On this week's edition of Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates continues her 'Spotlight On A Chef' series with Chef Michael Lomonaco. Lomonaco is a Brooklyn-born American chef, restauranteur, author, and TV personality who is currently the Chef and Partner at Porter House Bar & Grill in The Shops at Columbus Circle. He has also worked at many favorable New York institutions including Le Cirque, 21 Club, and Windows on the World, the restaurant located atop the World Trade Center's North Tower.

On this week's edition of Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates continues her 'Spotlight On A Chef' series with Chef Michael Lomonaco. Lomonaco is a Brooklyn-born American chef, restauranteur, author, and TV personality who is currently the Chef and Partner at Porter House Bar &amp; Grill in The Shops at Columbus Circle. He has also worked at many favorable New York institutions including Le Cirque, 21 Club, and Windows on the World, the restaurant located atop the World Trade Center's North Tower.

Each week, on CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Christina Cates - a seasoned foodie who has worked at some of the New York City's top restaurants, will share her passion for the culinary world.
Whether you're a professional chef, a restaurant enthusiast, or a lover of good food, Christina dives into the heart of hospitality - exploring the trends, triumphs, and challenges facing the food service profession...And you won't want to miss her chats with some of the most interesting and influential industry voices.
CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Sunday nights, at 9PM...exclusively on AM 970 The Answer.

Each week, on CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Christina Cates - a seasoned foodie who has worked at some of the New York City's top restaurants, will share her passion for the culinary world. Whether you're a professional chef, a restaurant enthusiast, or a lover of good food, Christina dives into the heart of hospitality - exploring the trends, triumphs, and challenges facing the food service profession...And you won't want to miss her chats with some of the most interesting and influential industry voices. CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Sunday nights, at 9PM...exclusively on AM 970 The Answer.

Culinary Confidential with Christina Cates

Spotlight On A Chef: Michael Lomonaco

This week on Culinary Confidential, it’s all about where craft meets courage!

Dee Robinson, the visionary behind Good Trouble Bourbon, joins the show to explore what happens when a brand is built with purpose at its core.

Robinson’s journey is a masterclass in intentional entrepreneurship. Good Trouble was created to honor legacy, spark dialogue, and remind us that challenging the status quo is not only necessary but noble. Inspired by Congressman John Lewis, Robinson crafted a bourbon designed to bring people together and ignite meaningful conversation.

Christina brings her deep hospitality expertise to a conversation moving from craft distilling to community impacts, as Robinson shares how her Shine Your Light Foundation is expanding access, mentorship, and opportunity for underrepresented communities. The bourbon and the foundation are two sides of the same mission: building pathways, elevating voices, and leading with purpose.

This episode is a toast to bold ideas, brave ideas, and the belief that business can be a force for good.

This week on Culinary Confidential, it&rsquo;s all about where craft meets courage!
Dee Robinson, the visionary behind <a href="https://goodtroublebourbon.com/">Good Trouble Bourbon</a>, joins the show to explore what happens when a brand is built with purpose at its core.
Robinson&rsquo;s journey is a masterclass in intentional entrepreneurship. Good Trouble was created to honor legacy, spark dialogue, and remind us that challenging the status quo is not only necessary but noble. Inspired by Congressman John Lewis, Robinson crafted a bourbon designed to bring people together and ignite meaningful conversation.
Christina brings her deep hospitality expertise to a conversation moving from craft distilling to community impacts, as Robinson shares how her <a href="https://www.shineyourlightfoundation.org/">Shine Your Light Foundation</a> is expanding access, mentorship, and opportunity for underrepresented communities. The bourbon and the foundation are two sides of the same mission: building pathways, elevating voices, and leading with purpose.
This episode is a toast to bold ideas, brave ideas, and the belief that business can be a force for good.

Dee Robinson

Ever watch someone lick their knife at the dinner table and thought, “Humanity is doomed,” Culinary Confidential has just the episode for you!

