The Cocktail Code | Paul MacDonald

This is a Vintage episode from 2007.Why This Episode MattersIn Valencia, paella is cooked over burning vine cuttings and has as much in common with Southern barbecue as it does with the seafood platter many Americans picture.Hear about the chef who serves squid paella that looks like Rice Krispies with squid ink broth.Even French chefs were heading to Spain for new ideas. Anya explains what they found in kitchens where liquid nitrogen met Andalusian gazpacho.The ConversationAnya takes Mark Pascal and Francis Schott inside Madrid Fusión, where chefs from around the world were trading ideas. She describes how the exchange worked back in Spanish kitchens, too. Tapas cooks borrowed techniques from the avant-garde, and Ferran Adrià regularly ate at his brother Albert’s traditional Barcelona tapas bar.In Valencia, Anya explains what rabbit, land snails and a wood fire bring to paella, and why the rice gets top billing. She also tells the Guys about chef Quique Dacosta’s work with rice scientists and shares the Italian risotto rice she uses in her own paella.Francis compares avant-garde cooking techniques to the Force, which somehow leads to a defense of the deep-fried Twinkie. Anya takes the Guys to a Valencian café for horchata and churros before they revisit a debate from 2007 over sous vide in New York City restaurants.The Guest BioAnya von Bremzen is the author of The New Spanish Table and co-author of the James Beard Award–winning Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook. At the time of the interview, she was a contributing editor at Travel + Leisure and a regular contributor to Food & Wine.InfoAnya’s bookThe New Spanish TableTimestamps01:00 — Why French chefs were looking to Spain04:00 — Liquid nitrogen meets traditional gazpacho09:00 — Valencia’s paella and its barbecue kinship13:00 — Quique Dacosta and the science of rice19:00 — Horchata and churros in Valencia20:00 — New York City’s sous vide debateDinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

Why This Episode MattersThe fishermen were giving the fish away. Bryan Caswell wanted to buy it all. What made him think Houston diners would pay for it?Bryan had never filleted a halibut. Then one landed in front of him in Rocco DiSpirito’s kitchen.Would guests pay for bread? At Latuli, it outsells every drink on the menu.The BanterMark and Francis compare the food festivals they’ve been visiting with the old “Taste of” fundraisers. They get into what it costs a restaurant to show up with something it’s proud to serve, and when the charity might be better off with a check.The ConversationIn Houston, chef Bryan Caswell tells the Guys how growing up fishing the Gulf Coast prepared him for an unexpected test in Rocco DiSpirito’s kitchen. He recalls the precision of Union Pacific and what he learned from Jean-Georges Vongerichten about running a kitchen without yelling.At Reef, Bryan built a menu around Gulf fish that rarely made it to restaurant tables. He explains how he persuaded fishermen to sell him their bycatch, why he put unfamiliar fish directly on the menu, and how his staff learned to work with whatever came in. He also talks about Hurricane Harvey and why Reef never fully recovered.Then it’s on to Latuli, the Houston neighborhood restaurant Bryan opened with Allison Knight. The Guys talk about building a dining room people want to come back to, letting regulars have a say in what stays on the menu, and how a bread service Bryan wasn’t sure people would pay for became the restaurant’s biggest seller.The Guest BioBryan Caswell is the executive chef and co-founder of Latuli in Houston. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he worked in kitchens in New York and abroad before opening Reef, where he showcased Gulf seafood. He also co-founded Little Bigs and El Real Tex-Mex Cafe. Food & Wine named him a Best New Chef in 2009.InfoLatulihttps://www.latuli.com/Timestamps0:00:00 — What restaurants owe a food festival0:04:00 — Bryan Caswell joins the Guys in Houston0:07:00 — From Barcelona to the halibut test in Rocco DiSpirito’s kitchen0:14:00 — How many moves does a dish take?0:22:00 — Giving overlooked Gulf fish a place on the menu at Reef0:34:00 — Hurricane Harvey and why Reef never fully recovered0:41:00 — What Jean-Georges taught Bryan about running a kitchen0:50:00 — Coming home to Houston and opening Reef0:54:00 — Building a neighborhood restaurant at Latuli1:03:00 — How bread service became Latuli’s biggest sellerDinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

