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. 09/17/2024

    Jacques Torres: A World of Chocolate

    The Banter The Guys discuss the fall of one of Mark’s old employers where you may have enjoyed a "fest." The Conversation The Restaurant Guys have a talk with Jacques Torres, Mr. Chocolate, while enjoying the fruits of his labor. They discuss sourcing high quality ingredients, the future of the cacao bean and why his hot chocolate is so incredible.  The Inside Track The Guys hosted Jacques Torres on their radio show back in 2007 and are thrilled to speak with him again. They are long-time fans of both his and his chocolate. “Chocolate and pastry. This is my life. This is what I do. I've got that in my veins,” Jacques Torres on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024 Bio Jacques Torres, affectionately known as Mr. Chocolate, is an expert in the field of chocolate and beyond.  In 1988, he came to the U.S. as the Corporate Pastry Chef for Ritz Carlton Hotels.  After a year, Sirio Maccioni invited Jacques to New York City to work at his restaurant, Le Cirque, as the Executive Pastry Chef.   In 2000, Torres left Le Cirque and opened his own chocolate factory and retail shop in Brooklyn. Eventually, he went on to open seven shops, including two chocolate factories and an ice cream shop. Jacques was a pioneer in the bean to bar movement, he was the first artisan chocolatier in New York City to start from cocoa beans and make his own chocolate.  He has received numerous awards over the years as well as The James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year Award in 1994, and inducted in The James Beard Who’s Who of American Food & Beverage Award in 2003.  In 2016, Dessert Professional Magazine inducted him in the Chocolate Hall of Fame and also the same year was awarded the highest honor in France, The Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.   Jacques has been the head judge on “Nailed It!”. The show has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Competition Program.  He also hosted a television series, Chocolate with Jacques Torres, on the Food Network. His cookbooks:  Dessert Circus: Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home , and Dessert Circus At Home, A Year in Chocolate . Info Jacques Torres’ Shop https://mrchocolate.com/ Cacao Trace video https://youtu.be/KCCLPWVk6PY?feature=shared 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

    47 min

  2. 3D AGO

    The Next Iron Chef and the Reality of Restaurant Life | Morou Ouattara & Gavin Kaysen

    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 economics06:45 — Morou Ouattara joins; competing on The Next Iron Chef10:00 — Reality Cooking Shows vs. Kitchen Life11:45 — Incorporating West African spices at Farrah Olivia15:45 — Gavin Kaysen joins; Camaraderie behind the scenes of The Next Iron Chef24:00 — Reality TV editing and food television culture27:00 — San Diego’s evolving restaurant scene30:30 — Gavin Kaysen's move to Café Boulud in New YorkBio 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 Ouattara https://chefmorou.com/Gavin Kayson https://gavinkaysen.com/Café Boulud https://www.cafeboulud.com/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

    35 min

  3. 5D AGO

    The Future of Wine Service | June Rodil

    Why This Episode Matters What actually makes a great wine pairingHow younger diners are changing wine culture and what that means for restaurantsWhere real wine value exists right now (hint: not where everyone’s looking)Why hospitality, not knowledge, is still the key to selling wineThe evolving role of sommeliers in a less formal, more competitive dining worldThe 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 bite06:00 – June Rodil’s path: from server to Master Sommelier10:45 – Understanding wine pairing synergy12:00 – 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 cork33:00 – Where the real value is in wine right now38:00 – 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/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

    45 min

  4. APR 30 ·  BONUS

    Pinot Grigio Explained: Italian Wine Regions and Labels | Giovanni Barone | Preview

    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 thingThe 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 willA candid look at wine pricing: what’s quality vs what’s brandingThe 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 philosophy08:45 – Introducing Giovanni Barone & Barone Fini10:30 – What “DOC” actually means (and why you should care)14:00 – The realities of the wine business in Italy20:30 – Italian wine rules, climate, geography, and flavor27:00 – Why Pinot Grigio works with food (even rich dishes)32:00 – Pricing, branding, and the truth about expensive Pinot Grigio37:00 – DOC vs IGT explained simply41:00 – Purity in wine vs mass-market productionBio 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-italyOur 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

