The Restaurant Guys

Vintage episode (2006)
Why This Episode Matters
The Guys dissect classic “wine gaffes” and the social survival tactics that follow.
Susan Ridley explains why Hendry’s vineyard site matters: cool maritime influence, rocky soils and foothill elevation 
A look at vineyard thinking from a grower-driven perspective, where farming stress, decades of experience, and selectivity shape the wine.
Wine dinners are the best “real-world” wine education: food changes everything.
The Banter
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open with wine-party etiquette wars. How to prevent your “special bottle” from being shelved like an unwanted candle and why perfume at tastings should be a misdemeanor.
The Conversation
Susan Ridley (Brookside Ranch) joins to tell the accidental origin story of becoming George Hendry’s partner—starting with dinner at the neighbor’s house and ending with a serious winery built on one vineyard, no purchased fruit. The Guys dig into what makes Hendry’s site in Napa’s cooler corner so distinctive, why vineyard stress and rocky soils can produce better wine, and how wine dinners teach pairing in a way tastings never can. Along the way: vineyard tours with a pith-helmeted nuclear physicist, Napa seasonality, legendary blackberry jam, and the screw cap vs. cork debate.
Timestamps
0:00 – Welcome + Natalie MacLean’s “Grapes of Gaffe” 
2:15 – Having your host ignore your bottle, too much perfume and “off” bottles
9:00 – Guest Introduction: Susan Ridley, Brookside Ranch and Hendry Wines
12:50 – Hendry vineyard location, elevation, and rocky soils
15:45 – George Hendry, farmer and nuclear physicist 
20:40 – Wine dinners and lessons they teach
23:13 – Brookside Ranch B&B + Napa seasonality
29:00 – Screw caps vs. cork closures discussion
Guest Bio
Susan Ridley was a partner in Hendry Wines in Napa Valley and proprietor of Brookside Ranch, a historic bed-and-breakfast neighboring the Hendry estate. She worked closely with grower-winemaker George Hendry on communicating the winery’s vineyard-first philosophy and focus on estate fruit. Susan passed away in 2025.
Info
Hendry Wines
Join us on March 12 for a wine dinner with Balletto
Click below for more info:
https://www.stageleft.com/event/31226-balleto-winemaker-dinner-w-anthony-beckman/
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Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/
Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/restaurant

Our Places
Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/
Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/
Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
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https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

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Why This Episode Matters
Why food that reflects place matters more than Michelin prestige.
How Xtreme Foodies connects global travelers with local culinary experts.
Why tasting-menu fine dining is starting to feel formulaic—and what’s replacing it.
From Texas barbecue to Neapolitan pizza, a conversation about food, identity, and memory.
The Banter
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott open the show debating shepherd’s pie, Irish–Mexican culinary mashups, and a tequila origin story that sounds questionable… until the first sip.
The Conversation
Jeffrey Merrihue, founder of Xtreme Foodies, joins the Guys to explore why regional food tells a deeper story than luxury dining. From the evolution of barbecue and pizza to overtourism in Japan and the fatigue of modern tasting menus, the conversation challenges how—and why—we travel to eat.
Timestamps
0:00 – The Banter: Shepherd’s pie and Irish–Mexican mashups
6:04 – The Conversation: Jeffrey Merrihue and Xtreme Foodies
12:00 – Fine dining and the loss of place
21:15 – Texas barbecue: heritage vs Michelin craft
30:35 – Pizza regionalism: Naples and New York
37:55 – Overtourism and Japan
41:05 – L’Ami Louis and the limits of prestige
47:05 – Wrap Up
Guest Bio
Jeffrey Merrihue is the founder of Xtreme Foodies, a global culinary community connecting travelers with local food experts in more than 200 cities. A longtime writer and world traveler, he focuses on food that reflects regional identity rather than globalized luxury dining.
Guest Info
Xtreme Foodies https://www.xtremefoodies.com/
The World’s Tastiest Chicken https://xtremefoodies.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web
Join us on March 12 for a wine dinner with Balletto
Click below for more info:
https://www.stageleft.com/event/31226-balleto-winemaker-dinner-w-anthony-beckman/
Become a Restaurant Guys' Regular!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe
Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/
Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/restaurant

Our Places
Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/
Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/
Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

Reach Out to The Guys!
[email protected]

**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
Click Below!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

