Industry Only at The Cheese Store

The one and only tattooed, Top Chef winning, Michelin-starred Chef Michael Voltaggio joins the guys in the Cheese Store basement to talk tequila, legacy, and the state of L.A. dining. They cover the creative stretch from Bazaar to the backyard taco crawl, what it means to stay curious after decades in the game, and why the next chapter of hospitality might look a lot like the first one. Also: the 2008 oral history nobody’s written yet, Roy Choi in the streets, and why every server in L.A. is secretly a grip.Follow Michael and Mercado 28 on ig:https://www.instagram.com/mvoltaggio/https://www.instagram.com/marcado28tequila/

Surprise! Season Two's not done yet. Dom & Andy welcome Wolfgang & Byron Puck to the basement for the first of a two part conversation on the past, present, and future of Wolfgang Puck. We dive into the early days of Spago and its team of future Hall of Famers, how Wolfgang landed the Oscars party, and the staying power of truly good, classic dishes. Plus Byron reveals his early talent for butchering fish bigger than him and Dom & Andy get a crash course in "tradition and innovation" involving Lambrusco.

Don't miss the season finale of the Industry Only at The Cheese Store with Dom and Andy! But don't go too far, we have something special up our sleeve for next week. In this week's episode, the pair take listeners through a culinary tour of Los Angeles, naming their favorite new restaurants and where Dom recommends going for top-tier VIP service. Plus discover LA local's treasured spots through Dom & Andy's most craveable dishes and Dom reveals a delicious new project he's been working on, set to debut in mid-December.

Dom & Andy sit down with acclaimed restaurateur Marissa Hermer (Olivetta, The Draycott) to celebrate the opening of Chez Mia, Marissa's new West Hollywood restaurant. They talk about the importance of having a neighborhood spot, the similarities between California and the South of France, Marissa's colorful design philosophy, and why describing a caviar dish as a "French Kiss" might be a bad idea.

Dom and Andy are joined by someone who actually knows how to do podcasts, Darin Bresnitz of the Snacky Tunes podcast. They discuss what they've learned in the trenches of the LA restaurant scene, including the best neighborhood spots, celebrity haunts, and the "boom and bust" of the media cycle (which, as it turns out, is not just limited to restaurants - sorry, Leo). Plus, Darin offers his perspective on how to find success in the L.A. culinary world, the guys discuss the celebrity encounters that actually impressed them, and you'll learn why restaurants need your support during the holidays. Find Darin & Snacky Tunes at https://www.snackytunes.space/

Dom and Andy sit down with Bricia Lopez, one of the driving forces behind L.A.‘s iconic Oaxacan restaurant, Guelaguetza for a conversation about how Mexican culture shapes and leads L.A.‘s identity– from groundbreaking cuisine and mezcal culture to music, fashion, and sports. Learn how Bricia has transformed traditional Mexican cuisine and culture into thriving L.A. parties, what Las Vegas means to kids growing up in Los Angeles, and why sometimes it sucks to be a pioneer. Follow Bricia: www.instagram.com/bricialopez Follow I Love Micheladas: instagram.com/ilovemicheladas Eat at Guelaguetza: https://www.ilovemole.com/ We'd love to hear from you. Give us a shout on IG (@industryonlyatthecheesestore) or by email: industryonlyatthecheesestore@gmail.com. Follow Dom: www.instagram.com/domsfoods Follow Andy: www.instagram.com/andywangNYLA Visit The Cheese Store: https://www.cheesestorebh.com/

In honor of the World Series, Dom & Andy pit the NYC and LA culinary scenes against each other. The guys answer some important questions, like is Pink's better than Gray's Papaya's? Does New York have better Sichuan food than LA? And will Dom survive wearing a Yankees hoodie in Beverly Hills? Plus we recap recent trips to Chicago, Mexico, and Vegas and all the best food along the way. 

