Menu Talk

Informa Podcast Network
  • 4.6 (9)
  • Food
  • Updated Weekly

"Menu Talk" is a podcast hosted by Pat Cobe, Senior Menu Editor at Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News. The podcast delves into the world of restaurant menus, offering insights into menu development, limited-time offers (LTOs), culinary trends, and more. It features weekly interviews with chefs, operators, and food professionals, providing a comprehensive look at what’s happening in restaurant kitchens. The discussions aim to inspire and inform listeners about the latest innovations and stories in the culinary world.

  1. 5h ago

    Marc Falsetto is reshaping the restaurant scene in Fort Lauderdale

    From casual tacos to caviar and champagne — discover how restaurateur Marc Falsetto transformed Fort Lauderdale's dining landscape and pivoted to luxury during a pandemic. As founder and CEO of Falsetto Hospitality, Marc Falsetto has been instrumental in shaping Fort Lauderdale's restaurant scene. Starting with casual concepts under Handcrafted Hospitality — including the popular Tacocraft Mexican restaurants, chef-driven gastropubs, and sandwich shops — Falsetto built a reputation for approachable, quality dining. He also breathed new life into Runway 84, a 40-year-old Italian-American institution, updating everything from décor to ambience. Then came the pandemic — and a bold pivot. Recognizing an influx of wealth and a growing appetite for sophisticated experiences in South Florida, Falsetto shifted his focus to luxury dining and developed an upscale supper club model. Now, he's preparing to launch the Caviar Club, an American steakhouse with a private membership component that channels pure 1980s indulgence. Hospitality runs deep in Falsetto's veins. Raised in a restaurant family in Canada, he started as a busboy in his early teens, promoted nightclubs during college, eventually bought his own restaurant, and went on to build two successful hospitality companies. Through it all, he's kept his core team intact — including his longtime chef — proving that loyalty and vision go hand in hand. In this episode, hear how Falsetto conceptualizes restaurant ideas, why he's bullish on the South Florida market, and what ambitious plans he's cooking up next.

    25 min

  2. Jun 30

    Tara Wong showcases old-school cocktails with modern elements

    From dishwasher to award-winning mixologist, Tara Wong's journey through Detroit's hospitality scene is a masterclass in passion and perseverance. Starting in professional kitchens as a teenager two decades ago, she made the leap to bartending and never looked back. Through mixology competitions, self-taught expertise, and an obsession with creating unforgettable guest experiences, Wong honed her craft one cocktail at a time. Now behind the bar at Saksey's, she's redefining classic cocktails with a modern twist—think Harvey Wallbanger reimagined as a milk punch, or her signature Coco Noir, an elevated Espresso Martini featuring bourbon, coconut rum, cold brew, coffee liqueur, and amaro. In this episode, Wong shares her creative approach to drink development, reflects on how Detroit's hospitality landscape has transformed over the years, and reveals what she has brewing for the summer ahead.

    20 min

  3. Jun 23

    Jeremy Sasson seeks connection with community with his Heirloom Hospitality Group

    From first-time restaurateur to hospitality empire builder, Jeremy Sasson's journey is a masterclass in passion-driven entrepreneurship. Despite zero restaurant experience, he opened Townhouse Birmingham in 2011, fueled by a childhood spent dining out and a deep love for the hospitality experience. Today, his Heirloom Hospitality Group operates six thriving concepts across Michigan and Nashville, including the acclaimed steakhouse Prime + Proper and Italian-California hotspot Mad Nice. In this episode, Sasson shares his unconventional path into the restaurant world, his philosophy on creating genuine connection and community through food, and why Detroit has emerged as one of America's most exciting dining destinations. Plus, get the inside scoop on Heiress, his design-forward Italian concept launching soon at Somerset Collection. Whether you're a restaurant professional, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply love great food and hospitality, this conversation offers invaluable insights into building a restaurant group that prioritizes experience above all else. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe on Spotify. Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.

    34 min

  4. Jun 16

    Adrienne Cole infuses House of Marigold with culinary and entrepreneurial spirit

    Adrienne Cole is co-founder and owner of House of Marigold in Louisville, Kentucky, a full-service breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant she opened with her husband, Kris, in 2023. She started her restaurant journey operating a small corporate café in a busy downtown office building, eventually expanding into an elevated, Southern-inspired catering company with Kris as chef. Now the pair is growing the restaurant arm of the business, planning additional House of Marigold locations in Louisville and moving into dinner service. Listen as she describes Marigold's innovative Southern-inspired menu, how she built House of Marigold into a welcoming community hub — the kind of place she likes to hang out in — and her dream for growing the brand into a national presence.

