Paper Pizza Co. as well as LKSD , and more!  This episode was recorded just a few days before the announcement of the return to indoor dining. We recorded this at Paper Pizza and dive into a TON of topics about the past, pres...

I am so excited to sit down for this new episode of The Best Ceats Podcast with my friend, Simone Rubio . The cocktail lead for the bar program at CdM restaurant and Bar , Simone is an absolute force. She is extremely talented, and a name you should know for sure in the bar game. For someone so young, she has accomplished so much and is absolutely going to be a game changer - more than she already...

Very happy to be bringing you Episode 42 of The Best Ceats Podcast featuring Pamela Waitt , who is one of the founders of the Orange County Restaurant Association . Pam is also the driving force behind all of the major associated events of the OCRA, including OC Restaurant Week, Margarita Crawl, and more! Perhaps one of her biggest achievements, is the founding of OC Foodies - the driving destinat...

The advantage to running your own podcast is you’re able to run it the way you want. When I created this podcast, I did so with the intention to give a voice to every member of the hospitality industry. Every corner of this huge, tiny, crazy world of food and drinks we all love. From the greatest celebrity chef, to a line cook you’ve never met, to the bar back running ice, to everyday professional...

We have a big episode 40 of The Best Ceats Podcast on deck featuring Josh Kopel . He is a restauranteur, tech entrepreneur, and hospitality vet with over 20 years helming businesses from fine dining to fast casual and everything in between. Now he works helping business owners evolve into new marketing and customer retention practices.  We recorded this episode remotely per Josh's request as...

Chef Michael Reed and his wife Kwini are the owners of Poppy + Rose in downtown Los Angeles. They are also the owners of the soon-to-open Poppy & Seed in Anaheim - a stunning new space built into what can only be described as a greenhouse near the Anaheim Packing District. Additionally, they run a catering company , a program that teaches culinary skills to individuals trying to get back into...

This is a very exciting episode for me. I am a secret lover of growing food at home - I'm not sure i'm very good at it - but I really enjoy it. That's why I was so happy to sit down to learn about culinary gardens with Ashley Irene of Heirloom Potager for this episode of The Best Ceats Podcast . There is nothing like eating food you've grown yourself, but so often we overlook how much work it real...

An extremely talented and passionate bartender hailing from North Orange County, Ava Navarrete is a truly wonderful soul. She is someone I'm proud to know, and humbled by her taking the time to sit down and share some time. This is a great episode as we discuss local politics, Dry January drink tactics, and tackling mental health when your job and passion is taken from you. It is a great listen, a...

What a year 2020 has been. That may be the biggest understatement in human history in fact. The year saw so much, it is impossible to summarize it here. For this episode, the guest position shifted, as the audience got to ask the questions. This special "Ask Me Anything" edition of The Best Ceats Podcast is an unfiltered, unedited, unrehearsed, honest attempt to answer any and all questions submit...

There is some truth to the stereotypes that come with a Southern California lifestyle. The laid back, slow-moving surf and beach vibes permeate most aspects of a beach town life. It begs the question then, that during these unprecedented times when the bar and restaurant industry is being decimated, where does one find the will to fight? Having a Detroit upbringing helps quite a bit, just ask Tony...

This year has been a year of firsts - and now, there is another! The first-ever multi-guest episode! Now, as with every other aspect of the hospitality industry in 2020, it is not perfect in its presentation, but it is perfect in its heart and intent. I am so proud to be joined by the owners of Eat Chow , Amy Frawley, and Chef Brian McReynolds. The Costa Mesa and Newport Beach restaurants are more...