Christina Cates welcomes Thomas Farley, better known as “Mr. Manners” for a chat all about etiquette at the dinner table and beyond. Farley has spent years helping people navigate the social, professional, and cultural moments that make up everyday life. His work spans television, corporate workshops, and public speaking, all rooted in the idea that etiquette isn’t just about memorizing rules. It’s about understanding people. In a world featuring short attention spans and distractions multiplying by the minute, this message could not be more relevant.

This conversation takes a wide-angle look into how we behave, whether it’s at the table, online, in the workplace, and everywhere in between. Farley breaks down the evolution of dining customs, the collision between digital and real-world communication, and the new complexities of dating in an era where half of the conversation happens on a screen. He also examines shifting expectations around workplace professionalism, from tone to timing to the etiquette of hybrid meetings. The discussion is sharp, grounded, and refreshingly unpretentious, offering a practical roadmap for navigating daily interactions with a little more clarity and a lot less chaos.

Because if you can’t manage basic manners, the least that can be done is listening in and pretending to try.

Ever watch someone lick their knife at the dinner table and thought, &ldquo;Humanity is doomed,&rdquo; Culinary Confidential has just the episode for you!
Christina Cates welcomes Thomas Farley, better known as &ldquo;Mr. Manners&rdquo; for a chat all about etiquette at the dinner table and beyond. Farley has spent years helping people navigate the social, professional, and cultural moments that make up everyday life. His work spans television, corporate workshops, and public speaking, all rooted in the idea that etiquette isn&rsquo;t just about memorizing rules. It&rsquo;s about understanding people. In a world featuring short attention spans and distractions multiplying by the minute, this message could not be more relevant.
This conversation takes a wide-angle look into how we behave, whether it&rsquo;s at the table, online, in the workplace, and everywhere in between. Farley breaks down the evolution of dining customs, the collision between digital and real-world communication, and the new complexities of dating in an era where half of the conversation happens on a screen. He also examines shifting expectations around workplace professionalism, from tone to timing to the etiquette of hybrid meetings. The discussion is sharp, grounded, and refreshingly unpretentious, offering a practical roadmap for navigating daily interactions with a little more clarity and a lot less chaos.
Because if you can&rsquo;t manage basic manners, the least that can be done is listening in and pretending to try.

Thomas Farley (Mr. Manners)

Christina Cates closes out the Spotlight On Hospitality Entrepreneurs series with a true force in New Jersey's brunch culture: Amy Russo, the visionary behind Toast City Diner.

What began in Montclair in 2007 with a simple, joyful mantra - 'Peace, Love, & Pancakes' - has grown into one of New Jersey's most beloved community-driven hospitality brands. In that time, Amy has created spaces that feel like home, serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch with heart, warmth, and unmistakable personality.

Today, Toast thrives across Montclair, Downtown Asbury Park, Red Bank, Cranford, and its newest home in Manalapan, with each location carrying Amy's signature blend of comfort, color, and connection.

From buttermilk pancakes and eggs benedict to vibrant salads, sandwiches, and brunch bowls, Toast is more than just a menu. It's culture. Behind it all is Amy's grit, creativity, and unwavering commitment to people.

As a female entrepreneur in a competitive industry, she's built a model of leadership rooted in community, consistency, and joy.

Christina Cates closes out the Spotlight On Hospitality Entrepreneurs series with a true force in New Jersey's brunch culture: Amy Russo, the visionary behind&nbsp;Toast City Diner.
What began in Montclair in 2007 with a simple, joyful mantra - 'Peace, Love, &amp; Pancakes' - has grown into one of New Jersey's most beloved community-driven hospitality brands. In that time, Amy has created spaces that feel like home, serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch with heart, warmth, and unmistakable personality.
Today, Toast thrives across Montclair, Downtown Asbury Park, Red Bank, Cranford, and its newest home in Manalapan, with each location carrying Amy's signature blend of comfort, color, and connection.
From buttermilk pancakes and eggs benedict to vibrant salads, sandwiches, and brunch bowls, Toast is more than just a menu. It's culture. Behind it all is Amy's grit, creativity, and unwavering commitment to people.
As a female entrepreneur in a competitive industry, she's built a model of leadership rooted in community, consistency, and joy.

Spotlight On A Chef: Michael Lomonaco

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