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

Why This Episode Matters

• What actually makes a great wine pairing
• How younger diners are changing wine culture and what that means for restaurants
• Where real wine value exists right now (hint: not where everyone’s looking)
• Why hospitality, not knowledge, is still the key to selling wine
• The evolving role of sommeliers in a less formal, more competitive dining world

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show swapping stories about “elevating” takeout by adding better ingredients, dialing in details, and chasing that last 10% that turns good into spectacular.

The Conversation

June Rodil, Master Sommelier and partner in Goodnight Hospitality, shares her path from serving at Olive Garden to shaping some of the most thoughtful wine programs in the country. She breaks down how wine pairing really works not as rules, but as taste memory, experience, and constant adjustment.

The conversation explores the shifting role of wine in dining, from everyday staple to luxury competitor, and the challenge of connecting with a younger, less wine-focused guest. June emphasizes that great service, not intimidation or hierarchy, is what brings people into wine, and that curiosity, accessibility, and value matter more than ever.

They also dig into where smart wine buyers should be looking today, from South Africa to overlooked Old World regions, and why finding one great, under-the-radar bottle can define a program more than a massive list.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – The quest to elevate every bite
• 06:00 – June Rodil’s path: from server to Master Sommelier
• 10:45 – Understanding wine pairing synergy
• 12:00 – How great pairings are actually built (and tested)
• 21:00 – Who is ordering wine in the dining room?
• 26:00 – How to appeal to guests and sell wine today/presenting cork
• 33:00 – Where the real value is in wine right now
• 38:00 – Final takeaway: “Just drink more.”

Bio

June Rodil is a Master Sommelier (2015) and partner at Goodnight Hospitality in Houston, where she oversees award-winning wine programs and hospitality operations. She is widely recognized for her leadership in modern wine service and mentorship within the industry.

Info

• Goodnight Hospitality Group https://www.goodnighthospitality.com/
• Southern Smoke Festival https://southernsmoke.org/festival/ssf-2026/

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 2010

Why This Episode Matters

• Why most Pinot Grigio on the market tastes the same—and how to spot the real thing
• The difference between DOC vs IGT wines (and why it actually matters in your glass)
• How geography—especially Trentino-Alto Adige—shapes flavor more than marketing ever will
• A candid look at wine pricing: what’s quality vs what’s branding

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open with stories from interviewing restaurant staff highlighting a simple truth: honesty matters more than experience, especially in hospitality.

The Conversation

Giovanni Barone of Barone Fini joins the show to break down the misunderstood world of Pinot Grigio. He explains how Italy’s regional identity, not the country itself, defines wine, and why Trentino-Alto Adige produces fresher, more food-friendly expressions due to extreme temperature swings and alpine conditions.

The discussion pulls back the curtain on the wine business: from bulk wine labeled as premium bottles to the outsized role of branding in pricing. Giovanni makes the case for purity and restraint in winemaking, contrasting it with more manipulated styles found elsewhere.

Along the way, the conversation becomes a broader philosophy of food and drink: great wine isn’t about flash—it’s about flavor, place, and how it works at the table.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Interview horror stories & hiring philosophy
• 08:45 – Introducing Giovanni Barone & Barone Fini
• 10:30 – What “DOC” actually means (and why you should care)
• 14:00 – The realities of the wine business in Italy
• 20:30 – Italian wine rules, climate, geography, and flavor
• 27:00 – Why Pinot Grigio works with food (even rich dishes)
• 32:00 – Pricing, branding, and the truth about expensive Pinot Grigio
• 37:00 – DOC vs IGT explained simply
• 41:00 – Purity in wine vs mass-market production

Bio

Giovanni Barone is part of the Barone Fini family, a historic winemaking estate in Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region. His family’s winemaking roots date back to the late 15th century, and he has helped bring their Pinot Grigio to international markets while advocating for traditional, terroir-driven wines.

Info

• Barone Fini Wines https://www.baronefiniwines.com/
• The Restaurant Guys at La Petraia https://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/2390435/episodes/16144212-la-petraia-the-guys-go-to-italy

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

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

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

Why This Episode Matters

• Elizabeth McCall, Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve, joins the show to talk bourbon, innovation, and what makes Woodford Reserve distinct in a crowded whiskey world.
• She explains how barrel toasting, proprietary yeast, fermentation, pot still distillation, and texture shape the Woodford Reserve house style.
• The conversation explores the current state of the whiskey market, including slowing demand, oversupply, tariffs, and why Woodford Reserve continues to grow.
• McCall discusses what a master distiller actually does — from liquid innovation to protecting the integrity of core products.
• The episode also looks at women in whiskey, changing bourbon drinkers, and how Woodford Reserve balances heritage, accessibility, and luxury.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show with a conversation about people who are drawn to hospitality, but may or may not be built for restaurant life.

The Conversation

Elizabeth McCall joins to talk about her role as Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve and the craft behind one of America’s most recognizable bourbons. She explains why Woodford’s flavor profile is built around balance and consistency not just branding or bottle design.

The conversation moves from special releases to the essential work of maintaining quality, protecting core products, and developing future innovations. Elizabeth also discusses the broader whiskey market, why Woodford Reserve remains strong during a challenging period, and what it means to be a woman leading one of bourbon’s major brands.

