The Restaurant Guys

• John Mariani on How Italian Food Conquered the World *V*

  This is a Vintage Selection  from 2011The BanterThe Guys discuss fast food marketing including one which makes them wonder how we became the rat pressing the button in the lab experiment.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys hear from John Mariani how politics, models and the mob impacted the world adopting the now ubiquitous Italian food. From Italian fine dining to Chef Boyardee we learn the rich history of the rise of what some believe to be the best cuisine on the planet!The Inside TrackThe Guys operate an Italian-American restaurant named after Mark’s grandmother who enjoyed filling his belly. John: So the Italian immigrant woman in American, quite literally became empowered. To become the best cook on her block, the one whose meatballs were renowned in the neighborhood whose Sunday red sauce, tomato sauce was better than anybody else's. And to take pride in being able to fatten up your kids and your husband and to show the abundance of the American way of life.That's what Italian American food is all about Mark: … and grandchildren. John Mariani on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2011BioJohn Mariani is an acclaimed food and wine writer, historian, and author of more than a dozen books, including The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink and How Italian Food Conquered the World. For 35 years he was the food and travel correspondent for  Esquire and a wine critic for Bloomberg News for a decade. He is known for his insightful commentary on dining, culture, and culinary history. His work has earned him awards, acclaim and recognition as one of America’s leading voices on food and wine. For over 20 years he has written his own newsletter Mariani’s Virtual Gourmet.  InfoJohn’s website where you can read his current newslettershttps://johnmariani.com/John’s BookHow Italian Food Conquered the WorldJohn MarianiWe will have a Halloween pop-up bar in Stage Left Steak Oct 27-Nov 1.We're hosting Pam Starr to showcase her wines at a Crocker & Starr wine dinner on Oct 16. https://www.stageleft.com/event/101625-winemaker-dinner-with-crocker-starr/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The [email protected]**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

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• Max Tucci Shares The Delmonico Way

  The BanterThe Guys discuss the movement in the wine industry to market wine as a lifestyle product. Do folks want to choose wine based on what’s on the bottle or what’s in the bottle?The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys chat with Max Tucci, third-generation restaurateur of the iconic Delmonico's in New York. They delve into the rich history of Delmonico's, discussing its significance from the Gilded Age to today and the culinary innovations that originated there. Max shares touching stories about his family's legacy and the importance of hospitality which he carries into his new venture Tucci.The Inside TrackThe Guys and Max, all seasoned restaurateurs, understand that while there are many moving pieces in a dining experience, there is really only one thing that matters.“Here's one thing, and you guys get it. At the end of the day, people aren't gonna remember the music. They're not gonna remember if the cocktail was perfectly chilled. They're not gonna remember if this steak was medium rare, but they're gonna remember how they were treated,” Max Tucci on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioMax Tucci is an award-winning producer, host, and author, best known for carrying forward the legacy of New York City’s iconic Delmonico’s restaurant. Max is also the author of The Delmonico Way: Sublime Entertaining and Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant that Made New York. His podcast, Max & Friends, began as a radio show in 2008 and became a podcast. It’s currently on hiatus.InfoMax Tucci (find his restaurants, book and show)https://thedelmonicoway.com/We will have a Halloween pop-up bar in Stage Left Steak Oct 27-Nov 1.We're hosting Pam Starr to showcase her wines at a Crocker & Starr wine dinner on Oct 16. https://www.stageleft.com/event/101625-winemaker-dinner-with-crocker-starr/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The [email protected]**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

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• Kim Haasarud/Jeanne Kelley: Sangria and Blue Eggs *V*

  This is a Vintage Selection from 2008The BanterThe Guys talk about a civilized way to get groomsmen looking good for the wedding that doesn’t involve a trip to the spa. The First ConversationThe Restaurant Guys hear from Kim Haasarud, author and mixologist, who gives advice on sangria. They talk about which wines work best, how to get the most out of the fruit and the best ways to implement it at a party. The Second ConversationThe Restaurant Guys talk with Jeanne Kelley about her experiences with urban gardening –complete with chickens and a goat! She shares her joy of composting, the best kitchen tool she’s ever used and a secret ingredient that’s one of The Guys’ favorites. BiosKim Haasarud is an award-winning mixologist, author, and founder of Liquid Architecture, a consulting firm known for crafting innovative cocktail programs. She is the author of the best-selling 101 Cocktails series and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Wine Enthusiast, and Cosmopolitan.Jeanne Kelley is a Los Angeles–based cookbook author, food writer specializing in seasonal, sustainable cooking. She trained at the esteemed École de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris.Jeanne is the author of several cookbooks, including Salad for Dinner, The Portable Feast, and Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes: A Backyard Garden-to-Table Cookbook.  Her work has been featured in publications such as Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, and Everyday with Rachael Ray. She also contributed to Williams Sonoma’s Holiday Baking collection. InfoKim Hassarudhttps://www.liquid-architecture.com/Jeanne Kelleyhttps://www.jeannekelleykitchen.com/We will have a Halloween pop-up bar in Stage Left Steak Oct 27-Nov 1.We're hosting Pam Starr to showcase her wines at a Crocker & Starr wine dinner on Oct 16. https://www.stageleft.com/event/101625-winemaker-dinner-with-crocker-starr/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The [email protected]**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

