The Go To Food Podcast

Max Halley joins The Go To from Max’s Sandwich Shop in Finsbury Park — a place he describes as “a surprisingly serious restaurant masquerading as a silly sandwich shop.” From the ham, egg and chips sandwich Tesco tried to copy, to focaccia engineered for mayonnaise, juice and structural integrity, Max explains the thinking behind one of Britain’s most joyful food institutions.
In this episode, Max talks about his new book Cooking with Sausages, built on the revelation that sausages are really just pre-seasoned mince waiting to be liberated. He serves up a Morteau sausage, explains why he boils rather than grills, and takes us through sausage lasagne, Le Pig Mac, mortadella cheeseburgers, porchetta tacos and hangover macaroni designed to be eaten with a spoon.
We also hear how Max nearly made a TV show called Chicken Lips and Salmon Legs before losing out to Taskmaster, why his first sandwich shop idea was called “Out Here on the Dance Floor,” and how an awkward licensing dispute became one of his greatest restaurant moments: a customer told to “get up and fuck off” to a round of applause.
There are stories from Le Coq, Keira Knightley’s alleged praise, Raymond Blanc being angry about missing tarragon, electric toothbrushes for sale outside Finsbury Park Tesco, cold lasagne in a croissant with honey, and a childhood memory of eating sheep on a spit in a French village. Expect sausage philosophy, sandwich engineering, strong opinions on cheese, and plenty of Max’s “little pleasant splashes” of joy.

Pre-Order Max's "Cooking With Sausages" Book Here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Sausages-Delicious-Everything-Chipolatas/dp/0241794692
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Order The Greatest Meat In The Country From HG Walter Here & Have Restaurant Quality Meals From Home - www.hgwalter.com
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Today we’re joined by Gary Usher — the chef behind a North West restaurant empire, award-winning gastropubs, and one of the most honest voices in hospitality today.
We sit down in Liverpool to talk about the evolution of his restaurant Wreck — from a derelict site to one of the busiest spots in the city — and the moment everything changed. After months of standing outside asking passers-by why they weren’t coming in, Gary discovered people thought “Wreckfish” was a seafood restaurant. A simple rebrand, clearer signage, and the business jumped 30% almost overnight.

Beyond the success, this episode goes deep. Gary opens up about crowdfunding his restaurants, selling meals in advance to raise hundreds of thousands, and how that early community became fiercely loyal regulars. But he’s equally candid about the darker side — closing multiple sites, navigating debt, and the harsh reality that many restaurants today aren’t failing because they’re quiet, but because they’re too expensive to run. It’s an unfiltered look at an industry under serious pressure.
We also get the full journey: from struggling with dyslexia at school to finding his place in kitchens, working at Chez Bruce, learning under Angela Hartnett, and even the wild years in Ibiza plus much much more....

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Order Ben's Incredible Book - All You Can Eat - By Clicking Here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-You-Can-Eat-British/dp/1805221523

Get 2 Months of Blinq For Free - With Code - GOTOBLINQ - https://blinqme.com/

Order The Greatest Meat In The Country From HG Walter Here & Have Restaurant Quality Meals From Home - www.hgwalter.com
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Chris Edwards joins the pod for a hilarious, story-packed episode from Belzan, covering the wild journey from all-day chaos at Filter and Fox to building one of the North West’s most respected hospitality groups. There are tales of 7 a.m. coffees turning into midnight Manhattans, meeting future business partners across the bar, and the painful but necessary decision to close beloved venues at the right time.
Chris reflects on Liverpool’s changing scene, the magic and madness of running restaurants, starstruck moments with Duncan from Blue and Lord of the Rings cast members, plus Will Ferrell’s visit during Eurovision. He also talks candidly about lockdown, break-ups, tough customers, staff loyalty, expansion, risk, VAT, and why giving great people room to grow is what keeps the business moving.
Expect plenty of laughs, martinis, cosmic Scousers, Guinness John, Amsterdam stag-do warnings, Marco Pierre White blocking the pod, New York pilgrimages, and the greatest play-out song choice in podcast history.
Watch and Subscribe To Our Youtube Videos Here - https://www.youtube.com/@gotofood

