The Restaurant Guys

1 Creator

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott are The Restaurant Guys! The two have been best friends and restaurateurs for over 30 years. They started The Restaurant Guys Radio Show and Podcast in 2005 and have hosted some of the most interesting and important people in the food and beverage world. After a 10 year hiatus they have returned! Each week they post a brand new episode and a Vintage Selection from the archives. Join them for great conversations about food, wine and the finer things in life.
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Best episodes

Top 10 The Restaurant Guys Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Restaurant Guys episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Restaurant Guys for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Restaurant Guys episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Michael Symon: An Interview From Before The Chew

The Restaurant Guys

08/01/24 • 41 min

This is a Library Selection from 2007

The Banter

The Guys relay their experiences with parents getting involved in their children’s work lives. Helicopter parent or drone parent?

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys host Michael Symon, who won The Next Iron Chef the night before. Chef Symon provides insights to his television competitive experiences. Regarding his philosophies on managing restaurant staff, Chef Symon and The Restaurant Guys find common ground and share some laughs.

The Inside Track

The Guys knew they would be hosting the winner of The Next Iron Chef, but found out the night before (with the rest of America) that it would be Chef Michael Symon!

Here’s what he had to say about the dynamic of competing on and becoming The Next Iron Chef.

“Only Iron Chef is a chef being a chef and I think that's the magic of the show,” Michael Symon on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007

Bio

After winning The Next Iron Chef he appeared on two seasons as a judge. He is also a former co-host of the Emmy-winning TV show, The Chew. Michael is the author of six award winning cookbooks, four of which were on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Since being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 1998, Michael and his restaurants have been awarded numerous honors. In 2000 Gourmet magazine chose Lola as one of “America’s Best Restaurants.” Bon Appetit and Food & Wine magazines included B Spot on their list of “Top 10 Best Burger Joints.” In 2009, Michael earned The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes.

Chef Michael Symon currently operates Mabel BBQ in Cleveland and Las Vegas, Angeline at The Borgata in Atlantic City and Bar Symon at two airports.

Info

Michael Symon

https://www.michaelsymon.com/

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys
Reach Out to The Guys!
[email protected]
**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
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Jacques Torres: Mr. Chocolate Loves NY

The Restaurant Guys

09/19/24 • 35 min

This is a Vintage Selection from 2007
The Banter

The Guys talk about the idea of “forbidden foods” and the ethics of whether to seek them out as a travel article suggests.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys dig into the details (and a box) of chocolate with chocolatier Jacques Torres. They discuss sourcing, technique, perishability and the transcendent power of chocolate. How is a chocolatier like a winemaker? Find out.

The Inside Track

The Guys are fans of Jacques Torres chocolates and were excited to have a high-energy chat about all things chocolate. Jacques makes hot chocolate like Mark’s grandmother and he gives a tip for making it spectacular.
"The best chocolate is the chocolate that you prefer to eat. Let's be very honest. It's not because you have a brand on it. It's not because you have a name on the, on the, on the tablet of chocolate that the chocolate is going to be the one that you prefer. There's different chocolates. The one that you prefer. It's the best chocolate," Jacques Torres on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007

Bio

Jacques Torres, affectionately known as Mr. Chocolate, is an expert in the field of chocolate and beyond. He worked at 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.

He authored several cookbooks and has been the head judge on “Nailed It!”. The show has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Competition Program.

Info

Jacques Torres Chocolates
www.mrchocolate.com

Jacques' Books
Dessert Circus: Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home
Dessert Circus At Home
A Year in Chocolate

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Cathy Corison: A Wine of One’s Own

The Restaurant Guys

11/14/24 • 35 min

This is a Vintage Episode from 2006 (where they tell a story that they later re-told on the Curtis Duffy 2024 episode about the worst food they’ve ever served)

The Banter
The Guys discuss a recent article correlating hamburger consumption and childhood asthma as well as when gloves are more hygienic....and less so.

The Conversation
The Restaurant Guys call on Cathy Corison, owner and winemaker at Corison Winery. They talk about the “miracle” of seeing more women in the wine business and the numerous obstacles Cathy had to get through to get to where she is today–making outstanding wines in her own style.

