The Restaurant Guys

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Jersey Fresh, Local Farmers, and the Flavor of New Jersey | William Walker Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

This is a Vintage episode from 2005.

William Walker of Jersey Fresh joins Mark Pascal and Francis Schott for a conversation about New Jersey agriculture, local produce, farmers markets, and why fresh food tastes different when it does not have to travel halfway across the country.

Why This Episode Matters

Jersey Fresh is more than a label. It is a long-running New Jersey Department of Agriculture program built to connect farmers, supermarkets, restaurants, and consumers.
William explains why “local” is not just feel-good marketing. Produce picked closer to ripeness often has better flavor, better texture, and a much shorter trip to the plate.
The conversation gets into the real economics of small farms: if New Jersey farmers cannot win on volume, they can win on quality.
Farmers markets, U-pick farms, and seasonal forecasts all become tools for helping families and restaurants eat better while keeping farmers on the land.
Mark and Francis make a strong case for treating Jersey tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, and farm stands like the seasonal treasures they are.

Banter

Mark and Francis cover stolen car seats in Jersey City, motorcycles with laptops in the saddlebags, and a glowing local newspaper article that names Francis “the mean one” and Mark “the rock.” The real question: after 70 hours a week together, who wouldn’t be?

The Conversation

William Walker explains how Jersey Fresh grew from a supermarket promotion into a broader effort to connect New Jersey farmers with restaurants, markets, and home cooks. The conversation covers farmers markets, U-pick farms, strawberries, tomatoes, peaches, and the simple reason local produce tastes better: it can be picked closer to ripe.

Mark and Francis also dig into the real challenge behind “buy local”: preserving farmland only matters if farmers can still make a living. Along the way, William offers practical advice on storing produce, including the all-important rule that tomatoes do not belong in the refrigerator.

Timestamps

0:00 – Jersey City car seats, motorcycle regret, and a local article about The Restaurant Guys
6:45 – Why local ingredients changed fine dining
8:30 – William Walker joins to explain Jersey Fresh
10:00 – Farmers markets, U-pick farms, and connecting people to local agriculture
15:00 – Why local strawberries, tomatoes, and peaches taste different
25:45 – Why tomatoes do not belong in the refrigerator

Guest Bio

William Walker was part of Jersey Fresh, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture program promoting New Jersey-grown fruits, vegetables, and farm products. In this episode, he discusses the program’s history, its work with supermarkets and restaurants, and its role in supporting local farmers.

Info

Jersey Fresh
New Jersey Department of Agriculture

https://www.findjerseyfresh.com/JerseyFresh

Link Home News article about RG from 2006

https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/md/prog/jerseyfresh.shtml

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular

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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

The Ghost of Jerry Thomas Has Notes | AI, Dale DeGroff & the Future of Cocktails Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

The Ghost of Jerry Thomas Has Notes | AI, Dale DeGroff & the Future of Cocktails

Mark and Francis attempt the impossible: an interview with Jerry Thomas, the 19th-century bartending legend who helped write the book on American cocktails. With help from AI and a performance by cocktail icon Dale DeGroff, Jerry returns to judge the modern bar, defend showmanship, and remind bartenders that the guest still comes first.

Why This Episode Matters

Jerry Thomas is one of the founding figures of American cocktail culture, and his influence still runs through modern bars.
This episode uses AI as a creative tool, not a shortcut, pairing the technology with Dale DeGroff’s voice and deep cocktail authority.
“Jerry” has strong opinions about today’s bar world: better ice, better vermouth, more care, but also too much ego, smoke, and overcomplication.
The conversation lands on a timeless hospitality truth: a great drink is not just what’s in the glass; it’s how the guest feels.
It is strange, funny, historically rooted, and exactly the kind of thing that could only happen on The Restaurant Guys.

The Conversation

Jerry Thomas, imagined through AI and voiced by Dale DeGroff, returns from the great beyond to take a look at the modern cocktail world. He is pleased to see bartenders caring again about ice, vermouth, technique, and classic recipes. He is less impressed by drinks built for cameras, fog machines, and bartender ego. His verdict is sharp: effort is not the same as excellence.

The conversation moves through showmanship, simplicity, cocktail books, bottled cocktails, with Jerry drawing a clear line between theater that serves the guest and performance that gets in the way. For all the novelty of the premise, the message is pure hospitality. It’s not just about the drink, but about how someone feels at your bar.

