HospitaliTV Podcast

Finally got to sit down with Katie Finn, owner-operator of Desert Wine Shop in La Quinta, CA! Katie is legit one of my favorite wine people; she's so knowledgable, so in tune with what her guests are looking for, has an amazing palate, and when it comes to hospitality... she just gets it. . We talk about cultivating hospitality at her shop (and in the restaurant world), elitism in wine, maintaining a strong reputation, developing community, and so much more. Check out the full episode and PLEASE share the show. Follow the channels, and share any clips with your friends that you think might benefit from hearing it. Thank you as always for your time!! . Follow Katie @desertwineshop111 Follow HospitaliTV on IG @hospitalitv

Full sit down with Michelle Metter, founder and creator of SommCon, during the conference.  She goes into the addition of Women in Craft Conference this year, as well as many aspects of the conference as a whole, including behind the scenes looks, networking, the role we all have to contribute to the growth of the industry, and more.     Follow along on IG @ hospitalitv Follow along on YouTube @ hospitalitvraff

Erik Segelbaum, owner of SOMLYAY, VP @ United Somms Foundation, and overall bad ass sommelier, sits down with me during SommCon 2024 to go over trends in beverage consumption, financial literacy for somms and more ! 

Maurice DiMarino, beverage director for COHN restaurant group in San Diego, overseeing 24 beverage programs, sits down and talks about innovation in the wine world, what's driving the new generation in their beverage consumption, and his seminars at SommCon

Will Costello, Master Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, sits down and talks about his new role with Preferabli, what's new in tech in the wine industry, and some things that he's learned from failures in the past 

Dan Valerino, partner at Finca in North Park, San Diego, sits down with me during SommCon 2024 in San Diego.  We talk about the panel he presented on, Your Volume is Showing, tips for leveraging relationships, and the best advice he's ever heard.  Make sure you're following on http://www.instagram.com/hospitalitv for all the content from these interviews!!

Got to sit down with Nate Rivera of Two Travelers Wine Bar in Temecula; we talked about his background in the industry, contributing to the industry, attracting great talent, best tactics for a successful wine bar and a lot more!!  Let us know what you think! Follow on IG @hospitalitv 

So humbled to sit down and talk with one of my favorite people in the San Diego restaurant scene, Angie Weber! We go over her life experience in owning and running one of the most iconic restaurants in SD, her time in sales and brand development, her inspiring stances and leadership throughout the pandemic, and a lot more. . Full podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most platforms. . Please follow the podcast on IG at:  @hospitalitv and follow Angie on IG at:  @angie_uncorked @cowboystarsd

Grateful to have sat down with my buddy and bad ass sommelier Zack Musick, director of education for The German Wine Collection.  We discussed all things German wine, as well as Zack's background in hospitality, best advice to young sommeliers, overcoming obstacles to create a diverse and engaging wine list, and much more! Please follow the podcast on IG at:  @hospitalitv and follow Zack on IG at:  @zackymuse @thegermanwinecollection 

Sat down with one of the veterans in the San Diego wine scene, Mr. Scott Rose.  We talked about creating wine programs, his philosophy when it comes to tasting wines for his list, employee longevity, dealing with the changing demographic, and much more!  The HospitaliTV podcasted was created with the intent of interviewing leaders in the hospitality industry so that we can learn insights, best practices, and gain the tools that we need to grow and achieve our goals.  Please follow on all social @hospitaliTV

Sat down with Amanda and talked about her journey into becoming a health and wellness coach, and later a life coach.  With a deep background in hospitality, DJ'ing, and operating in the night life, we discussed being able to maintain balance, taking care of yourself, and being able to plan out your life with intention.  This has been one of my favorite topics lately as it's easy to get lost in the commotion of the industry, and so important to not lose sight of what our own goals are.  You can find Amanda at: @feelbombdotcom @wellbalanced.sd The HospitaliTV podcasted was created with the intent of interviewing leaders in the hospitality industry so that we can learn insights, best practices, and gain the tools that we need to grow and achieve our goals.  Please follow on all social @hospitaliTV

