PODCAST · education
Serves You Right
by Andrew Roy
Most bartenders are great at their jobs and have no idea what to do with that...Nobody tells you that the skills behind the bar: reading people, building experiences, thinking fast under pressure, are actually worth something. They just hand you a shaker and hope you figure it out.Serves You Right is for bartenders who are done drifting and ready to do something. Every episode, host Andrew Roy talks with the people who are currently doing something inspiring, and pulls out exactly how they did it.Your career behind the bar is the starting point. Not the ceiling. Let's make some drinks!
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#97 Aaron DeFeo: How Do You Build America's Best Hotel Bar?
He opened a bar with no sign on the door for six months. No artwork on the walls. His architect quit in the middle of the build and nobody told him for three months.Then he won Best US Hotel Bar in America.Most bartenders think opening their own bar is about creativity, cocktails, and a good corner location. That's why most of them never open one, and why of those who do, most who do go broke inside two years. The bartenders who actually build great bars understand something almost nobody talks about on stage: the whole game is leverage, opportunity, and surviving the build long enough to open the doors. Aaron DeFeo turned a strange, unused space in a downtown Phoenix hotel into Little Rituals, the Best US Hotel Bar in America. He did it after getting fired from a bartending job at 25, working five years at Hotel Congress for $12 an hour, running cocktail programs inside a tribal casino, and surviving a build that took years instead of simply months. This is the field manual for everything that happens between "I want my own bar" and "we just won best bar in the country." If you're a bartender, manager, brand rep, consultant, or anyone who's ever quietly pitched themselves an opening, this is the conversation you didn't know you were missing.Expect to Learn:The real all-in cost of opening a craft cocktail bar in America and why your napkin math is almost certainly wrongThe hidden line item that cost Aaron almost as much as his $100,000 liquor licenseWhat Aaron found in his old emails years after getting fired at 25, and what it told him about himselfThe single decision on opening day Aaron now calls the most expensive mistake of the entire buildThe exact moment during COVID when Aaron and his partner thought Little Rituals was already deadLinks:Little RitualsSolid SippingArizona Cocktail WeekBitter and TwistedService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#96 Michael Ruhlman: Can a Ratio Replace 1,000 Recipes?
Most bartenders treat cocktails like a vocabulary test. Memorize 200 specs, drill the classics, hope the right one surfaces under pressure on a busy Friday night. It's exhausting, brittle, and a losing skill to keep training. Sadly, this is how I learned. Michael Ruhlman, the writer behind The French Laundry Cookbook with Thomas Keller and the cult-favorite Ratio, argues the entire hospitality industry has been drilling the wrong muscle for decades. Cocktails aren't recipes to be memorized. They're families governed by ratios. Once you see the underlying math (two parts spirit, one part vermouth, dash of bitters) you stop memorizing the Manhattan, the Rob Roy, the Martinez, the Palmetto, the Star. You generate them. This episode is the missing layer between recipe collecting and real fluency behind the bar, anchored in the fundamental ratios that quietly govern almost every classic on a menu.Expect to Learn:The ratios that quietly govern almost every dish a chef sends out Why the Manhattan is the only cocktail a new bartender should learn first, and what it unlocks The accidental moment a complaint email turned into a major book deal with one of New York's biggest publishers How a 20-year-old cookbook sold 25,000 copies in 9 months because of one YouTube post from a London chef The one Negroni tweak almost every working bartender already makes…and why the "official" ratio is actually not as deliciousLinks:Ruhlman.comRuhlman's SubstackThe Book of Cocktail RatiosRatioThe Making of a ChefThe French Laundry Cookbook Marcella Kriebel (illustrator + ratio coasters)Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#95 Ryan Fitzgerald: Fired to On Fire, an Entrepreneurial Journey
Most bartenders who want to open a bar think the barrier is capital. A lot of people think if they get fired, their life and future work prospects will be ruined. Ryan Fitzgerald disproves both ideas. The San Francisco cocktail scene is one of the most competitive hospitality markets in the world, and ABV has operated there for over a decade by rejecting the playbook everyone else follows: no silverware, no batched drinks, no dedicated servers, no Instagrammable cocktails, and a TV hidden behind a wall. If your bar ownership plan starts with investors taking the majority, or your cocktail bar is built around what photographs well instead of what drinks well, or you think serepisode is vers and bartenders can stay in their lanes, this the missing insight…from a man who co-founded a bar with equal ownership and equal work, and who learned agave spirits from Julio Bermejo himself before that was a résumé line people bragged about.EXPECT TO LEARN:Why Ryan deliberately waited years to open a bar when everyone told him to do it soonerThe exact ownership structure Ryan and his partners insisted on (and the investor deal he walked away from) that he credits as the single biggest reason ABV survivedHow getting fired while already invited to Tales of the Cocktail led directly to a brand ambassador offer from Del Maguey, and what he did on the way out the door that made the offer possibleThe no-silverware, no-server, bartenders-only floor model ABV runs on, and why it solved their training pipeline problem in a way traditional bar staffing never couldWhat Julio Bermejo taught him in three eight-hour tequila education sessions that changed how he thinks about spirits, and the single thing Ron Cooper told visiting groups at Oaxacan distilleries that Ryan still carries with him todayLINKS:ABV Bar, San Francisco\Instagram: @abvsfInstagram: @ihatecocktailsService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#94 Wink Lorch: Little Known Grapes and Regions in France You Need to Know About
Most wine education teaches you France through the obvious lens: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne. But there's an entire Alpine world that New York sommeliers discovered before Paris did, and most wine lovers have never heard of it.Wink Lorch has spent decades doing what no one else was doing: becoming the world's foremost authority on the wines of the French Alps. Not because it was a cleaver career move, but more because when she drove past those mountain vineyards on ski trips in the early 90s, something pulled her in and never let go.In this episode, she breaks down why Savoie got lumped together with Jura for "editorial convenience," how a catastrophic 1248 landslide directly shaped the region's most-planted grape, and why the best wines in these mountains are still almost invisible on restaurant lists across America. She also gets specific: which grape to start with, what label trap to avoid ordering in a ski resort restaurant, and why low-alcohol Alpine whites may be the most climate-future-proof wines in France. The classic regions are crowded, overpriced, and varietal-labeled to death. Expand your tasting journey and reap the rewards. Expect to Learn:Why the wines of Savoie and Jura were grouped together for decades and why that framing is actively misleading if you want to understand either regionThe 13th-century landslide that wiped out an entire population and directly determined which grape variety dominates the region todayThe one label detail that separates a crisp, low-alcohol Alpine white from a rich 14% Roussanne Why obscure Alpine grape varieties like Jacquère and Altesse may be better positioned for climate change than the classic French varieties everyone else is plantingWhat's actually worth looking for in the US market right now, and what a wine and cheese tour of Savoie and Jura actually looks like on the groundLinks:More about Wink LorchBuy Her Books The Savoie & Jura Wine and Food tour: June 28 - July 5 2026Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#93 Steve Matthiasson: What Exactly Does the Wine World Need?