Timestamps

00:00 — Mark and Francis on restaurant life and the people who wish they could work in hospitality
10:30 — Elizabeth McCall joins, Woodford Reserve: a bourbon success story
16:19 — What creates Woodford’s signature style
25:00 — What a Master Distiller actually does
30:00 — Woodford Reserve Baccarat story
35:15 — Experimental releases, and chasing a coffee note in bourbon
37:15 — The whiskey slowdown and why Woodford is still growing
44:40 — McCall's career and being a woman in whiskey
46:30 — Women whiskey drinkers, buying power, and changing bourbon culture
57:15 — The story of jockey Frank Hayes

Bio

Elizabeth McCall is the Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve. She joined Brown-Forman in 2009, worked closely with longtime Master Distiller Chris Morris, and was appointed Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve in 2023.

Elizabeth leads liquid innovation and helps protect the flavor integrity of Woodford Reserve’s core products while developing future innovations.

Info
Woodford Reserve https://www.woodfordreserve.com/

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 2008.

Why This Episode Matters

• Stephanie Izard joins the show just after winning Top Chef Season 4, while the moment is still fresh and the career shift is just beginning.
• She gives a candid look at how Top Chef compares to real restaurant life: the parts that felt authentic and the parts that felt more like high-pressure catering.
• The conversation captures Izard before her later restaurant empire, as she talks about searching for the right space for her next restaurant in Chicago.
• There’s a strong discussion of kitchen leadership
• It also preserves an early moment in the public conversation around women in professional kitchens, with Izard reflecting on becoming the first female Top Chef winner.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show reflecting on Francis’s first trip to The Cheesecake Factory, using it as a springboard for a funny but pointed conversation about chain restaurants, fake food, seasonality, and what happens when restaurants pretend convenience is quality.

The Conversation

Fresh off her Top Chef win, Stephanie Izard talks about the surreal aftermath of the finale, what the show did and did not capture about real chef life, and how she handled the pressure of leading in competition. She reflects on cooking with Eric Ripert as her sous chef, the heartbreak of ingredient mishaps, and the realities of being judged on national television. Izard also shares her thoughts on kitchen culture, respectful leadership, women in the industry, and her plans to open her next restaurant in Chicago.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Francis reviews his first Cheesecake Factory experience
• 09:00 – Stephanie Izard joins the show after winning Top Chef
• 11:00 – Is Top Chef like restaurant life? Eric Ripert as sous chef
• 15:00 – Career momentum, and opening a new restaurant in Chicago
• 18:00 – Kitchen culture, leadership, and female representation in the culinary world
• 24:00 – How real is reality TV?
• 25:30 – Judging the judges, Tom, Gail, Padma and keeping a secret
• 31:50 – History of Top Chef guests on The Restaurant Guys

Bio

Stephanie Izard is a Chicago chef and the winner of Top Chef Season 4, becoming the first woman to win the Bravo competition. At the time of this interview, she had recently closed the restaurant Scylla in Chicago and was planning her next venture.

Info

• Stephanie Izard https://stephanieizard.com/
• Top Chef https://www.bravotv.com/top-chef

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

Why This Episode Matters

• Michael Cecchi-Azzolina offers a front-of-house counterpart to the classic back-of-house memoir: a sharp, funny, often brutal look at how great New York City dining rooms really worked.
• The episode captures a vanished New York restaurant culture in which the maître d’ controlled access and the rhythm of the room long before reservation platforms flattened the experience.
• It explores how restaurants became the center of nightlife in 1980s New York, and how the city’s economic, social, and cultural shifts shaped the dining room.
• Beneath the wild stories is a real argument about hospitality: the loss of personality, judgment, and human discretion
• The conversation also doesn’t romanticize the era. It reckons with the excess, the cruelty, and the devastation of the AIDS crisis inside restaurant culture.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show debating whether seedless produce justifies gene-edited fruits and vegetables.

The Conversation

Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, longtime front-of-house fixture at iconic New York restaurants including The River Café and Raoul’s, joins Mark Pascal and Francis Schott to talk about his memoir Your Table Is Ready and the restaurant world he came up in. He shares stories from an era when the maître d’ ran the dining room through charm, discretion, and a certain kind of power—and what he did when that wasn’t enough. Along the way, Michael reflects on what’s changed in hospitality, what’s been lost, and how he’s keeping that spirit alive.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Opening banter: gene editing and unintended consequences
• 07:00 – Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, Your Table Is Ready, 1980s NYC Nightlife
• 14:00 – Running the door at The River Café and the power of the maître d’
• 19:00 – Reservations, VIPs, bribery, and table politics before the internet
• 23:00 – Mob stories, dining-room pressure, and front-of-house survival
• 30:00 – Sundays in Brooklyn
• 33:00 – The power of the maître d’ and why they disappeared
• 38:00 – Restaurant excess, cocaine culture, and the AIDS crisis
• 45:00 – NYC Restaurants today
• 52:00 – The Guys share stories about celebrity guests at their restaurant in the 1990s

Bio

Michael Cecchi-Azzolina is a veteran New York maître d’ and restaurateur who has worked at iconic dining rooms including The River Café, Raoul’s, and Minetta Tavern. He is the author of Your Table Is Ready, a memoir of front-of-house life in New York City restaurants.

Info

• Book: Your Table Is Ready
• Restaurant: Cecchi’s https://www.cecchis.nyc/

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