Cody Storts

On this week's podcast here at Fat Drunk And Happy your hosts Cody Sorts, Amin Benny and Dave Mau jump in for a group food podcast effort to tackle some important restaurant industry topics both here in th Orange County food scene and beyond. Dave Mau starts off with touching on the joys of the private Chef world when he relates the story of making a Thanksgiving dinner for some out of towners from Brazil. Te demise of the OC Weekly is on the slab as well, which was quite a loss for OC Foodies. Cody and Amin talk about the Fullerton Cares event they both randomly ended up working and how the Chef narrative feeds into community and culture. Rogue River just won best cheese in the prestigious World Cheese awards, a first for a cheese manufacturer in the United States. Finding balance in the business is also up for grabs in this food podcast episode with Cody talking about finding life balance and preserving mental and physical health, especially in what we refer to as post-Bourdain era. Amin talks about the world's most expensive bottle of whiskey and the time it takes to produce, package and curate a world class spirit. The Michelin Start system is also part of this episode and Dave cops to the fact he never connected the dots on the name. In the discussion is the passing of Gary Regan, a bar world legend who paved the path to what we not think of modern mixology. A crushing blow to the world of spirits and bartending. Jim Mehan in New York id the last topic covered and all three of your hosts circle back to the idea of balance in the industry, an elusive creature indeed.

Our podcast team here at Fat Drunk And Happy jump in with owner/operator Leslie Nguyen and Chef Peter Petro from Bosscat Kitchen And Libations to talk shop and dive into the gritty end of opening a restaurant and most importantly staying open. Known as “Bosscat Leslie”, Leslie started out as a bartender in her early 20’s and quickly bought her first shop with tip money. There have been a lot of hard lessons learned as she has built the Bosscat empire along with her slew of other projects. She goes into opening the new location in Old Town Orange in the venerated building that Rod’s Liquor currently calls home. There are challenges in the restaurant business but being a female in the ownership role certainly has even more. Assumptions, stereotypes and plain old judgement have been things that Leslie has had to overcome. From eyelashes to donuts, she has proven her mettle under the most trying of circumstances. Bosscat nailed it in 2019 by being named Best Brunch in Orange County by the Golden Foodie Awards, a well-earned nod to their efforts. Amin Benny touches on Leslie’s background as a bartender and her own podcast and YouTube efforts. She has also embraced sobriety after more than a glancing blow with addiction, a topic that is all too pertinent in the restaurant business with recent cultural losses like Anthony Bourdain.Chef Peter Petro came from the corporate side to revive his passion for food with the rollout of the Bosscat concept. He talks food with our own Cody Storts about Tex-Mex, slice jalapeños and the understanding that people eat regionally. He also explains the concept behind the Bosscat burger and the reason they do things they way they do. There is shared understand on this episode of Fat Drunk And Happy that we are all in this together and both Peter Petro and Bosscat Leslie would never ask anyone in their shop to do anything they wouldn’t. You’ll also find out how Cody Storts, Amin Benny, Leslie Nguyen and Peter Petro all feel about Del Taco and the Double Del Burger.What does the future hold for the Bosscat team? The sky is obviously the limit and for good reason.

This episode of Fat Drunk N Happy showcases Brian and Robin Christenson, two trailblazers in the Orange County food and beverage scene. They are the heart and soul behind Blinking Owl Distillery, the OC’s first and only distillery. Based a few blocks from the historic environs of Downtown Santa Ana, the created a unique and revered space in a rough and tumble industrial space next to the legendary Logan Barrio - one of the most heartfelt spots in the region. They touch on the construction, architect and permitting challenges they faced.Along with Head Distiller Ryan Friesen the explore the complexities and challenges of operating a one-off distillery with all it’s legal and financial hurdles. It is and interesting spot to be in with a lot of regulatory vagueness and mixed signals from the city, county and state. In their case they have a very unique permit structure, a type 74 license, which has a lot of gray area to it and recently landed them on the wrong side of the powers that be, including the state board of Alcoholic Beverage Control. They have been shut down for 25 days due to heavy-handed tactics from regulatory agencies and a few otherwise innocuous misunderstandings about the nature of their tasting room. The the recent shuttering of The OC Weekly they are mourning the loss of a cultural icon but also a trusted ally.Flying the flag of the great American Whiskey Rebellion of 1791, they believe that distillers should get the same rights as breweries and wineries. They preach their message of “from grain to glass” while producing unquestionably one of the finest orange vodkas anywhere. And their aquavit isn’t too bad either.Tune in for this special podcast to take in the heart and soul of distilling, small business and what it takes to get it done. Cheers!

