Spoon Mob

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with general manager, wine director, and sommelier Lauren Gay of Sueno about how she got started in the industry, the cutthroat environment at Bob Evans, her intended career path at Ohio State, life as an RA at OSU, being a first time GM at Moretti’s, how she got involved with the Peace Corp, getting an on the job wine education at Osteria Mozza, the challenges of the court of sommeliers exams, RV living, the time consumption of making video content, doing a cellar internship in Napa during covid, how she landed at Tender Mercy and Sueno, what she looks for when building wine lists, exciting wine regions, pairing with chef Jorge Guzman’s cuisine, her relationship with the court right now, the current state of the food scene in Dayton, future plans, answers the question left behind from chef Silas Caeton of The Lox Bagel Shop, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on wine director Lauren Gay, visit spoonmob.com/laurengay and follow her on Instagram @laaaaaaaaaaaauren, @suenodyt & @tendermercydyt. Visit suenodyt.com for menu details & reservations. Visit tendermercy.com for menu details, reservations, events & private tasting classes. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with Silas Caeton, co-owner and managing partner of The Lox Bagel Shop about how he got started with cooking, why he decided against med school, why he chose Columbus State for culinary school, how he wound up working in the country club environment, when he first met chef Avishar Barua, the early days of Veritas with chef Josh Dalton, why he never left Columbus to cook elsewhere, his short time running Rigsby’s, what chefs today should look for & ask when interviewing, why Salt & Pine didn’t work, cooking Mexican food at Cosecha Cocina, how he first met Kevin Crowley, when he knew it was time to open his own restaurant, opening The Lox, why bagels, the difference between Montreal and New York bagels, how they navigated covid, appearing on Food & Wine’s best bagels in America list, the biggest challenge facing the restaurant industry right now, the current state of the Columbus food scene, future plans, the best way to store bagels, answers the question left behind from wine director Lauren Noel of The Market IV, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on Silas Caeton, visit spoonmob.com/silascaeton and follow him on Instagram @silascaeton & @theloxbagelshop. Visit theloxbagelshop.com for menu details, online ordering & catering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with general manager, wine director, beverage manager, and sommelier Lauren Noel of The Market Italian Village about how she first got started in restaurants, her original intended career path, why she decided on FOH instead of BOH, how she wound up at Watershed Distillery, the nuance of taste between different spirits, the challenges of being a female bartender, the main thing patrons should do at a bar, taking the intro sommelier exam, how she wound up at Coast Wine House, her initial dislike of California wines, what she did when covid happened, taking the WSET exams, her issues with the current state of the Court of Master Sommeliers, where the exams fall short against real world drinking and spending habits, the true cost of sommelier exams, how she landed at The Market IV, building out the restaurants wine program, how she constructs the glass pour section of the beverage list, her thoughts on natural wine and the NA wine movement, the wine region she gravitates towards the most, the current state of Columbus as a beverage town, future plans and aspirations, answers the question left behind from chef Nick Gore of GoreMade Pizza, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on wine director Lauren Noel, visit spoonmob.com/laurennoel and follow her on Instagram @laurennoel42 & @themarket.iv. Visit themarketiv.com for menu details & reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with executive chef/owner of GoreMade Pizza Nick Gore about how he first got started in restaurants, why he went into advertising for a career, when he realized he was done with corporate America, starting out with "Pizza Sundays", how he found the mobile wood fired oven, becoming a full fledged pop up “pizza gypsy”, transitioning pizza making from hobby to business, cooking in pizza competitions, finding GoreMade’s brick & mortar location, how Italian Village has changed since opening, where his ingredient partnerships originated from, different pizza ovens, keeping things local, the story behind “Christmas on Wednesday”, how they come up with idea's for the chef’s choice pizza, the uniqueness of the pizza dough, making ice cream, what “style” of pizza GoreMade falls into, where they fit in the pizza community, how covid changed the business, the status of the pizza blog, what the future holds for GoreMade, answers the question left behind by wine director Mark Bright, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Nick Gore, visit spoonmob.com/nickgore and follow him on Instagram @goremadepizza. Visit goremadepizza.com for menu details & online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with co-founder, co-owner, and wine director Mark Bright of Saison Hospitality about growing up east of Chicago, the trip to Europe that got him hooked on wine, how he got hired at Aqua at the Bellagio with barely any restaurant experience, why he dropped out of medical school, learning from four future Master Sommeliers, how the opportunity to work with sommelier Rajat Parr at Michael Mina’s San Francisco flagship restaurant came to be, finding his own path outside the Court of Master Sommeliers, not passing the advanced sommelier exam, why Local Wine Kitchen & Merchant didn’t work out, how and why he partnered with chef Josh Skenes to open Saison, everything that went into starting Saison as a pop up, getting awarded one, two, and then three Michelin stars, the idea behind the Bright Wine Fund, the misconception he was a partner in Vinyl Wine Bar, starting Partage Winery, the challenges of being a first time winemaker, winning the Wine Spectator Grand Award, installing a new team after chef Josh Skenes stepped away from the kitchen, why Angler was chosen as the concept for expansion for Saison Hospitality, the future of Saison Smokehouse, hosting virtual wine tastings during the covid lockdowns, tasting champagne from a 1907 Baltic Sea shipwreck, where his love for Dunkin’ Donuts comes from, future plans, answers the question left behind by chef Tyler Stemmer of Pleasantry, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on wine director Mark Bright visit spoonmob.com/markbright and follow him on Instagram @markbrightwine, @saisonhospitality, @saisonsf, @anglersanfrancisco, @anglerlosangeles, @saisonsmokehouse, @partagewinery, @saison_winery & @saison_cellar. Visit saisonsf.com, anglerrestaurants.com, saisonsmokehouse.com, partagewinery.com, saisonwines.com & saisoncellar.com for menu details, wine lists, reservations, and online wine ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with executive chef Tyler Stemmer of Pleasantry about how he got started cooking and working in restaurants, his thoughts on culinary school, why he never moved to a bigger city to cook, balancing a career in music with a career in culinary arts, the similarities between being in a band & being in a kitchen, staging in Chicago at Wherewithall, the benefits of staging & working with other chefs, being promoted to executive chef at Pleasantry, the biggest challenge of being a first time executive chef, staffing challenges in restaurants today, how he came up with parmesan ice cream, wobbly tables, what exactly bike polo is, why Cincinnati has been overlooked as a food destination for so long, future plans, answers the question left behind by sommelier Amanda Moss, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Tyler Stemmer, visit spoonmob.com/tylerstemmer and follow him on Instagram @bad_thai & @pleasantryotr. Visit pleasantryotr.com for menu details, reservations & catering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage. 