The Inside Track
The Guys have been fans of Cathy’s wines even when the press was not. When asked whether she cared about the points her wine receives, here’s what she had to say.

“So the answer is no, I don't. And if I cared about that, I wouldn't be as stubborn as I've been to make a wine that is still elegant,”Cathy Corison on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006

Bio
Cathy Corison’s winemaking journey began nearly 50 years ago when she took a wine appreciation course. Two years later she graduated, and two days after that, arrived in the Napa Valley, bent on making wine. A master’s degree in Enology at UC Davis followed. She made wine at Chappellet Vineyard for the 1980’s. In 1987 she began to buy grapes and barrels. Using other wineries’ facilities, she was able to create the wine of her own.

She founded her own winery, Corison Winery, in 1987. Corison Winery makes primarily cabernet wines and produces 2,500 cases a year.

She was named San Francisco Chronicle Winemaker of the Year 2011

Info
Corison Winery
https://www.corison.com/

Corison Wines at Stage Left Wine Shop, NJ
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/websearch_results.html?kw=corison

Current article linking asthma and hamburger
https://theconversation.com/how-burgers-and-chips-for-lunch-can-worsen-your-asthma-that-afternoon-206402

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Ben Shewry Finds Uses for Obsession

The Restaurant Guys

10/08/24 • 58 min

The Banter

The Guys try some homemade Applejack. You can’t taste it, but learn about this centuries-old northern American spirit and why Johnny Appleseed was really planting those apples!

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys welcome chef-owner of Attica, a restaurant regularly ranked among the best in the word. Attica is just outside Melbourne, Australia. Chef Shewry continues to learn about native foods, particularly those unique to that part of the world so he can share their splendor with others. His book Uses for Obsession will be released October 2024. The Guys compare stories from their decades running restaurants

The Inside Track

The Guys became acquainted with Ben Shewry through their former employee now author and Australian wine importer Jon Ross. A friendship was quickly formed over their mutual passion for service, food and the hospitality business.

“Attica was nothing until I realized, thankfully fairly early on, that the service was actually the most important thing. Some people would balk at that because Attica really is a restaurant known for its cooking, but the service is what carries it. It’s what the great memories are built on. It's the human interactions,” Ben Shewry on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

From a childhood in New Zealand with some early experience at The Roxborough, Shewry moved to Australia and then America to further cement his skill set in the fundamentals of exquisite cookery. He has a passion for respectfully utilizing the foods unique to Australia and New Zealand.

Ben Shewry was named “Best New Talent” by Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine in 2008.

His restaurant Attica is often ranked among the world’s top 100 restaurants.

Ben’s book Uses for Obsession will be released October 2024.

Info

Ben’s Book
Uses for Obsession
https://a.co/d/14ECV1F

Ben’s Restaurant Attica
https://www.attica.com.au/

Chef’s Table on Netflix
Season 1, Episode 5
https://www.netflix.com/title/80007945

Links

Ben’s restaurant Attica
https://www.instagram.com/atticamelbourne/

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Jon Ross (Master Sommelier and Stage Left Alum): Comes Home From Australia

The Restaurant Guys

08/27/24 • 32 min

The Banter

The Guys share a funny review of their restaurant, Catherine Lombardi, that was rated in “gold chains.”

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys are joined by Jon Ross, former employee, Master Sommelier now wine importer and author. They reminisce about time together early in Jon’s career and follow his path that led him to where he is today including a nearly-forgotten and surprising connection to The Restaurant Guys Podcast.

The Inside Track

The Guys hired Jon as a young adult and nurtured his interest in wine and hospitality. He rose up through their organization while experiencing professional wine tastings, the Union Square green market and a Tales of the Cocktail convention. Through the years they have kept in touch (The Guys proudly witnessing Jon’s accomplishments) and were happy to interview Jon about his book shortly before they hosted a consumer wine tasting of Jon’s portfolio.