Timestamps

0:00 The Restaurant Guys bring Jerry Thomas back from the great beyond
2:15 Ego, excess, and why “arrogance is not flavor”
3:30 Showmanship, simplicity, and drinks made for the camera
5:00 Bottled cocktails, zero-proof drinks and Jerry’s final word on hospitality

Featured Guest

Jerry Thomas was one of the most influential figures in American bartending, remembered for his theatrical presence behind the bar and his landmark cocktail books. In this special episode, he is imagined through AI and voiced by Dale DeGroff, one of the modern cocktail world’s most important figures.

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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!
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Julie & Julia Before the Movie | Julie Powell May 29, 2026

Show notes

This is a Vintage episode from 2006.

Julie Powell joins Mark Pascal and Francis Schott to talk about Julie & Julia, her year cooking 524 Julia Child recipes, and how a personal blog became a book before food blogging was a career path.

Why This Episode Matters

Julie Powell captured an early moment in food blogging, before the form became mainstream.
The interview took place before Julie & Julia became a movie, so the conversation is rooted in the original book and blog.
Julie explains why Julia Child’s ambition, late start, and seriousness about cooking spoke to her.
Mark and Francis challenge Julie on her controversial New York Times op-ed about greenmarkets, organic food, and privilege.
The episode connects cooking to reinvention, marriage, class, and the messy business of trying to change your life.

The Conversation

Julie Powell explains that the project began as a response to turning 30 and feeling stuck in her job and life. Mark and Francis connect immediately with the vivid, slightly dangerous pleasure in her food writing, especially her description of beef marrow as rich, intense, and “like eating life.” Julia Child appealed to Julie not because the recipes were easy, but because they were hard and worth doing. She also found inspiration in Julia’s own late start, since Child did not become “Julia Child” until well into adulthood.

The blog began in 2002 at her husband’s suggestion, when Julie says she barely knew what a blog was. What started as a personal challenge became a memoir about cooking, ambition, marriage, and reinvention. Julie is clear that Julie & Julia is not a cookbook; food is the route into a larger story about choosing something difficult and committing to it.

The conversation also digs into Julie’s New York Times op-ed on greenmarkets and organic food. Mark and Francis disagree with parts of her argument, but Julie explains that her real concern was judgment toward people who lack the money, time, or access to buy ideal ingredients. The debate lands on a shared point: good food should not be a privilege reserved for people who can afford it.

Timestamps

0:50 - Introducing Julie Powell and Julie & Julia
2:30 - Why she cooked 524 Julia Child recipes in one year
5:00 - Cooking after work, late dinners, and expensive ingredients
6:45 - From personal blog to published book
9:30 - he greenmarket debate and food privilege
16:00 - Marriage, chaos, and life after the project
18:00 - Mark and Francis reflect on Julie, Julia Child, and the op-ed debate

Bio

Julie Powell was the author of Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, based on her blog about cooking every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The book was later adapted into the film Julie & Julia.

Info

Book: Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
Original inspiration: Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

Hamburger America and the Great American Burger | George Motz May 21, 2026

Show notes

This is a Vintage episode from 2006

George Motz joins The Restaurant Guys to talk about Hamburger America, his documentary celebrating eight beloved burger institutions and the regional traditions, family pride, old grease, beef, and stubborn conviction that make them more than just places to eat.

Why This Episode Matters

Before smashburgers became trendy and before Hamburger America became a restaurant, George Motz was documenting regional burger culture across the United States
This episode captures an early moment in America’s burger renaissance, when great roadside burger stands still felt local, handmade, and deeply tied to place
George explains why the hamburger is both a food story and an American story
The conversation explores butter burgers, steamed cheeseburgers, old grease, grass-fed beef, and the fierce convictions of great burger makers
The Guys debate what makes a real hamburger…and why foie gras burgers might actually be meatloaf

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott discuss New York City’s crackdown on sous vide cooking and debate whether the health department should regulate emerging cooking techniques before banning them outright. On advice of imaginary counsel, Mark will not be offering any home sous vide instructions.

The Conversation

George Motz joins The Restaurant Guys to discuss his documentary Hamburger America, a film exploring eight legendary burger restaurants across the United States.

