The Restaurant Guys

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
Morou Ouattara https://chefmorou.com/
Gavin Kayson https://gavinkaysen.com/
Café Boulud https://www.cafeboulud.com/
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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!
[email protected]

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/
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]

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
Barone Fini Wines https://www.baronefiniwines.com/
The Restaurant Guys at La Petraia https://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/2390435/episodes/16144212-la-petraia-the-guys-go-to-italy
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]

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/
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]

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
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]