A bit of inside Baseball fun today with this episode as I bring on two close friends in James Iranzad of Gooseneck Hospitality and James Langford-Smith of Bodega Ridge on Galiano Island to talk shop about all things restaurants and bars. While sipping some of James Langford's new wine, Pamplemousse Jus , we run through the gamut of topics from what's going on in their lives currently, to government policy, new restaurants openings, fave cocktail spots and plenty of other issues. This is truly a ...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Trends in the food industry happen all the time. We can usually spot them a mile away. Ten years ago, craft beer took Vancouver and British Columbia by storm, when the market saw an opening and took full advantage of what was needed and desired. I believe we’re on the cusp of another big movement – this time, with the non-alcoholic sector. New entrants are emerging regularly and consumers have taken notice. They want quality and variety. With that being said, I wanted to find out who’s doing wha...
Mar 14, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 76
I’ve been lucky enough to have interviewed some truly brilliant individuals in the past, especially those who’ve written timely and insightful books. As a bookworm at heart, I just love delving into these stories and piecing them out. My interview with BBC Radio food journalist, Dan Saladino , is no exception. His new book (which is receiving glowing reviews ) tells a personal narrative of the diversity of food we risk losing if we’re not careful. In Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Food...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 12 min
The best part of doing a podcast (sometimes, not all the time) is when you get to interview your buddies and chat with them about the cool shit they're doing. Case in point: This chat with Simon Fallick and Patryk Drozd of Hero's Welcome. Our talk has been in the works for sometime now and, well, I'm honestly happy we waited because they both had plenty to say. Having already experienced the ups and downs of opening, and then running a bar together (they co-own The American ), listening to their...
Feb 15, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Welcome to season 4 of the podcast. I'm delighted to be back after a short break. What a guest to land to begin this new season. Extremely thankful I was able to chat with food journalist and author, Mark Schatzker about his new book, The End of Craving: Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well. Leaning on research from the fields of food science, psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics (he references work from Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, two of my personal faves), Mark weaves ...
Feb 07, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Well, 2021, it's been a year. You were one for the books that's for sure. This is our last episode of 2021 (obviously) and with it Mickey and I wanted to chat about what we went through these past 365 days. It was great to hear him bring his unvarnished perspective of someone who is on his way out of this industry. We really have a fun and illuminating chat and go through a wide range of issues. Mickey and I want to thank you all for your support this past year and to all of our guests for joini...
Dec 30, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 72
What an absolute delight it was to chat with prominent food journalist Corey Mintz (New York Times, Globe and Mail, Eater) about his recently released book, The Next Supper: The End of Restaurants as We Knew Them, and What Comes After. This was definitely one of my all time favourite chats as Corey's book touches on many of the themes this podcast has aimed to cover in the past. His book is broken down into eight distinct chapters, as each is fully fleshed out with interviews and thorough analys...
Nov 30, 2021•1 hr 37 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Brought to you by Scout Magazine. What a treat it was to finally have Adam Henderson of Superflux on. If you don't know who he is or his brand, let's just say it is one of the most respected in the province. Why? It's because 80% of what they do is IPA's and BC loves their hoppy beers. It's really that simple. Plus, I mean, how can you not love a coconut IPA? Or a strawberry cheesecake IPA? Nevertheless, with success having come his way, you'd think he and his partner (Matt Kohlen) would just be...
Nov 19, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 70
In memory of Andrew Morrison of Scout Magazine. Well for all of you who've followed this podcast since its inception, you'll have no doubt heard me talk about Scout Magazine numerous times over the years. Not only are they our presenting sponsor, but I've also been a contributor of theirs since 2016. This episode has a bit of a twist to it in that my friend and editor at Scout, Andrew Morrison, recently passed away from a short battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Michelle and two sons...
Nov 01, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. It's in the news everywhere. Restaurants are hurting for workers. This issue isn't new. It's been a problem for years now. The pandemic only exacerbated things to an even more dire state. And what better way to discuss this issue than to bring on my good friend James Iranzad of Gooseneck Hospitality as well as one of my favourite guests from this past spring, the head of the BC Restaurants Association, Ian Tostenson. Their expertise in this area with regards...