Incredibly thankful for the opportunity to sit down and chat with my buddy Cesar Sandoval.  He's exploded quickly in his role as National Brand Ambassador for Casa Lumbre Spirits.  We chat about how he got into this role, how to develop new products in the market, best qualities he looks for in brand ambassadors, managing social media and much, much more.  Follow Cesar on IG @saysar The HospitaliTV podcast was created with the intent of interviewing leaders in the hospitality industry so that we can learn insights, best practices, and gain the tools that we need to grow and achieve our goals! Follow on all social @hospitaliTV

Sat down with Chris Wood of the Trust Restaurant Group, one of the most charismatic and welcoming individuals in the game. We spoke about his journey, people who have influenced his career, employee longevity, his speech for the USD men's basketball team, and a lot more. Please leave us a comment and tell us what you think!! Follow @hospitalitv on IG and please subscribe on YouTube! 

Very grateful to have had MAURICE DIMARINO, beverage director of the Cohn Restaurant Group, donate his time to do a seminar on: State of the Union in our Industry – how to be viable in an ever changing business through guest & staff engagement while managing a positive P&L. This is the 3rd installment of educational seminars around hospitality followed by networking sessions here in San Diego, with more on the way! If you're interested in attending, please reach out. Don't forget to SUSCRIBE to this channel for more update!

Today's episode was a recording of a recent seminar delivered by Master Sommelier Will Costello for the Somm community in San Diego.  The subject of the seminar was navigating the current marketplace, negotiating salaries, contract work, and proving your value as a somm from a dollars and cents perspective.   This is by far, in my opinion, one of the most important skills to have in order to create more job opportunities and growth for the industry.   I recently started hosting these educational seminars followed by a networking session for the local community, if you are interested in participating in these please DM me and I can add you to the list.  We are hosting about every other month.   As a friendly reminder you can get these full podcasts on spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the full video version on YOUTUBE. Thanks for listening!!

In the episode I sat down with Jacob Mentel, aka The Cocktail Retriever, and chatted about his intro into his craft as a bartender, his mental health journey and some practices that we have both used to get out of a rut.  We did this to focus on mental health awareness month, and it's the first time I've really opened up about my own journey as well.  I really hope it's useful to others who are currently going through anything, and know that you can always reach out to Jacob or myself to chat!!  Would love to hear any feedback you have about your own journey, feel free to DM at @hospitalitv.  Thanks for listening! 

SILVIA PHILION OF MEZCALOSFERA by way of MEZCALOTECA

Full interview with good friend and Chef Phillip Esteban.  Former projects include R+D chef for Consortium Holdings in SD, currently White Rice Bodega, Open Gym, Future is Color, Weapon Ramen, Wordsmith Bookstore and soon to open Wild Flower. 

This is the second part of a series of Winning at Beverage Programs recorded during SommCon 2019.  In this edition, I got to sit down with Erik Segelbaum of SOMLYAY as he drops some incredible knowledge surrounding real life tactics that can be applied in daily operations.  We talk about the true job of the sommelier, what most people get wrong in wine training, how to organize a list, how to look at a p-mix, and most importantly how to increase revenue! 

In this episode we look at a few of the myths in winemaking such as: do sulfites give you headaches? Does organic mean no sulfites at all? Are expensive wines always better than inexpensive wines? Are smaller estates always better than larger estates? 

Anthony Filiberti, winemaker at Anthill Farms, and Laurent Michit, co-founder of H. Mercer Imports and representing Domaine Rene Leclerc, talk all things Pinot Noir, winemaking, wine imports, wine marketing, wine critics, and. some essential info on Anderson Valley and on Burgundy.

