The Food Guys Podcast

Angelo and Alfie Mercuri join The Food Guys to tell the story behind one of Lygon Street's most recognisable restaurants and how their family has continued evolving it through decades of change.

From taking over Universal Restaurant and working seven days a week and 16-hour days, to surviving the GFC, COVID and a completely changing Lygon Street customer base, the brothers explain how it took years before they finally found the formula that created the queues you see today.

We also get into their newest ventures, including GLO Gelato, the obsessive R&D behind their pistachio and tiramisu flavours, why they'll sacrifice profit before compromising a product, GLO Pasticceria, Wilding Foods and what's next for the family.

Plus: what really happened to Lygon Street, why service can matter more than the gelato itself, the pistachio craze, Continental cake, family business arguments and their ultimate death row meals.

Follow their socials here @glo.gelato @glo.pasticceria @universalrestaurant

You can order Italian cakes from Glo here

Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast.
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It’s a rapid-fire bonus episode covering one of the biggest weeks of fast-food releases in Australia from Red Rooster’s disappointing “jumbo” drumstick and new Macca’s desserts to Hungry Jack’s pistachio range and a stack of new supermarket treats. But the headline is KFC going all-in on pickles, including fried pickles, a pickle burger, Pickle Pepsi and even a pickle cheesecake.

Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast.
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DM us your questions and topics!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We sit down with the owner and head chef behind Wildfire Craft BBQ to hear one of the wildest restaurant origin stories we’ve had on the podcast.
It started with a $400 backyard smoker and a first brisket so bad it went straight in the bin. Then came the garage BBQ cook off, 12 customers became 60 a night, and eventually every dollar of their savings went into opening a restaurant.

Casey opens up about working days without sleep, living on instant noodles, sleeping inside the restaurant, the Melbourne pop-up that changed the business overnight, and the heartbreaking timing of losing his biggest supporter just as Wildfire went viral.

We also get into the real economics of brisket, Filipino food, Texas BBQ, building a loyal following and what comes next as Wildfire expands into a second Geelong venue.

Check out their new venue, Honky Cat Saloon in Geelong, along with their flagship store Wildfire Craft BBQ in Newcomb, Geelong, Victoria.

Don't forget to visit our sponsor, Royal Stacks, when in Melbourne, your burger cravings are sorted, by the kings.
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The Food Guys are back arguing over the foods Australians grew up with. This week, Dub and Nectro rank all 7 biscuits in the Arnott’s Family Favourites box, with some serious disagreement over Chocolate Ripple, Teddy Bear and Butternut Snap before crowning their number one.

Plus, the boys react to missing Melbourne’s In-N-Out pop-up, debate whether McDonald’s has the best fries in the world, break down the latest supermarket and fast food releases, ask whether 2026’s viral food trends have been disappointing, and discover just how ridiculous DoorDash has become, I mean you can order an ALDI exercise bike to your door.

We also talk Aldi's most popular items, voted by you.

Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast.
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Dub and Nectro are joined by Daniel from @yiayianextdoor to unpack the incredible story behind a few home-cooked meals passed over the fence that eventually became something much bigger.

Daniel opens up about losing his mum, moving back into the family home, and how his lifelong neighbour Yaya stepped in and became like a second grandmother to him and his brother. We hear how the page exploded from a few hundred followers, eventually led to a cookbook and social enterprise, and helped turn food, family and community into a platform for giving back.

We also get into Daniel's favourite foods, the one dish his mum cooked that still means everything to him, his brutally honest thoughts on businesses using AI-generated food photography, his secret “addictive” popcorn recipe, why he reckons Adelaide was five years behind Melbourne, his ultimate death row meal and plenty more.
A funny, honest and surprisingly emotional conversation about food, grief, family, community and how a simple meal can mean so much more than what's on the plate.

Check out Yia Yia Next Door Here

Thanks to our sponsors Royal Stacks get your burgers today!
Follow us @thefoodguyspod
DM us your questions and topics!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.