The Restaurant Guys

The Restaurant Guys
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  • Food
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The Restaurant Guys is one of the original food and wine podcasts, launched in 2005 by restaurateurs Mark Pascal and Francis Schott. With roots as a daily radio show, the podcast features in-depth conversations with chefs, bartenders, winemakers, authors, and hospitality professionals—offering the inside track on food, cocktails, wine, and restaurant culture. New episodes and vintage conversations because the best stories, like the best bottles, age well. Expect insightful, opinionated, and entertaining conversations about food, wine, and the finer things in life. Subscribe for ad-free content, bonus episodes and invitations to special events!  https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Contact: TheGuys@RestaurantGuysPodcast.com

  1. 11h ago

    Knowing When to Change: Ice Cream, Fine Dining & Reinvention | Nicholas Harary

    Why This Episode Matters Nicholas Harary explains why he chose to reinvent one of New Jersey’s most acclaimed fine-dining restaurants before the business forced him to.A surprisingly technical look at what separates great ice cream from mediocre ice cream: butterfat, overrun, and the cold chain.Nicholas, Mark Pascal and Francis Schott debate whether traditional fine dining is dead or simply evolving.The conversation turns to Michelin: what its stars mean today, how the Guide’s expansion model complicates perceptions of independence, and why restaurateurs should always focus on the customers in the room.Banter Mark and Francis return from Sonoma with stories from Paul Hobbs’ 35th anniversary, smoke drifting across wine country and conversations with winemakers about what actually causes smoke taint. They make it onto Martinelli’s famously steep Jackass Hill where tasting zinfandel grapes directly from vines behind a wine he has loved for decades proves considerably more appealing than actually working a harvest. The Conversation Nicholas Harary and his wife, Melissa, opened Restaurant Nicholas in 2000 and spent two decades building it into one of New Jersey’s defining fine-dining restaurants. But Nicholas had already begun another chapter. What started in 2018 as a small seasonal ice cream shop where their kids might work became Nicholas Creamery. On opening weekend, police were directing traffic while Nicholas realized the 300 gallons of ice cream they had made weren’t going to be enough. That leads to a deep dive into ice cream: why controlling temperature matters, why Nicholas had a freezer truck custom-built, how butterfat and overrun affect quality, and what happens when you melt different commercial ice creams side by side. Nicholas also explains the elaborate process behind flavors such as bourbon barrel-aged coffee chocolate chunk. Then the conversation moves from ice cream to reinvention. Even after Restaurant Nicholas had its best year, Nicholas could see diners changing. Rather than gradually dilute what the restaurant had been, he closed it and rebuilt the concept as the much more casual Nicholas Barrel & Roost. His philosophy is simple: if your business looks exactly the same five years from now, you may have a problem. Nicholas, Mark and Francis debate whether the version of fine dining they grew up with is gone and what has replaced it. They ask what gets lost when restaurants begin designing for the camera as much as the diner. Finally, they tackle the Michelin Guide from changing definitions of a Michelin-worthy restaurant to the financial arrangements used to bring Michelin into new markets before Nicholas offers his advice to younger chefs: concentrate on the people inside your restaurant, not the people outside talking about it. Guest Bio Nicholas Harary is the chef and restaurateur behind Nicholas Barrel & Roost, Nicholas Creamery and Nicholas Wines. He and his wife Melissa opened Restaurant Nicholas in 2000; during its 20-year run, the restaurant received an “extraordinary” from The New York Times Harary later transformed the space into the more casual Nicholas Barrel & Roost while expanding Nicholas Creamery across New Jersey. Timestamps 00:00 Sonoma, smoke taint and Jackass Hill 08:08 Nicholas Harary joins the Guys 09:50 How Nicholas Creamery unexpectedly took off 14:40 Why the cold chain matters for great ice cream 17:00 Butterfat, overrun and what you're really paying for 21:05 Jersey flavors and bourbon barrel-aged coffee ice cream 23:30 Why Nicholas walked away from fine dining at its peak 28:25 Is fine dining dying or just changing? 34:45 What does a Michelin star mean now? 42:15 Michelin, Sysco and the appearance of impartiality Info Nicholas Barrel and Roost https://www.barrelandroost.com/ Nicholas Creamery https://www.nicholascreamery.com/ Nicholas Wines https://www.nicholaswines.com/ We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  2. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    The Mystique, Money and Madness of Truffles | Jane Black | Preview

