The Dinnernet with Mark and Meg (The Dinnernet Podcast)
Explore every episode of The Dinnernet with Mark and Meg
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Apr 2025 | S1 Ep14: Bartender’s Ketchup with Matt Pachmayr | 01:01:43 | |
Le Coin bar manager Matt Pachmayr, the principal of Chartreuse (our words, not his), joins us to talk about his Monday-night pop-up/industry party No Call No Show, learning to bartend with the legendary Murray Stenson, and—of course—all things Chartreuse. We also chat about cocktail mentorship, Seattle’s unique bar culture, and whether or not there’s a boilermaker that could be considered The Seattle Handshake. Plus Meg boosts her gardening game with a greenhouse, Mark boosts his wine knowledge with a trip to Woodinville, and we all boost the local restaurant scene with fresh news—and our best bites—of the week. Follow No Call No Show on Instagram 00:00 Intro 04:30 Le Coin and the Streamline Tavern 09:44 Growing up Missourian 15:56 Bartending in Seattle 20:57 Working with Murray Stenson 26:23 Tasting Chartreuse Green V.E.P. 30:53 No Call No Show 34:44 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack 38:47 This Week’s Restaurant News 45:37 Thanks, I Ate It! 58:18 Coming Up Next Week | |||
| 03 Apr 2025 | S1 Ep13: Outside is Like a Windows Wallpaper with Chachi Thomas | 01:09:35 | |
Filson’s current Chef Face (that’s his title!) and former pop-up scene fixture Chachi Thomas chops it up with us about growing up in southern California, starting and leaving the pop-up game, and crossing paths with notorious Hells Angel Sonny Barger. We also talk about why Chachi decided not to open a brick-and-mortar, chew on Spice Waala’s Instagram post about what the City of Seattle can do to help small businesses thrive, and give love to Chachi’s favorite burger joint—and Mark’s first-ever job—in Bothell. Plus Meg has a date night at the Seattle Symphony, Mark has yet another doppelgänger, and we all have the local restaurant news—and our best bites—of the week. Check Out Filson Food and Recipes 00:00 Intro 11:53 Fontucky, Hell’s Angels, and Art Supplies 16:43 Chachi’s Pop-Up Origin Story 25:28 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack 29:45 This Week’s Restaurant News 39:33 Why Chachi Left the Pop-Up Game 50:48 Thanks, I Ate It! 01:07:23 Coming Up Next Week | |||
| 21 Jan 2025 | S1 Ep3: Steely Dan Funk with Brian O'Connor | 01:05:23 | |
Brian O'Connor (PopPop Pizza and Wine) tells us about pursuing the platonic ideal of thin and crispy tavern style pizza, sourcing great wine, and transitioning a dinner party concept to a brick and mortar. We also talk about the landlord/business tenant relationship in Seattle, the recovery of late night dining (or lack thereof), and our favorite older restaurants and bars. Plus restaurant news and our favorite bites of the week! Learn more about PopPop Pizza and Wine at their website And on Instagram @poppop_pizza 0:00 Intro 2:42 What is Pop PopPizza and Wine? 5:08 Moving to Seattle and starting PopPop 7:00 How thin crust pizza should be! 9:46 Why PopPop isn’t a pop-up 11:30 What a PopPop dinner is like 17:48 The difference between tavern style and grandma pie 20:15 How PopPop curates their wine selection 22:52 What inspired Brian to go from FOH to BOH 25:13 Seattle restaurant news 30:36 What is the right landlord? 33:20 The real estate search in Seattle 35:35 Are landlords too disconnected? 40:00 What’s different about opening a restaurant in Seattle? 42:03 Why hasn’t late night dining recovered here? 46:02 Thanks, I Ate It 55:40 Unpopular Opinion! 58:15 Favorite older restaurants 1:03:14 Coming up next | |||
| 11 Feb 2025 | S1 Ep6: Under the Influencers with Michael Wong | 01:08:30 | |
