The Restaurant Guys

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
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!
[email protected]

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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
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!
[email protected]

Follow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

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
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!
[email protected]

Follow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

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
Margaret's book
New Good Food: Essential Ingredients for Cooking and Eating Well
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!
[email protected]

Follow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast

Why This Episode Matters
Lisa Laird Dunn shares the story of America’s oldest distilling family and how Laird’s helped shape the history of Applejack in the United States.
This conversation connects cocktails, New Jersey history, and the survival of a multi-generation family business through Prohibition, downturns, and the modern cocktail revival.
Mark and Francis get deep into what makes a Jack Rose great, why ingredients matter, and how Applejack found its way back into serious cocktail culture.
One of the most compelling parts of the episode is Lisa’s account of how her family bought the company back and preserved the legacy for future generations.
The Banter
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show with an unexpectedly passionate tasting and review of Girl Scout cookies before turning to a far more adult subject: Applejack, cocktails, and New Jersey history.

The Conversation
Lisa Laird Dunn, ninth-generation owner of Laird & Company, joins the show to talk about the Jack Rose, the history of Applejack, and her family’s place in the story of American spirits. Along the way, she explains how the category rose, fell, and returned with the cocktail renaissance, and why products like Laird’s Bonded and Applejack 86 each have a distinct place behind the bar. The conversation becomes especially moving when Lisa shares how her family risked everything to buy the company back and keep it family owned.
Timestamps
0:00 – Banter: Girl Scout cookies, Tagalongs vs. Thin Mints, and a call for listener opinions
6:20 – Lisa Laird Dunn joins: The Jack Rose: origin stories, cocktail lore, and why this drink matters
13:40 – The dark years for Applejack, turning off the stills, and the return of classic cocktails
20:10 – The cocktail revival, distributor resistance, and how demand came roaring back
24:20 – The products and how their use has evolved over time
34:00 – Lisa’s family buys the company back: risk, legacy, and carrying Laird’s into the 10th generation
44:00 – What is means to “jack” a spirit
50:00 – How Laird’s survived Prohibition
53:30 – How Catherine Lombardi got booze for her wedding.
Guest Bio
Lisa Laird Dunn is the ninth-generation owner of Laird & Company, America’s oldest distilling family and the makers of Laird’s Applejack. She has helped preserve and grow one of New Jersey’s most historic spirits brands while carrying its legacy into the 10th generation.
Info
Laird & Company
https://www.lairdandcompany.com/
Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regular
https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/
Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/
Stage Left Wine Shop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/
Our Places
Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/
Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/
Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/
Reach Out to The Guys!
[email protected]

Follow us on Instagram @restaurantguyspodcast