Welcome back guys!  Here's a throwback to early 2020, when I did an educational introduction to wine for a small boutique hotel group in Baja California.  Please let me know if you like!   Bienvenidos!  Aqui les dejo una introducción de vino que hice para un grupo hotelero boutique en Baja California.  Porfavor díganme se les gusta! 

Guys in this episode I drop a quick few minutes on how to taste red wines.  Everybody should have this basic understanding of wine.  Check it out!   I taste through Merlot driven Bordeaux, Rabble Red Wine Paso Robles Red Blend, Monastrell from Jumilla by Juan Gil, and Gran Passione Veneto Rosso.     Don't forget to follow on IG.  Please leave a rating for the show, and DM @hospitaliTV with any comments you have.  Thanks! 

Grape Choice Wine Reviews Episode 2 with Rafael Peterson - tasting Pinot Noir and other thin skin grapes #pinotnoir #oregonpinot #beaujolais #chianti #cotesdurhone #grenache #hospitality. Oregon Pinot, Beaujolais Villages, Chianti Classico, Cotes du Rhone   The idea here was to purchase an inexpensive Pinot Noir and identify some alternatives to Pinot Noir (aka other thin skin grapes that make light bodied wines like Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Gamay and Grenache).   1:24 - 1:57 If you're thinking Pinot Noir, what are some other alternatives in the same camp?   5:12 Trick to see if the wine is light bodied... check the abv %!   5:45 - 9:28 Rascal Oregon Pinot Noir   10:36 - 17:58 Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages 2018   18:04 - 23:50 Gabbiano 'Cavaliere d'Oro' Chianti Classico 2017   23:55 - 28:06 E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone, 2016 Don't forget to follow me here!   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hospitalitv   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospitalitv/   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@winerelatedraff   Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hospitalitv-podcast/id1397222851   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CeDUGWLeZnQHf8Q7PHVLa?si=f7_XccsASdGXBDqUpLRWDQ   LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaelpeterson/  

Guys welcome to the very first episode of Grape Choice Wine Reviews!! The idea behind these segments will be to review every day drinking wines, mostly $15 and under, that you can buy at your local grocery store and get to know. I think with more conversations like these we'll be able to make better decisions on what type of wine we're looking for and have a bit more fun enjoying it without any stress!   These wines were purchased at Vons in Pacific Beach, San Diego, on Garnett Ave.   :58 -- Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone 2017 $11.10 88pts.   1:44 - 2:42 -- small rant on thin skin vs. thick skin grapes and why it matters   6:11 - 11:44 -- Hahn Pinot Noir 2018 $11.10 82pts   9:25 -- Some things to look for when tasting red wine   12:07 -- J. Lohr 'Seven Oaks' Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2017 $14.43 88pts.   18:16 - 24:03 -- Chronic Cellars 'Suite Petite' Petit Sirah 2018 $12.21 90ts

Got to sit down with Ashley Randall, Health and Wellness coach, and talk about techniques to stay healthy both mentally and physically in our, or any, industry!! Couldn't be a more important topic right now considering the mental pollution that is in our environment right now.  Please listen and tell us what you think! @hospitalitv @ashleyrandallfit on IG

Got to sit down with Cristie Norman of Spago, co-founder of the United Sommelier's Foundation. 

Got to sit down with Stephen Kurpinsky, the current President of the San Diego Chapter of the United States Bartender's Guild.  They have been incredibly active in providing a ton of support to the hospitality (not just bartender) community here in San Diego.  It's been really inspiring and they are serving as a model for others who seek to establish institutions to help their community thrive. 

An interview a long time in the making, I finally got to talk with Paul Grieco, one of the greats in Hospitality of our time.  We talked about his introduction in to the restaurant business, his philosophy about hospitality, and how he is reacting to the Covid-19 crisis.   I really believe this, along with the chat with MS Bobby Stuckey, to be one of the best discussions around Hospitality I've ever heard. Please let me know what you think via Instagram DM! @hospitaliTV

Sat down with Maurice DiMarino, beverage director of the Cohn Restaurant Group, which has about 27 restaurants and some 1700 employees, most of them in San Diego. 