On having Mark & Francis as mentors:

“I've always felt that your mentors are people who show you what you want to become, not tell you what you want to become,” Jonathan Ross on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

Jonathan was a member of the award-winning wine team at Eleven Madison Park and held the title of Head Sommelier. In 2017, Jon passed the prestigious Master Sommelier exam. He makes his own wine in Australia under a label called Micro Wines, which is sold in Australia and the United States. Jon co-authored How to Drink Australian with wife Jane Lopes, a definitive modern guide to Australian wine.

Info

Legend Imports

https://legendaustralia.com/

John’s book is available on the Legend page

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Curtis Duffy: Reaching the Stars

The Restaurant Guys

11/05/24 • 53 min

The Banter

The Guys are alarmed to find out how some folks are flavoring their beverage..and so is the Board of Health.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys get deep with chef Curtis Duffy, who received Michelin stars for his restaurants Grace and Ever in Chicago. Curtis shares his story, how he leads his team and what keeps him striving for excellence.

The Inside Track

The Guys highly recommend you watch the movie For Grace about the opening of Curtis’s restaurant Grace. The three find plenty to talk about being lifers in a challenging industry. This is how Curtis handles every day.

“My daily drive and my daily vision was to be better than what I was yesterday. And I pushed the team and led the team that way. That was always my commitment to the restaurant. We have to be better. We have to be better,” Curtis Duffy on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

Curtis Duffy began his career in Chicago working under chef Charlie Trotter then later chef Grant Achatz. Curtis became head chef at Avenues, which earned two Michelin stars after his arrival. He and Michael Muser opened Grace in Chicago in 2012. In 2013, the Robb Report named Grace the best restaurant in the world. Grace earned three stars in the Michelin Guide four years in a row. The James Beard Foundation named Duffy Best Chef, Great Lakes in 2016. In 2020, Duffy and Muser opened Ever restaurant which was awarded two Michelin stars in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In 2022, he opened After lounge, and the following year Esquire named After one of the Best Bars in America.

Curtis has appeared in numerous television shows such as Top Chef, Top Chef: Colorado, Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. A couple of episodes of The Bear were filmed inside his restaurant Ever and Curtis made and plated the dishes that appear in season 2 episode 7.

Chef Duffy's journey is chronicled in the acclaimed documentary For Grace highlighting his rise from adversity to culinary greatness.

Info

Ever Restaurant
https://www.ever-restaurant.com/

For Grace (movie)
Watch on Amazon

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Dan Richer, Pizza Aficionado

The Restaurant Guys

10/22/24 • 55 min

The Banter

The Guys chat about old school dining experiences and ways to serve martinis.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys geek out with Dan Richer who, according to The Guys and other reputable sources, makes some of the best pizza in the world! Hear how his obsession with sourcing, tasting and analyzing brings folks from around the globe to Razza Pizza Artiginale in Jersey City, NJ.

The Inside Track

The Guys recognized Razza pizza as something special when it opened. Conveniently, it is around the corner from Francis’ house so he is a frequent patron. All three attended Rutgers University and got a thorough education in pizza during their college years.

“I was so curious as to why the food was so much better in Italy than anything I ever tasted. So I started to cook, and I knew at that moment what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted to figure out why, how, and I wanted to bring that to New Jersey,” Dan Richer on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

Born and raised in New Jersey, Dan Richer received his Bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University, where he skipped the graduation ceremony and flew to Italy. There, he found food and a way of cooking that was so incredibly different than anything he had ever experienced in the United States. After returning home, he began to cook and was inspired to learn everything he could about Italian cooking techniques and ingredients.

In 2007, Dan purchased a small pizzeria in Maplewood, New Jersey, and turned a struggling pizzeria into a fun, lively neighborhood restaurant lauded for its fresh ingredients and artisanal pizza. In recognition of his cooking, Dan was a James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef semi-finalist in 2011. In 2017, Razza received a 3 star review from the New York Times, and in 2019 was named Best Pizza in North America by 50 Best.

Info

Dan’s Place
https://razzanj.com/

Dan’s Book
https://www.thejoyofpizzabook.com/

Le Veau D’or in NYC
https://www.lvdnyc.com/

The Alps in Jersey Cit
https://www.thealpsjc.com/

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

🔒 RGR Jacques Pépin Relaunches The Restaurant Guys

The Restaurant Guys

08/10/24 • 51 min

Subscriber-only episode

*Commercial-free Version*
The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott are The Restaurant Guys! The Guys are returning to podcasting after a brief 10 year hiatus from their ground-breaking restaurant podcast (one of the first restaurant podcasts ever!) These two old friends are back with their classic banter, a few reminiscences, updates and plans for the future of Food, Wine and The Finer Things In Life!!!

