The Check: A Podcast About Restaurants

The Check welcomes Emmalee Zimmerman, a student in the culinary arts program at ECPI. She plans to use the skills she's learning to serve first responders and military personnel after her brother — a marine and firefighter — was killed in Afghanistan.  

Sam McGann returns to The Check to reflect on his career and share what's next after turning over the reins to the Blue Point Restaurant in Duck, NC, where he was co-owner and chef for the past 32 years.

Rob Carpenter, the founder and CEO of Colorado-based Valyant AI, explains how his company is changing the fast-food industry with the introduction of "Holly," an order-taking system that interacts with customers using conversational artificial intelligence. Carpenter also discusses AI's potential and limitations, ethical implications and what the impact of this groundbreaking technology will have on customers and those working in the restaurant industry. 

Brady and Alvin share their recipes and techniques for making a couple of their favorite holiday drinks: Jamaican Guinness Punch and No-Cook Eggnog. Visit thecheckpodcast.com for ingredient lists and learn how to make these drinks in a special bonus video.  

The Holidays are here and Brady and Alvin are gearing up for one the busiest times of the year for restaurants. With a look at Christmas traditions in Alvin's native England and what it takes to deck the halls, this podcast also includes a great gift idea that anyone will be happy to receive.

Once a pro golfer, Anne Gannon combined her financial acumen with experience in the hospitality industry to create the Largo Group — a Boston-based accounting firm that specializes in helping restaurant owners with innovative accounting and bookkeeping solutions. In this episode, Gannon shares some of the ways that restaurants can succeed despite the ongoing pandemic, inflation and labor shortages.

Sisters Karla and Vivian Montano grew up in Bolivia as part of a large family that valued good food and local traditions. Inspired by the recipes and techniques they learned from their mother and grandmothers, the sisters teamed up to open Luna Maya restaurant nearly 25 years ago.

Against the backdrop of labor shortages, the rise of robots, and a pandemic that continues to create challenges, Brady and Alvin discuss the importance of preserving the ability of good restaurants to be restorative places for their customers.

In this wide-ranging podcast, Alvin and Brady discuss everything from how working in a kitchen is like Brazilian jiu-jitsu to the surprising link between bananas and latex glove allergies.

To mark the Cobalt Grille's 21st birthday, The Check pops the champagne and invites several surprise guests to celebrate with Alvin and his business partner Gary Black.

From rising food costs to labor shortages, running a restaurant these days can sometimes feel as stressful as a shootout in the O.K. Corral.  

Jordan Ferger from Toast joins us to discuss ways that tech innovations are creating better and more enjoyable dining experiences. Toast is an all-in-one, cloud-based software platform built for restaurants of all sizes. 

Dwayne Appleton, owner of Java Surf Cafe and Espresso Bar, shares the ins and outs of running his business in the heart of Virginia Beach's colorful ViBe District. Appleton discusses lessons learned, secrets to success, and the art of achieving a work-life balance. 

Alvin and Brady welcome back longtime Steinhilber's waiter Thom Violette, who reflects on the challenges of the pandemic and what might lie ahead as short-staffed restaurants prepare for a busy summer season. Thom also talks about his recent marriage and getting to ride in a hot-air balloon.

New guidance about masks is changing the restaurant experience, while Alvin and Brady try to sort out what it all means. They also discuss the challenges of hiring staff and some of the menu modifications they're having to make as a result. Plus, Alvin's new hobby. Episode website  

Chris Savvides is the second-generation owner of Black Angus restaurant in Virginia Beach. He's also a tireless advocate for the restaurant industry. Currently a member of the board of the National Restaurant Association, he talks with Alvin and Brady about issues that threaten to end the dining experience as we know it. Episode website

Kevin O'Connor, founder of O'Connor Brewing Co., visited The Check podcast to discuss the origins and growth of the brewery, the story behind his popular El Guapo beer, the magic of the tasting room, and how to avoid disaster if you're brewing your own beer. Episode website

With the holiday season upon us, Brady and Alvin look at how gatherings at restaurants will be different this year and discuss their favorite seasonal foods and beverages. They also look ahead with tips for avoiding a broken heart on Valentine's Day and explore the ups and downs of Yelp.

Inspired by her Mississippi roots, Jodi Moore Newland is serving up traditional Southern food at Sweetwater Cuisine, which combines event planning and catering, ready-to-heat carryout meals, and a restaurant. She's also the founder of a non-profit called Daniel's Grace in memory of her late husband that supports families who've been affected by cancer.

Donald Struminger and son David are the second and third generations of a family business that's been operating since 1934. While you might not give much thought to the tablecloth and napkins at your favorite restaurant, this episode will give you a new appreciation for the history and the innovation that underlie these integral aspects of many fine-dining experiences.

Alvin and Brady discuss the impact of elections and other major events on their restaurants and give their new lightning round a test run.  