    24 min

  5. Jun 9

    Tom Berry’s travels inspire the menus and concepts in COJE’s portfolio

    Meet Tom Berry, Chief Culinary Officer of COJE Management Group! 🍽️ Tom oversees 11 unique restaurants across Boston, spanning everything from Mexican and Chinese to Peruvian, Mediterranean, Cuban, French, and classic American steakhouse cuisine. A passionate traveler and chef, Tom draws inspiration from his adventures around the globe—and from the beautiful island of Nantucket, where he honed his skills working with fresh local seafood and produce. He's also a regular at the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival! 🌊 After graduating from Johnson & Wales, Tom got his big break working alongside legendary chef Ming Tsai at the flagship restaurant Blue Ginger. From there, he's led kitchens and catering operations throughout Boston, eventually rising to his current role managing COJE's diverse restaurant portfolio. In this episode, Tom shares his culinary journey, how Ming Tsai's mentorship shaped his career, and what exciting projects are coming next for COJE Management Group. 🎧 Tune in now!

    28 min

  6. Jun 2

    Dimitri Zafeiropoulos promotes the diversity of Greek wines at Estiatorio Milos

    Dimitri Zafeiropoulos has been global beverage director of Greek seafood concept Estiatorio Milos since 2022, having joined the company in early 2019. He worked his way up fromthe role of sommelier at Milos’s second New York City location, at Hudson Yards, to general manager of that location, to wine director for New York, and then to his current role. Now he coordinates supply of Greek and other wines to markets as wide ranging as Dubai, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He arrived in New York City in 2012 to study photography, paying his bills, as many aspiring artists do, by working in restaurants. Zafeiropoulos soon developed an interest and began studying it, both by reading — starting, he thinks, with Wine for Dummies — as well as tasting, and eventually being certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers. He recently discussed his approach to offering wine and other beverages to Milos’s customers, as well as cocktails, with and without alcohol, and his plans for his beverage program this summer.

    25 min

  7. May 26

    Inside Husk Nashville: Chef Bryan O’Kelly’s Southern Menu Secrets

    Bryan O'Kelly didn't start his culinary career in culinary school—he started washing dishes at a Charleston restaurant to pay for college. But once he got behind the stove, he never looked back. He dropped out of college to pursue his passion for cooking, and it led him to some of the most celebrated kitchens in the South. In This Episode: 🔪 From McCrady's to Husk: How working under legendary chef Sean Brock and mentor Ben Norton shaped O'Kelly's culinary philosophy🍤 Modern Southern Cuisine: Reimagining classics like shrimp and grits, pimiento cheese, and cornbread with ingredient-driven twists🌱 Farm-to-Table Sourcing: How Husk Nashville's onsite garden supplies fresh produce for both the kitchen and cocktail program🌾 Carolina Gold Rice & Benne Seeds: Why these heritage ingredients are central to O'Kelly's cooking💰 Navigating Rising Food Costs: Strategies for keeping menus affordable without sacrificing quality👨‍🍳 Empowering Sous Chefs: How O'Kelly encourages his team to experiment and bring their wildest ideas to life🎯 Creating Memorable Experiences: O'Kelly's mission to make every guest want to return to Husk before they even leave Key Topics Covered: ✅ Chef career journey from dishwasher to executive chef✅ Working with Sean Brock and Ben Norton✅ Southern cuisine and farm-to-table cooking✅ Heritage ingredients: Carolina Gold rice and benne seeds✅ Managing food costs in a high-inflation environment✅ Restaurant leadership and team empowerment✅ Creating unforgettable dining experiences in Nashville

    17 min

  8. May 19

    How Eric Dale Reinvented Pastry Through Fashion, Fermentation, and Sourdough Innovation

    Eric Dale has spent more than 21 years shaping Denver’s pastry scene at Rioja, where he has built a reputation for creative desserts, sourdough baking, and innovative pastry techniques. In this podcast episode, Dale discusses his unconventional journey from studying fashion design to becoming one of Denver’s most respected pastry chefs. Before joining Rioja, Dale attended culinary school and later graduated from Johnson & Wales University’s Denver campus with a 4.0 GPA. He eventually became pastry chef at Rioja, one of the acclaimed restaurants founded by Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch. Known for his meticulous bread program and inventive desserts, Dale has helped define Rioja’s signature approach to hospitality and baking. Dale shares how his background in fashion design influences his pastry work, from sketching desserts before creating them to thinking deeply about texture, structure, and presentation. He also discusses his passion for sourdough baking, his “bao-nut” concept, and the lessons he learned during the pandemic from renowned baker Nancy Silverton. In this conversation, Eric Dale explores: The connection between fashion design and pastry artistrySourdough baking techniques and fermentationInnovation in modern pastry and dessert menusBuilding Rioja’s acclaimed bread programDenver’s evolving culinary sceneCreativity, hospitality, and restaurant cultureSubscribe for more conversations with chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and hospitality leaders shaping the food and beverage industry.

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

"Menu Talk" is a podcast hosted by Pat Cobe, Senior Menu Editor at Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News. The podcast delves into the world of restaurant menus, offering insights into menu development, limited-time offers (LTOs), culinary trends, and more. It features weekly interviews with chefs, operators, and food professionals, providing a comprehensive look at what’s happening in restaurant kitchens. The discussions aim to inspire and inform listeners about the latest innovations and stories in the culinary world.

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