Alex Gonzales owner/head mead maker at Honey Pot Meadery (@honeypotmeadery) in Anaheim jumps onboard with the Fat Drunk And Happy team for an epic food podcast explaining the realm of mead making and how that works in the small business realm. Launched 3 years ago Honey Pot Meadery broke new ground as the only commercial mead making operation in Orange County and certainly blazed a trail for the craft on Southern California. Our food podcast team talks shop and tastes mead ranging from savory to sweet all the while chatting about the things that make us do what we do in food and beverage. Alex also explores culinary thought in brewing and the correlations between fermentation, beverage and food. Landing a spot on Anaheim’s La Palma beer trail, a six mile stretch of road with nine craft breweries, is an appropriate salute to their groundbreaking efforts.Also on this episode is Donald Lockhart, Chef De Cuisine for Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California. He is a friend a longtime collaborator with our own Amin Benny who worked with Chef Lockart for many years. We talk chef life, kitchen fails and flavor profiles all the while exploring in depth what it’s like to work in one of the Orange County scene’s most upscale resorts. Chef Donald and Alex Gonzalez have also collaborated for awhile with Chef helping him make mead at his location. They are also collaborating on a mead made with bacon fat. We also talk Chef Donald’s epic 49 layer lasagna and what Chef Lockhart called “the journey to the jacket”, a Chef’s road to becoming who they are in the kitchen.Here at Fat Drunk N Happy we always strive to bring you the best in the free podcast realm with our food podcast and podcast website dedicated to cooking, chefs story, mixology and what it’s like in the cut throat kitchen realm. Follow us here or via our apple podcast in iTunes to get the latest and greatest from our orange county ca podcast.

CDM Corona Del Mar@CDMRestaurantChefJon Blackford @JBlack231BartenderRavin Buzzell @Ravin1 2019 Golden Foodies Bartender of the YearModern American CuisineUnder CDM SpeakeasyTaking food vacationsFinding inspiration and always creating new menu itemsBartender vs MixologistThe days when the internet was on paperRavin Buzzell Started in Orlando Dueling Piano BarMGM Grand Las VegasEducation and sharing what you haveFinding what people like and making something betterShaken or StirredJohn Blackford Started in PittsburghCulinary Institute of America in New YorkNew York vs California food sceneMichelin Star RatingsHow to be unique with classical parings of flavorsMatching the menu to the vibe of the restaurantFinding cooks5 ingredients to have in your kitchen at all timesRestaurants make the best leftovers on the planet. Everything tastes better the next day.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ and follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Fat Drunk N Happy podcast dives into the real-life stories of the people who create, prepare and live the food and beverage world. Based in Orange County California, Cody Storts, David Mau, and Amin Benny go after the conversation surrounding what it takes to win and lose huge in hospitality. Join them weekly as guests from all over the industry sit and talk it out to find a common ground for the California food scene to rest upon.In this episode we dive into the second set of podcast introductions with Chef Cody Storts being interviewed by Chef Dave Mau and Amin Benny. Chef Cody Storts talks about the development of his culinary career from working fast food at McDonald’s, catering the Coachella Music Festival and opening multiple properties around Orange County and the Fullerton area. We explore his mindset surrounding the podcast world including his inspiration listening to the Joe Rogan podcast the the journey he took to being the mastermind behind Fat Drunk N Happy, Orange County’s most erudite and well-informed food podcast. With many influences local and national, including David Chang, Anthony Bourdain and Rick Bayless (all with their own Chefs story), Chef Cody Storts reveals the mindset behind what we do as Top Chef and how the pieces all fir together. Launching a free podcast in any realm can be challenging, all the while balancing life as a father and husband, but in this episode the touches on the best podcasts of 2018 and explains his game about cooking. With a welcome assist from his compatriots here at Fat Drunk N Happy we take a deep dive into the world of food podcasts and get an idea of what makes an effective food psychology podcast. Is Cody a pampered Chef? We are about to find out about that as well. Cooking is an art, so is talking about it and Chef Cody Storts explains it all in this episode.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ and follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Like all things magic in this world the really important occurrences seem happenstance at the moment but in retrospect all the pieces have been made to fit custom order. So it is with Fat Drunk And Happy, Orange County, California’s best podcast and newest food and beverage podcast. Featuring OC legends Chef Cody Storts, Chef Dave Mau and Bartender Amin Benny, Fat Drunk And Happy reveals “inside the insiders” world of the restaurant industry covering the kitchen, the bar and everything in between. All three of the characters have their own viewpoints, strengths and weakness but where all of them collide is a pretty special place - and a perfect petri dish of insight, humor and irreverence.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ and follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Chef Byron Freeze. To talk about food sales and being a contraband connoisseur. Also debunking food myths like farm to table, organic, grass fed...Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/