    You’re hearing a preview of this subscriber bonus episode. Restaurant Guys’ Regulars can hear the full episode, plus other commercial-free bonus episodes, at  restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com . This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Why one of the world's most prized ingredients commands extraordinary prices.How truffle cultivation began challenging the romantic image of hunters searching the woods with trained dogs.Why aroma, scarcity and spectacle are as important to the allure of truffles as flavor.What happens when restaurants get their hands on thousands of dollars' worth of an ingredient that doesn't stay fresh for long.Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott begin with a tale of New Jersey lobster justice that makes Maine's system of informal fishing rules look positively genteel. A territorial dispute involving lobster pots somehow progresses to gunfire, arson and a neighboring boat unfortunately parked in the wrong slip. Then, reports of people eating, and even cooking and driving, while asleep lead Mark to identify the true indignity: consuming thousands of calories without even getting to remember the meal. The Conversation Food writer Jane Black joins Mark and Francis after traveling through Spain to report on the changing world of truffles. The romantic picture is familiar: a hunter and his dog wandering through the woods in search of an elusive underground treasure. What Jane found instead were truffle orchards, inoculated trees and farmers trying to turn an unpredictable delicacy into a viable agricultural business. They explore why truffles became so scarce and expensive, how a former peasant food became one of dining's ultimate luxury ingredients, and why their remarkable aroma may matter more than their actual taste. Jane and the Guys also get into the sensual reputation of truffles, the theater of shaving them tableside and the questionable proliferation of truffle oil. Then come the cautionary tales: an enormously valuable white truffle purchased at a charity auction that was locked in a safe and allowed to rot, and Francis's considerably more personal horror story about a chef who received thousands of dollars' worth of beautiful fresh truffles—and immediately preserved them in oil. 2026 update: At the time of this conversation, successful cultivation of the prized Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum) remained elusive. Researchers have since documented controlled production of the species in a French orchard. Guest Bio Jane Black is a food journalist who covers food, culture, politics and sustainability. At the time of this interview, she was food editor at Boston Magazine and had written for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BusinessWeek and Newsweek International. She later became a staff writer at The Washington Post and co-host of the James Beard Award-winning podcast Pressure Cooker. Timestamps 0:00 New Jersey vigilante lobster justice 4:35 Sleep eating, Ambien and forgotten calories 7:20 Jane Black enters the changing world of truffles 12:00 How truffles went from peasant food to luxury 15:00 Why truffles smell like sex—and why aroma matters 22:20 The $35,000 truffle disaster, Francis’s truffle tragedy and the future of cultivation Info Jane’s article on truffles “Cultivating a Mystique,” The New York Times (2006)  We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  3. Aug 25 ·  Bonus

    Stripper Food, Bachelor Parties & Other Bad Ideas | Inside Track

    This is a Vintage compilation from 2010. Why This Episode Matters A Real Housewives of New Jersey cookbook introduces one particularly memorable piece of dietary advice: avoid “stripper food.”“Juicy bits from Joe” require Mark to summon his Nutley Italian accent. Things deteriorate from there. A New York Times story about changing bachelor parties sparks a conversation about great food, excessive drinking and what actually makes a night memorable.Then come the restaurant stories: security deposits, chicken suits, and three unexpected strippers.The Conversation Mark Pascal and Francis Schott find the ridiculous side of food, restaurants and the ways people celebrate. First, a cookbook associated with The Real Housewives of New Jersey offers some reasonable food advice and one rule Mark and Francis are unlikely to forget: never eat anything that could also be a stripper’s name. Cookie, Candy and Cupcake quickly lead to Bambi, Bunny and the question of what Michael Pollan would make of all this. Then a story about increasingly food-focused bachelor parties gets them talking about why a great meal might be more memorable than the traditional blowout. Naturally, this leads to their own restaurant experience including a three-page rulebook that clearly existed for a reason and a bachelor party that somehow acquired three strippers from elsewhere in the building. We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  4. Aug 20