That high-alcohol, hot, sticky Napa Cab on your shelf isn't a winemaking problem, it's a farming problem.Steve Matthiason has been quietly proving this for over 30 years. He's been a vineyard consultant to some of the biggest names in Napa…Spottswoode, Chappellet…and the founder of Matthiason Wines, a label that started with five barrels in 2003 and now ships to 46 states and 25 countries. He's a self-described old punk rocker, a UC Davis-trained organic farmer, and one of the most honest voices in the industry about what the words on your bottle actually mean.In this episode Steve breaks down why "sustainable" is the wine world's most abused word and the simple farming shift that makes Matthiason wines purer and clearer than almost anything coming out of his region. He also gets vulnerable about the parts of his own operation that still aren't there yet…including the tractors he hasn't been able to quit.If you sell wine, drink wine, or pour wine for a living, you'll hear the inside of an industry that talks a lot but rarely tells the truth. And you'll learn the one thing to check on a winery's website that tells you whether their values are real…before you ever pull the cork.Expect to Learn:Why "sustainable" is the wine world's most abused word…and what serious producers say insteadThe farming shift that quietly creates the high-alcohol, heavy Napa style most of us complain aboutThe two phases of organic farming most certified vineyards never reachHow Steve runs five harvest passes per vineyard and ends up with 150 separate lots per vintageThe signals on a winery's website that tells you whether their values are realLinks:Matthiason WinesLodi Rules Sustainable WinegrowingThe New California Wine by Jon BonnéService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#92 Ralph Mandarino: Necromantic Beers in a Gluten Filled World
If you're thinking about starting a craft brewery, or you've been in one for years, you may want to rethink the conventional playbook. Most founders assume great beer builds a great business. The real game is experience design, distribution strategy, and building a category others have written off. Ralph Mandarino of Necromantic Brewing Co. figured this out the hard way, launching a dedicated gluten-free, horror-themed craft brewery on Long Island during COVID with no roadmap, no precedent, and no room for error. This episode is the missing insight for anyone in the beverage industry who thinks differentiation starts and ends with what's in the glass.Expect to Learn:Why there are only about 20 dedicated gluten-free breweries in the entire world...and what that gap means for someone willing to fill itThe single mindset shift that separates breweries still standing from the ones that closed after 8–10 years in businessHow Ralph discovered that his actual job has almost nothing to do with brewing beerThe counterintuitive location strategy that turns a competitor's wait line into your walk-in trafficWhy distributors resist gluten-free products, and the self-distribution move Ralph is using to build leverage before they come knockingLinks:InstagramNecromantic's Eventbrite Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#91 Chris Morris: Bacardi to Balvenie, a Bartender's Life
Most bartenders approach spirit education backwards. They master what they love, then try to share it…and wonder why it doesn't land. Whether it's peated Scotch, high-proof mezcal, or a Manhattan that's 80% Carpano, the instinct to share your passion is exactly what loses people. Chris Morris, former single malt ambassador for Brown-Forman and veteran of Houston's serious cocktail scene, has spent a career doing the opposite: finding the entry point that makes someone want to go further on their own. This episode is the tactical framework behind that instinct, and it applies whether you're selling a spirit, building a program, or just trying to get your buddy off Canadian Club.Expect to Learn:Why the first question you ask a spirit-curious guest matters more than the bottle you reach for, and how Chris actually does itThe Brown-Forman origin story that turned an off-shift whiskey session into a brand ambassador gig (and what made it work)What a bad Manhattan trend from 2014 reveals about how most bartenders think about cocktail componentsThe philosophy behind hiring at Anvil (Houston's most influential craft cocktail bar) that has less to do with skill and more to do with personality fit to the jobWhy Chris gave six months' notice for bartending at a Michelin-starred bar, what that decision cost him, and what it unlockedLinks:Bar Zolo, Houston, TXEazy's Liquor Lounge, Houston Heights, TXTwo of Chris' favorite scotches:Bunnahabhain , Kilchoman Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#90 Alice Feiring: What's Actually In Your Wine Glass?
How deeply can you alter wine before you’re selling a lie?This episode is about wine, the people that make it, and the mystic of that elusive word “Natural.” It’s a story all about the desire to control wine, manufacture it, contain it, industrialize it. Alice Feiring and I grapple with some of the big questions in big wine: Who decides what tastes good? Why do entire industries bend toward one critic’s preference? And how is that quietly erasing thousands of years of tradition without you noticing?Oh, and serial killers make an appearance, for good measure.Expect to learn:The hidden force that made bold, “loud” wines dominate the marketHow to tell in seconds if a wine is alive or manipulatedWhy expensive wine often has nothing to do with qualityThe overlooked skill that separates elite sommeliers from everyone elseHow to train your palate faster without certifications or gatekeepersLinks:Alice Feiring SubstackInstagram: @alice.feiringAlice Feiring BooksService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#89 David Kong: Upgrade Your Glass, Upgrade Your Life
You may not dislike your bottle of wine. You might just be overpaying for wine and under-experiencing it. The industry wants you to focus on bottles, regions, and price tags while ignoring the thing in your hand that directly controls taste at the moment of consumption. If your wine tastes inconsistent, muted, or underwhelming, this episode is a must listen.David Kong, the entrepreneur behind Glasvin is on a mission to help the world enjoy wine, one thin glass at a time. Expect to learn: Why a bad glass can destroy up to half the value of a great bottleThe 2 physical traits that matter more than shape, brand, or priceHow high-end restaurants use glassware to increase wine salesThe hidden economics of breakage and why it signals successHow to instantly test and feel the difference without guessingLinks:Find David's GlasswareDavid's Data PlatformService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#88 Wine with Anya: Will Wine Certification Help Your Career?
Most people think they “don’t get wine.” I’d say that’s not true. The industry often trains you to feel that way. And the people from inside the tent? Burned out, selling bottles they don’t even believe in.In this episode, you meet someone who walked straight through that machine… and walked away to do her own thing.She chased certification, worked inside one of the biggest wine distributors in the world and realized something uncomfortable: wine in business isn’t always about taste…it’s about pressure, perception, and profit.You’ll hear the exact moment she realized she knew far less than she thought. The brutal truth about certifications that nobody says out loud. And the one simple shift that makes ordering wine feel effortless instead of embarrassing.People ordering wine chase labels, ratings, and approval instead of understanding what they actually like. That’s why they feel intimidated ordering at restaurants, default to the same safe bottle, and assume experts know something they don’t. This episode breaks that illusion.Expect to learn:Why wine “expertise” often has nothing to do with tasteThe fastest way to learn wine without spending thousandsWhat to do when a server clearly doesn’t know wineHow to order a bottle confidently in any restaurantThe hidden reason people attack wine content onlineLinks:Instagram: Wine with AnyaCourt of Master Sommeliers Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in bars. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess that can be a life working in bars, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#87 Kim Haasarud: Are Bar Owners Waiting for a Guest Who No Longer Exists
Most hospitality operators are running a broken strategy and calling it optimism. They are sourcing the same ingredients, targeting the same guest, and waiting for a market that structurally no longer exists. The middle of the market is hollowing out, consumer spending has split into luxury experiences and high-value basics, and the bar industry's third space identity is being competed away by bookstores, online communities, and drive-through coffee brands that have cracked Gen Z culture without serving a single craft cocktail. Kim Haasarud, 20-year beverage innovation veteran, author of eight cocktail books including the 101 series published by John Wiley & Sons, USBG leader, and consultant to national chains and hotel groups, brings the strategic clarity this industry desperately needs. This conversation is a direct challenge to the way you are thinking about your concept, your menu, your competitions, and your creative identity.Expect to Learn:What the Stockdale Paradox reveals about why hospitality optimism is killing businesses right now, and the specific mental shift operators need to make before it is too late to pivot.The exact reason competition judges can identify an AI-generated entry within seconds, and what you must do instead to make your submission the one they remember.Why the "I work busy shifts, I know how to make drinks fast" mindset is actively sabotaging your competition performance, and the unconventional practice method a world-class winner uses to stay on pace under pressure.How the economy is forcing every concept into a binary choice, and the creative frameworks successful operators are using right now to position on either end rather than disappear in the middle.The single most important rule in any competition, the one that most experienced bartenders still skip, and why violating it results in automatic disqualification with zero chance of appeal.Links:Kim Haasarud on SubstackKim Haasarud on LinkedInLiquid ArchitectureThe United States Bartenders Guild (USBG)Jeffrey Morgenthaler's blogService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#86 Seth Alexander: The Happy Hour Lie...Why Busy is Killing Your Bar
