The Restaurant Guys

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**The Restaurant Guys**

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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**.

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**Contact:** TheGuys@RestaurantGuysPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Woodford Reserve and the Future of Bourbon | Elizabeth McCall Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

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/

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
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Winning Top Chef, Kitchen Culture, and Chicago Ambition | Stephanie Izard Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

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 leadership
It 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 experience
09:00 – Stephanie Izard joins the show after winning Top Chef
11:00 – Is Top Chef like restaurant life? Eric Ripert as sous chef
15:00 – Career momentum, and opening a new restaurant in Chicago
18:00 – Kitchen culture, leadership, and female representation in the culinary world
24:00 – How real is reality TV?
25:30 – Judging the judges, Tom, Gail, Padma and keeping a secret
31:50 – History of Top Chef guests on The Restaurant Guys

Bio

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-chef

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

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Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
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Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
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Reach Out to The Guys!
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The Maître d’ Was God | Michael Cecchi-Azzolina Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

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 consequences
07:00 – Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, Your Table Is Ready, 1980s NYC Nightlife
14:00 – Running the door at The River Café and the power of the maître d’
19:00 – Reservations, VIPs, bribery, and table politics before the internet
23:00 – Mob stories, dining-room pressure, and front-of-house survival
30:00 – Sundays in Brooklyn
33:00 – The power of the maître d’ and why they disappeared
38:00 – Restaurant excess, cocaine culture, and the AIDS crisis
45:00 – NYC Restaurants today
52:00 – 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/

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

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Oct 27, Tuesday - Robert Simonson book signing cocktail party

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

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Our Places

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

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

Stage Left Wineshop
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Why Americans Feel Guilty About Food and the French Don’t | Dr. Paul Rozin Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

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 food
03:35 – Dry-aged steak, marrow, and the flavor of meat cooked on the bone
08:20 – Why people sacrifice flavor for convenience
11:00 – France, daily shopping, and why the meal is the point of the day
14:00 – Smaller portions, less snacking, and why the French eat less
16:20 – Pleasure, attention, and the difference between savoring food and inhaling it
19:00 – Heavy cream, chocolate, guilt, celebration, and cross-cultural food associations
23:00 – Customization, and what processed food teaches people to like
28:15 – “We’re doing it wrong”: the Guys on fad diets, whole foods, and American food anxiety

Bio

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.

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

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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!
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The New Jersey Wine & Food Festival and Destination Hospitality | Robby Younes Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

Why This Episode Matters

Robby Younes explains how Crystal Springs Resort and the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival helped New Jersey recognized as a serious food-and-wine destination.
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott connect the conversation to a bigger restaurant truth: in a tougher market, people are choosing fewer but better experiences and rewarding restaurants that feel human, memorable, and genuinely hospitable.
Robby’s rise from frontline hospitality work to running a major resort makes this a strong conversation about leadership, mentorship, and restaurant careers as a path upward.
It’s also a smart New Jersey episode: a conversation about regional pride, and building something ambitious outside New York City’s shadow.

The Conversation

Robby Younes, COO of Crystal Springs Resort, joins Mark and Francis to talk about building the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival into a serious showcase for the state’s chefs, restaurants, and wine culture. Along the way, he discusses developing Crystal Springs into a broader hospitality destination, building one of the country’s standout wine programs, and creating an event designed to prove that New Jersey can provide a food-and-wine experience on a national level. The conversation also becomes a thoughtful look at leadership, and the limitless potential of the hospitality business.

Timestamps

00:00 – The Guys on restaurant polarization, hospitality, and why mediocre restaurants are losing ground
04:25 – What restaurants need to survive now
10:50 – Robby Younes and the vision behind the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival
16:00 – Crystal Springs, building a destination resort around food and wine
20:00 – Reason for the festival: showcase New Jersey's culinary talent
26:20 – Robby’s path from busboy to leading Crystal Springs Resort
30:40 – The incident that pushed Robby to learn the wine business
34:30 – Why restaurants still offer opportunities for learning and growth

Bio
Robby Younes is the COO of Crystal Springs Resort in New Jersey, where he helped expand the property’s food, wine, and hospitality programs and played a central role in creating the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival. He has built a reputation for elevating hospitality experiences while championing New Jersey’s culinary talent.

