Restaurants

Michael Cecchi-Azzolina talks about what it's like to be a Maitre D' at the fanciest restaurants in New York City. He has worked in the business for three decades telling wealthy diners, celebrities and even the mafia whether or not they can have the table by the window. His memoir is called Your Table is Ready.

Chef Tom Colicchio is one of the many restaurateurs wondering what will be left of the industry after the COVID-19 pandemic has run its course.

Bourdain, who died at 61, traveled the world, sampling local cuisine and meeting people along the way. He told Fresh Air in 2016: "I'm happiest experiencing food in the most purely emotional way."

Some of the nation's restaurants are using technology to make diners commit before their night out. It's convenient for the restaurant an customer -- and it may pry people away from old habits.

Chris Fehlinger is the co-founder of the on-line food magazine "Pheast" and is a contributing writer for the print magazine "Wine X. Recently he was the subject of the column "Table Talk" in The New Yorker 4/5/99. In that article, he confesses that he suggest bizarre food dishes, i.e. goat's head, on unsuspecting diners, just for the sport of it. In our interview, he gives us an insider's view of the restaurant business...how maitre d's get better tips, and how to get customers to order what you want them too.

Restaurant critic John Mariani. He's written a book about the history of going out for a meal. "America Eats Out" (Morrow) portrays the origin and significance of every type of restaurant known to the American public, from the tavern to the automat to the golden arches.

We talk with the Village Voice's food writer. He was diagnosed as a diabetic as a child, an experience that he credits with making him more aware of the role of food in life and family. His new books is called "Learning to Eat.

TV critic David Bianculli says the drama, set it in a restaurant, took a while to find its footing, but is now on solid ground. But poor ratings have led NBC to retool the show as a half-hour program -- a decision Bianculli hopes won't diminish Tattinger's quality.

Jane and Michael Stern are a husband-and-wife food-writing duo who travel the country to find the best regional food. Their work has spanned twenty years and several books. Their latest is called A Taste of America.

Food writer Mimi Sheraton. She is the food critic for Time Magazine. She has written for the New York Times Magazine and New York Magazine, and she's written several books on food and dining out and now publishes a newsletter.

Humorist and reporter Calvin Trillin is known for his food columns for The New Yorker, which have been collected in three books. Trillin also writes a humor column, "Uncivil Liberties," for The Nation. His second collection of these columns, "With All Disrespect," has recently been published.

Philadelphia restaurant critic Jim Quinn's new book advises readers how to choose the best places to eat based on atmosphere, price, service, and menu options. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.

Husband and wife Jane Stern and Michael Stern spend much of their time on the road in search of good food and Americana. They have written several books about their travels including "Road Food" and "Horror Holiday." Their latest work "Goodfood" is about regional cuisine around the United States. Jane and Michael Stern will discuss Philadelphia and Middle-Atlantic cuisine and respond to listener calls.

Jane and Michael Steern are the authors of "Roadfood," a guidebook which reviews inexpensive restaurants within ten miles of highways. They join the show to discuss car travel and road trips.

Philadelphia-based food critic Elaine Tait talks about her trade and recent service and food trends in area restaurants. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.