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with sommelier Amanda Moss about how she first got started in restaurants, falling in love with wine during a trip to Napa Valley, shifting career paths, venturing abroad to London to work at Luminary Bakery, moving to Tucson Arizona, working at Casino Del Sol, getting more involved with building wine lists, her experience with the intro sommelier exam, what working in wine & alcohol sales is really like, the process of wine allocations, Ohio vs Arizona alcohol rules, taking the WSET exams, why she’s done with the Court of Master Sommeliers, where she feels the wine industry headed, future plans, answers the question left behind by Bill Glover the CEO of Ray Ray's Hog Pit, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on sommelier Amanda Moss, visit spoonmob.com/amandamoss and follow her on Instagram @amanda_moss. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage. Photo artwork by @ohmissphotography.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with former executive chef of Gallerie Bar & Bistro, now CEO of Ray Ray's Hog Pit Bill Glover about growing up near Pittsburgh, how he got his start cooking, spending one semester in culinary school before walking out, his time working in private country clubs, opening his own restaurant Sage American Bistro, the biggest challenge with being a first time restaurant owner, working with sommelier Chris Dillman, why Sage closed, how the opportunity with the Hilton came about, what running the food program for a hotel is like, how hotel life is different than restaurant life, how he wound up getting invited to cook at the James Beard House, helping design other Hilton properties, how covid changed his career, undertaking new challenges outside the kitchen, future business endeavors, some of his best recent restaurant experience’s, fish keeping, if he'll ever step back into the kitchen, answers the question left behind by chef Matt Harper of Comune, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on Bill Glover and Ray Ray's Hot Pit, visit spoonmob.com/billglover and follow him on Instagram @chefbillglover & @rayrayshogpit. Visit rayrayshotpit.com for menu details & bulk ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with Comune's new executive chef Matt Harper about growing up in Arkansas, how he got started cooking during high school at Sonic, spending time on his grandfather’s rice farm as a teenager, changing his career path from journalism to culinary arts, moving to Atlanta for culinary school, starting on the line at Empire State South, moving to Philadelphia, how he got into the kitchen at Zahav, learning new spices and a style of the cuisine, launching his own supper club to find his culinary voice, getting his first executive chef job at Kensington Quarters, his time in Baltimore at the start of the pandemic, how he landed in Columbus Ohio, his time working at Front Axel Farm, how the opportunity with Comune happened, new ideas for the menu, how his experience in Columbus has been so far, future plans, answers the question left behind by chef Jorge Guzman of Sueno, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Matt Harper and Comune, visit spoonmob.com/mattharper and follow him on Instagram @matthewerikharper & @comune_restaurant. Visit comune-restaurant.com for menu details, reservations & online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with owner/executive chef Jorge Guzman of Sueno in Dayton, Ohio about growing up in Mexico and St. Louis, the difference between authentic Mexican cuisine and Americanized interpretations, starting work in restaurants while playing college football, when he realized being a chef was his career path, his thoughts on culinary school, all the places he worked after school before landing at Surley Brewing and The Brewers Table, how he wound up in a disastrous situation in La Crosse Wisconsin, when he knew it was time to open his own restaurant, how hard it truly is to secure funding for a restaurant, opening Le Petit Leon, changing how restaurants support the staff, starting his pop up Pollo Pollo, how he got involved with Sueno, why Dayton Ohio, the concept and direction of the menu, dealing with goals and anonymous critics, James Beard Awards, industry staffing challenges, answers the question left behind by chef Josh Habiger of Bastion, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Jorge Guzman, Sueno, Petite Leon & Pollo Pollo, visit spoonmob.com/jorgeguzman and follow him on Instagram @jorgeguzman1, @suenodyt, @petiteleonmpls & @pollopollompls. Visit suenodyt.com & petiteleon.com for menu details, reservations & online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with chef Josh Habiger of Bastion in Nashville, Tennessee about how he got his start cooking at a diner, where his career was headed before enrolling in culinary school, staging in the U.K., working in New York City with Marco Canora at Craft, becoming a snowboard bum in Vail, heading up to Alaska to work on a salmon fishing boat, hitch hiking from San Francisco to New York City, how he got on the opening team at Alinea, moving to Nashville to help open The Patterson House, how the concept of The Catbird Seat was born, opening Pinewood Social, Bastion’s design and concept, getting nominated for a James Beard Award, how covid affected the restaurant, partnering with chef Edgar Victoria’s taco pop up Alebrije, what he created for Band Box, looking back on 10 years of The Catbird Seat, the food scene in Nashville, how Anthony Bourdain got him into Jiu Jitsu, future plans, answers the question left behind from chef Jason Zygmont of Sassetta, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Josh Habiger & Bastion, visit spoonmob.com/joshhabiger and follow him on Instagram @softarchitect & @bastionnashville. Visit bastionnashville.com for menu details & reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with the former chef/owner of Setsun in Nashville, Tennessee and the newly announced executive chef of Sassetta in Dallas, Texas chef Jason Zygmont about