Chef Cody Storts is joined again by Dave Mau. Chef, bartender, photographer, food writer, food stylist and overall bearer of mirth. www.thedxmgroup.com. As they talk about the restaurant business, the cool kids in high school, and knivesCheck us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/

Chef Cody Storts takes the show on the road to Left Coast Brewing Company in Irvine. We are joined by Peter Lacava ]General Manager], Martin Medina [Director of Sales], Jim Clarke [Head Brewer], and Amanda [Co-Head Chef]. As we talk about brewing beer, drinking beer, and the brewing scene today. We also get to enjoy their new happy hour menu. Also get to sample the rum, gin and vodka distilled on site.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Dave Mau. Chef, bartender, photographer, food writer, food stylist and overall bearer of mirth. www.thedxmgroup.com. And Niyaz Pirani from Knife & Spork PR and the "I Know But Podcast". As they talk about being a chef and catering horror stories from events like Coachella. And how long should you leave pizza out.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Erica Arispuro @E_Apache & H.E. Greer Back Bar Project. As they drink Sotol and Mezcal. And what makes it different from tequila. Also them all raising daughters growing up in the world today.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ for the latest!Erica Arispuro@E_Apache wonderouswomen.gvng.orgWonderous Women Organization a mentourship program that helps, encourages, motivates, lifts up, women and girls in our community to help them find their own strength and stride to get through some of the challenges we face in this world. H.E. Greer Back Bar ProjectWith spirits that capture the essence of a place, with quality craftsmanship, dedication to sustainability and care for the community.

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Chef Zach Geerson of Journeymans Fullerton. Gayot 2018 one of the Best new restaurants in the US. And Niyaz Pirani from Knife & Spork PR and the "I Know But Podcast". As the talk about being a chef but also running restaurantsCheck us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ or follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Chef Cody Storts is joined by John Pantle from Sound Talent Group. To talk about the concert industry, the developing national and international tours. His start booking hotel ballrooms in the 90's in Orange County. Pantle worked as a talent buyer at the Los Angeles House of Blues, later becoming head of development for the HOB Club Network. Later working at The Agency Group, UTA, and APA. And is now at the newly-formed Sound Talent Group.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ and follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Niyaz Pirani (Knife and Spork PR) from the "I Know But Podcast" and Johnny Boone from Karma Tequila. Girly Drinks are delicious. Karma tequila and the charities they work with. And Working holidays.Check us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ and follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Eric Fuller @_FullerTone_ and Chef Chris Binotto @Chef_Binotto chef at the Beetle House LA. We learn about The Cannabis Supper Club "fine dining experience paired with the finest strains". Also about Chef Binotto's time in Chicago working with Iron Chef Morimoto and Graham Elliot. Contemporary American With Global InfluencesCheck us out at https://www.fatdrunknhappy.com/ and follow us in Instagram @fatdrunknhappy