Cultural anthropologist (!) Michael Wong (Asian Verified,The Stranger) chops it up with us about what makes something Asian Verified, why he switched from covering food on IG to covering it in print, and the problems with foodie influencer culture. And he’s got some tough-love content creation advice for small business owners who don’t know where to start. We also talk about the ethics of content creation and the Keith Lee fiasco, along with the importance of thoughtfulness, research, and humility—whether you’re an influencer or a journalist. We shout out some food influencers who we think are doing it the right way, and…we might’ve called out a few who we think aren’t. It’s a spicy one, and we throw some elbows here—let us know what you think! Plus Meg finally makes it to Buddy’s Chicken and Waffles, Mark finally gets into Led Zeppelin (?!), and we give you all the local restaurant news and best bites of the week. Follow Asian Verified on Instagram 00:00 Intro 03:48 The Origin of Asian Verified 07:10 What Makes Something Asian Verified? 09:45 The Problem With Discussing Food Online 12:26 Instagram “Foodie” Culture 15:54 Content Creation Advice For Small Businesses 20:11 Restaurant News This Week 30:44 What Does Content Creator Mean? 32:09 Michael’s Equipment Setup 35:00 The Ethics of Filming People in Public 37:08 The Keith Lee Sushi Fiasco 45:00 Business Spikes Aren’t Necessarily Good 46:55 Negative Lists 51:22 Thanks, I Ate It 01:07:16 What’s Next | |||
| 14 Jan 2025 | S1 Ep2: When You're Here, You're Cousins with Lisa Bi | 01:03:08 | |
Lisa Bi (Ba+Me popup, Family Meal supper club) joins us to talk Viet comfort food, creating a more communal and collaborative restaurant concept, and how to get started in the Seattle popup scene. We also discuss Michael Wong's must-read article in The Stranger about pricing expectations for Vietnamese and other south Asian cuisines. And as always, we've got restaurant news , and our rec's for the best things we ate this week! (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:00) Lisa's Lil’ Woody’s burger (00:02:19) Portland and weird Tacoma pizza (00:04:21) Lisa's pop-up origin story (00:06:46) Making connections in Seattle (00:07:40) Popping up outside Seattle (00:09:13) Lisa’s upcoming events (00:09:57) Family Meal Supper Club (00:12:50) Lisa’s Chef mission (00:19:47) Seattle Restaurant News (00:28:42) Michael Wong’s article in The Stranger (00:36:54) How Lisa handles expectations of Viet food (00:44:05) “Fusion,” classics, and going brick and mortar (00:47:59) What to expect at a Family Meal Supper Club event (00:50:30) Thanks, I Ate It (01:00:53) Coming up next week | |||
| 28 Jan 2025 | S1 Ep4: No Bones in a Whole Fried Fish with Rachel Belle | 00:48:58 | |
Rachel Belle (Your Last Meal podcast, The Nosh with Rachel Belle TV series, plus her new cookbook, Open Sesame) joins us to talk about the process of creating a cookbook, what the James Beard Award show is like IRL, being a teenage metalhead, and the value of getting out of the house. We also discuss tough interviews, Christopher Kimball's sartorial acumen, and William Shatner's can't-miss idea for a new TV show. Plus Mark and Meg go to the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, and all the local restaurant news that's fit to podcast about! Learn more about Rachel and Your Last Meal Rachel's book Open Sesame The Nosh with Rachel Belle on Cascade PBS 00:00 Intro 03:46 Rachel’s Cookbook Open Sesame 05:13 The Benefits of IRL 07:33 Rachel’s Most Challenging Interview 08:33 William Shatner’s TV Show Idea 10:18 The Origin of Your Last Meal 11:19 The Nosh 12:47 The Process of Creating a Cookbook 20:47 This Week’s News 27:39 What the James Beard Awards Are Like 34:10 Thanks, I Ate It 45:00 Food Bingo Card and Other Food Goals 48:43 Coming Up Next Week! | |||