The restaurant industry is addicted to a dangerous lie: that volume equals victory. You see a line out the door and assume the bank account is growing, but "busy" is often just a smoke screen for a business that’s bleeding out in silence. Seth Alexander, the strategic mind behind Barrel-Aged Management, reveals why sometimes a packed room is a sign of impending danger.Your current hospitality model is fundamentally broken if you are managing symptoms instead of the engine. I you're overworking your talent, overpaying your vendors, and underpricing your value based on "vibe" rather than math. This episode is the corrective insight you didn’t know you needed, stripping away the romanticism of the "chef-owner" and replacing it with a cold, hard look at asset performance and strategic development. If you want to survive the post-COVID shift then you must evolve from an operator into an asset manager.Expect to Learn:Why volume blinds everybody and the specific metrics that prove your busiest night might be your least profitable.The Chef Problem: How to stop expecting your Chef to be a Director of Culinary, Purchasing Agent, and Line Cook simultaneously.The White Label Infrastructure: Why the world’s most successful hotel portfolios are outsourcing their F&B departments to gain an unfair advantage.Why consistency in your purchasing strategy is a recipe for failure in a seasonal market.The Inconvenience"Advantage: Why chasing convenience is poisoning our food supply and how to reclaim power from massive distributors.Links:Barrel-Aged Management (BAM)Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:Doug Frost MW MSJeffrey MorgenthalerET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAndrew Hurley of Vegas.WineChris Tunstall of A Bar AboveTony Abou-GanimBobby "G" GleasonAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#85 Robbie Wilson: Neuro-Spicy Cocktail Flavor Master Class
Most bartenders are just following a recipe, but Robbie Wilson is playing a symphony you can’t hear. You’ve been told that cocktails are about a simple balance of spirit, sweet, and sour, but that belief is keeping your palate in the dark ages. Flavor isn't just a physical sensation on your tongue; it is a molecular chemical pathway that can be structured like a Led Zeppelin song, built like a painting, or written out over time like an epic quest.Robbie opens up about the crushing burnout of his first bar’s failure, an emotional low point that forced him to stop following the industry’s "fake honey" rules and start rebuilding flavor from the ground up. You will discover the high-leverage tactical secret of "synergistic elements," including a specific chemical found in curry leaves that literally opens the pores in your mouth to amplify tropical notes.If you ignore this episode, you will continue to build drinks that are merely "good" while others are using “neuro-spicy” frameworks to create experiences that permanently alter a guest’s perception of reality. Stop making drinks and start engineering memories, or risk being forgotten in the noise of every other generic bar.Expect to learn:How to use "music theory" to bridge the distance between clashing ingredients like ginger and sesame.How to think about the alcohol percentage required to pull specific chemicals from plants without extracting unwanted bitterness.Why "synesthesia" might be the secret weapon for identifying overlaps between what we see and what we taste.The "Hero’s Journey" framework for creating cocktails that evolve as they warm up or dilute over time.The psychological trick of "Couples Cocktails" that uses acid structure to link two different people's experiences.Links:The Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi and David ZilberThe Flavor Matrix by James BriscioneEdward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication (mentioned in talk)The Gibson PDX (Multnomah Village, Portland)Robbie Wilson’s Substack: Polymath JournalService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#84 Philip Greene: The Formula the Built a Hundred Classic Cocktails
This week, we have a titan in the cocktail world: Philip Greene. This man didn't just write most of the books on cocktails, he deconstructed his own family tree to discover he is distantly related to Antoine Peychaud, the man folklore claims invented the cocktail in the 1790s. Then, in a moment of pure academic ruthlessness, he used historical records to disprove his own ancestor's legend. Philip Greene is a powerhouse in the cocktail world in a way few people can equal. As a co-founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail and a prolific author of definitive works like The Manhattan and The Sours, he provides the "bedrock" knowledge that modern bartenders use to innovate. You will learn the high-leverage "Three-Part Formula" that turns a basic Daiquiri into a world-class Margarita or a Mojito with just one pivot. Greene also reveals the surprising "Dark Age" survivors…drinks that stayed famous despite being made with bottom-shelf garbage for decades (and some that started off less than spectacularly and got face lifts). Grab a cocktail shaker and join me in learning from one of the cocktail world’s masters.Expect to Learn:What criteria was used to include drinks in his new bookHow Philip felt about including the Midori SourHow a 19th-century viral prank involving a fake man named Tom Collins birthed an iconic beverageThe names in the cocktail world worth learning fromHow the world’s most famous cocktails survived the "Bad Old Days" of powdered mixes and worseLinks: Sours: A History of the World’s Most Storied Cocktail Style - A Cocktail BookA Drinkable Feast The Manhattan To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Bartender’s GuideCheers! EUVS Website (Vintage Cocktail Manuals)Philip Greene’s WebsiteLockworks Tavern Event (RSVP: [email protected])Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#83 Brian Grossman: Why Your Favorite Beer Actually Tastes Better
Our guest today, Brian Grossman, the Chief Brewer and second-generation brewery owner at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., reveals why even one of the biggest brands in beer still relies on the "last line of defense" to survive. If you don't listen to the end, you’ll keep dropping the ball in the final inch of service, leaving thousands in tips and repeat business on the table while your competitors master the details you're currently ignoring.It’s common to treat the product as a commodity rather than a sequence of high-stakes interactions. You are likely failing the "ands versus buts" test, where one neglected detail like a leaf-blown walkway or a detergent-stained glass negates years of brand-building and precision. This episode provides the corrective framework to move from a "good enough" mentality to an elite standard of execution that forces customers to reorder, return, and recommend.Sierra Nevada is a legend in the brewery world. Not only did they kickstart the craft brewing movement, but even to this day they remain a 100% family owned and operated business. If you care about beer, this episode is for you.Expect to Learn:The "Ands vs. Buts" framework that determines if a guest becomes a lifelong fan or a one-time visitor.Why the specific size of a can is the secret weapon for maintaining the "target temperature" of a premium pilsner.A thing or two about non-alcoholic beer brewingWhy your dishwasher’s blue cheese detergent is the hidden enemy of a perfect head of foam.The "Triangle of Brewing" that balances art and science with one unconventional third pillar to ensure staying power.Links:Sierra Nevada Official WebsiteRoomSierra Nevada Taprooms and Tastings (Chico, CA & Mills River, NC)Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#82 Bobby "G" Gleason: 1 Rule That Separates Good From Great Bartenders
It seems like success in the bar should come from better drinks, faster service, or stronger pours. Bobby “G” has all those things (except maybe the stronger pours), but thinks there’s more to that idea. This episode explores the real driver of success behind the bar: hospitality first, precision second, ego last. Bobby “G” Gleason, a USBG Master Mixologist and former Beam Suntory ambassador, shares the exact mindset, systems, and habits that took him from barback to global authority. If you want to know what true mastery sounds like, consistent cocktails, loyal guests, and long term leverage in the hospitality industry, this conversation delivers the roadmap most people never get.Expect to learn:Why chasing tips is the fastest way to limit your incomeThe barback skill that predicts who becomes eliteHow to build drinks that guarantee repeat ordersThe 2-1-2-1 formula that fixes unbalanced cocktails instantlyWhy most bartenders lose guests without realizing itLinks:USBG (United States Bartenders Guild)Mixology Made EasyBeam Suntory PortfolioGet in touch with Andrew for rare whiskeyService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#81 Tobin Ellis: Why Do Bars Still Ignore Bartenders?