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Gloria Yeager & Robert Morris. Learning the history of and tasting barrel-aged wines from Cooper & Thief. Also making cocktails with it. The Difference between the LA and Orange County Food Scenes. And the perfect retirement blending wines.UNICORN: Rye Whiskey Barrel Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Rusti & Wes from JJ Knox Wines. We talk about and taste The New Wines Of Hungary. It's history with Russia, the Furmint grape, & how to properly open a screw cap bottle

Chef Cody Storts takes the show on the road and is on location at Journeyman's Food & Drink in Fullerton. Joined by Corky @fullertonfoundry and Chef Zach Geerson from Journeyman's. As they wear ugly sweaters and talk Christmas food.

Chef Cody Storts is joined by concert promoter and competitive eater Justin @beerpunks and Justin from Chefs Warehouse @wherechefsshop. We eat and dive into the history and controversy of FOIE GRAS. We also taste the new Death By Stereo Beer.

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Alan De Herrera (Culinary Photographer) and Amin Benny Bartender, Brand Ambassador from Whistle Pig Straight Rye Whiskey, and Founder Orange County Bartenders Guild. How photography and social media are needed for restaurants and the future of serving drinks.UNICORN: The Boss Hog - The Spirit Of Mauve 5th Edition

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Ashley Guzman OC Pastry Chef of the Year (@guziemcdoozie) and her work with DJ Marshmello. And Nathan from Real McCoy his life in the music business and food blogging. Then we learn the history of Bootlegger Bill McCoy during prohibition & that this is where the saying comes from. How great island life is and making cocktails at 10am.UNICORN: 10 Year Virgin Oak Rum

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Steve Miller (Artist) to talk about the art world and Basky. And Steve from Casa Noble former boxer, bouncer, and bartender. All while learning the history of and the correct way to drink Casa Noble Tequila. Trying not to make tequila face.UNICORN: Joven Tequila

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Dena (Owner Vino Nostra) and Jarren from Nolet's. Learning the history of and tasting Nolet's Silver and Reserve Gin. How The Reserve is like a soft pillow. Bartending for Chef Michael Mina at Stonehill Tavern. Having your kids work at the restaurant. And The Problems with Mixologists.

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Ryan Dudley (Owner The Cellar & Hidalgo in Fullerton) and Justin from Cakebread Cellar Wines. Learning the history of and tasting Cakebread Wines. Also talking about The Cellar & the future of Hildago in downtown Fullerton. Going to Cal Poly Pomona for their Wine, Beers, and Spirits class and how it can help your dating life.

Chef Cody Storts is joined by Niyaz Pirani (Knife and Spork PR) from the "I Know But Podcast" and Truffle Queen Stephanie from Sabatino Tartufi. Talking Truffles while eating 165 day dry aged ribeye steak. Then we talk weird food. Maggot Cheese - Casu Marzu, Balut Eggs, Cody's Blood & Guts Dinner, Heart Tacos, Rocky Mountain Oysters, and Savory Churros.

Chef Cody Storts drinks Champagne. Talks the history and process of Moet, Krug, and Veuve Clicquot.

Chef Cody Storts drinks Absinthe and Green Chile Vodka. Talks the history and process of St. George Spirits with master distiller Lance Winters.

Chef Cody Storts drinks and talks the history of Glenmorangie & Ardbeg Whiskies.

Chef Cody Storts drinks and talks the history of Freemark Abbey Wine. Also joined by Eric Fuller about being a recording engineer and bartender.

Chef Cody Storts drinks and talks the history of George Dickel Whisky. Also joined by Steve Miller Murals and his history with Tower Records & Downtown Fullerton.

Chef Cody Storts drinks and talks the history of Remy Martin Louis Treize. Also joined by Niyaz Pirani (Knife and Spork PR) from the I Know But Podcast