What begins as a conversation about hamburgers quickly becomes a broader discussion about regional identity, family businesses, roadside Americana, and the passionate people preserving classic burger traditions. George explains the strict criteria he used to select restaurants for the film, including fresh beef, decades of continuous operation, and a story worth telling. Along the way, the conversation moves through Oklahoma longhorn burgers, Wisconsin butter burgers, steamed cheeseburgers, the legendary grease at Dyer’s in Memphis, Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, which claims to have invented the hamburger sandwich, and Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern, where burger lore became part of American pop culture.

More than a discussion about hamburgers, the episode becomes a celebration of old-school American food culture and the fiercely independent restaurants that helped define it.

Bio

George Motz is a filmmaker, burger historian, author, and television personality best known for his documentary Hamburger America. He later became one of the country’s leading authorities on regional American hamburgers and opened the restaurant Hamburger America in New York City.

Info

Hamburger America documentary

George Motz https://www.hamburgeramerica.com/

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

David Burke | Jersey Roots and Bold Restaurant Ideas May 19, 2026

Show notes

Chef David Burke joins Mark and Francis at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival for a conversation about Jersey dining, restaurant ambition, early kitchen life, and the creative ideas that become a chef’s signature.

Why This Episode Matters

David Burke’s career runs through New Jersey, New York City, and a national restaurant footprint, but this conversation brings him back to the Jersey roots that shaped him.
David, Mark, and Francis dig into the business realities behind restaurant growth, especially real estate, rising costs, payroll, and the value of owning the building.
The episode looks at how New Jersey dining has changed, from quiet weeknights and liquor-license hurdles to a stronger local restaurant culture.
David’s early kitchen stories capture a version of restaurant life that was chaotic, skilled, rough around the edges, and completely captivating.
The conversation shows how a signature dish is born: part imagination, part logistics, part stubbornness, and part “somebody please build me the thing.”

Banter

Mark and Francis open with lab-grown cocoa, chocolate anxiety, and the future of a world where even dessert may need a science department. Mark then shares a Lower East Side fried chicken quest that very much did not lead to fried chicken — a classic Restaurant Guys situation involving food curiosity, one neon rooster, and the internet saving him from a very different afternoon.

The Conversation

David Burke joins Mark and Francis at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival, where they start by noting that after 20 years of the podcast, David is somehow only now making his first appearance. David talks about running ten restaurants, the ambition that keeps chefs saying yes to new opportunities, and why New Jersey became an important part of his restaurant life after years in New York.

The conversation turns to real estate, rising costs, early dining, and the business advantage of owning the building, something they all see as central to long-term restaurant survival. David also looks back on his Hazlet beginnings, from dishwashing to being dazzled by club sandwiches, sauté pans, salty line cooks, and rock stars moving through the back door.

The final stretch gets into David’s gift for signature dishes, especially the path from a Peking duck idea to clothesline bacon. It is a very David Burke story: big visual concept, practical headaches, custom hardware, and eventually a dish that became so recognizable people copied it around the world.

Timestamps

00:00 Mark and Francis open with lab-grown cocoa and a Lower East Side fried chicken misunderstanding
06:30 David Burke joins them at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival
09:15 New Jersey restaurants, real estate, and the value of owning the building
12:15 David’s Hazlet roots and first kitchen jobs
23:00 Signature dishes, clothesline bacon, and big restaurant ideas
30:30 Jersey chefs, friendship, and making time outside the work grind

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

Beer vs. Wine: Which Pairs Better With Food? | Garrett Oliver May 14, 2026

Show notes

This is a Vintage episode from 2006

Why This Episode Matters

Long before craft beer became mainstream, Garrett Oliver was arguing that beer belonged at the fine dining table
This 2006 conversation captures the early days of American craft brewing before the explosion of brewery culture and IPA dominance
Garrett explains why beer may pair with food better than wine — then challenges Francis to prove him wrong
The episode explores brewing philosophy, Belgian traditions, and the business pressures of growth
Includes a fascinating snapshot of how small Brooklyn Brewery still was in 2006 — despite already becoming influential

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott discuss Frank Bruni’s four-star review of Jean-Georges in The New York Times and what happens when great chefs expand into restaurant empires. The conversation explores restaurant identity, and whether excellence can survive scale.

The Conversation

Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster’s Table, joins The Restaurant Guys for a spirited conversation about the early days of American craft beer, brewing philosophy, beer aging, Belgian traditions, and pairing beer with food. Things get competitive when Oliver argues beer pairs better with food than wine — prompting Francis to challenge him to a live beer-versus-wine showdown at Stage Left.

