The Banter

The Guys talk about a new trend in martinis that’s “super-cool.”

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys reconnect with Anthony Giglio, food writer, wine lecturer, and expert on many things. They do some reminiscing, talk about the evolution of restaurant reviews and the best way to present “fancy pants” topics to people. Don’t miss an opportunity to win some of Anthony’s Side Gig Supersalt!

The Inside Track

The Guys met Anthony in the 1990s. As they became friends, he chose to stop reviewing their restaurant.

Mark: I'd much rather be your friend than then have you be the guy who reviews me.

Francis: I'd rather have a friend with integrity than than a reviewer in my pocket so kudos to you, man

Anthony: And look at all worked out. We’re still talking 30 years later.

Francis: By the way and those magazines and those restaurants are all probably out of business by now so here we are! All you have to do is outlive your enemies and everything works out great.

Anthony Giglio on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

Anthony Giglio began as a food writer and restaurant reviewer and is an authority in many topics in the food and beverage industry and beyond. He is Wine Director for the American Express Centurion Global Lounge Networks, a longtime Contributing Editor to FOOD & WINE Magazine. He authored 11 books on wine, cocktails and travel, including the annual FOOD & WINE Wine Guide, Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide,

He has been speaking at FOOD & WINE Festival in Aspen for 28 years as well as other festivals around the country. He is a lecturer, teacher, leader and expert in wine and wine education.

Info

Anthony’s Site
https://www.anthonygiglio.com/

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
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Our Places

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

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

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

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The Banter

The Guys find humor in the imitation Twinkie kit marketed to families. Just let ‘em eat cake!

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys hear all about chef Patrick O’Connell’s extreme measures to heighten the guest experience at The Inn at Little Washington. He tries to view everything from the arrival to the meal to how they will speak about the visit through the eyes of the patron and crafts an unparalleled sojourn in his oasis in Virginia.

The Inside Track

The Guys have stayed at Patrick O’Connell’s Inn at Little Washington and couldn’t have enjoyed it more. It is a thrill to get a peek behind the curtain of how he creates an individualized ultimate dining fantasy for each guest.

“And you find that you can't just create one fantasy. You have to intuit what the guest's fantasy is and deliver that and even raise the bar give them something beyond which they imagined could happen,” Patrick O’Connell on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006

Bio

Along with Reinhardt Lynch, he began a catering business in 1972 in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1978, O'Connell and Lynch opened the Inn at Little Washington in an abandoned gas station.

O'Connell was one of the first American chefs courted by the France-based Relais & Chateaux. He is recognized as one of their "Grands Chefs" (formerly the designation was "Relais Gourmands" referring to establishments of two Michelin Star quality or better).

He has won numerous awards including Outstanding Chef in America in 2001 and Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region in 1993, both awarded by the James Beard Foundation. In 2019, he was awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of the American Culinary Federation and was inducted into the ACF Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2019, O'Connell was awarded the National Humanities Medal.

Info

Inn at Little Washington
https://www.theinnatlittlewashington.com/

Patrick’s book
Patrick O’Connell’s Refined American Cuisine

True Imitations of the Real McCoy
Brendan L. Corner
NYT 12 Feb 2006

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

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

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

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

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

https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

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The Banter

The Guys talk about their meals at home and, unsurprisingly, they are persnickety.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys reconnect with award-winning Head Mixologist of The Bar at the Connaught Hotel in London, Giorgio Bargiani. Giorgio describes some of the specialties Connaught Bar is known for, but it’s difficult to capture what makes it so magical. They discuss Giorgio’s path to the Connaught Bar and how rewarding creating memories can be.

The Inside Track

The Guys have been to Connaught Bar many times and have had the pleasure of being hosted by Giorgio.

Giorgio believes that the road to being excellent is consistency.

“ Excellent is very much related to consistency. If you do something well you are doing something extraordinary for one day, because life goes on, people tend to forget, but when you are consistent. We provide an experience that is always unique for our guests, and we never compromise on who we are. We never compromise on what we do. We have a style of doing things that never sells out to others,” Giorgio Bargiani on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2024

Bio

Giorgio Bargiani is a celebrated mixologist who has risen to international acclaim as the Head Mixologist at The Connaught Bar in London. In 2014, Giorgio joined The Connaught Bar team under the mentorship of master mixologist Agostino Perrone, he began as a bar back and was promoted to head mixologist in 2019. The Connaught Bar has been repeatedly recognized as one of the world’s best bars.

Among many other awards and recognition, Giorgio won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for Best International Bar Team (with Agostino Perrone) in 2020 and International Bartender of the Year in 2023.

Along with Perrone and Maura Millia have written a Cocktail Recipe book The Connaught Bar, Recipes and Iconic Creations.

Info

Giorgio’s Book
The Connaught Bar: Cocktail Recipes and Iconic Creations

London Bar Recommendations
Connaught Bar, Kwant, Swift

Our Sponsors

The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
https://www.theheldrich.com/

Magyar Bank
https://www.magbank.com/

Withum Accounting
https://www.withum.com/

Our Places

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

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

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

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

https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys

Reach Out to The Guys!
TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**
Click Below!

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