The Restaurant Guys

This is a Vintage Selection from 2005 The Banter The Guys talk about what December means for retail and restaurants along with managing family feasts.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys host writer and iconic consumer wine educator Kevin Zraly. Kevin talks about the best ways to teach consumers, how to find value and what is the most important thing to consider when selecting a wine.  The Insid...

The Banter The Guys make “scents” out of the smells some companies use to entice you into their establishments. The Guys do it the old fashioned way. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome Josh Noel who recently penned Malort: The Redemption of a Revered & Reviled Spirit. Hear how Malört’s devoted supporters fought for its independence and prosperity. It’s a David and Goliath story you w...

This is a Vintage selection from 2007. The Banter The Guys discuss Francis’ upcoming trip to the land of  prairie butter and why you want to know how to use it.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome famed food writer and television personality Andrew Zimmern. He tells some wild tales of the foods and animals he has encountered, but the scariest story of all took place in Dai’s House of Uni...

The Banter The Guys talk about what Robert Simonson calls “the cold switcheroo” and what’s next in the world of martini.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys get two Corisons on one show! They catch up with Cathy Corison and her daughter Grace Corison Martin who will, perhaps along with her sister, take over the winery one day. They discuss the challenging past, bright present and brilliant futur...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2010 The Banter The Guys are horrified to hear about red bees…and it’s not because of their sting. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are long-time fans of Lidia Bastianich’s restaurants and her retail phenomenon Eataly. They are eager to talk about her new book and bridging cultural divides with food. Listen to her mission to keep hearts and bellies full.  The I...

The Banter The Guys recount some troubling restaurant stories involving drought, flood, snow and nine foot flames! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys meet Ellen Yin, a successful restaurateur out of Philadelphia. They all have been running restaurants for decades and discuss the joys of retaining key employees and the benefits of a pool house as well as the challenge of not being a chef. Ellen s...

The Conversation The Restaurant Guys were so taken with the stories behind a book by Susan McKenna Grant that they took a detour while at an Italian wine festival to stay at her beautiful property that she is restoring, La Petraia. This interview in this episode was recorded on location at Radda in Chianti at the farm (you can hear the pigs snorting) interspersed commentary from The Guys after the...

The Banter The Guys express what they look for in a dinner party host and what to do as a guest….and they hope you invite them over. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome Tom Colicchio back on the show after 18 years! Giving some insights from his book Why I Cook, Tom tells stories from his early years, how he ended up where he is and shares some behind the scenes tea from Top Chef.  The In...

This is a Vintage Episode from 2006 (where they tell a story that they later re-told on the Curtis Duffy 2024 episode about the worst food they’ve ever served) The Banter The Guys discuss a recent article correlating hamburger consumption and childhood asthma as well as when gloves are more hygienic….and less so.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys call on Cathy Corison, owner and winemaker at C...

The Banter The Guys chat about when it’s all right to share their expertise, when it is not advisable and why novice waiters might not want The Guys in their section. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys have their long-time distributor, author and spirits expert Charles Neal on the show to discuss French brandy. Charles tells his journey of discovering and importing products from family distiller...

This is a vintage selection from 2007 The Banter The Guys discuss an article titled “Chef’s Kids Eat the Darndest Things” in New Jersey Monthly Magazine where Mark’s son’s creation was featured. Find out what unusual sandwiches are being made in the Pascal household.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys host Grant Achatz, cutting edge chef of Alinea restaurant in Chicago. Grant talks about his un...

The Banter The Guys are alarmed to find out how some folks are flavoring their beverage..and so is the Board of Health.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys get deep with chef Curtis Duffy, who received Michelin stars for his restaurants Grace and Ever in Chicago. Curtis shares his story, how he leads his team and what keeps him striving for excellence. The Inside Track The Guys  highly recommend...