Oct 13, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. What a treat it was to discuss all things BC wine with this trio of professionals. Two of the more prominent and distinguished winemakers in the Okanagan Valley in Alan Dickinson of Synchromesh Winery and Richard Kanazawa of Bench 1775 Winery came on to talk about what they've been up to so far with this years harvest, navigating another long season of heat and forest fires, global warming, where they see things headed and their own personal philosophies wit...
Aug 30, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. Marijuana was legalized in Canada just a few years back and we are certain there are not many who are upset with this. Psilocybin, the chemical altering compound found in "magic mushrooms" is still illegal. It has been since 1974. This needs to change. Enter in Spencer Hawkswell. He's the CEO of a new Victoria based non-profit called TheraPsil. He helped co-found this venture with his friend and mentor Dr. Bruce Tobin who is a psychotherapist. Together they'...
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. Well this was a fun one. James Grant , the newly crowned 2021 World Class Global Bartender Of The Year and his good friend and mentor, Jeff Savage , who himself came second at the 2019 World Class Global Finals distill at length their passion and adoration for what they do for a living and why they continue to pursue careers in this fickle industry. Essentially, they share a common ethos, a love of people. Their words ring true and genuine in this conversati...
Jul 26, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. What luck it is for me today to discuss today's topic with UBC Professor Edward Slingerland. His latest book which came out on June 1st delves into the world of imbibing and how its purveyance within our world and history has helped shape our modern civilization. The book in question is titled, Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced and Stumbled Our Way To Civilization. It's a fantastic read and often hilarious in it's scope as Professor Slingerland examines our tende...
Jun 16, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. It's always wonderful to chat with individuals who are happy and fulfilled. Today's talk with bartender and budding entrepreneur Alex Black of imminent Blnd Tger was no exception. I've known Alex for many years now as a prominent fixture within the Vancouver hospitality industry. He's worked for some exceptional people and businesses. Most notably Wildebeest, Hawksworth and Nightingale just to name a few. We got on the line the other day to discuss his newes...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. There are those who talk and those who do. Tristan Jagger is in the latter camp and Vancouver is better for it. Having launched Vancouver Food Runners at the beginning of the pandemic last year, her charity has helped address and bridge the gap of food waste in the community using innovative app technology. With a roster of over 1,200 volunteers, Vancouver Food Runners has rescued over 275,000 pounds of food, which is equivalent to over 229,000 meals. This i...
May 13, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. Now here’s a fun one. Two Chef heavyweights talking collaboration, life during the pandemic, staying upbeat, frustrations with third-party delivery apps and why they both love Chef Peter Ho. First, let’s just call it what it is, Chef and entrepreneur Doug Stephen has been killing it these past few years with his Downlow Chicken brand. Don’t believe me? Just drive on up to Commercial Drive at any time of the day and look for the massive crowd waiting outside ...
May 05, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. What an excellent chat. For this one we were very thrilled to have on the President and CEO of the BC Restaurants And Food Services Association, Ian Tostenson, to talk about what his group has done to help the restaurant community during the pandemic. As someone who is at the forefront of communication with the government, Tostenson has a unique perspective and influence over small and large issues regarding restaurant policy and aid. We wanted to learn more...
Apr 22, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. It's been just over a year since the pandemic upended everyone's lives. Some more than others, none probably more so than Chef Alex Sandoval of Le Crocodile. Jamie was intrigued to bring her on today so she could tell her story. As someone who was living her best life, cooking under world renowned Chef Ignacio Mattos at eponymous restaurant Estela in New York City, Sandoval looked to have it all. Then March 15th, 2020 hit and everything changed. Two days lat...
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. There isn't much to explain here. Indoor dining has been shelved for three weeks. Probably longer. It sucks. This is going to hurt a lot of restaurants. The boys dispel their feelings. Sadly, co-host Mickey McLeod wasn't able to join due to work commitments. His presence was missed in so many ways. But never fear, this chat has a plethora of commentary and even some healthy banter. It's a great listen. Enjoy! ***Scout is one of Vancouver’s leading food and c...