Most bar owners believe great cocktails, expensive interiors, and beautiful design create successful bars. The thing is, you see a lot of expensive, empty bars out there though…The real performance engine of a bar is workflow. When bartenders are forced to walk, reach, bend, or share equipment unnecessarily, service slows down, guest experience collapses, and operators quietly lose massive amounts of revenue. In this episode, world renowned bar designer Tobin Ellis explains why most bars are built without understanding how bartenders actually work, how poor layouts damage bartender health and performance, and how small design decisions can cost a venue hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. If you care about hospitality, bar profitability, bartender longevity, or building a serious beverage program, this episode reveals the surprisingly simple truth of bar design: maybe we should design bars for the people working in them.Expect to Learn:Why most bars are accidentally designed to slow bartenders downThe “Zero Step” principle that makes bartenders dramatically fasterHow poor bar layouts quietly destroy profits during peak hoursWhy mirrored bar stations confuse bartender muscle memoryThe simple design mistakes that force bartenders to run laps all nightLinks:Bar Design Essentials by Tobin EllisStudio BarmagicFollow Tobin Ellis on InstagramService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#80 Jillian Vose: From Cheeky Hustle to World Class Bartender
Some of the most influential people in the cocktail world started the exact opposite way. Making drinks by color. Recreating drinks that already existed...and hoping nobody noticed.Before the awards. Before running one of the most famous cocktail bars in the world. Before menus with dozens of original drinks, we have a story of trying one’s luck in Arizona. Testing the waters in New York…let's say slightly over her head. Sleeping on an air mattress, commuting across the city, and learning everything the hard way.In this conversation, Jillian Vose explains how relentless work ethic, curiosity, and brutal honesty about failure pushed her from chaotic college bar shifts to helping lead one of the most respected cocktail programs on earth.Along the way she shares things only a world class BAMF can. If you care about hospitality, leadership, drink creation, or building something meaningful in this industry, missing this conversation would be a mistake.Because the difference between good and great bartenders is not talent.It is how they learn, show up, and keep fighting, day after day.Expect to learn:Why most bartenders misunderstand what actually makes a great drinkHow elite bartenders develop intuition for flavor and balanceThe hidden complexity behind designing world-class cocktail menusWhy guest experience matters more than technical perfectionLinks:Jillian Vose InstagramCocktail Omakase (Cocktail Kingdom Hospitality)Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#79 Tony Abou-Ganim: Why Bars Lost Hospitality
The people who actually built the modern cocktail renaissance understood something most bartenders still miss:Great drinks do not build great bars, hospitality does.In this episode Tony Abou-Ganim shares the real story behind the cocktail revival. From learning behind the bar of a family tavern in Michigan to designing the cocktail program for the Bellagio. Along the way he explains why classic cocktails matter, why many modern bars lost the guest experience, and how the next generation of bartenders can rebuild something better.If you think great cocktails are about creativity, ingredients, or trends, this episode will challenge that assumption and replace it with a deeper understanding of what actually makes a bar unforgettable. Expect to Learn:The drink that made Tony decide to become a bartenderWhy the Bellagio became one of the most important stages in cocktail historyThe hospitality mistake modern cocktail bars keep makingWhy vodka became misunderstood in craft cocktail cultureThe philosophy great bartenders use to turn first time guests into regularsLinks:Tony Abou-Ganim on InstagramModern MixologistVodka DistilledThe Brass Rail BarHelen David Relief FundService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#78 Mark Schatzker: Are Doritos Rewiring Your Brain?
You are not weak when it comes to food, you are being misled.For millions of years, flavor told the truth. Sweet meant calories. Aroma meant nutrients. Your brain learned to trust taste as survival information.Then we broke the signal.“We are too stupid to understand how smart we are.”If you care about food, performance, energy, or discipline, this episode gives you leverage.Ignore it, and you will keep fighting your own biology.Expect to learn:Why people with obesity crave more but do not enjoy food moreHow flavor manipulation creates reward prediction error and ramps up motivationWhy real strawberries and tomatoes lost flavor over timeThe economic tradeoff between industrial convenience and sensory truthHow to realign pleasure and nourishment without dieting harderLinks: SteakThe Dorito EffectThe End of CravingMark Schatzker on SubstackService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#77 Josh Powell: Do YOU Make Enough Pour Decisions???
If you believe great cocktails are about creativity alone, you may be in for a rude surprise. Modern bar leadership demands flavor architecture, operational efficiency, storytelling, hospitality psychology, cost control, and brand strategy. In this episode, Josh Powell, founder of Poor Decisions Consultancy and former owner of The Natural Philosopher Bar in London, reveals his closely held secrets to winning in the cocktail world. Winning drinks are engineered. Menus are narratives. Hospitality is scored even when it is not on the sheet. This conversation delivers the unfair advantage serious operators and bar competitors need.Expect to Learn:Why flavor is less than half of what wins competitionsHow to build a cocktail from a single ingredient outward using flavor architectureThe hidden hospitality behaviors judges score without telling youHow seasonality and foraging can shape high velocity menu cyclesWhat it really takes to transition from bartender to consultant without losing your creative edgeLinks:Pour Decisions ConsultancyPour Decisions InstagramService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#76 David Suro: Tequila, Monoculture, and the Remption of Agave
The agave category is booming. Sales are up. Shelves are full. Celebrity brands multiply. Excel says everything is fine…Modern tequila production relies on cloned agave, chemical intervention, compressed maturation, and supply chains that strip value from the very farmers who sustain the plant. Meanwhile bars brag about sustainable tomatoes and grass fed beef while pouring industrial spirits with catastrophic environmental and cultural consequences.Welcome to David Suro’s fight. David Suro explains why one agave mother plant can produce up to 10,000 viable seeds yet the industry prioritizes five offshoot clones. Why genetic collapse forces pesticide dependence. Why jimadores with generational wisdom are migrating because the economics no longer reward stewardship. And why the United States, as the largest consumer of agave spirits in the world, has more power than it realizes.If you care about sustainability, terroir, craft, or culture, this conversation is for you.Expect to Learn:Why cloning agave is accelerating ecological vulnerabilityThe hidden cost of harvesting agave before full maturityHow bat friendly reproduction restores genetic strengthThe cultural sustainability crisis few are discussingA simple purchasing framework that protects families and landLinks:Siembra Spirits Instagram: @DavidSuropAgave Spirits by Gary Paul Nabhan and David SuroService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#75 Tiffanie Barriere: Why the Best Bartenders Tell Stories
The modern bar industry is not only about drinks.It is also about identity, storytelling, cultural leverage, and the power of hospitality in a divided world. If you think the low-alcohol trend means drinking is dying, if you think cocktails are about specs and ratios, or if you believe brand ambassadorship is the only way up, you may be operating with outdated assumptions. In this episode, Tiffanie Barriere, known as The Drinking Coach, explains why bartenders are cultural vessels, why storytelling beats technique alone, and why the future of drinking belongs to those who understand ritual, representation, and creative ownership.Expect to learn:Why bartenders became more powerful after COVID, not lessThe real reason she rejected brand ambassadorshipHow to build a cocktail from five adjectives instead of specsWhat most competitors get wrong when presenting drinksWhy the “low and no” trend may just be a temporary cycleWhat it's like running the best airport bar in the worldLinks:Tiffanie Barriere on InstagramTiffanie's WebsiteBerriere CollectiveTales of the Cocktail Award Winners 2023Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#74 Andrew Roy: Guest on the Pizzeria & Enzo Table
I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with THom Harrison on his show. We talk wine, our lives, our jobs, and more. Enjoy!Expect to Learn:How I met my wifeHow to find your place in the world of RestaurantsHow terribly I describe a runzaLinks:The Pizzeria & Enzo ShowService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#73 Rajat Parr: Why Winemaker Is the Wrong Word
