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

Enjoy.

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

Enjoy.

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com

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

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com

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

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com

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

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats 

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com

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

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com

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

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats 

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com 

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

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats 

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com 

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

Enjoy.

The Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats 

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com 

To find out more about our sponsors for this episode, please visit the following:

https://www.heirloompotager.com

https://www.trattoriatrullo.com

Friend of the show, and expert on all things wine and style, Lamar Engel, joins the show for another episode. He sits down to discuss his new educational endeavors meant to bring wine knowledge to hospitality workers and the continued work of his brand, The Wine Militia. He also gets candid about marketing practices in an ever-evolving wine market landscape and gives some refreshing insight into current trends in the industry. You don't want to miss this, my wine-loving friends!

Cheers!

he Best Ceats Podcast brings unprecedented access to the Orange County hospitality industry each and every episode. Bringing you the best stories, and the people behind them with every interview, The Best Ceats Podcast showcases the very best of Southern California’s bars, restaurants, and beyond.

You can find more information at https://thebestceats.com

Follow Host Crawford McCarthy at https://www.instagram.com/thebestceats/

To support content like The Best Ceats Podcast, as well as gain access to the exclusive bonus episodes, and more, please consider supporting The Best Ceats, at:

https://patreon.com/thebestceats 

To learn more about Ali Coyle, as well as her debut track “Trust Me,” please see her official website:

https://alicoylemusic.com 

To find out more about our sponsors for this episode, please visit the following:

https://www.heirloompotager.com

https://www.trattoriatrullo.com