This is a Vintage selection from 2012 The Banter The Guys discuss Bloody Mary variations including some that provide a meal in a glass.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with Tiki barman Brian Miller who was behind the bar at Lani Kai in SoHo (NYC) on Monday nights serving tropical drinks while dressed in pirate garb. They talk about defining Tiki, where it came from and how it fits i...

The Banter The Guys discuss the strange case of misappropriation Grand Cru Burgundy.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys get to hear from Dr. David Wondrich about the past, present and future of the cocktail in America. They discuss his nine year compendium, a drink category he likes so much he wrote the book about it and a new comic book coming out next year.  The Inside Track The Guys have had...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2008 The Banter The Guys discuss steps taken by the EPA in 2008 to eliminate reporting of noxious gas emissions due to lawsuits being filed against those who are emitting the toxins. Huh? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are happy to have acclaimed chef José Andrés.  They discuss two of his restaurants Jaleo and Minibar which offer quite different styles of exc...

The Banter The Guys chat about old school dining experiences and ways to serve martinis. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys geek out with Dan Richer who, according to The Guys and other reputable sources, makes some of the best pizza in the world! Hear how his obsession with sourcing, tasting and analyzing brings folks from around the globe to Razza Pizza Artiginale in Jersey City, NJ.  The Insi...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2006 The Banter The Guys discuss a new trend in 2006: the Avant-garde cocktail. Is it a drink? A chemistry experiment? Hear their take on it. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with Audrey Saunders the year after opening The Pegu Club. They talk about old books and the problem with soda guns.   Audrey discusses her vision for Pegu and what inspires and m...

The Banter The Guys find that maps of bars from the Victorian era were created with a very different purpose than expected. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are eager to hear from Tony Abou-Ganim’s about Negroni week in Dubai. From running spirits competitions to writing to charity work, Tony shares what he’s doing to leave a legacy for those who come next. The Inside Track The Guys crossed pa...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2012 The Banter The Guys talk about the decline of professional food writing and support by the media. Is it good that many amateur voices have drowned out the professional ones? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys reach around the world to talk with Frank Brunacci, King Truff, provider of excellent Australian truffles. Frank tells how this got started and why the...

The Banter The Guys try some homemade Applejack. You can’t taste it, but learn about this centuries-old northern American spirit and why Johnny Appleseed was really planting those apples! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome chef-owner of Attica, a restaurant regularly ranked among the best in the word. Attica is just outside Melbourne, Australia. Chef Shewry continues to learn about nativ...

This is a vintage episode from 2012 with special introduction by Sother Teague in 2024 The Banter The Guys invite mixologist Sother Teague to introduce this vintage selection about his and America’s favorite bartender of the 1970s Isaac from The Love Boat , actor Ted Lange. After some reminiscing, Sother shares where Isaac has left his mark on pop-culture and where we hope we may encounter that li...

The Banter The Guys discuss the pros and cons of “Best of” lists and how they would rank some colorful local watering holes. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome acclaimed writer Robert Simonson,  a cocktail enthusiast and expert. They devise a dream team of restaurant reviewers, bond over a love of hot dogs and discuss an exclusive gin that might be worth its price. The Presidential Storm...

This is a vintage selection from 2006 The Banter The Guys discuss their recent trip to the Bastianichs’ relatively new restaurant Del Posto in NYC. It manages to be opulent, friendly and “New York” all at once while serving delicious meals. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys connect with soul food royalty Lindsey Williams author of Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level about hi...

The Banter The Guys discuss the most sought-after restaurant in France which is probably not what you think. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are thrilled to meet soul food royalty Melba Wilson.  Melba recounts her childhood centered around food and frugality which is what led her to where she is today. She brought gospel brunch to Windows on the World and helped revitalize a Harlem neighborho...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2007 The Banter The Guys talk about the idea of “forbidden foods” and the ethics of whether to seek them out as a travel article suggests.  The Conversation The Restaurant Guys dig into the details (and a box) of chocolate with chocolatier Jacques Torres. They discuss sourcing, technique, perishability and the transcendent power of chocolate. How is a chocolatier l...