This is a Vintage episode from 2006

Why This Episode Matters

• Long before craft beer became mainstream, Garrett Oliver was arguing that beer belonged at the fine dining table
• This 2006 conversation captures the early days of American craft brewing before the explosion of brewery culture and IPA dominance
• Garrett explains why beer may pair with food better than wine — then challenges Francis to prove him wrong
• The episode explores brewing philosophy, Belgian traditions, and the business pressures of growth
• Includes a fascinating snapshot of how small Brooklyn Brewery still was in 2006 — despite already becoming influential

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott discuss Frank Bruni’s four-star review of Jean-Georges in The New York Times and what happens when great chefs expand into restaurant empires. The conversation explores restaurant identity, and whether excellence can survive scale.

The Conversation

Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster’s Table, joins The Restaurant Guys for a spirited conversation about the early days of American craft beer, brewing philosophy, beer aging, Belgian traditions, and pairing beer with food. Things get competitive when Oliver argues beer pairs better with food than wine — prompting Francis to challenge him to a live beer-versus-wine showdown at Stage Left.

Bio

Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and one of the most influential figures in American craft beer. He is the author of The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food and editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oliver has received numerous honors for his contributions to brewing and beverage culture, including a James Beard Award.

Info

Brooklyn Brewery https://brooklynbrewery.com/

Garrett Oliver http://www.garrettoliver.net/

Dale DeGroff Yanquiza Pisco Party @ Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick, NJ

Tickets at https://www.stageleft.com/event/pisco-party-with-dale-degroff/

Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular

https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/

Magyar Bank

https://www.magbank.com/

Stage Left Wine Shop

https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Reach Out to The Guys!
TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

About This Episode

Recorded in person at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort, this special episode features conversations with chefs, restaurateurs, producers and hospitality leaders shaping New Jersey’s food scene.

Featured Guests

• Mike Carino & Mike Cosenza — Mike’s Pasta & Sandwich Shop
• Florian Wehrli — Crystal Springs Resort
• Jacques Torres — Jacques Torres Chocolate
• Jeff Galen — Fossil Farms
• Olivier Muller — Faubourg
• Bryan Gregg — Blue Morel

Why This Episode Matters

This festival episode explores sourcing, craftsmanship, sustainability and hospitality through conversations with some of New Jersey’s leading culinary voices.

Topics include:

• artisan food production
• independent restaurants vs. corporate food systems
• responsible sourcing and farming
• luxury dining and consumer habits
• collaboration in New Jersey’s restaurant community
• the importance of story, trust and hospitality
  
  

Bios

Mike Carino & Mike Cosenza

Owners of Mike’s Pasta & Sandwich Shop in Nutley, NJ, known for artisan pasta and supplying restaurants throughout the state.

https://www.instagram.com/mikespastashoppe/

Florian Wehrli

Executive Chef overseeing Crystal Springs Resort’s culinary operations, including Restaurant Latour.

https://www.crystalgolfresort.com/

Jacques Torres

World-renowned pastry chef, chocolatier, and founder of Jacques Torres Chocolate.

https://mrchocolate.com/

Jeff Galen

Executive Sous Chef at Fossil Farms, specializing in sustainable and exotic proteins.

https://www.fossilfarms.com/

Olivier Muller

Chef-owner of Faubourg in Montclair and Weehawken, NJ.

https://www.faubourgnj.com/

Bryan Gregg

Executive Chef of Blue Morel at Westin Governor Morris Hotel

https://www.bluemorel.com/

Time Stamps

• 0:00 — Welcome
• 0:35 — Mike Carino & Mike Cosenza
• 13:10 — Florian Wehrli & Jacques Torres
• 36:40 — Jeff Galen
• 42:30 — Olivier Muller
• 52:00 — Bryan Gregg
  
  

Dale DeGroff Yanquiza Pisco Party @ Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick, NJ

Tickets at https://www.stageleft.com/event/pisco-party-with-dale-degroff/

Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular

https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/

Magyar Bank

https://www.magbank.com/

Stage Left Wine Shop

https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Reach Out to The Guys!
TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

This is a Vintage episode from 2007.

Why This Episode Matters

• Before celebrity chefs became mainstream brands, chefs like Morou Ouattara and Gavin Kaysen were navigating what television exposure actually meant for serious working chefs.
• Morou Ouattara discusses bringing West African flavors into contemporary American cuisine years before global pantry ingredients became common.
• Gavin Kaysen reflects on competing as a young chef on The Next Iron Chef and how it shaped his career.
• The conversation becomes an unexpectedly thoughtful discussion about chef identity, and the reality behind “celebrity chef” culture.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show discussing the absurdity and honesty of chef awards and Anthony Bourdain’s irreverent influence on food culture. They explore the economics of Michelin-starred restaurants and why greatness may not be worth it.

The Conversations

Chef Morou Ouattara joins The Restaurant Guys to discuss appearing on The Next Iron Chef while already running a respected restaurant. He explains why competing against accomplished chefs felt entirely different from traditional reality television, and why staying true to his culinary identity mattered more than trying to satisfy judges. Morou also shares how his restaurant, Farrah Olivia, blended American cuisine with West African spices and flavors that television competition formats often couldn’t properly showcase.

Later, Gavin Kaysen discusses competing as one of the youngest chefs on the show, the camaraderie among contestants, and the strange reality of being edited for national television. The conversation expands into restaurant culture, chef professionalism, and Kaysen’s then-upcoming move to New York to lead Café Boulud.

Timestamps

• 00:00 — The Golden Clog Awards, Anthony Bourdain, and Michelin-star economics
• 06:45 — Morou Ouattara joins; competing on The Next Iron Chef
• 10:00 — Reality Cooking Shows vs. Kitchen Life
• 11:45 — Incorporating West African spices at Farrah Olivia
• 15:45 — Gavin Kaysen joins; Camaraderie behind the scenes of The Next Iron Chef
• 24:00 — Reality TV editing and food television culture
• 27:00 — San Diego’s evolving restaurant scene
• 30:30 — Gavin Kaysen's move to Café Boulud in New York

Bio

Morou Ouattara is an Ivory Coast-born chef known for blending West African flavors with contemporary American cuisine at Farrah Olivia in Alexandria, Virginia. He previously led the kitchens at Red Sage and Signatures by Karam.

Gavin Kaysen was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs and later became one of America’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs. At the time of this interview, he was preparing to take over as executive chef of Café Boulud.

Info

• Morou Ouatt

Dale DeGroff Yanquiza Pisco Party @ Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick, NJ

Tickets at https://www.stageleft.com/event/pisco-party-with-dale-degroff/

Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular

https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/

Magyar Bank

https://www.magbank.com/

Stage Left Wine Shop

https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Reach Out to The Guys!
TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com