Brady and Alvin reflect on their childhoods, educations, influences and long history in the restaurant business, while also assessing present-day challenges and looking ahead to what might be next for restaurants.  

The second stop on The Check's roadtrip was Castle Hill Cider, where we learned from cidermaker Don Whitaker and general manager Rob Campbell about an ancient method of making cider underground and discussed which foods pair well with cider.  

In the second half of our conversation with winemaker Luca Paschina, we learn about the ways his Italian heritage has influenced his approach to wine, how he achieves balance between family and work, and why the Palladio restaurant completes the experience at Barboursville. 

Brady and Alvin hit the road to visit Barboursville and learn how Luca Paschina has become one of the most influential and respected winemakers in the country. In the first of a two-part interview, Paschina discusses Virginia's history as a wine region, how he rebuilt the vineyard from the ground up and developed Barboursville's signature wine, Octagon.

The Check welcomes Alvin's business partner Gary Black, who's been the co-owner of Cobalt Grille since it opened 20 years ago. They discuss what it takes to have a successful partnership and look back at the local restaurant scene and how it's evolved over the years. 

Alvin and Brady discuss the overwhelming financial challenge the restaurant industry is facing and how they're dealing with it in their own restaurants. On the flip side, they take a look at some areas that are thriving during COVID-19.  

During more than three decades as a server at Steinhilber's, Thom Violette has built countless relationships with restaurant guests. In this episode, Thom shares some of his favorite stories, reflects on formative influences and tells why you should never hesitate to send back a dinner that's not right.  

Lindsay Bennett, owner of Press 626 Cafe and Wine Bar in Norfolk, visits The Check for a wide-ranging conversation about dealing with the pandemic, overcoming unsuccessful ventures, being a woman in male-dominated fields like restaurants and poker tournaments. She also conducts an impromptu wine-tasting session.

Bill Dillon has been running his Beatles-themed Abbey Road Pub and Restaurant near the Virginia Beach oceanfront for nearly 40 years. A longtime advocate of the restaurant industry, Dillon is suing Gov. Ralph Northam because he believes that the government does not have the right to shut down businesses during a state of emergency.

Mark Jerge co-owns one of Buffalo's most beloved restaurants with local legend, 87-year-old Russell Salvatore. Mark took time out from his annual Virginia Beach vacation to compare notes with Brady and Alvin about their restaurants and the shared quest for the perfect Buffalo Wing.

Jenna Rodriguez met her husband Casey while living in Chicago. Both are Virginia natives and moved back to their home state after starting a family. They now juggle an organic farm on the Eastern Shore, two young boys, and a teaching job.

An excursion to the Sunshine State provides an opportunity to interview a chef on a private yacht and learn more about the ins and outs of onboard cooking—and better yet, eating and drinking.

In 1989, chef Sam McGann and high school friend John Power left Virginia Beach to start The Blue Point restaurant in Duck, North Carolina. Thirty-one years later, they're still going strong. McGann discusses his culinary inspirations and what it takes to run a great restaurant.  

Alvin and Brady reflect on the first seven weeks of The Check, discussing previous guests and some of the changes that have happened in the restaurant industry and around the country during that time.   

Omar Boukhriss moved to America from Morocco with a dream of opening his own restaurant. Today, he's the owner of Omar's Carriage House, a Norfolk restaurant he's run for more than 20 years. Boukhriss lends his perspective to a conversation about a country grappling with a pandemic and widespread racial tensions.

Sommeliers. Even pronouncing their title is a bit intimidating, much less having one appear at your table to discuss wine. We welcome two sommeliers, Arden Allen of Cobalt Grille and Tom Land of Steinhilber's and La Bella Italia, who demystify the ways you can team up with them to order the perfect bottle of wine to complement your next meal.

Brady's mom, Jeanne Steinhilber, has been an avid gardener for more than four decades. She joins the show to talk about the highs and lows of growing vegetables for herself and for her restaurant, Steinhilber's. Cohost Alvin Williams is also a gardener who provides fresh produce to his restaurant.  

John Stein, president of Baker's Crust Artisan Kitchen and president and CEO of The Neighborhood Harvest, discusses coronavirus challenges and the strategies he's putting in place to keep his employees working and his customers happy. Also, Alvin and Brady share their experiences from the first weekend of Virginia restaurants reopening for outdoor dining.

Brady and Alvin talk to Stacey Shiflet, executive director of the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, about ways people can help their favorite restaurants during the pandemic and how restaurants are giving back to the community. They also look ahead to this weekend's limited reopening of restaurants for outdoor dining.

The Check welcomes Mike Standing, the owner of three Virginia Beach restaurants -- Waterman's Surfside Grille, The Shack and Chix on the Beach. In the premiere episode of their podcast, hosts and restaurateurs Brady Viccellio and Alvin Williams talk to Mike about how restaurants are navigating the challenges of coronavirus-related restrictions and discuss some possible solutions.