Dom and Andy sit down with luxury event caterer and Bites & Bashes founder Crystal Coser to pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of VIP catering. They dive into how Crystal’s Korean heritage shapes her menus, the art of impressing Rihanna at a Super Bowl party, and what to do when the 200-cap event you’re catering suddenly includes 2,000 hungry festival-goers. Follow Crystal on IG: www.instagram.com/crystalcoser Find Bites & Bashes: https://bitesandbashes.com/ Great to be back for Season Two. We've got some fun stuff planned. Make sure to follow us on IG to get the latest: www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestoreFind Dom, Andy, & The Cheese Store: www.instagram.com/thecheesestorebhwww.instagram.com/domsfoodswww.instagram.com/andywangNYLAwww.thecheesestorebh.com - 00:00 Starting Out in Catering 07:00 Coachella Chaos 14:00 Cultural Roots in the Kitchen 21:00 Eater LA Map Queen 28:00 Impressing Hollywood’s Elite 35:00 Scaling Up to Super Bowl Madness 42:00 Crisis Management on the Fly 49:00 Building a Signature Cocktail 56:00 Immigrant Mentality and Hard Work 63:00 Future of Bites & Bashes

The one-of-a-kind Jerry Greenberg, restaurateur & co-founder of SUGARFISH, Nozawa Bar, and KazuNori joins the guys to talk about why Matū’s new Lock, Stock, & Barrel menu is a lot like eating with Jerry himself, what a 27-restaurant tour through Argentina taught him about cooking steak, and why Jerry always waits in line at his own restaurants, even with a hurt achilles. Check out Matu on insta at https://www.instagram.com/matusteak/ Find Sushi Nozawa Group at https://www.sushinozawa.com/ Great to be back for Season Two. We've got some fun stuff planned. Make sure to follow us on IG to get the latest: www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestore Find Dom, Andy, & The Cheese Store: www.instagram.com/thecheesestorebh www.instagram.com/domsfoods www.instagram.com/andywangNYLA www.thecheesestorebh.com

In the Season Two debut of Industry Only at the Cheese Store, hosts Dominick DiBartolomeo and Andy Wang sit down with Chef Michael Cimarusti of Providence, LA’s two-Michelin-starred institution. The guys talk with Michael about evolving as a chef, the importance of sourcing high-quality sustainable ingredients, and the big plans he has for celebrating 20 years of Providence in 2025. You can find more about Michael Cimarusti & Providence at www.providencela.com or on Instagram at instagram.com/cimarustiLA Great to be back for Season Two. We've got some fun stuff planned. Make sure to follow us on IG to get the latest: www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestore Find Dom, Andy, & The Cheese Store: www.instagram.com/thecheesestorebh www.instagram.com/andywangNYLA www.thecheesestorebh.com

Dom & Andy sit down with the exceptionally talented Sean Macdonald to talk about his restaurant design philosophy, making elevated food in small kitchens, and how a Canadian came to LA and opened two of the hottest restaurants in the city one after the other. Reach out to us via email at industryonlyatthecheesestore@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you. Find Sean: www.instagram.com/seanymacd

Dom & Andy react to a headline about the quality of pizza in Los Angeles and dive in to the origin of how the right mix of slightly insane chefs, some good old fashioned competition, and a "no business" philosophy helped Andy's Industry Only parties become one of the best hangs in the city.

The legend Chris Bianco joins Dom & Andy to talk about food, philosophy, and what it means to feed the soul. Find all things Chris Bianco at www.instagram.com/pizzeriabianco We'd love to hear from you. Send us a DM on instagram (@industryonlyatthecheesestore) or email us at industryonlyatthecheesestore@gmail.com

Today we’re sitting down with our good friend, barbecue legend Burt Bakman of Slab BBQ, to talk about ditching real estate for brisket, how to find barbecue inspiration in unexpected places, and why it's important for a Pitmaster to take naps wherever they can. Want to win two tickets to the feast at Revelry Las Vegas, a new food festival from Wynn? Leave a rating or review on the podcast platform of your choice, take a screenshot, and tag us on Instagram with it at https://www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestore *Travel and lodging not included If you’re loving the podcast, here’s what you can do to help us grow: 1) Let us know what you thoughts in the Q&A, the comment section on YouTube, or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestore 2) Hit the subscribe button on YouTube and/or the podcast platform of your choice: www.linktr.ee/industryonlyatthecheesestore 3) Tell a friend! Thanks to Big Noise for sponsoring the podcast. Learn more about Big Noise at https://bignoisebeer.com/ Industry Only at The Cheese Store is produced by Monterey Podcasting: www.montereypodcasting.com

