The Restaurant Guys

Mark and Francis being the show with a discussion of spirits competitions and a spirit they recently tried blind and is now coming onto the market. Their guest is Allegra McEvedy, author of Bought, Borrowed, and Stolen: Recipes and Knives from a Travelling Chef. Conversation ranges from the importance of knives to a chef, culturally, and in our homes, as well as how Allegra chose the regional foods mentioned in her book and how knives factor into the preparation of these recipes....

Mark and Francis reminisce about their days of eating fast food in high school and college. Their guest is Kathleen Flinn, author of the Kitchen Counter Cooking School, a book that followed home cooks as Kathleen taught them how to eat less processed food and how to cook real food at home. The conversation spans from a discussion of what people put into their shopping carts, about how learning to cook can be empowering and about the way processed food is actually made....

Mark and Francis welcome Daniel Humm to the show to discuss the book he's written with Will Guidara, the Eleven Madison Park Cookbook. They talk about the book, about running a four star restaurant, and about some of the unique things that they're doing at Eleven Madison Park in regards to training, service, and the menu in general....

Mark and Francis discuss spirits, especially Calvados and Eau de Vie and some of the exciting things they're doing with them in the restaurants. Their guest is Jim Meehan, author of the PDT Cocktail Book. They discuss the book's beautiful illustrations by Chris Gall and how the relationship between author and illustrator evolved over the course of the book. They also discuss some of the big cocktail bars in the country and how bartenders can give great service while still making great cocktails....

Mark and Francis discuss why super fine dining restaurants are on the decline in popularity and how what people are looking for in restaurants has changed over the years they've been in the business. Their guest is Kathy Gunst, author of Notes From a Maine Kitchen: Seasonally Inspired Recipes. They discuss Maine staples such as lobster, blueberries, and maple syrup and how you don't have to be in Maine to enjoy these typical Maine foods....

Mark and Francis start the show with a discussion about the kinds of deep fried foods you can eat at state fairs across the country. Mark and Francis welcome Marissa Guggiana, author of Off the Menu: Staff Meals from America's Top Restaurants to discuss staff meals in restaurants across the country. They talk about what the staff eats in America's top restaurants and the importance of staff meals, both for nutrition and for camaraderie....

Mark and Francis begin the show with a discussion on the place of migrant workers in the American economy and the role they play on farms across America. For their interview, they welcome Jon Taffer, star of the Spike TV show Bar Rescue to the show. In addition to hosting Bar Rescue, Mr Taffer also runs a successful consulting business. Conversation ranges from discussion about the show, about how Mark, Francis, and Jon approach consulting jobs, how consulting is different in front of the camera under a 5 day time constraint and about what these restaurants are like after the cameras leave....

Mark and Francis discuss Francis's recent visit to the New York City restaurant Tertulia. Their guest is Lucy Lean, author of the new book Made in America: Our Best Chefs Reinvent Comfort Food. They discuss recipes from over a hundred years ago, what comfort food is, and how these chefs have made comfort food more relevant for today....

Gerald Asher joins Mark and Francis to discuss his years as wine writer at Gourmet Magazine and his new book, A Vineyard in My Glass. They talk a lot about the importance of place when it comes to wine and Francis even makes Gerald Asher laugh....

Antoinette Bruno of StarChefs.com joins the guys to discuss the upcoming Chef's Congress happening in New York City October 2, 3 & 4. They discuss mixology, the various events, and the Rising Stars Awards....

In their debut on the Heritage Radio Network, Mark and Francis interview Jennifer McLagan, a two-time James Beard Award winning cookbook author. Her new book is Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal. They discuss why offal has come in and out of vogue over the years and how snout to tail eating can and is accomplished in America and in Europe....

Heather Shouse joins the guys to discuss her book, Food Trucks: Dispatches and Recipes from the Kitchens on Wheels. Food Trucks is a book that profiles some 50 different food truck operations from across the United States. The discussion leads to the economics of food trucks and how they differ from city to city, from cities that don't allow food trucks to those that embrace them, to differences between trucks and the kinds of food that can be cooked inside a truck. Mark, Francis, and Heather also share some of their favorite food trucks across the nation and discuss what makes a food truck great....

John Mariani, food writer for Esquire Magazine, joins Mark and Francis to discuss his new book, How Italian Food Conquered the World. They discuss Italian food, both in the United States and abroad; how, over the years, Italian food took hold in the U.S.; and how Italian immigrants found access to familiar (and unfamiliar) ingredients after moving to the U.S....

Are there still great Mom and Pop restaurants out there? Mark and Francis discuss the lack of truly great everyday restaurants in resort areas and ask that you send us your favorites. Their guest today is Gabrielle Hamilton, the chef at Prune restaurant in New York City and author of the new book, Blood, Bones, and Butter: the Inadvertant Education of a Reluctant Chef. They discuss restaurants that make craveable food, the importance of travel, and Gabrielle's interesting journey to where she is today....

Today's show is all about chefs. Mark and Francis start the show by discussing a reviewer who wasn't as impartial as he should have been when reviewing restaurants for his college newspaper. Their guest is Bob Waggoner, host of the new PBS show, U Cook! with Chef Bob. Chef Waggoner has run restaurants in France and the United States and has been nominated for several James Beard awards. The discussion moves from how one studies to be a chef, cooking and living in France in the 1980s, moving to the US and learning how to cook Southern food, and then how all of that led to a show on PBS....