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• Robert LeBlanc: Honoring the Past and Shaping the Future of New Orleans

  BanterThe Guys talk about an unusual cooking appliance and how long is too long to keep snails in your pantry.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys finally catch up with Robert LeBlanc, hotelier and restaurateur. They talk about camaraderie within the restaurant community and how that enhances the experience for all involved. The love of hospitality often goes back to their roots of family and experienced restaurateurs before them and that’s how they navigate the inevitable challenges of the industry. The Inside TrackThe Guys and Robert find common ground in how they lead their teams—training staff to share their own enthusiasm and create genuine connections with guests.Mark: As I said to the team yesterday, pick something that you are just absolutely passionate about and talk to the customers about that and tell it from your heart and tell it from who you are and tell it from your perspective of why you like it. Nothing's more powerful than that.Robert: We have a value built on that. It’s called, “Do cool shit and stay humble.”Robert LeBlanc on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioRobert LeBlanc has built some of New Orleans’ favorite spots. His hospitality group, LeBlanc+Smith, is behind Sylvain, the French Quarter bistro; Barrel Proof, a whiskey bar; and The Chloe, an Uptown boutique hotel. He’s also opened The Celestine, a French Quarter stunner with the cocktail bar Peychaud’s, plus neighborhood hangouts like Anna’s and The Will & The Way—each with its own personality.InfoRobert’s grouphttps://www.leblancandsmith.com/Robert’s NOLA recshttps://www.chaisdelachaise.com/https://patoisnola.com/https://www.galatoires.com/https://www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/We will have a Halloween pop-up bar in Stage Left Steak Oct 27-Nov 1.We're hosting Pam Starr to showcase her wines at a Crocker & Starr wine dinner on Oct 16. https://www.stageleft.com/event/101625-winemaker-dinner-with-crocker-starr/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The [email protected]**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

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• TEASER! Barb Stuckey: Taste What You're Missing! *V*

  This is a Vintage Selection from 2012The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys talk with Barb Stuckey, taste expert, about the difference between taste and flavor. They discuss why you need to contemplate what you eat and use all five senses when you taste. Hear about Barb’s UNfocus tasting group that tested how impairment impacts your perception of food.The Inside TrackThe Guys and Barb discuss analyzing food the way we dissect wine. Barb: We do a lot of critical tasting of wine, yet we don't necessarily do the same of food. I thought that that was pretty odd given that only about 35% of the population in America drinks wine, but a hundred percent of us eat food.Francis: I would like to point out that that's our favorite 35%, but I get your point.Barb Stuckey on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2012BioBarb Stuckey is a leading food developer, taste expert, and author of Taste: Surprising Stories and Science About Why Food Tastes Good. As Chief New Product Strategy Officer at Mattson (the largest independent food and beverage innovation company in North America) she’s spent over two decades helping create the products that shape how we eat.Known as a “taste educator,” Stuckey translates the science of flavor into everyday language. Barb was instrumental in helping The San Francisco Cooking School integrate the science of taste into their curriculum by teaching the fundamentals of taste to each incoming class during the school’s 10 years in San Francisco. She spoke at the NextGen Restaurant Summit, gave a TED Talk on umami and has contributed articles about the food industry to Forbes.com.InfoBarb’s bookTaste: Surprising Stories and Science about Why Food Tastes Good By Barb StuckeyWe will have a Halloween pop-up bar in Stage Left Steak Oct 27-Nov 1.We're hosting Pam Starr to showcase her wines at a Crocker & Starr wine dinner on Oct 16. https://www.stageleft.com/event/101625-winemaker-dinner-with-crocker-starr/Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The [email protected]**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

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