    Can Local Food Save a Town? | Ben Hewitt

    This is a Vintage episode from 2010. Why This Episode Matters Hardwick, Vermont became an early test case for whether local food and small agricultural businesses could help revitalize a struggling rural economy.Ben Hewitt challenges the feel-good version of the local food story: What happens when artisanal food creates jobs but remains too expensive for many people in the community?The conversation explores how small farms can compete through distinctive, value-added products rather than commodity agriculture.Mark, Francis and Ben dig into questions that remain central to the food system: affordability, farm viability, subsidies, food access and what “sustainable” actually means.The Conversation In 2010, Hardwick, Vermont was attracting national attention for an unusual concentration of farmers, food producers and agricultural entrepreneurs. Writer and farmer Ben Hewitt chronicled the town in The Town That Food Saved, but he wasn't interested in presenting Hardwick as a simple local-food success story. Ben joins Mark Pascal and Francis Schott to examine what was actually happening in this working-class Vermont community from Jasper Hill's approach to artisan cheese and the rise of value-added agriculture to the advantages of diversified farms and shorter supply chains. The conversation soon gets to the harder question: Can a local food economy truly strengthen a community if the people producing the food can't always afford to eat it? Mark, Francis and Ben debate the economics of small farms, food access, agricultural subsidies and the tension between building viable food businesses and making good food broadly accessible. They also take on the language of sustainability, the growing concentration of the food and seed industries, and whether a more decentralized food system could create something both economically durable and better connected to the communities it feeds. Guest Bio Ben Hewitt is a Vermont farmer and writer and the author of The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Wired, Men's Journal and other publications. Timestamps 1:00 Ben Hewitt and the Hardwick, Vermont story 3:00 How food businesses began reshaping a working-class town 8:00 The “agri-preneurial” revolution and Jasper Hill 12:00 Why small farms need value-added products 13:00 The affordability problem with local food 19:00 Farm subsidies and an unequal playing field 23:00 Shorter supply chains and diversified farms 27:00 Food access, Pies for the People and sustainable businesses 35:00 What “sustainable” really means and who controls the food system Info Ben’s books The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food   Making Supper Safe We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  5. Aug 18

    How Do We Get a New Generation Into Wine? | Tony Margiotta

    Why This Episode Matters Why wine may not be losing younger drinkers so much as failing to introduce itself to them wellHow small, independent producers can offer something industrial wine cannot: place, history and storyWhy wine education works better through tasting, comparison and discovery than scores and intimidationHow restaurants, retailers and wine lovers can make wine more approachable to people just beginning to explore itBanter Francis returns from the Russian River Valley with a deeper appreciation for Pinot Noir and plenty to say about what he learned. The Guys talk about how tasting wines side by side reveals the differences between vineyards, soils and winemaking choices, why visiting wine country can teach you what books can not and the considerable injustice of Francis losing a toga contest to a baby. The Conversation Tony Margiotta, founder of Gladiator Wine Distribution, joins Mark and Francis to talk about wine as culture, place and connection not just what's in the glass. Tony traces his path from Italian-American family dinners and summers in Molise to discovering small Italian producers whose wines rarely made it to the U.S. That curiosity eventually became Gladiator Wines and a mission to tell the stories behind independent producers. The conversation then turns to Tony's book Wine in Your 20s and the challenge of bringing a new generation into wine. Tony argues that wine hasn't necessarily lost younger drinkers: it hasn't introduced itself to them well. He and The Guys explore how approachable wines, tastings, good storytelling and less intimidation can help new drinkers discover wine on their own terms. Guest Bio Tony Margiotta is the founder of Gladiator Wine Distribution, specializing in independent Italian wine producers with a strong connection to place, culture and tradition. He is also the creator of Gladiator Wine TV and the author of Hidden Gems of Italy and Wine in Your 20s. Timestamps 00:00 — Russian River Pinot Noir, side-by-side tasting and learning wine through experience 05:00 — Francis buys a real toga—and loses the contest to a baby 09:00 — Tony Margiotta and the philosophy behind Gladiator Wines 11:30 — Growing up with wine, Italian-American family dinners and Molise 17:00 — Why wine seems to taste better in Italy 20:30 — Discovering Italy's small producers and creating Gladiator Wines 22:00 — “Real wine tastes like a place”: story, context and terroir 28:00 — Learning to love wine in your 20s 32:00 — Why younger generations aren't connecting with wine 40:30 — How to introduce new drinkers: approachable wines, tastings and low-risk discovery 44:00 — Backyard vineyards, homemade wine and keeping traditions alive Info Tony Margiotta / Gladiator Wine Distribution Gladiator Wine TV https://www.youtube.com/@GladiatorWineTV Wine in Your 20s Hidden Gems of Italy Stage Left Wine Shop stageleftwineshop.com We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  6. Aug 13

