The Food Guys Podcast

Angelo and Alfie Mercuri join The Food Guys to tell the story behind one of Lygon Street's most recognisable restaurants and how their family has continued evolving it through decades of change.From taking over Universal Restaurant and working seven days a week and 16-hour days, to surviving the GFC, COVID and a completely changing Lygon Street customer base, the brothers explain how it took years before they finally found the formula that created the queues you see today.We also get into their newest ventures, including GLO Gelato, the obsessive R&D behind their pistachio and tiramisu flavours, why they'll sacrifice profit before compromising a product, GLO Pasticceria, Wilding Foods and what's next for the family.Plus: what really happened to Lygon Street, why service can matter more than the gelato itself, the pistachio craze, Continental cake, family business arguments and their ultimate death row meals.Follow their socials here @glo.gelato @glo.pasticceria @universalrestaurantYou can order Italian cakes from Glo hereThanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast.

We sit down with the owner and head chef behind Wildfire Craft BBQ to hear one of the wildest restaurant origin stories we’ve had on the podcast.It started with a $400 backyard smoker and a first brisket so bad it went straight in the bin. Then came the garage BBQ cook off, 12 customers became 60 a night, and eventually every dollar of their savings went into opening a restaurant.Casey opens up about working days without sleep, living on instant noodles, sleeping inside the restaurant, the Melbourne pop-up that changed the business overnight, and the heartbreaking timing of losing his biggest supporter just as Wildfire went viral. We also get into the real economics of brisket, Filipino food, Texas BBQ, building a loyal following and what comes next as Wildfire expands into a second Geelong venue.Check out their new venue, Honky Cat Saloon in Geelong, along with their flagship store Wildfire Craft BBQ in Newcomb, Geelong, Victoria.Don't forget to visit our sponsor, Royal Stacks, when in Melbourne, your burger cravings are sorted, by the kings.

The Food Guys are back arguing over the foods Australians grew up with. This week, Dub and Nectro rank all 7 biscuits in the Arnott’s Family Favourites box, with some serious disagreement over Chocolate Ripple, Teddy Bear and Butternut Snap before crowning their number one.Plus, the boys react to missing Melbourne’s In-N-Out pop-up, debate whether McDonald’s has the best fries in the world, break down the latest supermarket and fast food releases, ask whether 2026’s viral food trends have been disappointing, and discover just how ridiculous DoorDash has become, I mean you can order an ALDI exercise bike to your door.We also talk Aldi's most popular items, voted by you.Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast.

Dub and Nectro are joined by Daniel from @yiayianextdoor to unpack the incredible story behind a few home-cooked meals passed over the fence that eventually became something much bigger.Daniel opens up about losing his mum, moving back into the family home, and how his lifelong neighbour Yaya stepped in and became like a second grandmother to him and his brother. We hear how the page exploded from a few hundred followers, eventually led to a cookbook and social enterprise, and helped turn food, family and community into a platform for giving back.We also get into Daniel's favourite foods, the one dish his mum cooked that still means everything to him, his brutally honest thoughts on businesses using AI-generated food photography, his secret “addictive” popcorn recipe, why he reckons Adelaide was five years behind Melbourne, his ultimate death row meal and plenty more.A funny, honest and surprisingly emotional conversation about food, grief, family, community and how a simple meal can mean so much more than what's on the plate.Check out Yia Yia Next Door HereThanks to our sponsors Royal Stacks get your burgers today!

McDonald’s Loaded Cookie, KFC’s new Wicked Burger and brownie, and the Melbourne versus Sydney food debate take over this episode. Dub and Nectro recap their chaotic Sydney food trip through Cabramatta and Marrickville, review the viral fried chicken ice cream, reveal what Nectro spotted inside KFC headquarters and crown an unreleased product an early Snack of the Year.We've got a new segment called, Guess That Food, this week it's Crunchie versus Violet Crumble, along with Brisbane and Gold Coast food finds, the history of Vegemite and Milo, and a campaign to bring back a beloved Milo product. It’s a packed episode covering Australian fast food news, viral food launches, iconic snacks and the battle to determine Australia’s best food city.Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast. Get your burgers today!

The Food Guys are live from Brisbane after travelling from Melbourne for the opening event of Australia’s first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co restaurant in Sandgate.As longtime fans of the iconic Forrest Gump-themed American chain, Dub and Nectro arrived excited to show Australians what makes Bubba Gump special!Unfortunately, they left disappointed by a launch event that felt confusing, under-explained and almost impossible to properly showcase.In this episode, the boys unpack the lack of a proper welcome, event rundown, menus and signature dishes, along with the mysterious second area they only discovered existed after they had already left. They also explain why their disappointment had nothing to do with demanding free food, it was about travelling interstate to create content and not being given the opportunity to experience what the restaurant actually offers.There were still positives, including the impressive fit-out, fresh Australian seafood, mac and cheese, coconut shrimp, hush puppies and key lime pie. The boys also defend the young staff, arguing that many of the problems appeared to come from a lack of direction rather than the people serving the food.The conversation then opens into influencer honesty, accusations of undisclosed paid content, why creators often avoid posting negative experiences and what international restaurant chains need to do differently when launching in Australia.Despite the disappointing event, the boys still love the Bubba Gump brand, believe the restaurant could be a major win for Brisbane and genuinely want it to succeed.Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast, when in Melbourne. Get your burgers today!

Trent Szmolnik better known as Trentos the Fresh Maker and the creator behind everyone’s favourite toxic co-worker, Emily joins Dub and Nectro for a hilarious and surprisingly personal episode of The Food Guys.Trent reveals how years spent working at Subway, Hungry Jack’s, Pizza Hut and Woolworths gave him the real-life characters and workplace experiences that would eventually inspire his viral videos. He explains why he was initially terrified to post content, the Australia Post skit that first took off, and how Emily went from a one-off idea to the character his audience demanded to see every week.The boys also uncover fast-food secrets from Trent’s past, including Subway portion rules, how Hungry Jack’s flame-grills its burgers and the ordering hacks he still remembers years later. Plus, they debate iced-coffee surcharges, self-checkouts, Melbourne versus Brisbane food, death-row meals and whether a Zinger Box is worthy of being someone’s final meal.Trent also opens up about preparing to become a father, the pressure of buying the perfect pram and why he only wants the good brands when accepting baby hand-me-downs.It’s an episode packed with workplace stories, creator advice, food confessions and plenty of moments where Emily unexpectedly takes control of the podcast.Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast. Get your burgers in Melbourne today!

How do you take over an iconic pastry shop when nobody in your family actually knows how to make sweets?This week, Dub and Nectro sit down with Mohammed behind Balha’s Pastry, the Sydney Road institution that has been serving Lebanese sweets to Melbourne for 25 years. They reveal how the family unexpectedly purchased the business just before 2020, survived the sudden drop in customers and managed to get their products into 50 supermarkets within only a few weeks.They also unpack the story behind the viral fruit-shaped ice creams, how the venture came about, and staying true to their brand by making sure they all taste great.Plus, what happens to the leftover sweets at closing time, why Ramadan is ten times busier, the secret behind stretchy Middle Eastern mastic ice cream, Lebanese wedding food, Melbourne’s best local restaurants and why an $80 fragrance can make you smell like you spent $500.Thanks to Royal Stacks for sponsoring the podcast. If you are in Melbourne grab your burgers now!