Pack your best Stanley Tucci cosplay because we are going to Italy! This episode I am fortunate enough to sit down with Fabio Zenato, the Presidente of The Consorzio Tutela Lugana DOC. It is no suprise that everyone loves Italy - by association with The Best Ceats, it's safe to assume that you also love wine. So, let's talk about Italian wines, and in this instance, a region you may have ever heard of. The wines are fantastic, and the area is staggeringly beautiful. Fabio takes the time in this episode to discuss the history, the wines, and more, in an international first for The Best Ceats Podcast. Grazie.

Bar Director Gianna Marcario of Darkroom joins the show to discuss the bar and cocktail program she's managing at the lauded restaurant. While Darkroom has been making waves with its food, its cocktails have taken a more subdued path to the public spotlight, due in no small part by the fact that this bar program is working without a full liquor license. This is not holding Marcario back, no. If anything it has emboldened her and her creativity as she and her team are putting out a wildly creative and delicious menu, featuring countless wonderful products, and in-house creations. She sits down to discuss her process in this new episode. Enjoy.

Mandy Naglich - author, award-winning home brewer, taster extraordinaire, and more joins the show to discuss the art and science behind taste. One of the most important sensations we all experience - but experience differently - every single day. Her book, "How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life," is a fantastically curated and researched guide on the art of tasting and how and why we all do so. She sits down to discuss the book, her process, how it can be incorporated into everything from daily practices, to staff trainings, and more. Enjoy.

Here we are with episode 155! Friend of the show David Yardley returns to open up about the world of coffee as it stands with tariffs, as well as shed light on his management style, juggling fatherhood, and more! So pour a fresh cup, and settle in for this fantastic new episode as we unpack all the details of how things are at MoonGoat Coffee! Enjoy.

When it comes to this fantastic labor of love, my friend Erin Kirschenmann knows more about it than I think I could ever hope to. She is the Managing Editor at Wine Business Monthly, a prolific figure in the wine industry, an educator, and an entrepreneur. As a lover of books, and a voracious reader, she is now launching her own wine and book club - Novel Pairings. We sit down to discuss the world of wine, tariffs, and Novel Pairings in this wonderful new episode.

This episode is all about what comes next - what lies ahead. What was once a crushing weight of failure has been altered, and new life has been given to The Best Ceats. Join me for the next fifteen minutes, as we walk through just what the future holds, as we all continue to live well, and often.

When a new restaurant or bar opens, seeing how the local industry folks react to it is always a great indicator of how good it is. I have found that in most circumstances if you hear about a place from folks or consistently see a place filled with servers, bartenders and cooks on their days off, you're in for a treat. Verde is just such a place - though when you learn of its founders, who are industry vets themselves, it makes sense. Koire Rogers and Anthony Laborin are established hospitality industry professionals who have opened an amazing new space in Costa Mesa, CA.

This new year has wasted no time making itself known to all - wildfires have ravaged many areas of Southern California, leaving thousands deeply affected. In dark times like these though, humanity shines its brightest - strangers come together to help each other in amazing ways. The hospitality industry is no stranger to aiding others in times of need. The simple act of feeding someone a meal can go miles in helping heal the soul. Recently, three individuals with deep ties to the Orange County hospitality industry - Jill (Cook) Morris, Jennifer Wales, and Niyaz Pirani - got together to help in a truly extraordinary way, and now, they are set to do it again. Tune in to learn all about this incredible undertaking, what the future event and events hold, and how you can get involved. For more information, go to https://www.restaurantsgiveback.com/

Well, here we are. One hundred and fifty episodes. In a year of ups and downs, things truly could not have worked out better than for this episode to land on New Year's Eve, 2024. Welcome everyone to the 3rd Annual Deli Awards - my "best of," if you will, for 2024. Cheers to you, your continued support, and the year ahead.

When learning about a new wine or the people making it, I ask myself, "Why?" What reasons are behind this brand - what is the intention beyond just making a delicious bottle? Sometimes, the answers are just what you would expect them to be, but ever so often, the rare situation comes along that gives you an answer you never expected but are so glad to have discovered. Native Hands Wine is just such a brand - their founder, Chris Lobo, joins the show to discuss what makes this new venture such a special one and how his team's wines honor the history of the Indigenous people of Southern California. Enjoy.