    Heirloom Seeds, Local Farms & Better Food | Erica Renaud

    This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Erica Renaud explains why heirloom, traditional and open-pollinated seeds matter to agricultural biodiversity.Mark and Francis share how they worked directly with local farmers to plan crops, commit to purchases and even shoulder some of the farmer's risk.The conversation connects sustainable agriculture with something more immediate to a restaurant: better-tasting food.From backyard tomatoes to restaurant purchasing, they explore ways consumers, chefs and farmers can build a closer connection to where food comes from. The Conversation In 2006, organic farmer and researcher Erica Renaud of Seeds of Change joined Mark Pascal and Francis Schott for a conversation about something fundamental to the food on our plates: the seed. Erica explains the differences among heirloom, traditional and open-pollinated varieties and why preserving genetic diversity matters. The discussion moves from seed saving and organic agriculture to the relationship between farmers and chefs—and that's where Mark and Francis bring the conversation directly into their restaurants. They describe meeting with farmers before planting season to decide what to grow, committing to buy entire crops and sharing some of the agricultural risk. When hundreds of pounds of Jersey tomatoes arrived at once, the restaurants put them across the menu and preserved the harvest so they could serve local tomato sauce in the middle of winter. For Mark and Francis, the motivation wasn't simply philosophical: the food tasted better. Their argument is that the search for the most sustainably grown tomato and the search for the best-tasting tomato can lead you to the same farm. Erica also makes the case for growing something yourself—even in a container or small garden—as a way to understand food differently. From teaching children where food comes from to discovering how dramatically one tomato variety can taste from another, the conversation follows food from seed to farm to restaurant to plate. Guest Bio At the time of this 2006 conversation, Erica Renaud was an organic farmer and researcher and the Research and Farm Manager for Seeds of Change, working on organic seed production, agricultural biodiversity and programs connecting farmers with chefs and consumers. Timestamps 00:00 Heirloom seeds, open pollination and preserving biodiversity 04:00 Seed patents, hybrids and who controls the food supply 07:00 Why chefs and farmers should plan together 12:00 Sustainable food often tastes better and everyone should grow something 18:30 Why organic food should start with organic seed 24:30 How consumers can drive demand for better, more sustainable food  Info Seeds of Change https://www.seedsofchange.com/ The organization discussed in this 2006 interview has evolved considerably since the original broadcast. The Seeds of Change garden-seed brand is currently part of Green Garden Products and continues to offer seeds described by the company as 100% organic and 100% non-GMO. We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  7. Aug 11

    Authentic Italian Food vs. the Algorithm | Vincenzo Prosperi

    Why This Episode Matters Italian food isn’t one cuisine. Vincenzo Prosperi explains why Italy’s regional traditions matter—and what gets lost when everything is reduced to pizza, pasta and red sauce.Authenticity and innovation can coexist. The question isn’t whether chefs should create new dishes, but whether classics should be changed beyond recognition and still carry the old name.Social media is changing restaurants. Vincenzo, Mark and Francis dig into influencer culture, food designed for photographs and the pressure on restaurants to pay for attention.Preserving tradition means supporting the people still cooking it. Vincenzo is shifting his platform toward regional chefs, family restaurants and food traditions that might otherwise disappear.Banter Mark Pascal and Francis Schott talk about why their restaurant events have never come from a marketing plan. They come from things they, their staff, and their guests can all get excited about. They look ahead to their annual Big Night dinner and revisit the early days of their table-to-farm dinners, including one memorable attempt that involved hauling restaurant tables and a wood-burning grill to a farm... just in time for the rain. The Conversation Vincenzo Prosperi grew up in Abruzzo surrounded by his grandparents, great-grandparents and the food traditions that came with them. After moving to Australia, he saw the distance between the Italian cooking he knew and much of the “Italian” food being served around the world. His wife suggested he turn that frustration—and his passion—into what became Vincenzo’s Plate. Vincenzo talks with Mark and Francis about the reaction videos that helped build his audience, from cream-laden carbonara to celebrity chefs taking liberties with Italian classics. But as reaction content became increasingly negative and crowded, he changed direction. Today, his focus is on teaching, ranking Italian products and using his audience to introduce viewers to regional Italian chefs and traditions. The conversation expands into a bigger question: What happens to traditional food in a culture built around clicks, trends and influencers? Vincenzo worries that regional Italian cooking is being replaced by a more standardized version of fine dining while small family restaurants struggle for attention. Mark and Francis see a similar problem in restaurants designed around what photographs well rather than what tastes good. They also tackle the line between preservation and creativity. Vincenzo isn't against innovation—quite the opposite. But before you riff on a cuisine, you should understand what you're riffing on. A new dish can be anything you want it to be. Carbonara, however, has a history. And yes, peas remain under suspicion. Guest Bio Vincenzo Prosperi is the creator of Vincenzo’s Plate, devoted to authentic Italian cooking and the traditions behind it. Born in Pescara in Italy’s Abruzzo region and now based in Australia, Vincenzo has built a worldwide audience through recipes, food education, product rankings and collaborations with chefs throughout Italy. Timestamps 00:00 Great restaurant events are about creating memorable experiences 09:30 Meet Vincenzo Prosperi of Vincenzo’s Plate 11:30 Growing up with Italian food traditions in Abruzzo 18:00 Celebrity chefs, reaction videos and crimes against carbonara 25:00 Why Vincenzo moved beyond reaction content 28:00 Trust, sponsorships and building an audience without selling out 35:00 Is fine dining erasing Italy’s regional food traditions? 38:00 Influencers, restaurant economics and food made for Instagram 43:00 Innovation vs. tradition: when should a classic be left alone? 47:00 Mark and Francis remember an old-school trattoria in Italy  Info Vincenzo’s Plate https://www.vincenzosplate.com/ Vincenzo’s Plate on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@vincenzosplate Events @ The Guys' Places https://www.stageleft.com/events/ We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

