This is a Vintage Selection from 2005 The Banter The Guys tell of an unnecessary battle: it’s curtains! The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome wine and restaurant critic Peter Schleimer from his home in Austria. They talk about grape-loving birds, where to get authentic Austrian food and some wine recommendations that are still good advice today. The Inside Scoop The Guys have spent time eating and drinking with Peter both in the U.S. and in Austria. They ask him about the r...

The Banter The Guys discuss cultural differences in the best way to leave a party. Expeditious or rude? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys speak to Procera Gin founders Alan Murungi and Guy Brennan from Kenya. Alan and Guy had a vision to create gin from fresh (not dried) juniper berries that are hand foraged at great heights in the juniper forests of Kenya. They distill locally and use hand-crafted glass bottles for their exceptional libation which is a favorite of Mark and Francis The Ins...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2012. The Banter The Guys talk about The Balkans International Wine Competition and the implementation of Wine Diplomacy. Hear the Balkan wine suggestions you didn’t know you needed. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are joined by Johnny Schuler from his vineyards in Peru. He runs the oldest working distillery in the Americas that is both state-of-the-art and traditional to create the classic pisco that has been made there for centuries (yes, centuries!).&n...

The Banter The Guys discuss a restaurant experience that let the rabbit out the hat. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys catch up with buddy Jeff Bell to discuss the bar scene in New York. From humble beginnings as a barback at PDT to owning it and several other of the coolest places in NYC, Jeff tells about his experiences of becoming a business owner, including (the requisite) major disaster during his first year. The Inside Track The Guys have known Jeff for years and were taken by ...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2012 The Banter The Guys talk about a taste of the military that they would have rather not had and what they will be doing to make it up to our U.S. service members. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys spill the tea with Sebastian Beckwith, tea master, tea lover and tea educator. Topics include the complexities of tea service in fine dining, the nuances of different tea types and the aging and infusion of teas. Sebastian also shares his personal journe...

The Banter The Guys look a gift horse in the mouth….and it was delicious! The Conversations The Restaurant Guys catch up with more fun people at the Southern Smoke Festival 2025 in Houston, TX in their third episode recorded on location Joaquin Rodas’s passion was ignited by his work in Chicago and being inspired by some great New Orleans chefs, he made his way to Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits in New Orleans where wine paired with great food and music elevate the experience. Colby R...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2005 The Conversation with Chris The Restaurant Guys talk with Chris Cree, Master of Wine, about the challenges of being among the first to earn that degree and the only person in NJ. Chris talks about running his wine shop and how he educates and encourages the public to dive into the world of wine. The Conversation with John The Restaurant Guys speak with chef, wine director, professor and friend John Fischer. Given his many positions including teacher, he...

The Banter The Guys discuss the benefits of tip pooling and the mystery of cheek pinching. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome back sommelier Aldo Sohm who’s mission is to pair wine with food, but also people with wine they will enjoy. The three discuss the joy of connecting all of the pieces of that puzzle. Aldo shares his insights on wine pairing, recounting the development of his new book, Wine Simple, Perfect Pairings. The Inside Track The Guys have known Aldo for yea...

This show was recorded on location at the Southern Smoke Festival in Houston, October 2025 Angie Rito & Scott Tacinelli met working in NYC at Park Avenue Seasons. In 2018, they opened their special neighborhood spot Don Angie. Angie and Scott garnered a nomination for Best Chef: New York City and New York State by the James Beard Foundation in both 2019 and 2020, respectively, and Outstanding Chef 2022. Don Angie was also awarded a Michelin star in 2021 and 2022. In 2024...

