Spoon Mob

On this week's episode of Parts Now Known, Ray and Ben do their best to make the Budapest episode interesting despite half of the episode just being a flat out dud. They talk about the food, how Budapest and Prague are stand in's for any movies with an international terrorist plot, what exactly the appeal of a bathhouse is, and give some updates on lumber price fixing, used car shortages, and shootings in Columbus before running through the episode categories and updating their individual episode rankings. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about one of the best restaurants in the entire country, Zahav in Philadelphia. Ray talks about how Michael Solomonov got into cooking by way of living in Israel, how a life event shifted his focus to Israeli and Jewish cuisine, his battle with addiction, opening Zahav, opening all his other restaurants, and his recent live cooking demonstrations before breaking down the hummus on Goldbelly. For more on chef Michael Solomonov and Zahav, visit spoonmob.com/michaelsolomonov. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this episode of Spoon Mob's Chefs & Guests podcast series, Ray talks with Advance Sommelier Greg Stokes of Accent & Veritas about accidentally taking the intro sommelier exam, passing on law school, how the sommelier process works, just how difficult it is to get to the advanced and master levels, how he first got started working in restaurants, his time as the beverage director at Till Dynamic Fare, working as a wine sales rep, convincing Veritas chef/owner Josh Dalton to hire him as a sommelier/general manager, what a day in the sommelier's life is like at a restaurant, starting Cuvee Wine Society at the start of the pandemic, the vision for his new wine shop Accent in downtown Columbus, what the wine landscape looks like in a post pandemic world, and what he would do if he were in charge of marketing for a champagne house before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on advanced sommelier Greg Stokes, Accent, and Veritas, visit spoonmob.com/gregstokes and follow him on Instagram @cbussomm, @accentwine & @veritas614. Visit accent.wine for details and to subscribe to their newsletter. Visit veritasrestaurant.com for menu details, reservations, and wine delivery. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this week's episode of Parts Now Known, Ray and Ben recap the Scotland episode while talking about what its like to be recognizable in social settings, the celebrity terminal at LAX, what the benefits are to recruiting for a private jet company, knife fighting self defense, the recent shootings in Columbus Ohio, deep frying food, why McDonalds chicken nuggets is the best thing you can get at an airport, why nobody can make a restaurant work inside an airport, what the hunting lodge trip probably cost, the great microchip shortage of 2021, and more before running though the episode categories and updating their episode rankings. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about chef Roy Shvartzapel's This Is From Roy panettone. Ray talks about Roy's culinary career up to now before touching on the different flavors he's had so far and how he first learned about This Is From Roy. For more on chef Roy Shvartzapel and This Is From Roy, visit spoonmob.com/royshvartzapel. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

We're back from a 2 week break and Parts Now Known will be back next week to recap the Scotland episode! On this special episode of the podcast, Ben and Ray talk for an hour about Ray's recent trip to Honolulu Hawaii. Ray gives insight on the state of travel in a post-covid world, navigating flight delays, and what airports look like now before telling a couple stories from his trip that include ANTIFA and proper sushi counter dining etiquette. For other special podcast episodes, visit spoonmob.com/specialepisodes. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about Momofuku's fine dining restaurant, Ko in New York City. Ray explains the origins and name of chef David Chang's third restaurant, gives insight into chef Sean Gray's career thus far, and talks about his experience visiting Momofuku Ko before breaking down some of the dishes and announcing whose replacing him at Ko. For more on chef Sean Gray and Momofuku Ko, visit spoonmob.com/seangray. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about the now closed Setsun.East restaurant by Jason Zymont in Nashville. Ray recaps chef owner Jason Zygmont's career which started after college with stops at Nom and Per Se mixed in before arriving in Nashville and launching his own pop up restaurant Setsun inside a cafe at night. Then Ray recaps his meal at Setsun and why Zygmont chose to close the restaurant despite having a permanent space. For more on chef Jason Zygmont and Setsun, visit spoonmob.com/jasonzygmont. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about the three Michelin starred French seafood focused restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City. Ray recaps executive chef and part owner Eric Ripert's culinary career, details the original location the Le Coze's opened in the 1970's and it's move to New York City, and co-executive chef Eric Gestel's culinary career thus far before recapping his first visit to the restaurant. For more on chef Eric Ripert, chef Eric Gestel, and Le Bernardin, visit spoonmob.com/ericripert or spoonmob.com/ericgestel. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's episode of Parts Now Known, Ray and Ben "dali" it up and head to Miami to talk about the notorious awful drivers there, the cocaine trade, Billy Corbin, its Vegas vibe disguised as artistry, chef Michelle Bernstein, cuban sandwiches, cheese or dessert, the hierarchy of Miami rap music, Ben coining the new term "weather p***y", how much of a pain it is to go to the beach, oversized burgers, house boats, Iggy Pop, southern cuisine on menus, chicken and waffles, Miami Beach sand, and more before running though the episode categories and updating their rankings. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about his first visit to chef Matthew Spinner's Bar Oni in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood and breaks down the massive haul of small plates he ordered, why its a great instagram follow, and how the food ain't no joke because chef Spinner puts in the research as talked about on his Chefs & Guests appearance (#96 overall in the podcast feed). When chef Spinner says get the burger, you get the burger! For more on chef Matthew Spinner and Bar Oni, visit spoonmob.com/matthewspinner. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this episode of Spoon Mob's Chefs & Guests podcast series, Ray talks with chef Brian Baxter of The Catbird Seat in Nashville Tennessee. The two talk about Tom Brady joining the Bucs and Tampa Bay sports before getting into how chef Baxter got into the industry, playing football in West Virginia, attending both the Le Cordon Bleu and the Culinary Institute of America, using his vacation to stage at restaurants in America, learning from chef Sean Brock, taking up painting as a hobby, working at Bastion, running Cold Beer in Atlanta, how the opportunity at The Catbird Seat came about, the challenges of covid, his style of cooking, and future plans before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Brian Baxter and The Catbird Seat, visit spoonmob.com/brianbaxter and follow him on Instagram @baxterd, bbaxterart & @the_catbirdseat. Visit thecatbirdseatrestaurant.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On the first episode of Parts Now Known Season 5, Ray and Ben talk about Bourdain's reverse ordered episode in Seoul while touching on Soju, covid vaccinations, Korean fried chicken, karaoke, Haan, Chong, Top Chef Canada and more before hitting the episode categories and updating the episode rankings. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this week's restaurant review, Ray talks about Nashville's one of a kind restaurant dining experience, The Catbird Seat. Ray provides background how how the restaurant came to be, current executive chef Brian Baxter's career thus far, and highlights some of his favorite dishes from the elongated tasting menu. For more on chef Brian Baxter and The Catbird Seat, visit spoonmob.com/thecatbirdseat. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1).

On this episode of Spoon Mob's Chefs & Guests podcast series, Ray talks with Chef Hector Laguna of Botanist in Vancouver Canada about growing up on a farm in Mexico, moving to San Francisco, getting his start working in a restaurant, cooking Vietnamese food, moving to Miami, working with chef Michelle Bernsten, moving to Toronto Canada, relocating to Vancouver, landing a job at Hawksworth, how the opportunity to be executive chef at Botanist came about, and the challenges of covid over the past year before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Hector Laguna and Botanist, visit spoonmob.com/hectorlaguna and follow him on Instagram @hectorlaguna1 & @botanistdining. Visit botanistrestaurant.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.