Dominick DiBartolomeo & Andy Wang sit down with Liwei Liao in the tasting room of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills for a conversation about how dry-aging lets you enjoy seafood in its purest form, how the process has shifted Liwei's thinking on the "wild-caught" vs. "farm-raised" salmon debate, and what it's been like to see his product featured on the menus of some of Los Angeles' most in-demand restaurants. Want to win two tickets to the feast at Revelry Las Vegas, a new food festival from Wynn? Leave a rating or review on the podcast platform of your choice, take a screenshot, and tag us on Instagram with it at https://www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestore. (Travel and lodging not included) Thank you for tuning in to our debut episode. We want to foster a community for food lovers of all kinds, but we're going to need your help to do it. If you enjoyed the episode, here's what you can do: 1) Let us know what you thought in the comments below or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/industryonlyatthecheesestore. 2) Hit the subscribe button on YouTube and/or the podcast platform of your choice (linktr.ee/industryonlyatthecheesestore) 3) Tell your friends! These three things will help the show be discovered by more people, which in turn will help us keep delivering insights, ideas, and joyful conversations with talented chefs, celebrities, writers, mongers, executives, and event-planners in the hospitality industry and beyond. Thanks to Big Noise for sponsoring the podcast. Learn more about Big Noise at https://bignoisebeer.com/ Industry Only at The Cheese Store is produced by Monterey Podcasting: www.montereypodcasting.com

Get acquainted with The Cheese Store basement ahead of the launch of Industry Only at The Cheese Store, premiering Friday May 3rd. Follow us on socials: @industryonlyatthecheesestore

Grammy-winning producer benny blanco drops by the Cheese Store to talk shop with Dom. They get into his early days bouncing between instruments (and cuisines), the thrill of landing hits for Britney and Katy while getting evicted, and how his real passion might actually be grocery shopping. There’s studio gossip, steak techniques, and a lot of opinions about soft cheese. Plus, benny shares his death row meal and defends garlic as a foundational life force.Keep up with benny: www.instagram.com/itsbennyblancoOpen Wide: A Cookbook for Friends: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/openwide

The guys are joined by two-time winner of Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race" Daniel Shemtob– chef, entrepreneur, founder of The Lime Truck and Snibbs footwear—for a sprawling conversation about resilience, hospitality, and making cool shit that actually helps people. We talk about losing everything in a wildfire, rebuilding with purpose, and the weird overlap between pasta shapes and slip-resistant shoes. Also: tangerine-colored boots, jazzberry jam, and maybe, just maybe, a Cheese Store x Snibbs collab in the works.Find Daniel on IG: https://www.instagram.com/daniel.shemtob/?hl=enSnibbs Footwear:https://snibbs.co/The Lime Truck:https://www.thelimetruck.com

The Starchild hangs up his platform boots to talk meatballs. Paul Stanley drops by the Cheese Store for an unexpectedly moving conversation about the parallel crafts of rock and roll and cooking—both requiring that indefinable quality that can't be taught: genuine passion.Fresh off Kiss's final bow after 50 years, Stanley reflects on his second act as a home cook, and how that which started as necessity evolved into a deep love affair with Italian food, authentic hospitality, and the simple joy of feeding people.The conversation spans from his European parents' influence and childhood memories of Stearns Bakery in the Bronx, to his current relationships with LA's chef elite and his role with Rock & Brews restaurant group. Stanley breaks down why emotional connection trumps technical skill every time—whether you're playing guitar or throwing pizza dough—and why he'd rather eat at a neighborhood joint than a pretentious temple to molecular gastronomy.Plus: the meatball recipe that came from Rocco DiSpirito's mom, why Jimmy Page deserves the perfect puttanesca, and Stanley's theory that great restaurants (like great bands) start with surrounding yourself with people who share your passion for the craft.Keep up with Paul Stanley:Official Website: https://www.paulstanley.com/Instagram: @paulstanleyliveTwitter/X: @PaulStanleyLiveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulStanleyOfficial/KISS:Official Website: https://www.kissonline.com/Rock & Brews:Official Website: https://www.rockandbrews.com/Rock & Brews info on Paul's site: https://www.paulstanley.com/category/rock-brews/Follow Dom, Andy, Industry Only, and The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills:www.instagram.com/domsfoodswww.instagram.com/andywangnylawww.instagram.com/industryonlylawww.instagram.com/thecheesestoreofbeverlyhills

Dom and Andy dive into May madness—the whirlwind of food festivals, celebrity golf tournaments, and A-list events that somehow keep happening without them. They cover Antonia's Tournament of Champions win, the best lobster pasta on a Sardinian beach that requires police escort to access, and Dom's master plan to curate the next generation of rising chefs. Plus: summer travel intel from Positano to Singapore, why Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy hit different, and the homework assignment that might actually change everything.