From kitchens around the world to cocktail media, why it’s time to talk about cooking with booze

The Conversation
In this episode of The Restaurant Guys Podcast, hosts Mark Pascal and Francis Schott head to Brooklyn to record at the new studio of Tim McKirdy.

Tim McKirdy shares his unconventional career path, from cooking in kitchens in London and Buenos Aires to becoming an influential writer in drinks journalism at VinePair, where he hosted the popular Cocktail College podcast. The conversation dives into Tim’s newest project, Sauced, a podcast he co-hosts with Sother Teague, dedicated to cooking with booze and and building cocktails that are designed for the dinner table, not just the bar.

Along the way, the Guys dig into shifting restaurant culture, the evolution of kitchen environment and why food goes with drink and drink goes with food. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, practical insights, and plenty of New York City restaurant and bar recommendations from people who live this stuff daily.

If you care about food media, modern mixology, or the intersection of kitchens and cocktails, this episode is a must-listen.

Bio

Tim McKirdy is a former chef turned drinks journalist and podcast host. After cooking professionally in London and Buenos Aires, he joined VinePair, where he hosted the popular Cocktail College podcast and was managing editor. He now co-hosts Sauced with Sother Teague, exploring cooking with booze & drinking with food.

Info

Sauced Podcast

https://sauced.supercast.com/

Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction & recording in Brooklyn
02:30 – Tim McKirdy’s early cooking career abroad
25:20 – From chef to VinePair and Cocktail College
41:48 – Launching Sauced: cooking with alcohol explained
52:56 – NYC restaurant & bar recommendations

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

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This is a Vintage Selection from 2005

Ever wonder how great restaurant wine lists actually come together — and why some completely miss the mark?

The Guys tell stories of their “glamorous” lives being restaurateurs that (surprisingly) involves more plumbers than they ever expected.

In this episode, The Restaurant Guys are joined by Chris Goodhart, wine buyer for Keith McNally’s restaurants in New York City, to talk about what really goes into building a wine program that serves both adventurous drinkers and everyday guests.

Chris shares stories from the floor, how he balances budgets with taste, and the quiet pressures behind the scenes when a bottle selection can make or break a dining experience.

The guys also dig into a fascinating moment in time: the impending smoking ban, how it changed drinking culture, and what restaurants had to rethink overnight — from bar traffic to wine styles that suddenly tasted different without smoke in the room.

It’s thoughtful, practical, and full of the kind of perspective you only get from people who live inside restaurants.

Timestamps
00:00 — Setting the stage: running restaurants in 2005
09:18 — What’s it like to run a wine program
15:00 — Building wine lists for various venues
20:00 — Chris’ opinion of The Michelin Guide in NYC
26:20 — How to take the pretentiousness out of the wine experience
32:40 — Corks and Screw Tops

35:27 — How Smoking Bans Change the Way People Drink

Bio

Chris Goodhart is a veteran New York City wine buyer, working for Keith McNally’s restaurant group, known for building thoughtful, guest-friendly wine programs that balance discovery, value, and hospitality.

Info

Keith McNally’s Balthazar, etc.

https://balthazarny.com/

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
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California whiskey isn’t just a trend — it’s challenging bourbon’s throne.

First, The Guys talk about recent dining experiences including being escorted into a bar, and too much salt.

Then, The Restaurant Guys meet up in-person with Jeff Duckhorn, Head Distiller at Redwood Empire, to talk about why West Coast whiskey tastes different, ages differently, and is suddenly showing up on serious back bars.

Jeff breaks down how climate impacts the barrel, why blending is a true craft, and what separates marketing myths from reality. They taste through several Redwood Empire expressions — talking flavor, structure, and where American whiskey is headed next.

If you love whiskey, restaurants, or hearing masters talk shop… pour yourself a dram and enjoy.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
Meet your hosts Mark and Francis, and get a preview of today’s guest, Jeff Duckhorn from Redwood Empire Whiskey.

01:57 – Restaurant Talk: Salt, Service, and Industry Insights
The hosts share stories about recent restaurant experiences, the importance of salt in food, and challenges with the right amount of attention.

13:46 – Whiskey Deep Dive with Jeff Duckhorn
Jeff joins the show to discuss why California is a great place for whiskey and what makes Redwood Empire unique.

21:19 – Blending, Transparency, and the Art of Whiskey
A look at the blending process, sourcing, and why transparency matters in the modern whiskey world.

30:53 – Tasting & Technicals: Bottled in Bond, Rye, and More
The team tastes through several whiskeys, explains “bottled in bond,” and explores unique mash bills and flavors.

49:41 – Reflections, Stories & Closing
Jeff’s journey from accountant to distiller, industry stories, and a final toast.

Bio

Jeff Duckhorn is the Master Distiller at Redwood Empire Whiskey in California, where he oversees blending and production across the brand’s growing lineup. At Redwood Empire, he’s helped develop a style that leans into California’s unique conditions while still honoring classic American whiskey traditions.