| 26 Feb 2025 | S1 Ep8: Pop-Up Chop-Up with Edgar D’Souza | 01:08:06 | |
Get to know Edgar D’Souza, the elusive but very real human being behind the SeattlePopups Instagram account—an essential source of info about the Seattle area’s thriving and super diverse pop-up scene. Edgar tells us why he likes to maintain a level of anonymity on the account, what compelled him to create an ongoing pop-up events calendar on IG, and where he sees the scene going next. We also talk about how pop-ups and supper clubs can be pleasant, low-pressure social events, whether there’s a way past Seattle’s habit of risk aversion, and the ethics around treating chefs as star protagonists. Plus Meg finally finds her favorite flavor of La Croix locally, Mark finally finds an everything bagel that doesn’t omit anything, and we finally find out and report on all the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week. Follow Edgar on Instagram for info on Seattle area pop-ups 00:00 Intro 05:43 Edgar’s Professional Anonymity 07:41 Why Edgar Started Seattle Pop-Ups 09:34 What Is Seattle Pop-Ups? 11:51 Recent Pop-Up Trends 16:48 Pop-Ups as Social Events 18:46 Have We Reached Peak Bagel? 22:00 NiCola La Croix 25:01 Restaurant News This Week 35:59 The Future of Pop-Ups 39:10 Why Is Seattle So Risk-Averse? 43:04 Seattle’s Unique Pop-Up Scene 47:31 The Ethics of Celebritizing Chefs 53:21 Thanks, I Ate It! 01:05:32 Coming Up Next | |||
| 18 Mar 2025 | S1 Ep11: The Amaro of Tomorrow with Skip Tognetti | 01:08:49 | |
We’re talking amaro—and other Italian liqueurs!—with Skip Tognetti, co-owner of Letterpress Distilling in SoDo. Skip tells us about the ingredient-forward approach at Letterpress, explains the reason why limoncello attains certain shades of yellow, and possibly invents a new liqueur category, New World Nocino. We also chat about Skip’s childhood memories of his grandfather’s liquor store in Rome, which European city has the best pizza, and the challenges of running a distillery in 2025, when alcohol consumption is down and tariffs are (maybe?) up. Plus Mark and Skip break each other’s brains about the most acceptable way to pluralize the word amaro, Meg breaks with her family when it comes to Mexican chain food, and we all break the local restaurant news—and our best bites—of the week. Follow Skip and Letterpress Distilling on Instagram 00:00 Intro 04:11 What Letterpress Distilling Makes 08:36 Limoncello FAQs 13:55 Amari v. Amaros 19:22 Skip’s Favorite Amari 23:58 Meg’s Winco Mystery Snack 27:56 This Week’s Restaurant News 37:01 Modern Challenges in the Distillery Business 47:07 Thanks, I Ate It! 01:06:36 Coming Up Next | |||
| 26 Mar 2025 | S1 Ep12: I Kinda Felt Healthy About It with Lakea Osias | 01:17:25 | |
No one brings the party like catering (and former popup) queen Lakea Osias! Chef Lakea pours wine and spills tea about the pros and cons of running a popup, learning different regional barbecue styles, and the fact that catering is a luxury service. We also talk about the vital space that Wa Na Wari is for the Central District and Seattle’s Black community overall, wrestle with our nearly unanimous dislike of IPAs, hear about the only karaoke spot that makes Lakea nervous to sing, and—did we all just kill that bottle of pinot grigio already? Plus Meg drops another mystery snack to taste, Mark drops a mystery electro-jazz style to check out, and we all drop the local restaurant news—and our best bites—of the week. Contribute to JarrBar’s GoFundMe Get More Info on Plate of Nations 00:00 Intro 07:11 Rose Temple and Wa Na Wari 12:00 IPAs and BBQ 19:47 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack 26:04 This Week’s Restaurant News 42:39 Getting Out of the Pop-Up Game 54:59 Thanks, I Ate It! 01:15:46 Coming Up Next Week | |||