Bio

Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and one of the most influential figures in American craft beer. He is the author of The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food and editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oliver has received numerous honors for his contributions to brewing and beverage culture, including a James Beard Award.

Info

Brooklyn Brewery https://brooklynbrewery.com/

Garrett Oliver http://www.garrettoliver.net/

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort 2026 May 12, 2026

Show notes

About This Episode

Recorded in person at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort, this special episode features conversations with chefs, restaurateurs, producers and hospitality leaders shaping New Jersey’s food scene.

Featured Guests

Mike Carino & Mike Cosenza — Mike’s Pasta & Sandwich Shop
Florian Wehrli — Crystal Springs Resort
Jacques Torres — Jacques Torres Chocolate
Jeff Galen — Fossil Farms
Olivier Muller — Faubourg
Bryan Gregg — Blue Morel

Why This Episode Matters

This festival episode explores sourcing, craftsmanship, sustainability and hospitality through conversations with some of New Jersey’s leading culinary voices.

Topics include:

artisan food production
independent restaurants vs. corporate food systems
responsible sourcing and farming
luxury dining and consumer habits
collaboration in New Jersey’s restaurant community
the importance of story, trust and hospitality

Bios

Mike Carino & Mike Cosenza

Owners of Mike’s Pasta & Sandwich Shop in Nutley, NJ, known for artisan pasta and supplying restaurants throughout the state.

https://www.instagram.com/mikespastashoppe/

Florian Wehrli

Executive Chef overseeing Crystal Springs Resort’s culinary operations, including Restaurant Latour.

https://www.crystalgolfresort.com/

Jacques Torres

World-renowned pastry chef, chocolatier, and founder of Jacques Torres Chocolate.

https://mrchocolate.com/

Jeff Galen

Executive Sous Chef at Fossil Farms, specializing in sustainable and exotic proteins.

https://www.fossilfarms.com/

Olivier Muller

Chef-owner of Faubourg in Montclair and Weehawken, NJ.

https://www.faubourgnj.com/

Bryan Gregg

Executive Chef of Blue Morel at Westin Governor Morris Hotel

https://www.bluemorel.com/

Time Stamps

0:00 — Welcome
0:35 — Mike Carino & Mike Cosenza
13:10 — Florian Wehrli & Jacques Torres
36:40 — Jeff Galen
42:30 — Olivier Muller
52:00 — Bryan Gregg

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

The Next Iron Chef and the Reality of Restaurant Life | Morou Ouattara & Gavin Kaysen May 07, 2026

Show notes

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 economics
06:45 — Morou Ouattara joins; competing on The Next Iron Chef
10:00 — Reality Cooking Shows vs. Kitchen Life
11:45 — Incorporating West African spices at Farrah Olivia
15:45 — Gavin Kaysen joins; Camaraderie behind the scenes of The Next Iron Chef
24:00 — Reality TV editing and food television culture
27:00 — San Diego’s evolving restaurant scene
30:30 — Gavin Kaysen's move to Café Boulud in New York

Bio

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

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

The Future of Wine Service | June Rodil May 05, 2026

Show notes

Why This Episode Matters

What actually makes a great wine pairing
How younger diners are changing wine culture and what that means for restaurants
Where real wine value exists right now (hint: not where everyone’s looking)
Why hospitality, not knowledge, is still the key to selling wine
The evolving role of sommeliers in a less formal, more competitive dining world

The 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 bite
06:00 – June Rodil’s path: from server to Master Sommelier
10:45 – Understanding wine pairing synergy
12:00 – 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 cork
33:00 – Where the real value is in wine right now
38:00 – 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/

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

https://www.stageleft.com/event/spooky-bar-1026-1031/

Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

More info - https://www.stageleft.com/events/

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

Pinot Grigio Explained: Italian Wine Regions and Labels | Giovanni Barone | Preview Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

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 thing
The 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 will
A candid look at wine pricing: what’s quality vs what’s branding

The 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 philosophy
08:45 – Introducing Giovanni Barone & Barone Fini
10:30 – What “DOC” actually means (and why you should care)
14:00 – The realities of the wine business in Italy
20:30 – Italian wine rules, climate, geography, and flavor
27:00 – Why Pinot Grigio works with food (even rich dishes)
32:00 – Pricing, branding, and the truth about expensive Pinot Grigio
37:00 – DOC vs IGT explained simply
41:00 – Purity in wine vs mass-market production

Bio

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