That Restaurant Thing

So excited to have a chat with Jack Ballarini today! The first guest on this podcast that I don't actually know. We connected on Instagram a few years back, don't exactly remember how, but I instantly clicked with the way he was running his restaurant BUNS in Verona in Italy. We've talked a lot on IG, sent each other parcels full of our respective restos merch and it was obvious to

You guys don't even know how big of a deal this episode is for me! Talor was so instrumental in my hospitality journey. She gave me my first job, trained me as a barista from the ground up, and didn't give up on me when most would have asked me to clear my locker and be on my way. We go back, way back; she's been insanely busy since we said our goodbyes in Melbourne many, many year

You guys don't even know how big of a deal this episode is for me! Talor was so instrumental in my hospitality journey. She gave me my first job, trained me as a barista from the ground up, and didn't give up on me when most would have asked me to clear my locker and be on my way. We go back, way back; she's been insanely busy since we said our goodbyes in Melbourne many, many year

I don't really care for sweet stuff. When they pulled the lever of the DNA lottery for Nico Alary, it landed on meat, cheese, and wine. I rarely order dessert, happy within the boundaries of my self imposed comfort zone, bordered by croissants on one side, and pain au chocolat on the other. But then Boneshaker Doughnuts came into my life, and now the gates are wild open. Make way f

Alright guys, time to reach for that Modelo you'd been saving, find somewhere comfortable to sink your butt in for 50 minutes because for this episode I got you el señor Emmanuel "Manu" Peña, the friendly cook/chef from El Nopal, the beloved Mexican institution by the Canal Saint-Martin. I've known Manu for years, had his food on countless occasions (pretty much every Holybelly s

Joe Boley! The man who brought us Red House and its negronis on tap, wild karaoke nights and the yearly, much anticipated, crawfish boil! I'm so happy Joe agreed to come on the show because not many people know the story behind Red House and Sister Midnight and he's such a good man, I've known him for years now, and it is such a treat to have him talk to us for a solid half-hour (m

Chris and Christine! Not only some of the kindest folks operating on the Parisian food scene but also some of the most talented cooks, pastry chefs, business owners out there. I've had the pleasure of knowing them for a few years, since back in the days when Christine used to bang out the best sausage rolls out of the tiny Ten Belles kitchen. They've grown a whole bunch since then,

David Flynn! We've been in each others rearview mirror for years (technically impossible, I know). We both started with a small operation back in 2013 and steadily grew it into what it is today. I was around when they dropped their first kilos of coffee in the brand new roaster of their tiny roastery, I was there when La Fontaine opened and when the roastery quadrupled in size, I w

For this third episode, a perfect counterpoint to my past two guests. Nico Clerc has been operating Telescope café in the 1st arrondissement for the past 8 years. No crazy growth, no multiple locations, he's been busy, but in a different way. Keeping the standards up, discovering wine and getting really good at it, making bread, even gave lunch a go for a while. A super interestin

I'm so psyched about this second episode because I'm joined by Marc Grossman, founder of the mythical Bob's Juice Bar he opened all the way back in 2006. He's a man we don't hear about nearly as often as we should and I feel privileged to have been able to have him on the show for a full half-hour. We talked about a lot of interesting stuff: growth (again), his move from New York t