| 05 Mar 2025 | S1 Ep9: Good Tuk, Babe! with Karuna Long | 01:06:27 | |
Friend of the pod Karuna Long (Sophon, Oliver’s Twist) stops by to chop it up! Learn about his journey from bartender to bar owner to chef/owner—and how the pandemic made him realize an opportunity to create more space for Cambodian culture in Seattle. Karuna also tells us about how his family briefly crossed paths with “donut king” Ted Ngoy, and why donut boxes are pink. We also talk about Sophon’s James Beard Award nomination for Best New Bar, and the complicated feelings that come with recognition from an organization that has historically fallen short of inclusiveness. Plus Meg goes to the opera, Mark goes to the Japanese-style vinyl listening lounge, and we all go report on the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week. Follow Oliver’s Twist on Instagram Check out the Seattle Humane Society Check out the Tacoma Humane Society 00:00 Intro 10:46 Karuna’s Story 15:20 Donut King Ted Ngoy 17:26 Opening Sophon 19:49 Traditional vs. Modern Cambodian Food 21:56 Sophon at One Year 26:20 Creating a Cambodian Bar Program 29:19 Pre-News Taste Test 31:29 Restaurant News This Week 40:01 Sophon’s James Beard Award Nom 44:34 Chubby Brown Boys 47:17 Thanks, I Ate It! 01:00:55 Coming Up Next | |||
| 17 Apr 2025 | S1 Ep15: Money’s Never Late with Jhonny Reyes | 01:24:16 | |
Chef/owner Jhonny Reyes chats with us about the inaugural year of Lenox—his stellar Afro-Latin/Nuyorican restaurant in Belltown—as well as his deep Seattle roots and what it's like to appear on Food Network TV shows Alex vs. America and Chopped. We also talk about contending with the relentless economic challenges of today, discuss whether or not chefs and restaurants are overemphasizing their stories, and delve into some Belltown restaurant history. Plus Meg closes on a veterinary ordeal with her adopted alleycat, Mark closes out the week with a pig roast, and there’s way too many restaurants closing in this week’s news. 00:00 Intro 06:54 Jhonny’s Origins 12:00 Big Love for Belltown and White Center 18:31 What is Lenox? 25:35 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack 31:19 This Week’s Restaurant News 43:57 How Can a Restaurant Contend with This Economy? 51:43 The Food Network Experience 58:37 Story vs. Food 01:04:04 Thanks, I Ate It! 01:20:50 Coming Up Next Week | |||
| 04 Feb 2025 | S1 Ep5: Year of the Cake with Gabby Park | 00:50:00 | |
Gabby Park (Paper Cake Shop) talks to us about going from politics to pastry school, ushering in 2025's Year of the Snake with cake, what “Asian flavors” means, and the wildest savory cake she and Rachel Yang ever conceived. Meg goes on a birthday excursion to San Francisco for a (Republic of) Georgian feast and comes back with tales of khinkali and a craving for Dutch crunch bread. Mark recovers from a brief illness and celebrates by visiting the Letterpress Distilling tasting room to luxuriate in Italian liqueurs. We also discuss the recent social media-fueled rumors of ICE raids in Seattle restaurant kitchens, what (if any) conclusions can be drawn in the absence of evidence, and the importance of fact-checking before sharing a post. Plus local restaurant news you will definitely wanna know, and our favorite bites from the past week! Learn more about Paper Cake Shop at their website And on Instagram @papercakeshop 00:00 Intro 01:23 From Politics to Pastries 02:30 Gabby and Rachel Yang 04:35 Why Isn’t There Any Dutch Crunch in Seattle? 06:55 What Does “Asian Flavors” Mean? 10:31 First Year Successes and Challenges 12:51 Event and Wedding Cakes 15:02 The Wildest Cake Flavor 16:41 Seattle Restaurant News for the Week 24:58 Did ICE Raid Seattle Restaurant Kitchens? 31:21 Thanks, I Ate It: Our Favorite Bites Last Week 43:17 Regional Food Is Regional 45:06 Coming Up Next | |||