If you believe wine is about tasting notes, alcohol levels, and prestigious appellations, you need this episode. The industry has spent decades obsessing over extraction, oak, and scores while ignoring soil health, plant genetics, and farming philosophy. Rajat Parr explains why most modern wine misses the point, why terroir is incomplete without plant material and human intention, and why regenerative farming is the future of serious wine Expect to learn:Why blind tasting only works when it becomes muscle memoryThe three real components of terroir most people ignoreHow converting from conventional to organic farming can take 3 to 10 years to show results Why late ripening grapes like Savagnin and Trousseau matter in a warming climate The mistake young sommeliers make when they skip classic regionsUseful Links:Rajat Parr on InstagramParr Collective WinesThe Secrets of the SommeliersThe Sommelier’s Atlas of TasteService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#72 Ivy Mix: Why Pisco is Gonna Be Big in 2026
Most people are confused when it comes to tequila, rum, and pisco. What are they exactly? Who are the people that make them? What do I really need to know to master these liquors? Even worse, the spirits industry thrives on confusion, fake consistency, celebrity branding, and half truths about origin and production. On this episode, Ivy Mix breaks down how agave ripeness, diffuser technology, additives, colonial trade routes, sugar economics, and fermentation practices actually shape what ends up in your glass. If you have ever complained about price, chased smoothness, or ignored pisco entirely, this is the master class you have been waiting for.Expect to Learn:Why “100 percent blue agave” can still legally include additivesThe three rum families and how colonization shaped their flavorWhat a Jamaican dunder pit really is and why it mattersWhy pisco may be the most underrated spirit in the worldHow to taste maturity, integrity, and quality in agave spiritsUseful Link:Ivy’s Website where you can find links to her bars and her book!Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#71 Andrew on No Reservations: How Restaurants Get Wine Wrong Every Night
In this special episode of the No Reservations Podcast, Kasey Anton sits down and interviews me.We talk wine the way it actually works in restaurants. What makes a wine program profitable instead of performative. Where operators get pricing wrong. And why most wine sales fail before the bottle ever hits the table.Expect to Learn:How to build a wine program from scratchPricing mistakes that quietly kill marginsHow vendors will try to ruin your listWhy staff education matters more than upsellingHow to elevate the experience without adding complexityLinks: Kasey's Podcast No ReservationsService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#70 Chip Klose: Why Restaurant Marketing Fails Almost Everyone & How to Fix It
Most restaurants fail quietly. Not because the food is bad, but because the strategy is missing. Owners chase marketing tactics, social posts, and promotions without ever defining who they serve, what problem they solve, or why guests should return. This episode exposes why “quality” is a meaningless differentiator, why busy does not equal profitable, and how a lack of intentional positioning creates a leaky bucket no amount of hustle can fix. Chip Klose breaks down restaurant marketing and profitability into clear, usable frameworks that replace guesswork with leverage and help operators stop reacting and start choosing.Expect to learnWhy revenue, labor, and food cost are moving targets in restaurants and how that destroys profitHow to define your audience by first identifying who your restaurant is not forThe ABCDE framework that clarifies positioning before you spend a dollar on marketingWhy retention beats acquisition and how most restaurants sabotage it unknowinglyHow to give guests the words they will use to sell your restaurant for youLinks Restaurant StrategyChip Klose on Instagram and YouTubeService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#69 Marlon & Danny of The Modern Waiter: 5 Signs It’s Time to Quit Your Restaurant Job
Most servers think their income is capped by luck. Bad sections. Bad nights. Bad guests. That belief is wrong. The real ceiling is perspective. In this episode, we break down why restaurant work feels chaotic, isolating, and unstable even when the money is good, and how experienced professionals quietly engineer control inside the chaos. You will hear why weeds are not just operational failures but personal ones, how lifestyle fit matters more than hourly earnings, and why some people keep hopping jobs. Expect to learnHow to know when it is actually time to jump shipWhy making money somewhere else with less stress is the real upgradeWhat getting in the weeds reveals about your mindsetThe hidden relationship cost of restaurant schedulesHow great servers read guests before the first questionLinksThe Modern Waiter Podcast The Modern Waiter Podcast on Instagram and TikTokService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#68: Andrew Roy, Guest Spot on The Bar Business Podcast
This is a rare treat for you all. I am in the hot seat this week, as I go onto Chris Schneider's The Bar Business Podcast. Hear my thoughts on Management, Wine service, and more!Expect to Learn:Why I was a terrible manager back in the dayHow to keep your wine program working for youWhether a Coravin is worth it for Restaurant ServiceService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#67 Emmanuel Laroche: Madagascar, a master class
Every bottle of vanilla, every spoon of honey, every square of chocolate is the final move in a long chain of decisions made by farmers who live with risk most of us never experience. This episode investigates a world most of us will never get to visit: Madagascar. Emmanuel Laroche reveals what the global food system hides in plain sight and why knowing where ingredients come from is no longer optional if you care about craft, ethics, or flavor.Expect to LearnWhy vanilla is hand pollinated and why that makes it one of the riskiest crops on earthHow a single storm or missed harvest window can erase a farmer’s entire incomeWhy most commercial honey cannot be traced and what real single source honey looks likeHow Madagascar cacao produces flavors mass chocolate never canThe counterintuitive way specialty crops can fight deforestation instead of fueling itLinks:A Taste of Madagascar book websiteFlavors Unknown websiteBeyond Good ChocolateService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#66 Felice Capasso: What Does It Take To Be The World Class Winner?
Diageo’s World class competition is BY FAR one of the most difficult and impressive cocktail competitions in the world. Legend has it that the finals had no fewer than 7 skill challenges, and Felice swept through them all. If you make drinks for a living, or enjoy them, this is the man you want to hear from.Expect to learnWhy reading the rules carefully gives you an unfair advantageHow elite competitors reverse engineer judges instead of guessingThe difference between learning information and building understandingWhy bringing yourself to the stage matters more than being impressiveHow failure becomes fuel when you stop protecting your egoLinksFelice Capasso on InstagramThe Spirits Journal on SubstackSesto Senso Spirits AcademyWorld Class Bartender of the Year competitionService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.Wine#64:Chris Tunstall of A Bar AboveAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#65 Neil Rogers: 7 Sales Rules You REALLY Learn Behind a Bar
Most sales advice is broken because it ignores how trust is actually built. It assumes scripts beat presence and attention. This episode dismantles that thinking. Neil Rogers shows why hospitality is one of the most intense sales training environments in existence, and how the habits learned behind a bar quietly outperform day in and day out. From organization and follow up to appearance, greetings, and intentional presence, this conversation reveals why people who master fundamentals compound advantage while everyone else wonders why effort is not converting.Expect to learnWhy organization creates more sales than talent or hustleHow hospitality trains faster than any sales courseThe real reason ghosting is increasing and how to beat itA simple structure that turns scattered effort into momentumHow appearance, preparation, and presence change outcomes instantlyLinksPositive Activity website and blogBar Tips: Everything I Needed to Know in Sales I Learned Behind the Bar by Neil RogersService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#64 Chris Tunstall: From Cleaning Restaurants To A Bar Above
Most bartenders are prioritize a few things: speed, charm, and hustle. Almost none learn systems, margins, or leverage. That is why so many talented people burn out, stall, or leave the industry broken. This episode dismantles the idea that bartending is a dead end. Chris Tunstall breaks down how structure beats talent, why most bar programs leak profit through invisible gaps (and visible jiggers), and how the same methods used to build great cocktails can build great careers. If your current approach feels reactive, exhausting, or capped, this conversation contains the corrective insight you did not know you needed.And if you’re an budding mixologist or avid amateur drink builder, check out A Bar Aboves equipment and courses. You will not be sorry.Expect to learnWhy most bartenders underestimate how much their tools distort drink quality and profitHow to think about cocktail ingredients in a more in depth wayHow cocktail structure mirrors decision making under pressureThe hidden leverage inside distributor portfolios and vendor relationshipsWhy non-alcoholic cocktails are becoming a serious profit centerHow to transition from bartender thinking to operator thinking without burning outLinks:A Bar Above courses and barware Instagram @abaraboveService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#63 THom Harrison: Is the Food Industry the Ultimate Training Ground?
