Beyond the Drink: Paige Walwyn’s Tale of Two Cities (S8/Ep.19)

Paige Walwyn is a bartender who was born and raised in New Jersey by immigrant parents from the island of Nevis. She has tended bar at award-winning establishments including Clover Club in Brooklyn, NY. These days you can find her at Queen Mary in Chicago, IL. For this episode, Paige walks us through an original, […]

Chef Sarah Grueneberg: LIVE at Graduate Hotel in Evanston (S8/Ep.18)

Sarah Grueneberg is the multi-award winning Chef/Partner of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago’s West Loop. You likely watched her as a competitor and finalist on Bravo’s “Top Chef: Texas” and Food Network’s “Iron Chef Gauntlet.” In fall of 2022, she published her first cookbook, Listen To Your Vegetables. In this episode, Sarah shares with […]

Beyond the Drink: Stacey Swenson’s Bugs’ Sour (S8/Ep.17)

Stacey Swenson is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry and one of the most sought-after bartenders on aperitivo and Italian drinking culture. After relocating to NYC from Chicago, she held notable positions including head bartender at Dante, which was #1 on the World’s Best Bar list in 2019. She was the Bar Director for […]

Chef Winnie Yee-Lakhani (S8/Ep.16)

Winnie Yee-Lakhani is a chef, mom, entrepreneur and the self-taught “Pit Madam” / founder of Smoke Queen Barbecue. She was a finalist on Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” (Season 3) and was featured on the “Kelly Clarkson Show.” In this episode, we learn how Winnie weaves in the flavors of her Malaysian-born Chinese childhood with traditional […]

Beyond the Drink: Iain Griffiths’ Gimlet 75 (S8/Ep.15)

Iain Griffiths is an Aussie entrepreneur, educator & bartender who was awarded the first-ever “Bartender’s Bartender” award at the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2017. For this episode, Iain walks us through their Gimlet 75, a mashup of two classic cocktails, the Gimlet and the French 75. Iain has done an overwhelming amount of work […]

John Gargano (S8/Ep.14)

[This episode contains explicit language.] John Gargano served 13 years in prison for selling drugs, and in 2016 received clemency from President Obama. He is now the General Manager of Tom Colicchio’s Craft New York and Vallata, two of NYC’s top restaurants. You may be familiar with his story from the Humans of NY instagram […]

Beyond the Drink: Christine Wiseman’s Time to Sparkle (S8/Ep.13)

Christine Wiseman is the Beverage Director of Bar Lab, which includes Broken Shaker, Hoja, Margot Natural Wine Bar, MaryGold’s, and Higher Ground. She started as a chef, made the move to behind the bar, and has since received worldwide recognition and accolades leading teams at acclaimed bars and restaurants around the country. For this episode, […]

Chef Dena Marino (S8/Ep.12)

Dena Marino is the private chef for LeBron James and his family. She is one of the country’s most accomplished and preeminent chefs having spent time cooking in Napa (Tra Vigne), Aspen (Ajax, D19, Ellina) and Miami (MC Kitchen). Over the course of her career, Dena and her restaurants have received numerous accolades ranging from […]

Beyond the Drink: Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez & the Caprice (S8/Ep.11)

Jose Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez has nearly 20 years of hospitality experience and has become known for not only his drinks, but his enthusiastic spirit behind the bar. He’s worked at some of NYC’s most respected cocktail bars- most recently as the bar manager of Ghost Donkey, where he celebrated the art of Mexican hospitality. In […]

Chef Jose Garces (S8/Ep.10)

Jose Garces is an Iron Chef, father, husband, cookbook author, James Beard Award-winner, entrepreneur and food innovator. He has a number of restaurants in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. In this episode, he discusses the influence his parents had on his career, the reason he passed up what many would consider to be the “dream job,” […]