becoming obsessed with food as a kid, why he passed on a law career, getting his first job in a restaurant kitchen in Chapel Hill, staging in New York City, what working at a Michelin star restaurant as a young cook was like, staging in Barcelona, his experiences cooking in Atlanta, what it’s like to stage at Noma, tells the dill story, moving back to NYC to stage at Per Se, the differences between Noma and Per Se, quitting Per Se and leaving NYC to move back to Atlanta, how the opportunity to run The Treehouse came to be, being named Eater Nashville Chef of the Year, why he started Setsun as a pop up, when he knew it was time to shut down the restaurant, announces where he’ll be cooking next, the current state of the food scene in Dallas, his thoughts on culinary school, answers the questions left behind from chef Stephan Madias of Wario’s Beef And Pork, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Jason Zygmont, Black Cactus & Sassetta, visit spoonmob.com/jasonzygmont and follow him on Instagram @Jason.zygmont, @black_cactus_dal & @sassetta_dallas. Visit blackcactusfood.com for online ordering and whole sale pricing. Visit sassetta-dallas.com for additional restaurant details. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with chef/owner Stephan Madias of Wario's Beef And Pork about growing up in Cleveland, his first job as a dishwasher at a bakery, moving to Columbus to go to Ohio State, his love of butchery, getting his start in kitchen’s at The Crest, bouncing around to all the different A&R Creative restaurants, joining Ray Ray’s Hog Pit to learn from chef James Anderson, returning to A&R Creative and working on No Menu Mondays with chef Tyler Minnis, the challenges with becoming an executive chef for the first time, charcuterie with Brian Polcyn, where the name for Wario’s comes from, almost quitting the restaurant industry entirely, the origin story of Wario’s Beef & Pork, what makes a great cheesesteak, the reasoning for the small menu, the craziness of the Saturday Specials, tinkering with pop up dinners, what the ideal charcuterie board looks like, if he’ll ever do a New Jersey style cheesesteak, the state of the food scene in Columbus, future plans, answers the question left behind from Andrew Smith of Roy's Ave Supper Club, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Stephan Madias & Wario's Beef And Pork, visit spoonmob.com/stephanmadias and follow him on Instagram @stephanmadias & @wariosbeefandpork. Visit warios-beef-and-pork.business.site for menu details, call in ordering & catering/bulk orders. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with chef/owner Andrew Smith of Roys Ave Supper Club & Isla about how he first got into cooking, working construction, why he chose the W.C.I. in Portland Oregon for school, getting his start at the Italian restaurant Riccardo’s, why he took on a second job at Blue Hour, how he wound up in Columbus Ohio, becoming an executive chef for the first time at The Rossi, taking on GM duties for the first time, the mentality of menu consultation and development, running the kitchen at Salt & Pine, how he wound up opening Rockmill Tavern, what chef accolades mean to him now, who would win in a cook-off between him and chef Jay Kleven, where the idea for Roys Ave Supper Club came from, the hardest part of operating a supper club, why using Instagram for a reservation list was a terrible idea, future plans, the state of the Columbus food scene, answers the question left behind from Andy Smith of Sobriety, Shaken, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Andrew Smith, Roys Ave Supper Club & Isla, visit spoonmob.com/andrewsmith and follow him on Instagram @chefasmith, @roys_ave_supperclub & @isla_cmh. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with Andy Smith, the founder of Sobriety Shaken and president of the Ben's Friends Columbus chapter about how he first got involved in restaurants, getting fired, going to jail, going to rehab, how he wound up at all the restaurant's he’s worked at, the difference between working at independent restaurants versus corporate restaurants, how he got involved with Ben’s Friends, the goal of Sobriety, Shaken, how restaurants can become better working environments, covid changing restaurants, the challenges of staying sober, the difference between organizations like Ben's Friends & Sobriety, Shaken and the traditional 12 step Alcoholics Anonymous programs, what needs to change in the Columbus restaurant scene, answers the question left behind from chef Jordan Anthony-Brown of The Aperture, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on Andy Smith & Sobriety, Shaken, visit spoonmob.com/andysmith and follow him on Instagram @soberjuggernaut & @bensfriendscolumbus. Visit sobrietyshaken.com & bensfriendshope.com for meeting details & contact information. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with chef/owner Jordan Anthony-Brown of forthcoming Cincinnati restaurant The Aperture about how he first got started cooking, his original career path, moving to New York with no plan, bs’ing his way into a few stages including one with Danny Meyer, moving to D.C., being noncommittal to the restaurant and corporate worlds, the life event that triggered his dive into the culinary arts, cooking on the line at Iron Gate, his thoughts on culinary school, writing for DCist & Edible DC, how he landed in the kitchen at Rose’s Luxury, the time when President Barack Obama came in, moving back home to Cincinnati, when he knew it was time to start working on a restaurant of his own, opening his pop up Elm Street Social Club, his plan & vision for The Aperture, the timeline to opening, the state of the food scene in Cincinnati, answers the question left behind from chef James Anderson of Ray Ray's Meat + Three, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef Jordan Anthony-Brown & The Aperture, visit spoonmob.com/jordananthonybrown and follow him on Instagram @janthonybrown & @theaperturecinci. Visit theaperturecinci.com for additional details. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with chef/owner of Ray Ray's Hog Pit and Ray Ray's Meat + Three James "Ray Ray" Anderson about how he first got started cooking, coming up as a self taught chef, thoughts on culinary school, working as a professional photographer, opening the food cart after a few tries with brick & mortar restaurants, the original set up for Ray Ray’s back in the day, why he loves barbecue, how the food truck came to be, partnering with Ace of Cups, building smokers, the vision and concept behind starting Anderson Farms, the Esquire magazine profile, expanding Ray Ray's into Westerville, partnering with Land Grant, appearing on Triple D, the James Beard Award nomination, partnering with Nocterra Brewing, partnering with chef Matt Swint of Matija Breads, launching a drive thru pop up at the farm during covid, the stress and nerves of opening Meat & Three, bringing Bill Glover on to be the CEO of Ray Ray’s, BBQ competitions, figuring out his style of BBQ, answers the question left behind from sommelier Daniel Souder of Pleasantry, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on chef James Anderson, Anderson Farms, Ray Ray's Hot Pit & Ray Ray's Meat + Three, visit spoonmob.com/jamesanderson and follow him on Instagram @thepigboss225, @andersonfarms_ohio, @rayrayshogpit & @rayraysmeatandthree. Visit rayrayshogpit.com for menu details, online ordering & catering/bulk orders. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with Pleasantry owner & sommelier Daniel Souder about how he got started in restaurants, pursuing a career as a professional poker player, getting his first restaurant job at Enoteca Emilia, how he first got into wine, taking a crash course for the intro sommelier exam, the biggest challenge when taking the certified sommelier exam, why he never sat for an advanced or masters exam, his time at The Phoenix event space, working at 1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab, how he and Joanna came to be partners on a place of their own, the concept behind Pleasantry, construction challenges and difficult neighbors in the OTR, how they got opening and longtime chef Evan Hartman to come on board, their short lived fast casual chicken concept Money Chicken, navigating covid, organizing the donation of meals to frontline healthcare workers, the vision behind his upcoming natural wine shop Iris Read, defining natural wine, why the natural wine market continues to grow, the past/present/future of Cincinnati’s food scene, what’s next for him professionally, answers the question left behind from chef Kaci Goff of Wolf And Woman, and more before taking on the “burning grill” questions! For more on sommelier Daniel Souder, Pleasantry & Iris Read, visit spoonmob.com/danielsouder and follow him on Instagram @souderdb, @pleasantryotr & @irisread_wine. Visit pleasantryotr.com for menu details & reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with founder/owner/chef Kaci Goff of Wolf And Woman about how she first started cooking, culinary school, working in her first kitchens at wineries, taking over the pastry chef position during the opening of Malibu Pier Restaurant, her time learning pasta Union and Knead & Co. restaurants, her methodology for applying and working at the restaurants she has, the challenges of working in the Los Angeles food scene, moving to Seattle, the differences between cooking in L.A. and Seattle, starting her pop up Wolf and Woman, shifting her focus to cuisine from her Malaysian heritage, why she moved back to Southern California, how she spent her time during covid, the challenges of running a pop up restaurant, how she builds her menus, how she linked up with sommelier Taylor Berk to create Lucky Cricket, the difference between her two pop up restaurants, her future plans, answers the question left behind from chef Matthew Heaggans of Preston's: A Burger Joint, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Kaci Goff, Wolf And Woman & Lucky Cricket, visit spoonmob.com/kacigoff and follow her on Instagram @croquemadame_, @wolfandwomanpopup & @luckycricketpopup. Visit wolfandwomanrestaurant.com for menu details, reservations, online ordering, upcoming events & online shopping. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with founder/owner/chef Matthew Heaggans of Preston’s: A Burger Joint in Columbus, Ohio about growing up in West Virginia & Columbus, “retiring” early from AT&T, getting his start cooking at Chuck E. Cheese & Ruby Tuesdays, moving to D.C. to start his professional cooking career, returning to Columbus with a food truck, starting Swoop Food Group, the challenges of operating a food truck, launching his first pop up at the Hey Hey, running the kitchen at The Flatiron, becoming the executive chef at The Rossi, how covid has changed the dining public, opening Ambrose & Eve, what the restaurant scene in Columbus needs to move forward and become recognized nationally, how Preston’s originally started, moving into the North Market Downtown, the closing of Ambrose & Eve, starting the non-profit Service Relief, how to educate the public on real food costs, what makes a good burger, his upcoming standalone restaurant in Groveport, biscuit backlash, why the biscuit recipe took 5 years to develop, where he thinks the food scene in Columbus headed over the next 5-10 years, re-starting his food blog “A Dish In The Life”, future expansion plans for Preston’s, answers the question left behind from chef Joshua Cook of Ampersand Asian Supper Club, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Matthew Heaggans and Preston’s: A Burger Joint, visit spoonmob.com/matthewheaggans and follow him on Instagram @kitchebn_matt, @prestonsburgers, @honeysfriedchicken & @service_relief_kitchen. Visit prestonsburgers.com for menu details and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with chef Joshua Cook of Ampersand Asian Supper Club in Columbus, Ohio about how he first got started cooking, when he first fell in love with the profession, running a kitchen at 18 years old, becoming a dad and a sous chef at 19, working at Bravo and Brio before it became a corporate chain, how important working at Barcelona was for him, how and why he worked in all the kitchen's he has, leading Hubbard Grille to a 2011 Best New Restaurant award, moving to the front of the house to be the general manager at Asterisk Supper Club, how sensitive people are to menu changes, if it's possible to have great food at a wedding, how they decided on ramen for the concept at Ampersand, developing his ramen style, the challenges of ingredient sourcing for ramen, construction delays, covid challenges, changes in the Short North over the years, why vegetarian ramen is so hard to get right, answers the question left behind from chef Aaron Clouse of A&R Creative Group, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Joshua Cook and Ampersand Asian Supper Club, visit spoonmob.com/joshuacook and follow him on Instagram @joshcookpics & @ampersandasiansupperclub. Visit ampersandasiansupperclub.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with A&R Creative Group's executive pastry chef Aaron Clouse about how he first got started with baking and pastry, originally going to college for music, switching to culinary arts and enrolling at The French Pastry School in Chicago, landing at The Refectory right after graduating, teaching at The Food Lab, what a pastry chef at L Brands actually does, heading up the pastry department at the Gallerie Bar & Bistro at The Hilton, how he first got on the Food Network, what being on Guy’s Grocery Games was really like, creating the pastry program at Mmelo Boutique Confections, competing on the sixth season of Halloween Baking Championship, jumping to The Proper Garden after filming the show, how he used his downtime effectively during covid, joining A&R as the restaurant group’s pastry chef, what’s next for him professionally, future goals, answers the question left behind from Exquisito Chocolates Carolina Quijano, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Aaron Clouse and A&R Creative Group, visit spoonmob.com/aaronclouse and follow him on Instagram @aaronmclouse, @arcreativegroup, @themarket.iv, @hoofheartedbreweryandkitchen, @thecrestgastropub, & @alchemy.brands. Visit themarketiv.com, hoofheartedkitchen.com, thecrestgrastropub.com & alchemy-brands.