This is a Vintage episode from 2010.The BanterA steakhouse offers customers a way to disguise lavish lunches on their expense reports, complete with pre-wrinkled receipts and camouflage doggy bags. Mark and Francis debate whether this steakhouse deserves a marketing award or a visit from the authorities.The ConversationWinemaker Randall Grahm joins the Guys for a funny, irreverent conversation about his book, Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology. Between literary parodies and pointed footnotes and why a numerical score can’t tell you what you’ll enjoy drinking tonight.Randall reflects on the business consequences of poking Robert Parker in the eye, explains why he stopped making Chardonnay, and questions what happens when winemakers chase the same critic’s palate. Along the way, broccoli gets a score, American wine tastes get the chicken-finger treatment, and Randall reveals where to get the best wine buying advice.Beneath the jokes is a serious pursuit: making original wines that express where they come from. Randall shares his shift from pleasing others to pleasing himself and the unconventional vineyard ideas behind that ambition.The Guest BioRandall Grahm is a California winemaker who founded Bonny Doon Vineyard and helped popularize Rhône grape varieties in the United States. He received the James Beard Foundation’s Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year award in 1994 and published Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology in 2009. He sold Bonny Doon in 2020 and has remained involved as a consultant. His other winemaking projects include The Language of Yes and Popelouchum.Timestamps01:00 — Expense-account steaks and camouflage leftovers07:00 — Randall Grahm and Been Doon So Long09:00 — What wine scores leave out19:00 — Finding a wine merchant you trust22:00 — Robert Parker and the cost of chasing scores27:00 — Wine, literature, and parody29:00 — Making original wines that express a placeInfoRandall’s book: Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm VinthologyThe Language of Yeshttps://www.languageofyeswine.com/Popelouchumhttps://www.popelouchum.com/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

BanterCan you teach hospitality or are you  just teaching people to fake it? Mark and Francis discuss scripted service, sincerity, and a restaurant’s apparently AI-generated emails that promised a personal welcome the dining room failed to deliver.The ConversationPaul MacDonald of the Lovers Bar at Philadelphia’s Friday Saturday Sunday joins the Guys to explain how a cocktail experiment became a decade-long exploration of flavor and proportion. His Fibonacci cocktails use five ingredients in a 1:1:2:3:5 ratio, but he’s quick to clarify that the formula represents just one corner of the bar’s broader cocktail program.That experiment evolved into the Carousel: 21 bottles arranged in a fixed order, with five consecutive ingredients combined according to the ratio. Guests can spin for a drink or choose a combination that appeals to them (that’s not cheating!). Paul shares a favorite recipe, while the Guys explore why giving guests something to participate in makes a bar experience memorable.They also discuss keeping regulars’ favorite drinks alongside new creations, a low-alcohol aperitif with the character of a stronger cocktail, and Philadelphia’s particular talent for serving exceptional food at a lively neighborhood bar. After the interview, Mark and Francis recap their Halloween pop-up, complete with a vampire sommelier, an overheated Sasquatch, and a smoke machine that didn’t delight every dinner guest.Guest BioPaul MacDonald is the head bartender at the Lovers Bar at Philadelphia’s Michelin-starred Friday Saturday Sunday. His cocktail program includes the Carousel, an interactive menu built around 21 bottles and Fibonacci proportions. The Lovers Bar was a 2025 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Bar; Friday Saturday Sunday received the 2023 award for Outstanding Restaurant. Friday Saturday SundayTimestamps00:00 — Can hospitality be taught—or faked?12:00 — Paul MacDonald on what Fibonacci cocktails are and are not14:00 — The five-ingredient experiment behind the formula20:00 — How the cocktail Carousel works24:00 — Friday Saturday Sunday and Philadelphia’s dinner-at-the-bar culture30:00 — Vampires, Sasquatch, and the spooky barPaul’s Carousel PickUsing ¼ ounce as one part:1¼ ounces Becherovka¾ ounce Oloroso sherry½ ounce rhubarb liqueur¼ ounce Barolo Chinato¼ ounce Bols GeneverThe recipe totals 3 ounces before dilution.InfoThe Lovers Bar and Carousel:https://www.fridaysaturdaysunday.com/lovers-barFriday Saturday Sunday:https://www.fridaysaturdaysunday.com/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