You have been told your experience does not transfer. That working service jobs means starting over. That belief keeps talented people stuck because they never learn how to translate what they already know.This episode gently tells a different story. THom Harrison walks through how the food industry quietly builds systems thinking, emotional regulation, and execution under pressure. All in real kitchens, in real dining rooms, in real chaos.From old school training systems to high trust hotel service environments, from food distribution to mergers and acquisitions, this conversation suggests that service professionals can outperform people with cleaner resumes once they learn how to aim their skill set.Expect to learn:Why chaos feels comfortable to restaurant people and how to weaponize itThe hidden systems inside great service teams and why they scale everywhereHow discipline replaces motivation in high pressure environmentsWhy action oriented people outperform talented plannersHow to turn service experience into long term optionalityLinks:Pizzeria and Enzo Show Charleston Place HotelBrinker InternationalService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#62 Aliya Harrison: Why Bartenders Fail Alone…
Most bartenders are playing the wrong game. They chase shifts, tips, and titles while ignoring the education pipelines, industry programs, and visibility layers that actually create leverage. This episode exposes why that approach stalls careers and how intentional participation in programs like Tales of the Cocktail and CAP quietly rewires opportunity. If you think growth only comes from grinding harder behind the bar, this conversation will challenge that belief and show you what you did not know you were missing.Expect to Learn:Why education programs outperform talent alone in the beverage worldHow CAP and Tales of the Cocktail actually work behind the scenesWhat separates bartenders who travel and advance from those who plateauThe hidden leadership skills these programs force you to developHow to apply even if you think you are not qualifiedLinksTales of the Cocktail FoundationCocktail Apprenticeship Program (CAP)Bar Five Day ProgramFollow Aliya on Instagram: @yourflavormotherDorothea (Greek restaurant)Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#61 Agent Cru (aka Addison Rex): 7 Brutal Truths About Buying “Discount” Wine
Most wine buyers assume discounts mean flawed wine, distressed producers, or leftovers no one wanted. Most people think cheap wine is cheap for a reason.They’re wrong. :PThat belief is costing them access to better bottles at better pricesIn this episode, I sit down with Agent Cru, AKA Addison Rex, the man behind the curtain at Wine Spies. For years. One wine a day. Unspeakable quantities moved. And more wine tasted than most people will see in a lifetime.Agent Cru explains how Wine Spies actually works and why selling a wine at huge discounts can often be a sign of strength, not failure. We talk about the one moment when wineries panic, the when inventory becomes a liability, and how the smartest producers turn “discounts” into long-term demand.There’s also a surprisingly vulnerable moment where we admit something most wine professionals never say out loud. The more you know about wine, the more aware you become of how little you truly understand. The most profitable insight comes from how they predict demand. After years of PhDs, algorithms, and AI models, the final call still comes down to human judgment. Not spreadsheets. Not scores. Taste, timing, and instinct.When we turn to the industry at large, we don’t shy from the large topics looming on the horizon. The wine industry is not collapsing because of seltzers, Gen Z, or Dry January. It’s choking on its own overreactions. Those who understand the mechanics will thrive. Those who don’t will keep paying more for less.Expect to LearnThe moment a winery decides a wine must disappear fastWhy “best price in the world today” matters more than scoresHow tasting panels actually reject wine most people would buyThe prediction mistakes that AI makes with wine demandWhy most wine education may make people worse buyers, not betterLinksWine Spies official site Free the Grapes advocacy initiative Deerfield Ranch Winery Vinitaly international wine fair Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#60 Winston Greene: a Tonic to Soothe Your Amygdala
Most bars don’t fail because the drinks are bad. They fail because the owner breaks first.In this episode, I sit down with Winston Greene, owner of Tonic in Santa Fe, to talk about what really happens when passion turns into ownership. Winston didn’t come up chasing clout or trends. He came up hauling ice, working twenty-hour shifts, and learning the business the hard way, then betting everything he had on one idea and one space.We talk about what makes ownership hard: the point where the grind stops feeling noble and starts quietly destroying your health, your relationships, and your sense of time. Winston shares the wake-up call that forced him to rethink what success actually costs, and why ignoring sustainability almost ended his career before it really began.From designing a bar that repels the wrong customer on purpose, to why most managers misunderstand labor, scheduling, and leadership, we get right into it.If you’ve ever thought about opening a bar, running a restaurant, or turning your craft into a business, listen to this all the way through. It might save you years of damage you didn’t know you were signing up for. And we get to talk about tequila. Oh, so much tequila…If your current approach feels exhausting, reactive, or quietly unsustainable, this episode offers a corrective truth most operators only learn after real damage is done.Expect to LearnThe hidden health cost that takes more bar owners out than bad marginsWhy working harder early almost guarantees long-term burnoutThe leadership mistake that silently destroys staff trust and retentionHow designing your bar for the right customer can save your businessThe mindset shift that turns ownership from survival into sustainabilityLinksTonic Santa Fe official website (Visit Tonic in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the full experience)Tonic on InstagramService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#59 Felix Cordova: How Many Friends Do You Lose Before You Wake Up?