This show was recorded on location at the Southern Smoke Festival in Houston, October 2025 Aaron Bludorn began his journey at Culinary Institute of America (CIA) which led to a prosperous career working under the country’s most celebrated chefs including Michelin-starred Chef Douglas Keene and Daniel Boulud. While working as Executive Chef in Manhattan’s Café Boulud and was cast in Netflix’s blockbuster culinary competition show, The Final Table. That same year, he was honored by Star C...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2012 The Banter The Guys taste something new and unusual. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys hear a revolutionary idea from Jim Lahey of how to make not only bread, but pizza dough with his no-knead method. Jim discusses the obstacles many folks face while baking at home and his suggestions to overcome them so you, too, can make great pizza! The Inside Track The Guys hear what Jim really thinks about a typical pizza. “Most of the dough and our notion of pizz...

The Banter The Guys talk about restaurant upselling and how NOT to do it like a sleazy car salesman. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys talk with friend Ryan DePersio about wins, losses, and marine borers. Ryan believes teamwork and tenacity are keys to surviving and thriving in this industry. Inside Track The Guys served Ryan at their restaurant before he became a chef! “My parents were taking us to New York City once or twice a year, and eating at Gotham Bar and Grill and Gramercy Tavern ...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2007 The Banter The Guys kick off the show discussing date night plans that don’t involve food. Spoiler, there aren’t many. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome back Nicholas Harary, owner of Restaurant Nicholas. The Guys quip that newborn Nicholas Jr. may start work in the kitchen immediately then they discuss the balance of family and work in a life of hospitality. The conversation moves Harary's passionate tirade against the state of c...

The Banter The Guys share some of the cool cocktail experiences they had on their safari the night before. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys welcome Rajesh Bhardwaj, operator of the first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the U.S. Rajesh talks about cultivating his vision, curating a team to execute it and how he continues to change the landscape of Indian cuisine in the United States. The Inside Track The Guys listen as Rajesh shares his vision of creating the unique experience ...

This is a TEASER in our Martini Expo series Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Guests Joe Magliocco is the president of Michter’s Distillery, where he has been instrumental in reviving the historic American whiskey brand. His company is involved in creating eco-sustainable Farmer’s gin. Dale DeGroff known as “King Cocktail,” is a l...

Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Guests William Elliott is the bar guru and creative force behind Brooklyn’s legendary Maison Premiere. Rising from opening-team bartender to Managing Partner & Executive Bar Director, he helped guide Maison to a James Beard Award and international acclaim. Known for blending theatrical flair w...

This was recorded at the Martini Expo 2025 Inside Track The Restaurant Guys were invited to be the official podcasters of The Martini Expo. They spent the day sipping and chatting with the greatest makers, stirrers and shakers on the planet! Guests Intro with Robert Simonson, co-founder of The Martini Expo, creator and writer for The Mix with Robert Simonson, and a James Beard Award–winning drinks writer for The New York Times. He authored The Martini Cocktail, one of the definiti...

This is a Vintage Selection from 2013 The Banter The Guys tell a tale of someone being bamboozled. The question is, who? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are joined by cocktail historians Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller who share stories from their book The Deans of Drink and where you can go today to see a Harry Johnson bar. They tell of their experiences renovating Musée des Vins et des Spiritueux. The Inside Track The Guys were thrilled to have Jared and Anistatia on the show and foun...

The Banter The Guys discuss whether a cheeseburger is a composed dish. What do you think? The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are joined by Dylan Trotter. Dylan shares anecdotes from his unique childhood, his journey into the culinary world, and the challenges and excitement of keeping his father’s legacy alive through pop-ups and potential new ventures. The Inside Track The Guys are grateful that Charlie Trotter was so supportive of the early iteration of The Restaurant Guys. They enjoyed s...

This is TEASER of a Vintage Selection from 2005 The Banter The Guys talk about their restaurant philosophy and how cultivating a team of people who share your vision is what will sustain you. However, Francis does not share Mark’s vision of going to a Cub’s game. The Conversation The Restaurant Guys are thrilled to have Charlie Trotter on the show to talk about excellence, foie gras and a restaurant that he had planned to open in New York that never came to fruition. The Inside Track Th...