In this episode of Altered Judgement, Joe, Alex, and Pat are back in the studio and joined by a very special guest: Chef Nick Clare. The guys dive deep into the world of content creation, the importance of supporting local mom-and-pop businesses, and the personal journeys that led them to where they are today.

From heartfelt discussions about mental health and fatherhood to a local pizza review from Sylvio’s Deli, this episode covers it all. The group also tackles the "Chicago Handshake" with a round of Malort, debates the best (and worst) seasons of the year, and discusses the challenges of balancing a health journey with being a food influencer.

Follow the Guest:

Chef Nick Clare

@ChefNickClare (Instagram/TikTok/YouTube)

Podcast: Thanks for Cooking

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] Intro & Housekeeping

[03:01] Welcome Chef Nick

[04:53] The Jump Into Content Creation

[06:42] Building Community

[11:47] Taking the Leap

[16:17] Mental Health Monday

[18:59] Fatherhood & Sports

[27:37] Pizza Review - Silvio’s Deli

[30:29] Food Subjectivity

[34:13] Supporting Small Business

[39:21] The Local Renaissance

[46:31] Life as an Influencer

[50:45] The Cheesesteak Debate

[01:01:08] Restaurant Cleanliness

[01:04:11] The Malort Challenge

[01:08:44] Health Journeys & Food

[01:14:10] Breaking Old Habits

[01:21:51] The Season Debate

[01:25:00] Ranking the Seasons

[01:37:24] Outro & Final Thoughts

In this special episode, the ladies take over the studio to dish out the "unaltered" truth. From a disastrous Malort shot challenge and 40th-birthday health realizations to the infamous "Mushroom Pizza Incident," no topic is off-limits. Expect plenty of banter about marriage, the struggles of adulting, and why they might just be better at podcasting than the men.Episode Chapters:[00:00] Introduction & Takeover[01:28] The Malort Shot Challenge[04:00] Throwing the Husbands Under the Bus[05:33] Turning 40 & Busted Hips[08:35] Millennial Coping & Gummies[13:07] The "Nerd" Origin Story[17:28] The Infamous Mushroom Pizza Story[29:45] Guest Invitations & Podcast Ambitions[34:20] Height Verification[38:17] Final Outro

The crew welcomes Khamila of Kitty on Top Bartending to discuss her journey from working a corporate job to building a mobile bartending empire. They explore the challenges of starting a business right before a pandemic, the importance of high standards in the hospitality industry, and the creative process behind her organic simple syrups. Between the business talk, the group samples a "gauntlet" of local craft beers, explores the science of bourbon stewardship, and braves a "Voldemort" shot (a mix of Malort and Vladimir vodka). The episode concludes with a chaotic birthday celebration, complete with an alien-masked pizza delivery and an impromptu birthday song.

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] Intro & Welcome

[01:45] The Beer Flight Begins

[04:28] Getting "Iced"

[10:21] Local Brew Highlights

[14:30] The Birth of Kitty on Top

[18:28] The 5,000 Sq Ft Event Space

[23:42] Certified Spirits

[26:56] Building a Team

[32:56] Organic Simple Syrups

[37:19] Mixology Demo - Espresso Martinis

[43:22] Bad Habits Segment

[01:01:02] Ultimate Pet Peeves

[01:12:32] The "Voldemort" Shot

[01:21:40] Alien Pizza Delivery

[01:28:09] Giveaway & Wrap Up