Friend of the Podcast, superchef, and media sensation Yia Vang is back with your guys on LFE, and not a moment too soon, as he and his team at Vinai approach the final stretch of preparations for their massively anticipated restaurant opening.

When Yia last joined the program, he detailed the many challenges he faced in embarking on this long journey, making this chapter of the story even more worth celebrating. He tells Charles & Ben more about how his love for his parents inspired all that Vinai represents, the attention to detail of all the various design and furnishing choices in the new space, details about the forthcoming menu (including a hidden SECRET MENU that can be found IN the restaurant), and a heck of a lot more about what's going on in his life right now, in addition to these six topics (+six shots) of the week:

💭 Name a meal you used to be able to have that you can’t anymore, and you really really miss it.

🌡️ Would you rather never eat a hot meal again -or- never have a cold drink again?

⛱️ What is your favorite (non food or drink related) thing to do on a gorgeous day?

🐓 What is your favorite part of a chicken?

🗺️ What destination is your top I-want-to-go-but-I-haven’t-booked-anything yet?

🥰 What is the simplest thing in life right now that brings you joy and laughter?

Pull your seat up to the table, and join the conversation! LFE starts now.

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Suntory Global Spirits:

• Maker's Mark 101 High Proof Bourbon

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Chris Montana has a full plate this summer. The co-founder of Du Nord Social Spirits, living near New Orleans, is working on a multitude of new projects for Du Nord, while Shanelle Montana is reimagining the Du Nord Cocktail Room and opening New Orleans style restaurant Lagniappe-- both located at the newly renovated, historic Coliseum.

He hops on this edition of LFE to tell Quam & Charles all about how these projects came together, how the spirit of NOLA fits into the Twin Cities dining scene, and the inventive new program at the cocktail room, while tipping back six shots in combinations with these six topics of the week:

🧉 What, in the beverage world, have you wanted to catch on, but hasn’t?

🗯️ Is there a mantra or a piece of advice or a line from a book or a movie that you’ve leaned on as you’ve grown your business?

🍮 What’s something you love to order that’s from a restaurant or type of restaurant that wouldn’t traditionally be known for it?

📷 Do you have a random moment in the distant past that you have a really vivid memory of? Could be a mundane thing that you recall perfectly for no good reason, or a snapshot of a memorable time long ago.

🍛 What is the food item that you couldn’t live without?

🤗 What’s an activity that is non-work related that brings you immense joy?

Laissez le bon temps rouler! Let's do this.

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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All time great Clemson Tigers and Minnesota Vikings football player Ed McDaniel rarely does interviews, but the concept of sipping spirits and smoking cigars with Quam and Charles was enough to entice him to saddle up, head to Minneapolis, and sit down in front of mic for an afternoon of chopping it up on Libations for Everyone.

Here are your topics of the week:

🌶️ Do you remember the hot sauce that first made you fall in love?

👶 Name something you hated when you were a kid that you love now.

🏈 Why do we love sports so much? What does it for you?

🥃 What’s a beverage you drink that makes you feel a little fancy, when the occasion calls for it?

🥵 Name a food that you like to eat spicy that might surprise some people.

🛬 After so much travel in your life-- do you find commuting easier now, or have you grown to dislike it?

Blitz that play button and let's get winning!

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Tres Generaciones Añejo Tequila

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Time for another Chicago guest on Libations for Everyone! Derrick Tung is the owner/operator of the spectacular Paulie Gee's Pizza (Charles' fav pizza in Chicago). He joins LFE to detail future plans for more Paulie Gee's locales, a brewery food service collab, a new bar concept, smashburgers, traveling to a Shaolin monastery in Hunan province to study kung fu (SRSLY), and a heck of a lot more, in addition to these six topics of the week:

🍝 What’s your favorite thing to serve someone that’s vegan?

🎷 What new-to-you genre of music have you explored more fully recently?

🎗️ Where does your drive to do good come from?

🧭 Name somewhere that you have traveled, that you absolutely adore, that you are well overdue to visit again.

🍕 When it comes to creating and eating pizza-- is anything off the table for you?

🏙️ What is your favorite thing about living in such a vibrant city?

Grab yourself a slice of LFE!