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with founder/owner/head chocolatier Carolina Quijano of Exquisito Chocolates in Miami, Florida about growing up in Colombia, moving back to Miami Florida for college at the University of Miami, getting a job in New York City during the recession, how she first discovered good chocolate while traveling to Paris, quitting her job and moving back to Miami to start a chocolate business, where the name Exquisito comes from, building a cacao sourcing network from scratch, how she vets cacao farms, how covid affected cacao harvesting, pitching her business to investors and entrepreneurs, finding and growing into the space for Exquisito, the process of making all their chocolate goodies, being recognized by the Academy of Chocolate, how covid affected Exquisito as a business, what’s next, answers the question left behind from F.L.X. Table sommelier Chris Dillman, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on chocolatier Carolina Quijano and Exquisito Chocolates, visit spoonmob.com/carolinaquijano and follow her on Instagram @exquisitochocolates. Visit exquisitochocolates.com for online ordering and tour reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with advance sommelier Chris Dillman about how he got his start in the world of wine, his original career path which led him to Ohio State University, all the places around Columbus he's worked over the years, The Refectory, his time at The Burgundy Room, the owners at Rosendales covering his exam fee, taking the introductory sommelier exam, competing in Top Somm, sitting for the Master Sommelier exam for the first time, his mindset during the master, the toughest part of the exams for him, starting the wine program at the Giant Eagle in Grandview, limited edition beer craziness, taking the level 3 WSET exam, giving wine sales a shot, sitting for the master exam for the last time, why he chose to leave The Court behind, why he decided to move away from Columbus, how he curates a wine list, how covid has changed the wine industry, natural wine, champagne, where the food scene in Columbus is headed, the current state of the restaurant industry as a whole, if he still plans on opening a wine shop one day, if the mustache will make a comeback, answers the question left behind from Comune co-owner Joe Galati, and more before telling two of the wildest stories you'll ever hear while answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on advanced sommelier Chris Dillman and F.L.X. Table, visit spoonmob.com/chrisdillman and follow him on Instagram @best_dressed_busser & @flxtable. Visit flxtable.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Comune co-owner Joe Galati joins the podcast to talk about how the idea for Comune came to be, how he and Brook Maikut first met, why he left the corporate world behind, why they chose the pop up model over starting a food truck, the inspiration for the restaurants design and architecture, how chef Ben Kanavel first came aboard, the true financials of starting an independent restaurant from scratch, the evolution of Comune under chef Jacob Inscore, how close Comune was to really closing due to the pandemic, raising money to donate to black organizations in wake of the George Floyd protests, the challenges of delivery & to go food, how the collab with Parable Coffee happened, answers the question left behind by chef Carlos Ysaguirre of The Market Italian Village, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on Joe Galati and Comune, visit spoonmob.com/joegalati and follow him on Instagram @galatipants & @comune_restaurant. Visit comune-restaurant.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, chef Carlos Ysaguirre of the newly remodeled The Market Italian Village joins the podcast to chat about getting his start at iHOP, why he moved to Chicago, going to Le Cordon Bleu, his years at Anteprima, moving back home to Texas, losing his desire to cook, his time at Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile, finding his passion to cook and lead a kitchen again, returning to Chicago, how covid affected the restaurant scene in Chicago, launching his pop up CYSA, how the opportunity at The Market came to be, the renovations at The Market, his experience living in Columbus so far, baseball and the Chicago Cubs, upcoming changes, additions & features at the market, future plans, and more before answering the question left behind by chef Wesley Grubbs of Chapman's Eat Market from the previous episode of Chefs & Guests and the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Carlos Ysaguirre, visit spoonmob.com/carlosysaguirre and follow him on Instagram @chefcysa & @themarket.iv. Visit themarketiv.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Chapman's Eat Market's chef de cuisine Wesley Grubbs joins the podcast to chat about looking up to his cousin, dropping out of culinary school, chef Walter Robinson displaying the possibilities of food, moving to Charleston South Carolina, working as a traveling ship builder, almost blowing the interview with chef Sean Brock, his time working at Husk, becoming the restaurant's butcher, being promoted to the cdc of Minero, teaching himself how to make tacos, helping chef BJ Lieberman with his pop up in Columbus, helping open Chapman's Eat Market, what he likes about Columbus, what he wishes Columbus had, how the "A Week In The South" menu came together, what it's like working with his girlfriend daily, becoming a Columbus Crew season ticket holder, future plans, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions and becoming the first chef to leave behind a question for the next guest on Chefs & Guests! For more on chef Wesley Grubbs, visit spoonmob.com/wesleygrubbs and follow him on Instagram @wesleygrubbs & @eatchapmans. Visit eatchapmans.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, chef Taylor Ponte of Kamado in Maui, Hawaii joins the podcast to talk about growing up in Maui, how he got into the kitchen at one of Alan Wong's restaurants, going to culinary school, competing in cooking competitions, joining the Mill House, externing with chef Jonathan Mizukami at the Vintage Cave, running The Mill House & Maui Chef's Table restaurant experiences, being named chef of the year for 2020 by Maui Magazine, the idea behind Kamado, covid in Hawaii, what it means to be Hawaiian, future plans, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Taylor Ponte, visit spoonmob.com/taylorponte and follow him on Instagram @taylor_ponte & @kamadomau. Visit kamadomaui.com for booking details and contact information. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, chef Ryder Zetts of The Optimist in Nashville, Tennessee joins the podcast to talk about getting his start washing dishes, what he learned from working in the kitchen at a retirement community, meeting his wife at the CIA, why they decided to work at The Inn At Little Washington, moving to Napa, meeting Thomas Keller, working at Bouchon, working with chef Brandon Sharp at Solbar, adjusting his management style over the years, being apart of a kitchen awarded a Michelin star, becoming part owner of Cook & Cook Tavern, why he moved to Nashville, how the opportunity at The Optimist came about, the future of the Germantown neighborhood, sourcing fish, constructing the menu, warm water vs cold water oysters, what Le Loup will look like when it opens, staffing shortages, launching his pop up "furloaved" with his wife during the pandemic, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Ryder Zetts, visit spoonmob.com/ryderzetts and follow him on Instagram @ezryde04, @sourdoughofsomerset & @theoptimistnashvile. Visit theoptimistrestaurant.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, chef/owner Matt Swint of Matija Breads joins the podcast to chat about growing up in Cleveland, working in the construction industry, going to art school, changing careers to start in the restaurant industry, making pizza at Rotolo's Pizzeria, opening Amalia's, launching a food truck, moving to a physical kitchen space, the need to find out just how good one is, culinary school, getting Matija Breads off the ground, how the pandemic changes his business, why he never went into retail, his hate for brioche, and more before answering the guest questions! For more on chef Matt Swint, visit spoonmob.com/mattswint and follow him on Instagram @matija_breads. Visit facebook.com/matijabreads for all news and updates on Matija Breads. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Veritas sous chef Daniel Kamel joins the podcast to chat about his Romanian heritage, cheesesteaks, helping his mom shuck oysters and clams, getting his first real job at a sub shop, going to culinary school at Bradford, his time at McCormick and Schmick's, working for chef Alana Shock, jumping to Hubbard Grille, his stint at M at Miranova, learning from chef Bill Glover at Gallerie Bar & Bistro in the downtown Hilton hotel, Forno, being apart of the team at Wolf's Ridge Brewing when it was named best restaurant in Columbus, his brief stint at Rooh, finally getting a call back for Veritas, what its like working with chef Josh Dalton, who would win in a cookout between him and Dalton, why Veritas is so special, the current state of the food scene in Columbus, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Daniel Kamel, visit spoonmob.com/danielkamel and follow him on Instagram @peanutbutter2paisley & @veritas614. Visit veritasrestaurant.com for menu details, reservations, and wine delivery. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, executive chef Matt Walton of The Guild House joins to chat about his family connection to restaurants, how he got his start, going to Ohio State University before enrolling at the Culinary Institute at Bradford, working at Marcella's and The Refectory at the same time, moving to Cameron's American Bistro, his sting with Pocket Produce, returning to be the sous chef at The Guild House, becoming an executive chef, how he develops event menus, his competitiveness, spending most of his career in the "corporate" environment with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, the challenges of being in control of all the food at the Le Meridien hotel, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Matt Walton, visit spoonmob.com/mattwalton and follow him on Instagram @matt.e.walton, @theguildhouse & @soulatthejoseph. Visit theguildhousecolumbus.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray chats with Las Vegas chef Sheridan Su of Every Grain & Fat Choy. They talk about how Sheridan first got started, his experience in school and working in New York, working with David Meyer at Sona in Los Angeles before the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, working at restaurants on the strip in Vegas, why he chose to do his own thing after the economic crash hit Vegas in 2011, why a food truck was a bad idea, opening a restaurant in a hair salon that became more popular than the hair salon itself, opening Fat Choy in the Eureka Casino, launching Flock & Fowl, why he left Flock & Fowl, debuting Every Grain, what Las Vegas has been like during covid, what's next, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Sheridan Su, visit spoonmob.com/sheridansu and follow him on Instagram @chefsheridansu, @fatchoylv & @eateverygrain. Visit fatchoylv.com & eateverygrain.com for menu details, reservations, online ordering, and catering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with certified sommelier Kendeigh Worden about how she got her start with wine, leaving her teaching career, making the jump to the wine industry, taking the certified sommelier exam, her time working in restaurants around Columbus, how covid helped her focus on her passion, blind tastings, the idea behind The Grape Grind, and what's next for her wine career before answering the "burning grill" questions. For more on certified sommelier Kendeigh Worden and The Grape Grind, visit spoonmob.com/kendeighworden and follow her on Instagram @kendeighmarie & @thegrapegrind. Visit thegrapegrind.com for more on wine education, to schedule a tasting, and to subscribe to their newsletter. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with the owner of one of his all time favorite restaurants, Brandon Grossutti of PiDGiN in Vancouver British Columbia Canada. The two talk about how Brandon got his start in restaurants, near death experiences from his days working on fishing boats, how he wound up in computer programming, the original idea for PiDGiN with chef Makoto Ono, travel stories, what it takes to be a chef today, having PiDGiN used as a scapegoat and agenda item for city protests for nine straight months, getting into EnRoute, bringing on chef Shin Suzuki, linking up with chef Wesley Young, taking on the food delivery giants with FromTo in the middle of the pandemic, sous chef Kym Nguyen competing on Top Chef Canada, the state of the restaurant industry in Vancouver today, boxing, and cryptocurrency before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on Brandon Grossutti and PiDGiN, visit spoonmob.com/brandongrossutti and follow him on Instagram @bgrossutti, @pidginyvr & @fromto.ca. Visit pidginvancouver.com for menu details, reservations, and ordering delivery. Visit from fromto.ca for restaurants offering to-go and delivery around Vancouver. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with certified sommelier Thatcher Baker-Briggs about taking culinary classes as a kid, getting his start cooking in Windsor at 13, working at Toscana, moving to Vancouver to work at West, heading back east to Toronto for a stint at Note Bene, applying to Michelin restaurants, working at Coi with chef Daniel Patterson, working at Saison, getting sucked into the world of wine, going through the certified sommelier exam, moving to Japan to work at Takazawa as both a cook and somm, taking the Kiki Zakeshi exam to be a somm for sake, getting the call from chef Josh Skenes to come back to Saison, helping open the Angler San Francisco location, starting his own wine consulting business, how he views private consulting, sourcing and procuring wine during covid, the rapid growth his consulting business has seen, why he decided not to take the advanced sommelier exam, and future ambitions before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on certified sommelier Thatcher Baker-Briggs and Thatcher's Wine Consulting, visit spoonmob.com/thatcherbakerbriggs and follow him on Instagram @thatcherbakerbriggs & @thatcherswineconsulting. Visit thatcherswineconsulting.com to view The Wine Cellar Shop, Thatcher's Imports, and to subscribe to their newsletter. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with certified sommelier/food journalist/podcast host/bartender/male model Jamie Mah of the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel Lounge/Midrange/Track & Food/Scout Magazine about how he got his start in the hospitality industry, growing up in Saskatoon, working in Toronto, becoming a beverage manager for the first time, designing a bar restaurant, moving to Vancouver, taking the certified sommelier exam, focusing on WSET, starting a blog, launching a podcast, founding a website, contributing to Scout Magazine, his NBA fandom, how Vancouver has changed over the last decade, and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on certified sommelier Jamie Mah, visit spoonmob.com/jamiemah and follow him on Instagram @grahammah, @trackandfood, @midrangeyvr & @scoutmagazine. Make sure to visit midrangevancouver.com and subscribe to their newsletter. Also, follow/subscribe to the Track And Food podcast on whatever platform you get your podcasts from. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with chef Olivia Hamann, the former executive chef at Speck Italian Eatery in Delaware, Ohio, about how she first started cooking, competing in culinary competitions in school, attending culinary school at Bradford in Easton, starting out at Rusty Bucket, working at a private country club, landing in the kitchen at 1808 American Bistro, managing people for the first time at Kraft House No. 5, getting a call from chef Jonathan Sawyer to work at SeeSaw, being offered the executive chef job at Speck by chef Josh Dalton, the status of women in the industry now, where the Columbus food scene is headed, and more before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Olivia Hamann, visit spoonmob.com/oliviahamann and follow her on Instagram @oliviahamann. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with advanced sommelier Greg Stokes of Accent about accidentally taking the intro sommelier exam, passing on law school, how the sommelier process works, just how difficult it is to get to the advanced and master levels, how he first got started working in restaurants, his time as the beverage director at Till Dynamic Fare, working as a wine sales rep, convincing Veritas chef/owner Josh Dalton to hire him as a sommelier/general manager, what a day in the sommelier's life is like at a restaurant, starting Cuvee Wine Society at the start of the pandemic, the vision for his new wine shop Accent in downtown Columbus, what the wine landscape looks like in a post pandemic world, and what he would do if he were in charge of marketing for a champagne house before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on advanced sommelier Greg Stokes & Accent, visit spoonmob.com/gregstokes and follow him on Instagram @cbussomm & @accentwine. Visit accent.wine for details and to subscribe to their newsletter. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with chef Brian Baxter of The Catbird Seat in Nashville Tennessee. The two talk about Tom Brady joining the Bucs and Tampa Bay sports before getting into how chef Baxter got into the industry, playing football in West Virginia, attending both the Le Cordon Bleu and the Culinary Institute of America, using his vacation to stage at restaurants in America, learning from chef Sean Brock, taking up painting as a hobby, working at Bastion, running Cold Beer in Atlanta, how the opportunity at The Catbird Seat came about, the challenges of covid, his style of cooking, and future plans before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Brian Baxter and The Catbird Seat, visit spoonmob.com/brianbaxter and follow him on Instagram @baxterd, bbaxterart & @the_catbirdseat. Visit thecatbirdseatrestaurant.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with chef Hector Laguna of Botanist in Vancouver Canada about growing up on a farm in Mexico, moving to San Francisco, getting his start working in a restaurant, cooking Vietnamese food, moving to Miami, working with chef Michelle Bernsten, moving to Toronto Canada, relocating to Vancouver, landing a job at Hawksworth, how the opportunity to be executive chef at Botanist came about, and the challenges of covid over the past year before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Hector Laguna and Botanist, visit spoonmob.com/hectorlaguna and follow him on Instagram @hectorlaguna1 & @botanistdining. Visit botanistrestaurant.com for menu details and reservations. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with Chapman's Eat Market line cook Matt Larkin who was the inspiration for the restaurants special "A Journey Through Vietnam Menu." They talk about Matt's background, how he got into cooking, how he wound up moving to Vietnam, traveling within Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hue, finding work in the restaurant industry in Vietnam, working in Hong Kong during the protests, traveling back to the U.S. during the pandemic, landing the gig at Chapman's with chef BJ Lieberman, and how the Vietnam menu came to be before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Matt Larkin and Chapman's Eat Market, visit spoonmob.com/mattlarkin and follow him on Instagram @porkstories & @eatchapmans. Visit eatchapmans.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with chef Garrett Talmage, the former executive chef of Nada's Columbus restaurant and the new executive chef at the soon to be open Short North steakhouse Galla Park. They talk about how Garret got into cooking, his first job at The Waffle House, a kitchen full of 30+ year olds nicknaming him "The Prodigy" at The Top, all the different kitchens he worked in around the Columbus area, his first executive chef job at The Corner On Union in Athens Ohio near Ohio University, all the challenges of being the executive chef at the now closed Cosheca Cocina, learning how to run a kitchen while managing a restaurant at Nada, how the Galla Park opportunity came to be, and where they're at with opening the restaurant before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Garrett Talmage and Galla Park, visit spoonmob.com/garretttalmage and follow him on Instagram @g.l.talmage & @gallaparkcolumbus. Visit gallapark.