Free meals for anyone who is unemployed! Please share! (March 27th, 2020).Johan Engman (@johansadventures), of @breakfastrepublic and @figtreecafesd, has his crew preparing dinner meals for you to pick up. Donations are awesome and encouraged by NOT NECESSARY..Pick up is DAILY at Breakfast Republic in Mission Valley between 8am-2pm. The last thing we want are for meals to go to waste; they have now extended this past just those in the hospitality industry to anyone affected by this crisis..Thank you so much Johan and team for what you are doing

THIS IS IT.  In nearly 15 years of working in the Hospitality industry this is probably the most insightful presentation regarding Hospitality I’ve ever heard.  Something everyone needs to hear.  Chefs. Bartenders. Restaurant managers.  Sommeliers. Hostesses. Food Runners. Bussers. Bar Backs. Back waiters. Owners. Operators.  This is coming at a great time too during the holidays where I know I for one have experienced higher levels of anxiety working in this industry.  It’s not easy.   Bobby talks about that, keeping a positive mindset in order to take care of one’s self, to in turn be better suited to take care of the guest, what it takes to be a pro in this field, perception of our career in society, an so much more.  Above all I’m just damn excited for all of you to hear this and get inspired, and apply it your own career paths. Check the link in my bio for the audio podcast! Thank you Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey for all that you do for this industry, and for paving the way for us to continue down this path that we love and are addicted to. 

Hi guys check out this episode with Ana Rato, the marketing director for Ramos Pinto wines from Portugal whose focus is Port wines.  We talked about the process behind making Port and most importantly the blending for Port's with an indication of age.  The wines are absolutely beautiful and the people who run it excel in hospitality, it was truly an honor to go there.  Let me know what you think! 

Hey guys check out this latest interview with Chef Jason McLeod of Consortium Holdings (Born and Raised, Raised by Wolves, Ironside, Craft and Commerce, Morning Glory, Noble Experiment, etc..) in San Diego.  

Introduction to wine tasting.. as I listened to the audio of this late night last night after a long day I was stoked to hear how many gems Josh Orr dropped during this session!! Invaluable for anyone serving wine in ANY CAPACITY.   We hosted a tasting on Thursday for a group of local industry peeps including Herb and Wood, Juniper and Ivy, Del Frisco’s, Cucina Urbana, Hilton, and Born and Raised.  The premise was let’s approach wine tasting with as much practicality as possible and build our vocabulary around the act of tasting and presenting wine.   Listen to Josh’s approach on tasting bubbles, the differences between Cava, Prosecco, and Champagne.  What defines a champagne; what are lees and why they matter. Off dry whites vs. neutral and high acid vs. rich and oaked; how do you describe them? What do they pair with? How do you surprise and delight a guest with some of these wines?  How do you navigate the confusing concept of sweetness (or lack of) in wine?  Why diversity in your list matters but why the ability to recognize what your market is asking for and how to deliver on that is crucial… Tasting reds… what do ‘impact aromas’ mean?  If you’re assessing a wine quickly, what are things that you are looking for to help define this wine accurately?  Basics surrounding ‘fortified’ wines, flavor profiles, and how to describe them.  Compare ruby, tawny and vintage port with madeira.

In this episode I interview Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey, one of the top professionals and practitioners of it in our industry.   We talk about how he got started, what it was like working for the Thomas Keller group, who has influenced him, mental health issues in our industry, and being in inspiration to others in our industry.  Bobby has given TedX talks on Hospitality, and leads the Hospitality seminars in the Advanced Course for the Court of Master Sommeliers.  He is cofounder of Frasca, Pizzeria Locale, Tavernetta, and Scarpetta Wine.    