Order Ben's Incredible Book - All You Can Eat - By Clicking Here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-You-Can-Eat-British/dp/1805221523

Get 2 Months of Blinq For Free - With Code - GOTOBLINQ - https://blinqme.com/

Order The Greatest Meat In The Country From HG Walter Here & Have Restaurant Quality Meals From Home - www.hgwalter.com
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Tony Allan joins the latest episode of the Go To Food Podcast for a no-holds-barred conversation that spans decades at the very top of British hospitality. From stripping lead off a school roof as a teenager to becoming one of London’s most influential fishmongers and restaurateurs, Tony’s journey is anything but ordinary. He reveals how he transformed the way chefs bought fish, built a booming supply business, and went from market trader to multimillionaire in what felt like overnight.
This episode is packed with incredible stories — from supplying legends like Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay, to explosive fallouts, court battles, and chance encounters that defined his career. Tony shares what it was like opening the very first restaurant in Borough Market, the insane growth from one site to 25 restaurants in just a few years, and the brutal impact of events like September 11 attacks on the industry. There are also wild moments involving racing bets, celebrity friendships with Vinnie Jones, and behind-the-scenes chaos from the golden era of London dining.
It’s funny, raw, and brutally honest — from tales of late-night phone calls with fiery chefs to building and losing fortunes, then starting again. Tony also gives his unfiltered take on the state of hospitality today, from staffing crises to rising costs, and how he’s adapted with a booming takeaway business. If you want real insight, proper storytelling, and one of the most entertaining voices in the game, this is a must-listen episode of the Go To Food Podcast.
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Order Ben's Incredible Book - All You Can Eat - By Clicking Here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-You-Can-Eat-British/dp/1805221523

Get 2 Months of Blinq For Free - With Code - GOTOBLINQ - https://blinqme.com/

Order The Greatest Meat In The Country From HG Walter Here & Have Restaurant Quality Meals From Home - www.hgwalter.com
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Part two with the legendary Raymond Blanc is every bit as honest, funny and revealing as you’d hope. With nearly 50 Michelin-starred chefs having passed through his kitchens, we had to play our favourite game again: what were they really like before the fame? Raymond opens up on a young Marco Pierre White — the wild hair, the swagger, the intensity — and shares what it was actually like employing one of Britain’s most combustible culinary talents. From football-match bust-ups to kitchen power struggles, the stories are as outrageous as they are unforgettable.
But this episode goes far deeper than kitchen gossip. Raymond reflects on what separated the greats from the merely gifted, why Heston Blumenthal was one of the most unique talents he ever encountered, and the crucial lesson he believes he taught Marco: taste. It’s a fascinating look inside the mind of a chef who didn’t just mentor future superstars, but helped shape the DNA of modern British gastronomy. Expect brilliance, big opinions and some of the sharpest insights into cooking, leadership and creativity you’ll hear anywhere.
And because it’s Raymond Blanc, the conversation doesn’t stop there. He talks about the changing face of hospitality, the guests who left the biggest impression on him — from the Queen Mother to Stormzy — and the dishes, restaurants and food destinations he still dreams about. It’s warm, passionate, hilarious and full of wisdom from a man who has stayed relevant at the very top for more than four decades. Part two is a masterclass in food, culture and what it really takes to last.
Watch and Subscribe To Our Youtube Videos Here - https://www.youtube.com/@gotofood

Order Ben's Incredible Book - All You Can Eat - By Clicking Here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-You-Can-Eat-British/dp/1805221523

Get 2 Months of Blinq For Free - With Code - GOTOBLINQ - https://blinqme.com/

Order The Greatest Meat In The Country From HG Walter Here & Have Restaurant Quality Meals From Home - www.hgwalter.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.