Party culture does not just burn you out slowly…it erodes you quietly until one day you look around and realize you are surviving instead of living.Felix Cordova known for years as Your Boy Reflex was everywhere in New Mexico. The guy who kept the night alive while everyone else fell apart. What most people never saw was the cost. The drinking. The endless nights, not taking care of the body, and on and on. The grief stacking year after year. Friends lost to addiction. Suicide. Accidents. A cycle that felt impossible to exit.In this conversation Felix tells the truth most people in nightlife never say out loud. You have to decide if you’re in charge of the party, or if the party is in charge of you.He opens up about the moment that finally cracked everything. Losing a close friend. Watching himself repeat the same escape patterns. Realizing he could be next. That is the emotional center of this episode. Raw. Unpolished. Honest in a way that hits hard if you have ever used alcohol to survive grief.Then comes the shift. The most profitable insight in this episode is not about quitting drinking forever. It is about identity. Felix explains why trying to change for others always fails and why changing for yourself finally works. The journaling habit. The breathing practice. The rule he made with himself that rewired his behavior without white knuckling discipline.If you have ever told yourself you will slow down later, then this episode is the interruption you did not know you needed.Expect to Learn:The moment party culture stops being fun and starts quietly controlling your lifeWhy changing for others guarantees relapse and changing for yourself actually sticksThe journaling habit that replaced social media and reduced anxiety fastHow grief fuels addiction cycles in hospitality without anyone noticingThe mindset shift that made quitting drinking feel like relief instead of lossLinks:yourboyreflex on TikTok@yourboyreflex on InstagramSki Santa FeService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#58 Ryan Gromfin: 7 Brutal Truths About Running a Restaurant
Most restaurant owners believe the problem is effort. Longer hours. More passion. Better attitude. Ryan Gromfin argues that mindset is exactly why so many restaurants fail. Just TRY to understand…In this episode, we unpack restaurant systems and processes, restaurant management vs leadership, why restaurant owners burn out, how to build a scalable restaurant business, and why most restaurants are impossible to sell.Ryan makes the case that your restaurant isn’t broken because your people are bad. It’s broken because you’re managing humans instead of systems. He explains why checklists fail when they’re built wrong, why coaching beats telling every time, and why results are the only thing the market rewards no matter how unfair that feels.Expect to Learn:The hidden reason your restaurant can’t run without youWhy effort is invisible to the market and results aren’tThe coaching mistake that triggers fight-or-flight in your teamHow systems eliminate emotion from management conversationsThe two words that quietly destroy accountability in restaurantsLinks:The Restaurant Boss websiteMake It Happen by Ryan GromfinService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#57 Rina Bussell: The Lies People Believe About Becoming a Sommelier
Most people approach wine education, sommelier certification, and hospitality careers the same broken way. They obsess over credentials, grind endless hours, and assume burnout is the price of legitimacy. Or, they assume it will be a walk in the park. Both paths are broken: this episode dismantles that belief through the lens of advanced sommelier training, fine dining wine programs, Court of Master Sommeliers exams, hospitality career longevity, and wine tasting methodology.Rina Bussell explains why passing tests does not equal readiness, how imposter syndrome quietly drives bad career decisions, and why many talented sommeliers sabotage their long term growth chasing prestige instead of skill. She reveals what actually matters on the floor, in blind tasting, and behind the scenes at elite restaurants like Carbone Las Vegas. The truth is uncomfortable but freeing. If you feel overwhelmed by wine theory, stuck in hospitality burnout, or unsure whether certifications are worth the sacrifice, listen up!Expect to Learn:Why passing every sommelier exam can still leave you unpreparedWhy not passing a sommelier exam can still be worth itThe blind tasting mistake that keeps smart people failing under pressureHow tasting like a winemaker rewires your palate faster than memorizationThe hidden career tradeoff nobody tells aspiring master sommeliersWhy quality of life may be the ultimate competitive advantage in hospitalityLinks:Rina Bussell on Instagram: @tequila_neat Carbone Las Vegas Court of Master Sommeliers Ruinart Champagne Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#56 Kasey Anton: The Math Mistake That Will Destroy Your Small Business
Opening a restaurant without understanding restaurant profit margins, food cost percentage, labor cost control, cash flow management, and break-even modeling is not brave. It’s reckless. Most owners believe they’re losing money because they’re not busy enough. The truth is harsher and far far far more useful.In this episode, Kasey Anton explains why restaurant owners confuse effort with results, spotting trends that will shut down a restaurant, and why waiting for profit at the bottom of the P&L almost guarantees debt and failure. If your current strategy relies on hoping sales will fix everything, working longer hours, or trusting that passion will carry you through, this episode delivers the uncomfortable correction you need and the system that actually works.Expect to Learn:The mindset error that makes profitable restaurants impossibleWhy being a great cook can sabotage your business before opening dayThe simple math test that exposes a bad restaurant concept instantlyHow one percentage quietly puts owners hundreds of thousands in debtThe cash system that forces profit even when sales are unpredictableLinks:Spark Business ConsultingProfit First for Restaurants BookKasey Anton’s SiteService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#55: Chef Joseph Wrede, How Long Does it Actually Take to Become a Real Chef?
Opening a restaurant without knowing how to cook consistently sounds reckless. But that is exactly how Chef Joseph Wrede built one of Santa Fe’s most respected kitchens. This episode dives into restaurant ownership, becoming a professional chef, American fine dining, kitchen leadership, and what culinary consistency really means over thousands of services. And profanity. Lot’s of profanity.Most aspiring chefs believe creativity, trends, or raw talent are what separate amateurs from professionals. Joseph argues the opposite. Your current approach is flawed if you chase inspiration before discipline. The real divide is whether you can repeat excellence under pressure, lead a team without ego, and survive the physical and mental toll of hospitality long enough to refine your craft.Through stories from Taos, Santa Fe, Food and Wine recognition, failed partnerships, and decades on the line, dyslexia, and more, this episode reveals why restaurants succeed or collapse and why mastery in kitchens mirrors mastery in life.Expect to LearnThe moment Joseph realized being “good at cooking” was not enoughWhy consistency is the real skill behind elite restaurantsThe mistake young chefs make when they chase trends instead of techniqueHow discipline quietly outperforms talent in hospitality careersThe hidden cost of ego, partying, and ignoring physical limitsLinksJoseph’s Culinary Pub: Santa Fe, 428 Agua Fria Street, Santa Fe Food and Wine Best New Chef Awards Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#54 Sudi Karatas: 5 Catering Stories that Explain Everything
In this episode, I sit down with Sudi (AKA Rick) Karatas, author of How Catering Sucked the Life Right Out of Me, a working caterer, writer, actor, and lifelong observer of human behavior around various buffets. Sudi has spent decades inside high-end events most people only see for a few hours, serving celebrities, working million-dollar parties, and watching how power, money, and entitlement actually behave when the food comes out.Catering work, hospitality burnout, food waste in events, restaurant vs catering jobs, and creative survival jobs all collide in this episode. Most people assume catering is easier than restaurant work. More flexible. Less pressure. Fewer consequences. From unpaid breaks and discarded food to five-million-dollar children’s parties and celebrity rehearsals, he exposes how catering quietly amplifies everything in hospitality. The systems reward excess, normalize waste, and slowly disconnect workers from meaning, even while offering freedom on paper.Expect to LearnWhy catering waste is not accidental but structurally guaranteedThe hidden reason catering feels harder than restaurants over timeThe moment walking off a shift becomes the only rational moveHow “flexibility” can quietly trap creative people for decadesWhat guests do at catered events that instantly irritateLinksSudi Rick Karatas official websiteHow Catering Sucked the Life Right Out of MeSudi Rick Karatas on YouTubeSudi Rick Karatas on InstagramService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#53 Chris Schneider: The Real Cost of Chasing Your Bar Dream