    11 min

  5. APR 28

    Woodford Reserve and the Future of Bourbon | Elizabeth McCall

    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/ 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

    1h 2m

  6. APR 23

    Winning Top Chef, Kitchen Culture, and Chicago Ambition | Stephanie Izard

    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 leadershipIt 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 experience09:00 – Stephanie Izard joins the show after winning Top Chef11:00 – Is Top Chef like restaurant life? Eric Ripert as sous chef15:00 – Career momentum, and opening a new restaurant in Chicago18:00 – Kitchen culture, leadership, and female representation in the culinary world24:00 – How real is reality TV?25:30 – Judging the judges, Tom, Gail, Padma and keeping a secret31:50 – History of Top Chef guests on The Restaurant GuysBio 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-chefSubscribe: 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

    35 min

  7. APR 21

    The Maître d’ Was God | Michael Cecchi-Azzolina

    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 consequences07:00 – Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, Your Table Is Ready, 1980s NYC Nightlife14:00 – Running the door at The River Café and the power of the maître d’ 19:00 – Reservations, VIPs, bribery, and table politics before the internet23:00 – Mob stories, dining-room pressure, and front-of-house survival30:00 – Sundays in Brooklyn33:00 – The power of the maître d’ and why they disappeared38:00 – Restaurant excess, cocaine culture, and the AIDS crisis45:00 – NYC Restaurants today52:00 – 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/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

    56 min

  8. APR 16

    Why Americans Feel Guilty About Food and the French Don’t | Dr. Paul Rozin

    This is a Vintage episode from 2005. Why This Episode Matters Dr. Paul Rozin brings psychology into the dining room, explaining how culture shapes appetite, portion size, pleasure, and food anxiety.The episode gets at a question that still feels painfully current: why do Americans obsess over food and health, yet often get less pleasure and worse outcomes from eating?Paul’s comparisons between American and French attitudes toward chocolate, cream, portions, and mealtime turn food culture into something concrete and memorable.Mark Pascal and Francis Schott push the conversation beyond nutrition into hospitality, and the cost of convenience.It’s a smart conversation about food culture, health, enjoyment, and the way a society teaches people to eat.The Banter Mark and Francis open with a spirited riff on okra, bone marrow, dry-aged steak, texture, and the common practice to sacrifice flavor for convenience. The Conversation Dr. Paul Rozin, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Mark Pascal and Francis Schott for a fascinating look at how different cultures think about food, pleasure, and health. He contrasts American habits of guilt, abundance, customization, and speed with the French emphasis on smaller portions, attention, ritual, and enjoyment. The result is a conversation about why some cultures spend more time eating, derive more pleasure from food, and often wind up healthier anyway. Mark and Francis extend that argument into restaurant life, fad diets, convenience culture, and the American habit of trying to solve food problems without changing the way we live. Timestamps 00:00 – Okra, bone marrow, and why texture can make or break a food03:35 – Dry-aged steak, marrow, and the flavor of meat cooked on the bone08:20 – Why people sacrifice flavor for convenience11:00 – France, daily shopping, and why the meal is the point of the day14:00 – Smaller portions, less snacking, and why the French eat less16:20 – Pleasure, attention, and the difference between savoring food and inhaling it19:00 – Heavy cream, chocolate, guilt, celebration, and cross-cultural food associations23:00 – Customization, and what processed food teaches people to like28:15 – “We’re doing it wrong”: the Guys on fad diets, whole foods, and American food anxietyBio Paul Rozin is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a leading scholar on the psychological, cultural, and biological determinants of food choice. He has studied how different societies think about food, pleasure, disgust, and health. 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

    40 min
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5
out of 5
104 Ratings

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
    2K
  • Episodes
    211
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Restaurant Guys
  • Show Website
    The Restaurant Guys

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