Mark and Francis welcome Eric Ripert back to the show to discuss Le Bernardin's most recent 4 star New York Times review, the new remodel of Le Bernardin, cocktails and their place in fine dining, creativity in the kitchen, and counterfeit fish....

Mark and Francis recap their visit to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic and profile some new spirits Francis discovered. Their guest is Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery and Co. Restaurant in New York City. They discuss his new book, My Pizza: The Easy No-Knead Way to Make Spectacular Pizza at Home....

Mark and Francis discuss tea with Sebastian Beckwith, one of the foremost tea experts in the United States and owner of the company, In Pursuit of Tea. They discuss the differences in kinds of tea, how to get the most flavor from your tea, and the kinds of tea that can cost $800 or more a pound....

Mark and Francis discuss their recent trip to DeBragga and Spitler and what they learned about aging meat. Their guest is Michelin-starred chef, Paul Virant, author of the new book The Preservation Kitchen: The Craft of Making and Cooking with Pickles, Preserves, and Aigre-doux. They discuss putting up fruits and vegetables for both restaurant and home use and how you can can safely at home....

Mark and Francis discuss how summer camps are different from when they were kids. Their guest is Tracie McMillan, author of The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebees, Farm Fields, and the Dinner Table. They discuss her year undercover picking garlic, grapes, and peaches, stocking shelves at Walmart, and cooking at Applebees....

Mark and Francis discuss old-school cocktails they found in an old cocktail book written by African-American bartender, Tom Bullock. Their guest is Lesley Townsend, founder of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. They discuss the big events happening this year, including the Gala, the Industry Invitational, and the events happening all over New York from May 11-15, 2012....

Mark and Francis welcome Taggart Siegel, director of Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us? Their discussion covers everything related to the honeybee -- from how bees procreate to how monocultures effect bees and what's causing colony collapse disorder....

Mark and Francis welcome Grant Achatz, acclaimed chef of Alinea, Next, and the Aviary in Chicago. They discuss molecular gastronomy, creativity in the kitchen and the dining room, and how being a little bit crazy helps when you're trying to be great at what you do....

Mark and Francis welcome Chef Floyd Cardoz, of the newly open North End Grill in New York City. They discuss the different kinds of grills out there and how Chef Cardoz is putting them all to work....

Mark and Francis welcome Gerald Asher, author of A Carafe of Red, to the show to discuss Missouri wines, wine rating scales, and other interesting topics from his newest book...

George Faison, co-owner of DeBragga and Spitler, joins Mark and Francis to discuss sustainable meat production. They discuss antibiotic use in animals, as well as why hormones in beef production can be detrimental, as well as everyday ways people can help make the meat that's available on the market better for you and more sustainable....

Charles Neal joins the guys to discuss his new book, Calvados: The Spirit of Normandy. They discuss the people of Normandy, Cider, and the great spirit they produce there -- Calvados -- and the apples and pears that its made from....

Mark and Francis welcome David Hanson, co-author of Breaking Through Concrete: Building an Urban Farm Revival with Edwin Marty and Michael Hanson. They discuss the problems people face when urban farming, as well as some of the great things an urban farm can do for a community....

Mark and Francis discuss the "innovative" new packaging of whiskey in a can and its possible pitfalls. Their guest is wine and spirits expert Steve Olson. They discuss responsible drinking, artisanal products, and why mezcal and tequila are in trouble and how you can help....

The guys are joined by preeminent cocktailian Dale DeGroff and talk about the State of the Cocktail Union and bar trends for 2012!...

Mark and Francis discuss Bloody Marys and different garnishes that you could put on them. Their guest is Brian Miller, of Tiki Mondays at Lani Kai. They discuss all things Tiki and what makes a bartender different from a mixologist....

Mark and Francis discuss the word "artisanal" and how some companies are misappropriating its use for things that are not, in fact, artisanal. Their guest is Nancy Huehnergarth, author of a recent article in the Huffington Post about the "Top Six Food Politics Lessons Learned In 2011."...

Happy New Year from the Restaurant Guys!...

Mark and Francis discuss the upcoming New Year's Eve celebrations across the US and specifically, in New Brunswick, NJ. Their guest is Randy Clemens, co-author of The Craft of Stone Brewing Co: Liqud Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance. They discuss Stone Brewing Co, other smaller breweries, and unusual things to do with beer, including how to make something called Beer Nog....

Mark and Francis welcome Doug Frost, MS, MW to the show to discuss being a sommelier in today's market and the importance of cocktails in general. They talk about wine ratings, selling wine to consumers, differing palates, and the importance of cocktails in today's beverage programs....

Mark and Francis welcome Sam Mogannam of Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco. They discuss the role of the supermarket in a community, why big business supermarkets are different from small supermarkets, and why produce from small farmers is better than mass-produced produce. They also discuss Sam's new book, Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food....

Mark and Francis welcome Natalie MacLean, the Canadian wine writer. They discuss Natalie's new book, Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines. They discuss what makes a wine a bargain wine, what some of the up and coming regions of the world are, and some of the new things Natalie's up to...

Mark and Francis being the show with a discussion of spirits competitions and a spirit they recently tried blind and is now coming onto the market. Their guest is Allegra McEvedy, author of Bought, Borrowed, and Stolen: Recipes and Knives from a Travelling Chef. Conversation ranges from the importance of knives to a chef, culturally, and in our homes, as well as how Allegra chose the regional foods mentioned in her book and how knives factor into the preparation of these recipes....

Mark and Francis reminisce about their days of eating fast food in high school and college. Their guest is Kathleen Flinn, author of the Kitchen Counter Cooking School, a book that followed home cooks as Kathleen taught them how to eat less processed food and how to cook real food at home. The conversation spans from a discussion of what people put into their shopping carts, about how learning to cook can be empowering and about the way processed food is actually made....

Mark and Francis welcome Daniel Humm to the show to discuss the book he's written with Will Guidara, the Eleven Madison Park Cookbook. They talk about the book, about running a four star restaurant, and about some of the unique things that they're doing at Eleven Madison Park in regards to training, service, and the menu in general....