Info

Redwood Empire Whiskey

https://redwoodempirewhiskey.com/

Events at Stage Left (like the one with Jeff)

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
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This is a Vintage Selection from 2007

The Banter

The Guys discuss food psychology. When it comes to the containers used for fruit juice to M&Ms, size matters.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys talk with Eric Asimov, wine and spirits writer for the New York Times, about rye whiskey. He details its history, resurgence and highlights some of the excellent choices on the market at the time. You won’t believe the 2007 prices! They also bring awareness to counterfeit wines and how some places are selling more old Bordeaux than was ever made.

The Inside Track

The Guys and Eric talk of a great use for rye–in cocktails.

“Rye is a whiskey with a very different sensation from a smooth sweet-ish bourbon. It's much more jangly and it comes alive in your mouth. If you've had Szechuan peppercorns in a Chinese dish, and you get that dancing feeling on the tongue, that's precisely what you get with rye,” Eric Asimov on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007

Info

Eric Asimov

https://www.nytimes.com/by/eric-asimov

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Magyar Bank

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Withum Accounting

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
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This is a Vintage Selection from 2005

The Banter

The Guys talk about the new concept (in 2005) of podcasting and answer some listener questions about sweet corn and sweet looks.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys are joined by Charlie Palmer shortly after he opened Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA. They talk risk, vision, sourcing relationships, and why Healdsburg was worth betting on long before it became a national dining hotspot. Charlie shares his take on how to keep soul in a restaurant built for travelers and locals.

The Inside Track

The Guys have been admirers of Charlie for years. (Francis even got to be a wine angel for him in Vegas!) They talk about the lengths they all go for their guests to get them the best possible experience.

“The only hope that I have is that the diner understands that. Because I think sometimes a lot is taken for granted. But if the diner is educated as to how far we go to get things that are really good for them. It’s amazing!” Charlie Palmer on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005

Info

Charlie Palmer

https://www.charliepalmer.com/

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Withum Accounting

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
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The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys talk about fine dining at the Arctic Circle. They discuss delicacies like reindeer and seal, and highlight the restaurant's enormous wine list! Naturally their conversation includes their comedic banter (and a comparison of Mark to a tiny reindeer) in this special Christmas episode.

Info

Jeffrey Merrihue’s article

https://open.substack.com/pub/xtremefoodies/p/huset-a-gourmet-miracle-within-the?r=dvua6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Huset Restaurant

https://www.huset.com/

New Brunswick New Year’s Eve

https://www.newbrunswicknewyearseve.com/

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

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This is one of the two shows recorded on location at the Food & Wine Classic - Charleston 2025.

Maneet Chauhan

The Restaurant Guys welcome ball of fire Maneet Chauhan, accomplished chef, restaurateur and two-time winner of Tournament of Champions. They discuss the beauty of street food and the myth of authentic Indian cuisine. Hear what she has to say when people complain she doesn’t make dishes like their grandmom.

Carrie Morey

Carrie Morey of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit joins The Guys biscuits in hand. She tells the story of her shop and some tips on how to make a great biscuit that the Guys say is the best they’ve ever had!

Robert F. Moss

Robert F. Moss is a restaurant critic, author and Contributing Barbecue Editor for Southern Living magazine, the latter is a title that makes The Guys envious. Robert delves into the regional variations and history of barbecue. He talks about the responsibility of a restaurant reviewer along with some tweaks he would like to make to Michelin Guide of the South.

Info

Maneet

https://www.maneetchauhan.com/

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits

https://calliesbiscuits.com/

Robert’s site

https://robertfmoss.com/

Robert’s Substack

https://substack.com/@robertfmoss

Robert’s article about the Michelin Guide in Southern Living

https://www.southernliving.com/michelin-south-the-whole-story-11844636

Restaurant Guys show from Big Apple BBQ

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2390435/episodes/17439027

Champagne mentioned

Ace of Spades

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Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
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This is one of the two shows recorded on location at the Food & Wine Classic - Charleston 2025.

Our Guests

Ivy Odom

The Restaurant Guys catch up with Ivy Odom, Senior Lifestyle Editor at Southern Living Magazine, at the Food & Wine Classic - Charleston. They talk about bourbon, recipes, bacon fat, and how those support her passion for Southern cooking and hospitality.

James London

James London of Charleston’s Chubby Fish and Seahorse stops by for a chat. Chubby Fish received a mention in the Michelin Guide and spot on The All-Time Eater 38. James describes the democratic method for procuring a table at Chubby Fish and the distinctive service once you are seated. With an eye to the future, James outfitted his new bar Seahorse with the hope we can still get cocktails there in 20 years.

Hunter Lewis

Hunter Lewis, editor-in-chief of Food & Wine magazine, shares his perspective on the evolving culinary landscape, the importance of in-person events, and the blend of digital growth to facilitate storytelling. He offers the best hedge against AI domination: human interaction.

Info

Ivy’s book

https://www.ivyodom.com/cookbook

Ivy @ Southern Living

https://www.southernliving.com/author/ivy-odom

James’ place

https://www.chubbyfishcharleston.com/

Hunter @ Food & Wine

https://www.foodandwine.com/

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Magyar Bank

https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting

https://www.withum.com/restaurant

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

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TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

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