This is a Vintage episode from 2006.Why This Episode MattersLearn when a shortcut saves effort without sacrificing the finished dish.Bring restaurant habits home: prepare ahead, clean as you go, and cook with more confidence.Hear Susan Spungen on finding her own voice after twelve years at Martha Stewart Living.The BanterA new restaurant in New Brunswick sends Mark and Francis back to the days when dinner service ended and the disco ball came down. They also explore how old restaurant menus can help researchers trace changes in the oceans by tracking seafood availability, prices, and tastes.The ConversationSusan Spungen, the founding food editor of Martha Stewart Living, joins the Guys to discuss her first solo cookbook, Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook. She describes stepping out from behind a major media company and making cooking approachable without stripping away the pleasure of doing it well. Her rule for shortcuts: the result still has to be something you’re proud of.Organized by technique, her book helps cooks understand what they’re doing rather than simply follow instructions. Susan, Mark, and Francis discuss mise en place, planning ahead, and why getting the cleanup done early can matter as much as getting the chopping done.They also cover knives, essential cookware, and the advantages of moving a pan from stovetop to oven. Susan recalls a mandoline mishap while filming with Martha; yet the cameras had to keep rolling. Afterward, the Guys remember their 1996 dinner celebrating the bicentennial of Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery.Guest BioSusan Spungen is a cook, food stylist, recipe developer, and cookbook author. She was the founding food editor and editorial director of food at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Her books include Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook and Cookie Queen.2026 UpdateSusan’s new book, Cookie Queen, publishes November 3, 2026, with more than 80 cookie recipes. The book discussed in this 2006 interview is Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook. PenguinRandomHouse.com: BooksTimestamps00:00 — Disco balls and what old menus reveal07:00 — Susan Spungen steps out on her own12:00 — Permission to take a shortcut16:00 — Restaurant preparation for the home kitchen20:00 — Knife skills and caring for your tools25:00 — Essential cookware and a mishap with MarthaLinksSusan Spungen:https://www.susanspungen.com/Cookie Queen:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/797830/cookie-queen-by-susan-spungen/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

Why This Episode MattersA great bartender needs more than recipes and a great cocktail doesn’t necessarily need more ingredients.Black and Filipino bartenders helped shape American drinking and preserve traditions that might otherwise have disappeared.The drinks that last are the ones other bartenders can actually make.The BanterMark and Francis debate whether we’ve reached peak spritz, suggest leaving the soda out of an Aperol Spritz, and deliver an unfiltered verdict on Sarti Rosa. After the interview, a dirty-martini disagreement turns into an argument about olive brine, expensive gin, and who’s being too fancy.The ConversationCocktail historian David Wondrich returns to discuss The Comic Book History of the Cocktail, illustrated by Dean Kotz. He shares the stories of Black bartenders, the Colored Mixologists Club, and the Filipino bartenders who helped keep tiki recipes alive, along with a mint julep far more elaborate than the bourbon-and-mint version most people know.The Guys explore Jerry Thomas’s missing illustrated book, the cocktail world’s dark ages, and the revival they helped build. Wondrich explains why Mark, Francis, and New Brunswick earned a place in his account of the cocktail renaissance.Then the conversation turns to today’s bars: the balance between technical skill and hospitality, making classic drinks with care, and cocktails so complicated that no one else can reproduce them. David makes the case for choosing ingredients thoughtfully and giving each drink a flavor that can actually shine.The GuestDavid Wondrich is a James Beard Award-winning author and cocktail historian whose books include Imbibe! and Punch. He is editor in chief of The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails and a founding partner of Beverage Alcohol Resource.Timestamps00:00 — Peak spritz and the Sarti Rosa debate07:00 — David Wondrich and cocktail history in comic-book form15:00 — The bartenders behind the history, from tiki to the mai tai19:00 — Black bartenders and the Colored Mixologists Club24:00 — Jerry Thomas and his missing cocktail book28:00 — The cocktail dark ages and bartender evolution36:00 — New Brunswick’s place in the cocktail renaissance39:00 — Cocktail complexity, costs, and the return to classics43:00 — Why some cocktails travel and others never will48:00 — The Guys’ dirty-martini disagreementInformationThe Comic Book History of the Cocktail:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/675535/the-comic-book-history-of-the-cocktail-by-david-wondrich-illustrated-by-dean-kotz/David Wondrich at Beverage Alcohol Resource:https://beveragealcoholresource.com/who-we-are/who-we-are-dave/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