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with chef Brett Fife, the executive chef of Ghostwriter Public House in Johnstown Ohio, about how he got started cooking in college, his aspirations for a career in criminal justice and law enforcement, going to culinary school at Columbus State University, working for Cameron Mitchell during the restaurant group's early years, working at Hyde Park during their early years, his time at a few mom and pop restaurant around Columbus, using the backdoor to get in at Brio, interviewing and landing the executive chef gig at Lindey's, how the offer to run the kitchen at Ghostwriter Public House came about, the vision for the restaurant, how they navigated covid, why the burger is so special, and Grill Works before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Brett Fife and Ghostwriter Public House, visit spoonmob.com/brettfife and follow him on Instagram @chefdaddyx4 & @ghostwriterpublichouse. Visit ghostwriterph.com for menu details, reservations, online ordering, and overnight stay booking. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with Veritas owner/executive chef Josh Dalton about getting his start cooking in Columbus, eventually buying 1808 American Bistro, opening Veritas Tavern, moving Veritas downtown, opening The Citizens Trust, partnering with Edwards Companies, opening Speck Italian Eatery, navigating covid, Birdhouse, the upcoming French restaurant, the wine shop Accent, what's next for all of it, Top Chef, the James Beard Awards, Michelin stars, and memorable restaurant experiences before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Josh Dalton and all his restaurants, visit spoonmob.com/joshdalton and follow him on Instagram @veritas614, @speck_italian, @1808bistro, @baratthebistro, @thecitizenstrust & @accentwine. Visit veritasrestaurant.com, speckrestaurant.com, 1808americanrbistro.com, thecitizenstrust.com & accent.wine for menu details, reservations, online ordering, and wine delivery. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with executive chef, founder, and owner of Denver, Colorado's Fruition, Fruition Farms Creamery, Mercantile Dining & Provision, Fudmill, and Chook Charcoal Chicken restaurants chef Alex Seidel. Ray and Alex talk about how he got started cooking, BS'ing his way into running his first kitchen, why he chose to go to culinary school in Portland Oregon, moving to Vail and running Sweet Basil, jumping on the opportunity to buy and own a restaurant of his own, all the work that went into opening Fruition, buying a farm, opening Mercantile, starting Fudmill, finally winning a James Beard Award, the thought process behind Chook, combating covid from a restaurant perspective, reopening restaurants, hiring during a pandemic, picking up pottery, and what's next for all of his businesses before answering the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Alex Seidel and all his restaurants, visit spoonmob.com/alexseidel and follow him on Instagram @bigseidel, @claydustcooks, @fruitionrestaurant, @fruitionfarmscreamery, @mercantiledenver, @fudmill, & @chookchicken. Visit fruitionrestaurant.com, fruitionfarmscreamery.com, mercantiledenver.com, fudmill.com, & chookchicken.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with executive chef and co-owner of the Tremont located Bar Oni, the notoriously NSFW chef Matthew Spinner. They chat about PPP loans, how he got started in the industry, working in Cleveland, staging overseas, working in San Francisco, opening Park Tavern, getting fired, moving to Chicago, his time at Next, moving back home to Cleveland, being offered to take over as chef at Ushabu, going PhD level deep on researching Japanese cuisine and culture, pivoting to a neighborhood Izakaya, the recent launch of Conforti before answering the "burning grill" questions, telling one of the best Anthony Bourdain stories you'll ever here from anyone in the industry, and absolutely eviscerating (rightfully so) GrubHub! For more on chef Matthew Spinner and Bar Oni, visit spoonmob.com/matthewspinner and follow him on Instagram @roast_baste_killah, @bar.oni.izakaya, & @conforti_togo. Visit bar-oni.com and confortitogo.com for menu details and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with Chapman's Eat Market's executive chef BJ Lieberman about how he got started later in the industry than most, going to the CIA, externing at chef Sean Brock's McCrady's in Charleston, being apart of the Husk opening team, his instant friendship with chef Aaron Silverman, moving back to the D.C. area, opening Rose's Luxury, appearing in the New Chefs On The Block documentary, helping open Pineapple & Pearls, opening Little Pearl, Chicago versus Columbus, renovating the old Max & Ermas space, opening Chapman's Eat Market in the middle of a global pandemic, all the little details at the restaurant, and what's next before answering the "burning grill" questions and settling the pig blood soup versus pig brain argument from the Parts Now Known Thailand podcast! For more on chef BJ Lieberman and Chapman's Eat Market, visit spoonmob.com/bjlieberman and follow him on Instagram @bjlieberman, @eatchapmans & @drinkchapmans. Visit eatchapmans.com for menu details, reservations, and online ordering. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with former executive chef at Comune chef Jacob Inscore about how he got started in the industry, his thoughts on culinary school, working at Wolf's Ridge Brewing right after it opened, his desire to work at Watershed Distillery Kitchen & Bar, his time at Service Bar, launching pop up restaurants, staging at McCrady's in Charleston and Luskus in Brooklyn, starting at Comune, being promoted to executive chef, a simpler way to look at constructing vegetarian cuisine, the current state of vegetarian cuisine in Columbus, the BLM protests back in June, Comune's fundraising efforts, his upcoming move to New York, restaurants he'd like to work at and more before taking on the "burning grill" questions! For more on chef Jacob Inscore visit spoonmob.com/jacobinscore and follow him on Instagram @cobezilla. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.

On this episode of the Spoon Mob Podcast, Ray talks with sushi chef Kevin Wang of the private catering restaurant Akatsuki and a soon to be open yet to be announced Cleveland restaurant. They talk about Kevin moving from Taiwan to Wadsworth Ohio, his first job working at his aunt and uncle's restaurant, moving between Columbus and Cleveland, his career in tech that never came to be, how he decided on sushi as his culinary genre of choice, learning sushi by working in different restaurants, working in Cleveland, working in Columbus, why Salt & Pine didn't work, interviewing in New York City, launching a private catering company in Akatsuki, hosting a pop up restaurant event, things to look for at a good sushi restaurant, the best sushi restaurant in Columbus, his idea for his own restaurant, and this latest opportunity for him in Cleveland before Kevin answers the "burning grill" questions questions! For more on chef Kevin Wang visit spoonmob.com/kevinwang and follow him on Instagram @akatsuki_sushi. For all things Spoon Mob, visit spoonmob.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram (@spoonmob), Twitter (@spoonmob1), and Facebook (@spoonmob1). Audio Editing by @TrackEditPrint. Intro music by @kabbalisticvillage.