Info

New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort May 1-3, 2026 https://njwinefoodfest.com/
Restaurant Guys podcast live May 2, 2026
Crystal Springs Resort https://www.crystalgolfresort.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

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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!
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Tom Colicchio on Top Chef, Craft, and What Makes a Great Chef | Preview Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

This is a preview of a full subscriber episode from 2006.

Why This Episode Matters

Tom Colicchio was already one of the most respected chefs in America, but this conversation catches him at a fascinating moment: building restaurants, debuting Top Chef, and defining what modern American dining could be.
The episode gets at a bigger question than television: what makes a real chef leader, and why talent without professionalism is not enough in a kitchen.
Tom explains the thinking behind Craft’s ingredient-first approach, which still feels relevant now that simple, product-driven cooking has become restaurant gospel.
The conversation also draws a sharp contrast between hospitality that feels like home and culinary experimentation for its own sake, with Gramercy Tavern standing as the model of warmth, rigor, and ease.
Long before restaurant culture calcified into brand language and chef celebrity machinery, this episode shows what thoughtful restaurant leadership sounded like in real time.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open with one of their classic wide-ranging tangents: better pork, bad agribusiness, accidental TGI Fridays horror, and a spirited defense of foie gras that could only come from two restaurateurs with strong opinions and no interest in sanding them down.

The Conversation

Tom Colicchio joins the show on the day Craftsteak is opening in New York, and the discussion moves easily between Top Chef, restaurant culture, and the philosophy behind his restaurants. He talks about why Top Chef worked when other reality-food television did not, what makes someone worth following in a kitchen, and how mentoring differs from judging.

He also explains the original idea behind Craft: ingredient-focused cooking served in a way that encourages diners to build their own experience at the table. From there, the conversation turns to home cooking, hospitality, experimental cuisine, and why Gramercy Tavern succeeds by doing everything well and making it feel like home.

Timestamps

00:00 – Better pork, “enhanced” meat, and why flavor got bred out
04:15 – TGI Fridays finger-in-the-burger story and the foie gras ban
08:15 – Tom Colicchio joins the show; Why & how Top Chef worked and what made it different from other reality food TV
16:00 – What chef leadership should look like
19:45 – The philosophy behind Craft and ingredient-first cooking
23:30 – Tom and Mark had a common employer
28:00 – Why Gramercy Tavern feels like home and what great hospitality really is

Bio

Tom Colicchio is the chef, restaurateur, and co-founder of Craft and Craftsteak, and a founding force behind Gramercy Tavern. He is also the recipient of multiple James Beard Awards and is the head judge on Bravo’s Top Chef.

Info

Tom Colicchio https://www.tomcolicchio.com/
Gramercy Tavern, Craft, Craftsteak
Top Chef

Oct 26-31 - Spooky Bar at Stage Left Steak

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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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Inside 20 Years of Imbibe Magazine | Paul Clarke Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

Why This Episode Matters

Paul Clarke explains why Imbibe has lasted 20 years by staying consumer-focused, independent, and credible.
It’s also a great look at how cocktail culture changed over two decades, from teaching people the basics of a proper sour to telling deeper stories about the people and ideas shaping what we drink now.
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott connect that editorial philosophy to hospitality itself: lead with quality, tell the truth, and earn trust over time.
Along the way, the episode covers Negroni Week, the Imbibe 75, independent publishing, cocktail storytelling, and why bitterness eventually wins people over.

The Banter

Mark and Francis open with a riff on awards-season humility, noting that in restaurant life, humility usually comes from service failures and hard-earned recovery—though they’re not above enjoying a medal when one comes their way.

The Conversation

Paul Clarke, executive editor of Imbibe Magazine, talks about building a drinks publication that serves both curious consumers and serious professionals without losing clarity, rigor, or pleasure. He explains how the magazine explores “liquid culture,” with attention to the people, places, and ideas behind what ends up in the glass.