This is a Vintage episode from 2005.Why This Episode MattersEarning three Michelin stars is a triumph. Keeping them brings financial commitments, public scrutiny, and relentless pressure.Rudolph Chelminski knew Bernard Loiseau for decades and offers a personal view of the ambition behind his extraordinary career.As they prepare to open Catherine Lombardi, Mark and Francis share their own concerns about expansion and protecting an established restaurant’s reputation.Recorded before Michelin’s first NYC guide, this conversation captures the Guys debating whether any New York restaurant would earn three stars.The BanterFrancis catches jazz singer Jacqui Naylor at the Blue Note, and the Guys explain why they love going out during the week. Charlie Trotter’s canceled New York restaurant prompts a discussion about expansion, expense, scrutiny, and their own preparations to open Catherine Lombardi while maintaining standards at Stage Left.The ConversationWhat does it take to earn three Michelin stars and what does keeping them demand? Journalist Rudolph Chelminski joins Mark and Francis to discuss The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine, his biography of French chef Bernard Loiseau. Having known Loiseau for decades, Chelminski shares the ambition, energy, and self-doubt behind his rise to the pinnacle of French dining.From an apprenticeship with the Troisgros brothers to taking his restaurant company public, Loiseau built a remarkable career. The conversation explores exhaustion, public scrutiny, and the financial and personal pressures surrounding him before his death in 2003. There’s also a discussion of professional service, finding value at lunch in great French restaurants, and the expense of maintaining an exceptional dining experience. Afterward, Mark and Francis make competing predictions about whether any New York restaurant will receive three stars when Michelin’s first NYC guide arrives. Mark’s prediction proves correct: Per Se receives three stars in Michelin’s inaugural New York City guide.Guest BioRudolph Chelminski is a journalist and author whose work has appeared in Life, Time, and The Atlantic Monthly. His books include The French at Table and The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine.Timestamps00:00 — Jazz, Manhattans, and going out during the week05:00 — Charlie Trotter, expansion, and opening Catherine Lombardi07:00 — Bernard Loiseau and the pressure of public scrutiny12:00 — Understanding Michelin’s star system18:00 — Apprenticeship and the ambition to earn three stars23:00 — Professional service, lunch bargains, and three-star expenses29:00 — Michelin’s influence and predictions for New York CityInfoRudolph’s bookThe Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute CuisineThe Michelin Guidehttps://guide.michelin.com/Jacqui Naylorhttps://jacquinaylor.com/wp/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

Why This Episode MattersWhat it takes to reopen a restaurant after a fire shuts it down just three days into business.How a shared-space kitchen becomes a lesson in building one restaurant team.What went into training Jeremy Allen White for The Bear and that restaurant professionals find the show almost too real.Why the smallest service and design decisions can shape an entire dining experience.BanterCan airport pizza outperform a Chicago pizza restaurant? Francis and Mark compare deep-dish disappointments, Detroit-style discoveries, and a dropped cleaning rag that should have prompted more than an apology.The ConversationRecorded inside Gingie in Chicago, this conversation begins with the kitchen fire that closed Brian Lockwood’s new restaurant after just three days. Five months later, he reopened with a redesigned kitchen and a team that had weathered the interruption together. Brian explains how he approached the shutdown as a second chance, retained his leadership team, and reconsidered how a small kitchen could work better.The discussion turns to Chicago’s restaurant community