Apr 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. This episode is also brought to you by Tullamore Dew Irish Whisky. We partnered with them to help bring awareness for their O'Everyone campaign. You can learn more about it here. Tullamore D.E.W. invites you to create your very own personalized O' Lastname T‑Shirt & Bottle label bundle. 100% of proceeds from merchandise sales on this site are donated to the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion. Unlock the power of your O' Lastname below, put your ...
Mar 23, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. In this episode we were excited to finally record again (Jamie got sick with Covid for 3 weeks - wank!) as well as chat with Grace Kennedy, the owner of Livlite, Vancouver’s newest zero waste grocery delivery company. Having only been around since August of 2020, we were curious to discuss with Grace why she’d open during this period, how she got Livlite off the ground, the logistics of running a zero waste business, dealing with suppliers, ethics of her dec...
Feb 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. In this episode we were thrilled to not only record again but excited to chat with Tacofino's head of Talent and Culture Taylor Chobotiuk about their Shift Change series on diversity in restaurants. Shift Change began back in 2019 as a new thought experiment by the team at Tacofino. "Shift Change aims to encourage dialogue about issues prevalent in the hospitality industry like gender, diversity and inclusion, mental health and substance dependency in an eff...
Jan 08, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Now brought to by Scout Magazine. In this fun split episode it thrilled us to bring back on two of our most inspiring previous guests in Max Curzon-Price of Botanist and The Diamond and Dallah El Chami of Superbaba and the Vancouver Food and Beverage Community Relief Fund. We were excited to check in on Max’s new cocktail giving back initiative, Pine and Palm, where he’s engaged the local bartending community into making delicious cocktails for a cause. The first event took place a few weeks bac...
Oct 21, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. It’s a dream we have all wanted at some point or another. Whether you work in the restaurant industry currently or have always wanted to. To open your very own, small, independent restaurant, where you’ll get to connect with your community, local farmers and become a hub for your friends and family is something we all covet. For some of us, this concept remains a dream left untouched, only to be reminded that maybe one day we’ll get there. While for others, ...
Sep 14, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. There are few people on this planet who understand viruses and pandemics more than Dr. Bonnie Henry. As BC’s top health officer, her years of experience in dealing with past crises such as Ebola in 2001, SARS in 2003 or H1N1 in 2009 gave her the knowledge to help guide us during COVID-19. With a low transmission rate and an even lower death toll, her efforts have been nothing short of remarkable. We say this knowing full well how important it is to have a un...
Aug 27, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. In this episode, our 50th, it thrilled us to bring on one of the most respected and hard working hospitality veterans in Vancouver, General Manager Leticia Castro of The Diamond. We waxed on all things COVID, reopening her bar, how she’s managed these weird times, staff expectations, her managerial philosophy, stories from the past and much much more. We also dived into some politics of the day, the Black Lives Matter movement and treating others with respec...
Jul 25, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. Today’s episode is big for us as we were beyond thrilled to have British Columbia’s Attorney General David Eby on the podcast to discuss the new restaurant and bar wholesale pricing parameters his office released last week. This new pricing, with restaurants and bars receiving 20-25% off what they currently pay, is something the industry has been clamouring for a long time now. Eby expounds on what the specifics are, how long they will be implemented, how th...
Jun 24, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. In this emergency episode, we brought on two of the owners of Mount Pleasant’s Como Taperia, Shaun Layton and Frankie Harrington to discuss all the hoopla surrounding their patio expansion. In a desperate Hail Mary attempt to garner some attention to their plight, they wrote a detailed Instagram post of why they had been turned down by the city of Vancouver. Surprisingly for them, this action received an enormous amount of anger and support from their suppor...
Jun 10, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Now brought to you by Scout Magazine. In this episode it thrilled us to bring on the Editor-in-Chief of our presenting sponsor, Andrew Morrison of Scout Magazine. This is Andrew’s second time joining us on the pod and well similar to his first go around, he didn’t disappoint. We waxed on the state of dining here in Vancouver, his thoughts on the how the pandemic has changed the way restaurateurs have been forced to operate, patio expansions, Vancouver city council letting us down once again and ...
Jun 09, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 47