  8. Aug 6

    Non-Alcoholic Pairings at Thomas Keller’s Restaurants | Paul Roberts

    This is a Vintage episode from 2006. Why This Episode Matters Why guests who are not drinking deserve a beverage experience equal to the food, not simply still or sparkling water.How sommeliers can build non-alcoholic pairings using the same principles as wine: weight, acidity, texture and flavor.Why thoughtful glassware and presentation communicate that every guest matters.How one memorable beverage program can turn the non-drinker into the person who chooses the restaurant for the entire table.The Conversation Mark Pascal and Francis Schott are joined by Master Sommelier Paul Roberts, then director of wine and beverages for Thomas Keller’s restaurants, including The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon. Paul explains how a lunch at The French Laundry changed his thinking about non-alcoholic beverages. When a knowledgeable 12-year-old diner was offered little beyond water, Paul improvised a beverage pairing and began developing a program for children and anyone who simply preferred not to drink alcohol. The conversation explores house-made tonic, teas, infusions, grape juices and less-sweet sodas. Paul explains why non-alcoholic pairings should be approached like wine pairings, matching the weight and flavors of a beverage to the dish. He also shares one of the program’s more unexpected combinations: artisanal root beer with foie gras. They discuss the importance of ingredients, glassware and presentation, along with the business case for taking non-drinkers seriously. A single guest who feels genuinely considered may be the person who brings the entire party back. It is a remarkably current conversation about hospitality, inclusion and the rise of sophisticated non-alcoholic drinking recorded years before the modern no- and low-alcohol movement took hold. Guest Bio Paul Roberts was the director of wine and beverages for Thomas Keller’s restaurant group, overseeing programs at The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon, as well as a team of 14 full-time sommeliers. A Master Sommelier, Paul became known not only for world-class wine service but also for pioneering thoughtful non-alcoholic beverage pairings. Timestamps 00:00 Paul Roberts and the origins of the non-alcoholic pairing program 07:35 House-made tonic and treating cocktails like serious cuisine 10:20 Teas, infusions, grape juices and foie gras with root beer 17:25 Why glassware matters for guests who are not drinking 19:25 The non-drinker who may choose the restaurant for the whole table 23:00 Dry sodas, quality over sweetness and becoming “the soda sommelier” 27:00 Last recommendation for non-alc pairing with lobster Info Beverages and producers mentioned: Navarro Vineyards grape juice, Boylan’s, Sprecher root beer  Grown Up Soda https://drinkgus.com/ Dry Soda https://drinkdry.com/ Elderflower syrup https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/food/Nikolaihof-Hollunderbluten-Sirup-No-Alcohol-w4694002sy We're bringing our kitchen to the farm! Join us at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, NJ for a Table-to-Farm Dinner. Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 https://www.stageleft.com/event/91326-table-to-farm-dinner/ 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

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About

The Restaurant Guys is one of the original food and wine podcasts, launched in 2005 by restaurateurs Mark Pascal and Francis Schott. With roots as a daily radio show, the podcast features in-depth conversations with chefs, bartenders, winemakers, authors, and hospitality professionals—offering the inside track on food, cocktails, wine, and restaurant culture. New episodes and vintage conversations because the best stories, like the best bottles, age well. Expect insightful, opinionated, and entertaining conversations about food, wine, and the finer things in life. Subscribe for ad-free content, bonus episodes and invitations to special events!  https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/ Contact: TheGuys@RestaurantGuysPodcast.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Restaurant Guys
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    243
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Restaurant Guys
  • Show Website
    The Restaurant Guys

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