The discussion also traces the rise of modern cocktail culture through the lens of the Negroni and its many descendants, while highlighting Imbibe’s role in shaping conversation through projects like Negroni Week and the Imbibe 75. It’s a smart, funny exchange about editorial standards, independence, and why good drinks writing should be as engaging as the drinks themselves.

Timestamps

00:00 – Banter: what “humbling” really means in the restaurant business
05:00 – Why Imbibe works: consumer-first, not trade-first
11:00 – Trust, credibility, and the line between editorial and advertising
16:00 – 20 years of cocktail culture: from basics to “liquid culture”
20:00 – Good writing is a big factor in Imbibe’s success
24:15 – How independence key to Imbibe’s survival
28:00 – How Negroni Week began and why it became global
34:00 – The resurgence of the Boulavardier
40:00 – The Imbibe 75 and the people changing how the world drinks

Bio

Paul Clarke is the executive editor of Imbibe Magazine, an independent drinks publication celebrating 20 years in 2026. He is also the author of The Cocktail Chronicles and host of the award-winning Radio Imbibe podcast.

Info

Imbibe Magazine https://imbibemagazine.com/
Radio Imbibe https://radio-imbibe.simplecast.com/
Steven Witherly on The Restaurant Guys Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390435/episodes/16866178

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!
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American Artisan Cheese, Local Food, and New Jersey Originals | Jeffrey Roberts Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

This is a Vintage episode from 2007

Why This Episode Matters

Though this is a vintage episode, many of the producers and traditions discussed here remain part of the American artisan cheese conversation today.
American artisan cheese was growing fast, and this conversation captures the moment when local cheese in the U.S. stopped being a curiosity and became a movement.
Jeff Roberts explains how better-informed consumers helped create demand for small producers, regional specialties, and more thoughtful food buying.
The episode highlights New Jersey makers proving that great American cheese is not limited to Vermont or California.
This conversation connects flavor, farming, craftsmanship, and local economies in a way that still feels highly relevant.
Anyone interested in cheese, local food, food culture, or where American food got more interesting will find plenty here.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open with a run through food trivia from Gourmet magazine, including America’s limited eaters, the national devotion to ketchup, and the little problem of people eating more “low-fat” junk because the label told them to feel virtuous.

The Conversation

Jeff Roberts joins the show to discuss The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese and the dramatic expansion of American cheese makers over the previous decade. He explains how consumer taste changed the market and why artisan cheese matters not only for flavor, but for farming, community, and regional identity.

The conversation moves through Vermont, Cabot, and the broader American cheese landscape before landing in New Jersey, where Roberts praises producers and fresh mozzarella traditions that most people would never think to place in a national cheese conversation. The episode also explores early goat-cheese pioneers, the stories behind small producers, and the idea that every food choice has consequences far beyond the table.

Timestamps

00:00 – Food trivia, ketchup loyalty, and the “low-fat” trap
06:00 – Jeff Roberts on the boom in American artisan cheese
09:00 – How consumers changed the cheese market
13:00 – New Jersey cheese makers, Fiore’s, Vito’s, Bobolink, and Valley Shepherd
20:00 – Why artisan cheese is really a story about people and place
23:00 – Douglas Newbold and the early days of American goat cheese
28:00 – Seasonal cheese, pungent cheddar, and tasting with courage

Bio

Jeff Roberts is the author of The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese. He helped establish the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont, served as national director of Slow Food USA, and co-chaired Artisan Cheeses of America.

Info

The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese by Jeffrey P. Roberts
Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse www.cowsoutside.com
Valley Shepherd Creamery valleyshepherd.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

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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

Hybrid Grapes, Natural Wine Myths, and the Future of Wine | Doug Frost Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

Why This Episode Matters

Doug Frost connects wine education, grape growing, climate pressure, and wine culture mythmaking in one conversation.
This episode makes a smart, practical case for hybrid grapes as part of wine’s future, not just a regional curiosity.
The discussion cuts through vague “natural wine” posturing and asks a better question: is the wine actually good?
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott keep the wine-geek material accessible without dumbing it down.
Doug’s work at Echo Lands brings the conversation from what’s in the glass to what has to happen in the vineyard.