Hi guys check out this interview I did with Amanda McCrossin, the current wine director at Press in Napa Valley.  Amanda is an incredibly active wine personality who in my opinion is delivering some of the best content online for people to follow.  She goes by @sommvivant on IG and YouTube.  You can follow along as she visits top wineries in Napa with her team, and there is a ton of amazing wine content on her YouTube channel as well.  In this episode we talked about running service at her restaurant, which has the largest selection of old Napa Cab in the world, best advice for sommeliers, sourcing old Napa Caba, and many other things.  Please let me know what you think and don't forget to suscribe to the podcast! 

In this episode we talk about the way her approach to wine education has changed over the years, failing at something literally hundreds of times to succeed, and creating a unique writing style. 

We talked about wine critics and scores, the original wine influencer Robert Parker, Gambero Rosso, best practices for wine influencers and living a gratitude mind set! Let me know what you think in the comments and please like and share the content if you liked it!

In this interview we talk about Cristie's inspiration behind the creation of her first online wine course, longevity as a sommelier and keeping a positive mindset in this ever changing crazy industry!

Check out my latest HospitaliTV interview with Erick Castro, the creator of the Bartender at Large documentary and owner of Polite Provisions and Raised by Wolves (which received cocktail bar of the year by Imbibe Magazine.) We talk about approaching new bar concepts, advice for new bar managers, and the creation of the documentary.

In this interview we go in to what it takes to open a restaurant, when to get financing, managing employees, and staying humble. 

Check it out guys here's our very first HospitaliTV Round Table Discussion with an all female panel! Join us as San Diegans Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, Frances Teraoka, Laura Kay J and Tami Wong shed some of their insights on their own experiences in the industry! * Huge shoutout to Herb & Wood Eatery for letting us shoot on location, and to Y-Knot Collective for filming the whole damn thing... Please share!

Sat down with Augusto Ferrarese of the Urban Kitchen Group (Cucina Urbana, Cucina Enoteca) and we talked about running multiple locations as a beverage director, staff education, and hiring talent that is better than you... 

In this episode I sat down with Master Sommelier Peter Neptune, of Neptune School of Wine, and we talked about study habits, educating wine enthusiasts versus a team of sales professionals, and how he started his school of wine. 

This interview with Anthony Schmidt, bar director for Consortium Holdings in San Diego (Polite Provisions, Craft and Commerce, Neighborhood, Noble Experiment, Ironside, Born and Raised) was straight fire!!  Anthony has so much to share and give to the bar community, there are so many aspects of hospitality that he touches on.  I really hope you guys enjoy this one!

I am really excited for this one, particularly since it's my first interview ever in Spanish!  Claudia Sandoval is the only Latina Master Chef, winner of season 6, and an unbelievable human being.  We talked about her experience on the show, managing her personal brand, raising a child amongst all this, and most importantly, there were a lot of laughs.  I really hope you like it ... and for the non spanish speakers, please check the HospitaliTV video on Facebook with English subtitles. 

Sat down to talk hospitality with the beverage director for the Cohen Restaurant Group, Maurice DiMarino.  He's got so much practical advice in this episode for thinking outside of the box in your career, motivating and incentivizing staff members in all positions, creating experience based dining memories, and so much more... let us know what you think!! And don't forget to follow hospitaliTV on facebook and Instagram!

I had a blast sitting down with one of the pioneers in the San Diego dining scene, Mister Bertrand Hug. He started his restaurant career in 1973 as managing partner of Le Cote d'Azur, and later went on to own Mister A's in Bankers Hill and Mille Fleur in Ranch Santa Fe.  

Master Sommelier Chris Blanchard talks about creating a world class wine list, opening a fried chicken restaurant and creating relationships between buyers and vendors. 

In this episode I sat down with MS Will Costello to talk about managing venues with multiple outlets, study habits for higher level examinations, and life!  Original interview date March 2018.