What makes a restaurant experience truly memorable? Is it the food, the wine, the service, or something you can’t quite put your finger on?
After years of writing about wine, restaurants, and culinary travel, I’m bringing some of those conversations from the page to the microphone.
I’m excited to introduce First Seating with Katie Metz and Jacqueline Coleman, a podcast dedicated to exploring the world of fine dining, restaurant culture, wine, and the experiences that keep us coming back to the table.
Co-hosted with Katie Metz, an educator and passionate restaurant enthusiast who has traveled extensively in pursuit of extraordinary dining experiences, First Seating goes beyond restaurant reviews and Michelin stars to examine what makes dining out so fascinating, and occasionally frustrating.
Because as much as we love a beautifully executed tasting menu or an exceptional bottle of Burgundy, even the most celebrated restaurants can leave us with questions.
Are tasting menus still fun, or have they become expensive endurance tests? Is the wine pairing worth the additional cost? Can dining alone be just as rewarding as sharing a table? And is there really a right way to experience fine dining?
These are just some of the questions we’re tackling on First Seating.
Beyond the Plate: Conversations About Food, Wine, and Hospitality
Each episode brings a different perspective to the dining experience, drawing on our travels, personal experiences, and conversations with people shaping the restaurant industry.
We explore everything from wine lists and restaurant etiquette to culinary traditions, hospitality, and the sometimes complicated relationship between price and value.
We also welcome chefs and hospitality professionals who offer insight into the realities of running restaurants and the changing expectations of today’s diners.
In one episode, chef Scott Linquist joins us to discuss the evolution of Mexican cuisine in American fine dining. In others, we debate whether elaborate tasting menus have lost some of their magic and why ordering a wine pairing isn’t always the best decision.
The goal isn’t to tell you where to eat or what to order. It’s to encourage a little more curiosity about the dining experiences we seek out, the traditions we embrace, and the occasional restaurant rules that deserve to be questioned.
Pull Up a Chair and Join Us
Whether you’re a devoted food traveler, an enthusiastic wine drinker, or someone contemplating your first Michelin-starred restaurant reservation, there’s a seat for you at First Seating.
You don’t need to know the difference between a grand cru and a grand menu to join the conversation. A healthy appetite and a little curiosity will do just fine.
New episodes explore the pleasures, personalities, and peculiarities of dining out, with plenty of opinions along the way.
Listen to First Seating with Katie Metz and Jacqueline Coleman on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms.
Explore First Seating and listen to the episodes
And if you enjoy the conversation, subscribe to the podcast and share an episode with someone who loves a good meal as much as you do.
After all, the best restaurant conversations don’t always end when the check arrives.
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