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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Jessi Pollak is one of the most apropos individuals to join Ben & Charles in their pursuit of sometimes-inspiring, oft-weird, libations-laden, bar-style conversations, as a one-time World Class US Bartender of the Year, Speed Rack national finalist, and the commander of all of the wonderful things you lift to your lips and sip for Soigné Hospitality (they, of the heralded Spoon & Stable, Demi, Mara, et al).

Quam whipped up a lovely, light, neutral sherry based cocktail, which was shared alongside neat cordials of gin, and homogenized within a chat containing these six topics of conversation:

🧊 Name a bartender that had a lasting impact on your life.

👂 What is a sound that will make you smile no matter what mood you’re in?

🍸 Name a classic cocktail that’s being modified a lot these days, that you believe is perhaps better left alone.

🪞 What is your favorite room or space in or around your home?

🍄‍🟫 What is an ingredient that you adore, and want to make more people love?

🛏️ Name the steps you take to make your bed.

Let's shake things up!

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Sipsmith London Dry Gin

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Friend of the Podcast, Gustavo Romero, returns to Libations for Everyone, and not a moment too soon, as his absolutely spectacular restaurant Oro was recently named a finalist for James Beard's Best New Restaurant in the US.

The fellas talk about culinary accolades, the bizarre phenomena of leaving the last piece, weird things that beets and asparagus do to your body, the continuing evolution of Nixta and Oro, the versatility of peanut butter, and these six topics of the week:

🌶️ Name an odd or surprising staple in your pantry.

🎁 What is a tradition that many people celebrate that you would like to see done away with?

⏱️ Name a place that you’ve been where you can go to feel like you’ve traveled back in time.

📺 What TV show cancellation are you still mad about?

🔥 What's your go-to beverage on a hot day when you're sweating behind the stove or a grill?

🗺️ You've just been awarded a James Beard award. You can go anywhere in the world to celebrate. Where do you go?

Let's dig in!

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Tres Generaciones Tequila Reposado

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Vivaaaaaaaa Wrestlemania! Viva Knievel singer extraordinaire Jake Quam, and our very-own resident Chaz, are both newly returned from having the times of their lives in Philly for all of the many festivities of Wrestlemania week.

These two wrasslin dorks chat up the OTHER Quam about their adventures at the pro-grape equivalent of Disneyland, and Jake tells all about what's cooking this spring for Viva Knievel-- beginning with their annual "hot szn kickoff" spectacular for the legendary Art-a-Whirl festival in Minneapolis on May 17th at Bauhaus Brew Labs.

All that, and more, in addition to your six topics of the week:

🧇 Name a food that’s better somewhere other than where it was originally created.

📀 What was the first music that you remember being YOUR music?

⚾️ What is the greatest sports moment you’ve ever witnessed live?

☢️ What’s the first creature comfort you’d miss in a post-apocalypse?

☀️ What's your unofficial summer food of 2024?

💪🏽 How do you describe pro wrestling to people that don't understand it?

PLUS: a lil teaser for a production that Jake and Charles are working on together.

Hit that play button like a Stone Cold Stunner 💀

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Knob Creek 9 Year Straight Kentucky Whiskey

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It's due time for another tag-team edition of the pod! What once was a convenient fill-in for cancellations or open dates, has become an alternative episode type unto itself, and is becoming more and more difficult to find a space for in the never-ending avalanche of spectacular guests on LFE.

The boys discuss Charles' recent Japan adventures, SURPRISE MAYONNAISE, Memaw's Cheese Tiddies (yes, they are a real snack food), and all of the following topics:

🔥 What outdoor cooking technique do you really want to GIT GÜD at this year?

🍖 Name a food that you pretty much avoid eating except for at a very specific place.

🚍 What's the worst thing about traveling with others?

🤝🏽 Name a memorable “single serving friend” you made on an adventure.

💭 You can only eat one of the following for the rest of your days: pizza, burgers or tacos. CHOOSE WISELY.

🌍 Name a food that’s surprisingly popular in a foreign location you've visited.

We're tagging you in!! Let's start the show.

Beverages of Choice

This week's featured spirit, courtesy of our sponsors at Beam Suntory:

• Maker's Mark Private Select: American Oak Stave

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