Episode 50: Steve Wildy

Steve Wildy, Beverage Director at the Vetri Family, joins Joe Campanale for this week’s edition of In the Drink! After spending his early childhood in Northern Ireland, Steve Wildy began his career in the restaurant industry at 15 years old in Pittsburgh, as a dishwasher for a friend’s restaurant. He immediately fell for the hustle and bustle of the culinary world, and after relocating to Philadelphia in the late 90s to enroll in Drexel University‘s International Studies program, he continued to work through the field as a busser, food runner, server, and captain. An internship with the European Parliament in Brussels introduced him to a fantastic food scene, the world’s best beer, and to the early notion that a career in food and beverage might be better suited to him than a career as a politician. Tune into this episode to learn more about the Vetri restaurants, and how their respective vibes inform Steve’s beverage selections. Learn how Italian culture affects not only the food, but the atmosphere of the Vetri restaurants. Joe and Steve talk about their favorite Italian white wines, and why they are often under appreciated amongst oenophiles. Find out how Steve drinks for a restaurant opening, or a relaxing evening with the family! This program has been sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Thanks to Dead Stars for today’s break music. “We found that the bars in Rome were so on-fire and vibrant- especially with the new Italian craft beer scene… Going into these bars, we just fell in love with Italian beer culture.” [10:05] “I think that the beverage world is one of the easiest things to talk about, and it’s one of the most fun things to talk about. If you can’t make beer, wine, or cocktails sound interesting, then you’re probably in the wrong profession.” [14:00] — Steve Wildy on In the Drink See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.