and Brian’s priorities: delicious food, a comfortable room, and guests having fun. With bartenders and cooks sharing tight quarters, Gingie puts its “one team one dream” philosophy into practice. Mark and Francis explore how that approach carries into leadership, accountability, and leaving the pot-throwing chef behind.Brian also shares how a call from Will Guidara led to training Jeremy Allen White and consulting on The Bear, from cooking techniques and mannerisms to developing dishes. Back in the dining room, the Guys examine the details that make hospitality feel effortless: red order books that match the servers’ jackets, thoughtfully designed seating, and discreetly placed screens. Great service, they agree, should leave guests knowing they had a wonderful evening even if they can’t explain every reason why.Guest BioBrian Lockwood is a chef partner with Boka Restaurant Group and the chef behind Gingie in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. His career includes The French Laundry, Frasca Food and Wine, NoMad New York, and Eleven Madison Park, where he served as chef de cuisine. He also worked as a culinary consultant on The Bear.Timestamps00:00 — Chicago pizza, Detroit-style discoveries, and a service mishap04:30 — Brian Lockwood and Gingie’s opening-week fire10:00 — Rethinking the kitchen and keeping the team together13:00 — Delicious first: hospitality and Chicago’s restaurant community19:00 — One team: cooks, bartenders, and better leadership21:00 — Consulting on The Bear and training Jeremy Allen White25:00 — The small details behind seemingly effortless serviceInfoGingie; Chicago, ILhttps://www.gingiechicago.com/Brian Lockwoodhttps://www.bokagrp.com/brian-lockwoodDinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

Why This Episode MattersKyle Knall explains why Milwaukee offers the community support to build ambitious restaurants—and a life outside them.Jason Ryczek takes us inside Caviar Camp, from getting into tanks with sturgeon to selecting roe and serving it at Little’s Oyster Bar.Leonard Botello IV reveals what separates exceptional brisket from disappointing barbecue, including the importance of fire management, resting and learning to listen.These conversations celebrate the craft and hospitality behind memorable meals, all in support of Southern Smoke Foundation’s work helping food and beverage workers.The ConversationBack at Southern Smoke Festival in Houston, Mark and Francis welcome returning guest Kyle Knall of Milwaukee’s Birch and newly opened Cassis. Kyle describes his vision for an all-day French brasserie and the community enthusiasm that makes Milwaukee such a rewarding place to cook. They also discuss the city’s cocktail culture and its newest residents, drinks writer Robert Simonson and his wife, Mary Kate Murray.Jason Ryczek of Little’s Oyster Bar offers a remarkably hands-on look at caviar production, including his annual visits to Caviar Camp with mentor Deborah Keane. He discusses selecting roe, using the rest of the sturgeon and developments in no-kill caviar. Back at the table, Jason explains his Southern approach to caviar service, complemented by hush puppies and potato dumplings.Leonard Botello IV of Truth BBQ gets into the details that make great Texas barbecue: quality beef, steady fires, humidity and the crucial resting period. He describes the quiet overnight hours when the sounds of the pit tell him what needs attention, and why experience matters more than a rigid formula. Mark and Francis also share what made their visit to Truth so memorable, from the welcome their luggage received to outstanding brisket, warm hospitality and banana cake with an Old Fashioned.The GuestsKyle Knall — Chef and co-owner of Birch and Cassis in Milwaukee, where he and his wife and business partner, Meghan Knall, combine ambitious cooking with neighborhood hospitality.Jason Ryczek — Chef of Little’s Oyster Bar in Houston, bringing a West Coast perspective to Gulf Coast seafood and a hands-on approach to caviar selection and service.Leonard Botello IV — Owner and pitmaster of Truth BBQ in Brenham and Houston, known for his meticulous approach to Central Texas barbecue.Timestamps00:00 — Back in Houston for Southern Smoke01:00 — Kyle Knall: Birch, Cassis and Milwaukee’s dining scene05:00 — An all-day brasserie and the power of community support10:00 — Jason Ryczek: Inside Caviar Camp15:00 — Selecting roe and using the whole sturgeon17:00 — Developments in no-kill caviar19:00 — Caviar service with a Southern accent20:00 — Oysters, Gulf seafood and a taste of place25:00 — Leonard Botello IV: The welcome at Truth BBQ30:00 — What makes Texas barbecue distinctive32:00 — Listening to the pit and learning through experience38:00 — Great brisket, proper resting and managing the fireInfoSouthern Smoke Foundation: https://www.southernsmoke.org/Birch: https://www.birchonpleasant.com/Cassis: https://www.cassismke.com/Little’s Oyster Bar: https://littlesoysterbar.com/Truth BBQ: https://truthbbq.com/Stage Left events, including the Robert Simonson book signing: https://www.stageleft.com/events/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]