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open with a detour into ferries, bar cars, and the enduring appeal of any transportation where somebody else is driving and a drink might be available.

The Conversation

Doug Frost joins the show for a wide-ranging discussion about hybrid grapes, climate pressure, and why regions outside the usual wine power centers may have more to teach the wine world than they get credit for. He explains how growers in places like the Midwest, New Jersey, and Europe are rethinking what counts as a serious wine grape as farming realities change.

The conversation then pivots into a lively critique of bad “natural wine” logic. Doug, Mark, and Francis are not arguing against low-intervention winemaking; they are arguing against excusing obvious flaws because the category sounds virtuous. In the final stretch, Frost talks about Echo Lands in Walla Walla, where regenerative farming and land stewardship are part of building a winery meant to last.

Timestamps

00:00 – Opening setup: Doug Frost and why this episode goes a little into the weeds
00:45 – Banter: ferries, commuting by boat, and the romance of transit with a drink
04:25 – Doug Frost joins; What it means to be both a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine
07:30 – Hybrid grapes, mildew, climate pressure, and the future of wine growing
17:00 – Which hybrid grapes and producers are worth seeking out
28:20 – Doug Frost on natural wine, flaws, and why unstable wine is still flawed wine
40:00 – Echo Lands, Walla Walla, and building a winery around regenerative farming
51:36 – Red wine tip

Bio

Doug Frost is one of the few people in the world to hold both the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine titles. He is an author, educator, founder of Beverage Alcohol Resource (B.A.R.), and a founding partner of Echo Lands Winery in Walla Walla, Washington.

Info

Echolands Winery https://www.echolandswinery.com/
Recommended wine varietals: Vignoles, Vidal Blanc
Recommended wineries: Stone Hill, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Holyfield, Bourgmont
Episode on regenerative farming with Peter Byck https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390435/episodes/16977575

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

Why Eating Well Got So Complicated | Margaret Wittenberg, Whole Foods Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

This is a Vintage episode from 2008

Why This Episode Matters

Eating “responsibly” has only gotten more confusing. This conversation shows how to navigate it without obsessing
What terms like organic and local actually mean (and why they’re often misleading)
How Whole Foods Market built trust by doing the homework for consumers
Why better farming and sourcing often lead to better taste
The real fight behind food standards and why consumers still need to pay attention

The Banter

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show taking aim at convenience culture, from pre-stuffed bagels to “vitamin-enhanced” soda, and question how far we’ve drifted from real food.

The Conversation

Margaret Wittenberg, longtime leader at Whole Foods and a key voice in the organic movement, explains how the company evaluates what makes food “good” from clean ingredients to sustainability and sourcing.

The discussion dives into the growing complexity of food labeling, the role of trust in retail, and how Whole Foods balances education with curation for busy consumers. Wittenberg also unpacks the tension between industrial food systems and responsible production, arguing that quality, ethics, and flavor ultimately align more than most people think.

Timestamps

0:00 – Opening Banter: convenience culture and “handheld breakfast” absurdity
6:45 – Margaret Wittenberg joins; the mission behind Whole Foods
9:00 – What words like local and organic actually mean
12:40 – Trust vs. transparency: how Whole Foods draws the line
15:00 – Sustainable seafood and why it’s so complicated
20:00 – The fight to protect organic standards
25:30 – New Good Food and making better choices without overthinking
31:00 – Francis on fresh peanut butter, dark chocolate, and small indulgences

Guest Bio

Margaret Wittenberg is a longtime leader at Whole Foods Market, where she served as Vice President of Communications and Quality Standards. A former member of the USDA National Organic Standards Board, she has been widely recognized as a key voice in shaping modern organic and sustainable food practices.

Info

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