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys re-launch their podcast with the inimitable Jacques Pépin! Chef Pépin tells stories of his life journey culminating in the creation of The Jacques Pépin Foundation which provides culinary training to support the disenfranchised and boasts a tremendous cooking video library. He is a chef, teacher, painter, celebrity, philanthropist....the list goes on!

The Inside Track

Mark and Francis grew up watching “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home” and are delighted to host this culinary legend.

“That may be the purest expression of love, to cook for your grandchild, or your mother, or your grandmother, or your lover, or whoever,” Jacques Pépin on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

From 1960 to 1970, he was director of research and new development for Howard Johnson's. Author of more than 30 books, Jacques is also an accomplished artist, which he was able to showcase in his most recent book, The New York Times- bestselling Art of the Chicken. Pépin is a former columnist for The New York Times and his articles have appeared in countless food magazines, especially Food & Wine magazine. A longtime close friend of Julia Child, he starred with her in a PBS series called “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home,” For the past 30 years, Pépin has taught in the Culinary Arts Program at Boston University. In 2016 he founded the Jacques Pépin Foundation.

Info

The Jacques Pépin Foundation

https://jp.foundation/

Promise Culinary School
https://elijahspromise.org/promise-culinary/

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center

https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank

https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting

https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant

https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Reach out to The Restaurant Guys

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys
**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
Click Below!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390435/support

🔒 RGR Sother Teague: Owner of Amor y Amargo is Just Here for the Drinks

The Restaurant Guys

08/13/24 • 49 min

Subscriber-only episode

The Banter

The Guys sound the alarm that what’s in your bottle is not what it used to be and find out Francis’ favorite ice cream.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys reconnect with Sother Teague about the beginning of Amor y Amaro 13 years earlier, his multitude of establishments and his viral video last year. Be sure to listen to find out how you can get a Super Secret Sother Cocktail! (Psst, scroll down.)

The Inside Track

The Guys met Sother through Dale DeGroff and Audrey Saunders (cocktail legends). He was generous to help them celebrate their 30th anniversary of Stage Left Steak and has attended several special events at their restaurants. They met up at Tales of the Cocktail last month for oysters.

On why some love the hospitality business:

“As you're making 10 (cocktails) and dealing with the bar and listening to the ticket machine rattle at you, it's a high pressure situation, but I think that there are folks like the three of us who thrive on that. I don't think I'm ever going to step away from this stuff,” Sother Teague on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

Sother Teague worked in kitchens for 12 years and was a culinary educator. He came out of the kitchen and landed behind a couple of bars in New York before opening Amor y Amargo in 2011. His Overthrow Hospitality Group has nearly a dozen venues such as Avant Garden and Soda Club in New York and Ubuntu in Los Angeles. In 2018 Sother was awarded Mixologist of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.

Sother Teague, along with Damon Boelte, and Greg Benson have hosted The Speakeasy podcast since 2011. It won Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for Best Podcast.

Info

Sother’s podcast
The Speakeasy
Overthrow Hospitality Concepts (including Amor y Amargo)
https://www.overthrowhospitality.com/all-venues/Sother on all platforms
@creativedrunk

Sother’s bookI'm Just Here for the Drinks: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails by Sother Teague

Sother’s Cocktail Recipe

Nap Time

1.5 oz Mezcal (I used @RosaLuna for its soft smoke)

.75 oz @SuzeOfficial

1 Dash @BettersBitters foamer

.5 oz Grapefruit Juice

.5 oz lime juice

.25 2:1 syrup

Vigorously shake with ice to chill, dilute, and aerate. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express oils from a grapefruit twist over the top and ornament accordingly.

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center

Reach out to The Restaurant Guys

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

Jacques Torres: A World of Chocolate

The Restaurant Guys

09/17/24 • 47 min

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.

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

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/