Why This Episode MattersCan restaurants offer exceptional food and hospitality while giving their employees a better life? These owners explain how they’re doing it.Birdie’s challenges the traditional fine dining model with counter service, a serious wine program and meaningful employee benefits.Shuai Wang shares how Top Chef helped him rediscover his inspiration through collaboration with other chefs.Ayu Bakehouse teaches employees the business skills to pursue their own ideas—and pays them to learn.The ConversationRecorded at Southern Smoke Festival in Houston, these conversations explore what makes a restaurant worth working in, visiting and keeping alive. Benjy Mason discusses his journey from nonprofit founder to Houston hospitality operator, building neighborhood gathering places and earning employees’ trust. Arjav Ezekiel and Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel explain how Birdie’s in Austin combines counter service with thoughtful hospitality, seasonal tasting menus and a business model that supports both its owners and its team.Shuai and Corrie Wang talk about weathering a pandemic, a restaurant fire and the pressures of ownership while continuing to find joy in their work. Shuai describes how Top Chef renewed his enthusiasm for cooking, and they share the inspiration behind King BBQ’s blend of Chinatown and Carolina barbecue. There’s also the amaro shakerato that stopped Mark and Francis in their tracks. Lastly they touch on Corrie’s other life as a novelist.Samantha Weiss of New Orleans’ Ayu Bakehouse brings croissant king cakes, savory Boudin Boys and the unforgettable “challigator” to the conversation. She explains how Ayu Schoolhouse helps employees develop business plans and test their concepts through pop-ups, along with the practical reasons for using Goldbelly to ship king cakes. Throughout the episode, Southern Smoke’s mission gives these conversations a shared purpose: taking care of the people who make hospitality possible.The GuestsBenjy Mason — Houston hospitality entrepreneur behind neighborhood destinations including Johnny’s Gold Brick, Winnie’s, Starduster Lounge and Shredders Pizza.Arjav Ezekiel and Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel — Married co-owners of Birdie’s in Austin, combining Arjav’s wine and hospitality expertise with Tracy’s seasonal cooking.Shuai and Corrie Wang — Married restaurateurs behind Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ in North Charleston. Shuai is a chef and Top Chef alumnus; Corrie is also the author of The Takedown and City of Beasts.Samantha Weiss — Co-owner of Ayu Bakehouse in New Orleans with Kelly Jacques, bringing a background in financial services and pastry to the bakery and its employee education program.Timestamps0:00:00 — Southern Smoke and an industry taking care of its own0:03:00 — Benjy Mason: Neighborhood places and community0:06:00 — From nonprofit work to restaurant kitchens0:13:00 — Building a workplace based on trust0:18:00 — Arjav and Tracy: Rethinking restaurants at Birdie’s0:21:00 — Counter service, wine in line and real hospitality0:33:00 — Seasonal menus and a different kind of tasting menu0:38:00 — Shuai and Corrie Wang: Restaurants, resilience and shakeratos0:41:00 — Finding fresh inspiration on Top Chef0:45:00 — Chinatown meets Carolina barbecue at King BBQ0:48:00 — Samantha Weiss: King cakes, Boudin Boys and challigators0:54:00 — Ayu Schoolhouse and helping employees become entrepreneurs0:58:00 — Shipping king cakes with Goldbelly1:00:00 — What’s coming in Vol. 2InfoSouthern Smoke Foundation: https://www.southernsmoke.org/Benjy Mason’s Houston restaurants: https://www.southernsmoke.org/chef/benjy-mason/Birdie’s: https://www.birdiesaustin.com/Jackrabbit Filly: https://www.jackrabbitfilly.com/King BBQ: https://eatkingbbq.com/Corrie Wang’s books: https://www.corriewang.com/Ayu Bakehouse: https://www.ayubakehouse.com/Dinner with Yves Cuilleron on December 9, 2026  StageLeft.com/eventsMiracle Christmas Bar at Catherine LombardiThanksgiving and Christmas Eve holiday dinners at Catherine LombardiCatherineLombardi.com Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The [email protected]