Most people fantasize about owning a bar. Very few survive it. Chris Schneider did both. He built thriving spots, faced the fires, lost money, rebuilt, adapted, and tells the truth so nobody else walks in blind. This conversation occurs in a space where most hospitality people avoid…because the reality is uncomfortable and loud.Chris Schneider joins Serves You Right for a raw, inside look at what separates a thriving bar from a slow financial death spiral. Chris grew up in one of Indiana’s top restaurants, watched it fall apart, opened his own bar at twenty two, and learned the hard way how fragile the business really is. This episode is a must listen if you’ve ever thought about opening a bar.You’ll hear why most people should never open a bar. You’ll understand why bad bosses stay bad and how to spot them long before your career gets dragged down with them. You’ll get the real math behind beer yields, theft, training gaps, and the invisible leaks that drain thousands every month.Expect to Learn The subtle green flags that reveal a great boss and the red flags that never lie Why most aspiring owners choose concepts the market doesn’t want The culture shift from old school chaos to today’s professional standard How small keg losses turn into tens of thousands gone each yearThe difference between harmless perks and real theft Why training is everything and ignorance is more expensive than malice How slow changes outperform big overhauls in neighborhood bars The real path to funding a bar without destroying your lifeLinksChris’s book: How to Make Top Shelf Profits in the Bar BusinessBar Business PodcastBar Business CoachService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#44 Kelli White: Wine Confidence Is a Superpower
Kelli White has spent her career translating the mystique of wine into something real, personal, and alive. From working the floor at Veritas to writing for GuildSomm and publishing monumental books, she’s seen every side of the industry, and she’s tired of seeing people feel small around a glass of wine.This episode dives deep into the psychology of taste, the myth of “right and wrong” pairings, and the subtle power that comes from understanding the world’s most romantic beverage. Kelli shares stories from her early days running a wine shop filled with musicians, lessons from Napa’s vineyards, and how one simple glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape changed her life.Whether you’re a sommelier, a server, or just someone who wants to love wine without the pressure, this is your guide to doing it with grace, intelligence, and joy.Expect to Learn:Why smell drives the majority of flavor (and how to train it)How to tell the difference between preference and qualityThe truth about wine “rules” and which ones to ignoreWhy your wine glass obsession might be pointlessHow to explore wine systematically without getting lostThe mindset shift that turns wine knowledge into real-world powerWhat “fine wine must be grown” really meansHow choosing wine can reveal character, leadership, and social awarenessLinks:Wine Confident by Kelli White Napa Valley, Then & Now GuildSomm Articles by Kelli White (Free Access) Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#22:Doug Frost MW MS-#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler-#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)-#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze-#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#43 Becky Garrison: From Antifreeze to Artisanal...Spirits Reborn
Ever tasted a whiskey that once contained radiator rust and antifreeze? That’s not a nightmare, it’s history. Washington’s spirits have been forged in fire, fraud, and fierce reinvention.Washington’s drinking history is wilder than you’ve been told. Author Becky Garrison joins to discuss her book Distilled in Washington and the untold saga of spirits in the Pacific Northwest. From fur traders weaponizing whiskey against Native peoples to prohibition-era moonshiners cutting booze with antifreeze, the story isn’t neat. It’s messy and deeply human.We trace the journey from frontier chaos through control-state laws, raids that barely drew blood, and into today’s renaissance of American single malt whiskey. Along the way: forgotten women distillers, immigrant vineyard owners deported on technicalities, and the modern gin and rye revolutions reshaping the Northwest.Becky’s reporting captures not just the drinks but the people, the place, and the fight for community inside every bottle.Expect to Learn:Why Washington’s prohibition era was more “wink and fine” than Al Capone bloodshedHow antifreeze, radiator rust, and more ended up in moonshineThe surprising role of women and Native peoples in distilling’s hidden historyWhy American single malt whiskey is exploding in the Pacific NorthwestHow laws meant to help small producers often crushed them insteadWhy craft distilling today feels more like family than factoryLinks:Becky Garrison’s Website Distilled in Washington (Arcadia Publishing) Becky on Instagram: @becky_garrison Becky on Substack: Gaslighting for God Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#22:Doug Frost MW MS-#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler-#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)-#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze-#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#42 Stefano Catino: From Small Town Italy to World’s Best Bars
Stefano Catino didn’t just open bars, he redefined what hospitality looks like in Australia. From Maybe Frank to the award-winning Maybe Sammy, his vision has put Sydney on the global cocktail map.In this conversation, we explore how an Italian kid who grew up in his father’s restaurant went on to shape one of the most admired bar groups in the world. Stefano shares stories of mentorship, risk-taking, resilience, and the surprising philosophies that keep his venues buzzing with life.Hear about the Rat Pack origins of the word “Maybe,” the behind-the-scenes challenges of building an empire, and why clean cocktails and strong values outlast every trend. Whether you’re in hospitality, entrepreneurship, or just love a great drink, Stefano’s story will inspire you to think bigger.Expect to Learn:Why “Maybe” became the brand philosophy behind Stefano’s barsHow a failed pizzeria turned into an award-winning cocktail destinationThe surprising truth about talent, freedom, and leadership in hospitalityWhat Americans don’t know about Australia’s cocktail and coffee cultureThe pandemic pivot that saved his business and shaped its futureWhy the best bartenders are returning to simple, classic cocktailsSuggested LinksMaybe Group Website Maybe Sammy Cocktail FestivalOn Instagram: @stefanocatino@maybe_sammy_sydney@maybefranksydney@deanandnancyon22@elprimosanchezsydney@maybe_cocktail_festivalService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#22:Doug Frost MW MS-#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler-#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)-#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze-#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#41 Kate Holowchik: Donuts, Toxic Kitchens, and the Power of Saying No
Kate Holowchik, owner of Lionheart Confections, is redefining what it means to be a pastry chef. From secret-flavor donuts that sell out in minutes to navigating the brutal reality of toxic kitchen culture, Kate’s journey is both heartbreaking and uplifting.In this episode, we dive into the artistry and grit it takes to survive in hospitality. Kate reveals how family traditions shaped her love for food, why she refuses to sacrifice quality for scale, and the hard truth about mental health in professional kitchens. She also shares the behind-the-scenes story of Lionheart’s rise during the pandemic, the mistakes that nearly derailed her, and what it feels like to finally be recognized with a Best of Boston award.Expect to Learn:The dark side of restaurant culture most chefs never talk aboutHow a decade of failed recipes led to the perfect donutWhy nostalgia is the most powerful flavor in foodThe brutal realities of opening a business during a pandemicHow to walk away from toxic environments and still win bigWhat it takes to build community through pop-ups and coffee shop partnershipsLinks:Lionheart Confections on Instagram Idlehands BreweryBoston Magazine Best of Boston Service starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#22:Doug Frost MW MS-#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler-#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)-#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze-#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#40 Why Sother Teague Refuses to Serve Margaritas
Sother Teague is not your average bartender. A former chef, teacher, and researcher, he built Amor y Amargo into a shrine to bitters and stirred drinks. His philosophy is simple: do one thing with ruthless focus and let the craft speak for itself.In this conversation we trace his journey from culinary classrooms to world-class cocktail bars, unpack the science of why humans fear and then crave bitterness, and explore how naming, ritual, and repetition shape culture behind the bar. Along the way Sother drops stories about teaching, creating drinks that never die, and why your environment should dictate your order.If you care about flavor, hospitality, or the hidden psychology of taste, this episode is for you. Expect to LearnWhy bitterness was once a survival warning and how it became a pleasureHow radical focus built one of New York’s most iconic barsThe surprising gender split in how palates evolve over timeWhy craft is repetition and what Bruce Lee can teach bartendersHow aquafaba and other kitchen hacks reshape classic cocktailsWhy a cocktail’s name might matter more than its recipeHow to build a personal Rolodex of flavors that makes creativity effortlessWhy knowing where you drink is just as important as what you drinkSuggested LinksAmor y AmargoThe Speakeasy on Heritage Radio Network Sother’s Book on AmazonService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#22:Doug Frost MW MS-#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler-#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)-#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze-#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on IntoxicationAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Most bartenders are great at their jobs and have no idea what to do with that...Nobody tells you that the skills behind the bar: reading people, building experiences, thinking fast under pressure, are actually worth something. They just hand you a shaker and hope you figure it out.Serves You Right is for bartenders who are done drifting and ready to do something. Every episode, host Andrew Roy talks with the people who are currently doing something inspiring, and pulls out exactly how they did it.Your career behind the bar is the starting point. Not the ceiling. Let's make some drinks!
HOSTED BY
Andrew Roy
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