| 07 Jan 2025 | S1 Ep1: Happy New Year! Here's a tip for 2025 with Brendan McGill | 01:09:17 | |
In our inaugural episode of The Dinnernet, we chop it up with chef Brendan McGill (Hitchcock Restaurant Group) about Seattle's minimum wage hike and tip credit expiration, what it takes for a restaurant to succeed in 2025, and the restaurant ghosts of Belltown Past. Pictured: smoking (eating) cariyaki (teriyaki caribou) stogies (jerky) made by Brendan's friend. | |||
| 19 Feb 2025 | S1 Ep7: Chu Late for the Chuleta with José Garzón and Stef Hieber | 01:13:21 | |
In the Dinnernet’s two-guest premiere, we’re joined by José Garzón and Stef Hieber, co-owners of Garzón Restaurants (Bad Chancla, Latinx Street Food, Topless Tapas, Lola’s Supper Club, Chifa Baby), for a wide-ranging conversation about going from FOH to BOH, the benefits of Bad Chancla’s all-electric kitchen, karaoke sharks, bodega cats, and why Lynnwood is an actual dining destination. Stef and José reminisce on meeting as coworkers at Barking Frog (including José’s first impression of Stef!) and give advice to new restaurateurs. José also tells us how he developed his killer Don Bronco pork chop sandwich for Lil Woody’s and gets our hopes up on seeing it again at Chubby Brown Boys, his upcoming collab with Karuna Long (Sophon) at Oliver’s Twist. Plus Meg finds a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with praxis, Mark figures out the best vantage point at Barboza, and we give you all the local restaurant news and best bites of the week. Learn more about Garzón Restaurants Learn more about funding opportunities through City of Seattle 0:00 Intro 3:38 Bad Chancla’s First Year 5:30 Stef’s Transition to Cooking 9:09 Beginnings at Barking Frog 15:00 This Week’s Restaurant News 17:02 Dan the Karaoke Shark/Bodega Cat 22:54 Advice from José 27:25 Chubby Brown Boys 29:38 Bad Chancla and the Electric Kitchen 35:07 Lynnwood Is a Dining Destination (Really!) 49:00 Thanks, I Ate It! 56:43 The Don Bronco Sandwich at Lil Woody’s 1:03:41 Venture Beyond Your Neighborhood! 1:08:25 Coming Up Next | |||
| 11 Mar 2025 | S1 Ep10: Olive Way Hidden Fun Zone with Kate Opatz and Niko Ciel | 00:58:13 | |
Kate Opatz and Niko Ciel join us to talk about Laurel, their sunny (and diminutive!) new coffee shop/cocktail bar on East Olive Way—an aesthetic foil to Montana Bar, Kate’s quintessential dark, moody dive next door. Niko and Kate tell us about their concept for Laurel, their artistic inspiration in designing the space, and how they ensure that Laurel is as dialed in as a coffee shop as it is as a bar, and vice versa. We also discuss the moving target that is How to Run a Successful Bar in Seattle in 2025, and whether or not there’s even an answer. Is there anything the city can do to ease barriers and encourage success? Or is it all just rolling with the punches? Plus Meg discovers a weird new treat from Grocery Outlet to unbox on the show, Mark discovers that Nick Lowe can still play bangers at age 75, and we all discover the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week. Follow Montana Bar and Montana Badlands on Instagram Follow Nacho Borracho on Instagram Check out Plymouth Housing, a permanent supportive housing organization in Seattle dedicated to providing stable housing and other crucial resources to adults facing homelessness. 00:00 Intro 03:30 Opening Laurel 10:30 First Cocktails on Tap in Seattle 14:39 Pre-News Tasting! 17:53 Restaurant News This Week 29:05 What Does It Take to Run a Successful Bar? 39:00 Thanks, I Ate It! 53:53 Coming Up Next | |||