This is a Vintage episode from 2006.
This is just a teaser from a bonus episode for our subscribers. If you'd like to become a Restaurant Guys' Regular and listen to the entire episode and other commercial-free episodes, subscribe at 
https://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com
Why This Episode Matters
The episode examines how food, sexuality, and culture have always been intertwined
It reframes restaurants not just as places to eat, but as stages where intimacy, power, and identity play out.
The conversation challenges assumptions about aphrodisiacs, gendered foods, and the social rituals that shape how we dine.
The episode challenges listeners to rethink how memory, status, and convenience foods quietly shape our relationships and our restaurant habits.
The Banter
A story about a proposal gone painfully wrong sets the tone as Mark Pascal and Francis Schott explore the unpredictable theater of romance in restaurants. From first dates to long-married couples who’ve forgotten how to talk, they reflect on what they've learned about human connection from a lifetime in the dining room.
The Conversation
Author and food historian Bunny Crumpacker talks about The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat, a wide-ranging exploration of how food symbolism, cultural taboos, and dining rituals intersect with sexuality and identity. The discussion moves from aphrodisiac myths and gendered foods to class signals, fast food culture, and the emotional meaning behind what and how we eat. 
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to The Restaurant Guys
01:50 – Banter: Romance, proposals, and restaurant observations
08:35 – Bunny Crumpacker on the purpose of her book
15:02 – Aphrodisiacs, an-aphrodesiacs and food symbolism
17:43 – Class, culture, and how food defines us
23:06 – Convenience foods, restaurant meals and home cooking
32:22 – Wrap-up and final thoughts
Bio
Bunny Crumpacker is a columnist, food historian, and the author of 7 books including The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat, a cultural exploration of the relationship between eating, identity, and intimacy.
Info
Bunny’s book: The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat
Join us on March 12 for a wine dinner with Balletto
Click below for more info:
https://www.stageleft.com/event/31226-balleto-winemaker-dinner-w-anthony-beckman/
Our Places
Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/
Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/
Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

Reach Out to The Guys!
[email protected]

**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
Click Below!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

Why You Should Listen
What “closing time” really means — and why restaurants, and their staff, should honor what they promise
An inside peak at Valentine’s Day operations, ticket flow, and why larger tables can ease pressure on the kitchen
The Guys react to mass spectrometry and a look at tequila additives
Egg price spikes, labeling myths, yolk color tricks, and a smart baking tip when extra-large eggs cost less
The Banter
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott kick things off with post–Valentine’s Day reflections and the realities of running a dining room during peak nights. The Guys pull back the curtain on expediting, ticket management, and the small operational decisions diners rarely see. They share how shifting celebrations beyond February 14th can ease pressure on both restaurants and relationships.

The Conversation
The Guys dive into a wide-ranging Inside Track discussion sparked by the @MassSpecEverything channel, exploring mass spectrometry and spirits—from alleged additives in tequila to why common hand-rub tests don’t reveal everything. The talk moves to Coca-Cola lore, including what *really makes Mexican Coke special.
Eggs take center stage as they unpack price spikes linked to bird flu, pasture-raised labeling, feed-driven nutritional differences, and how yolk color can be manipulated. They share a practical tip for bakers: extra-large eggs sometimes cost less than large, but be sure to adjust your recipe!
Finally, Mark and Francis debate what a restaurant’s posted closing time should actually mean and that clear communication and consistent standards define the guest experience long after the meal ends.
Time Stamps
0:00 – The Banter: Valentine’s Day Reflections
6:03 – Tequila Meets the Mass Spectrometer
9:53 – Coca-Cola: Regional Differences & Taste Myths
12:50 – Eggs: Scandal, Prices, Labels & Bargains
23:06 – What “Closing Time” Means to the Restaurant
28:02 – What “Closing Time” Means to the Diner

Info
Mass Spec Everything
https://linktr.ee/mymassspecworld

You Don’t Want Dessert, Do You?
by Frank L
Join us on March 12 for a wine dinner with Balletto
Click below for more info:
https://www.stageleft.com/event/31226-balleto-winemaker-dinner-w-anthony-beckman/
Become a Restaurant Guys' Regular!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe
Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/
Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/restaurant

Our Places
Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/
Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/
Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

Reach Out to The Guys!
[email protected]

**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
Click Below!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

This is a Vintage episode from 2005.
Why You Should Listen
An early, still-relevant look at sustainable seafood
What “dirty fishing” and bycatch really mean
Practical advice for diners and restaurateurs
A snapshot of the 2005 Endangered Species Act debate

The Banter
Mark Pascal and Francis Schott react to a “health study” revealing that water is still king. The Guys spiral into soda culture, marketing myths, and one of the strangest beverage ideas of the era: nicotine beer.

The Conversation
Beth Lowell of Oceana joins The Restaurant Guys to ask the big question: can we keep eating fish the way we do now? She breaks down bycatch, sea turtles, and the hidden cost of industrial fishing — and explains how simple gear changes can reduce harm without shutting fishermen down. The Guys bring a restaurateur’s perspective to overfishing, mercury contamination, and the future of seafood.

The Inside Track
The Guys argue for common-sense conservation: not less seafood — smarter sourcing so there’s still fish worth serving years from now.

Time Stamps
3:00 Water vs. soda
6:00 Nicotine beer
8:00 Beth Lowell joins
9:20 Bycatch explained
18:09 How Oceana helps
25:41 What fish to eat or avoid
28:28 Endangered Species Act (2005)
34:05 Wrap-up

Guest Bio
Beth Lowell is an Ocean Wildlife Advocate with Oceana, an international organization focused on science-based ocean conservation and sustainable fishing practices.

From the Show
Oceana – oceana.org
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guides –  seafoodwatch.org

Join us on March 12 for a wine dinner with Balletto
Click below for more info:
https://www.stageleft.com/event/31226-balleto-winemaker-dinner-w-anthony-beckman/
Become a Restaurant Guys' Regular!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe
Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/
Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/restaurant

Our Places
Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/
Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/
Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

Reach Out to The Guys!
[email protected]

**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
Click Below!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe