Get ready for a serious OG Alert. 

You’re about to spend some time with restaurant legend Barry Wine of the famed Quilted Giraffe. 

American cuisine and fine dining–along with the concept of signature dishes going viral–can be traced to the Quilted Giraffe, which opened almost 50 years ago in 1975. 

The Quilted Giraffe epitomized the excess and extravagance of the 80’s in New York City. It’s been called “the Studio 54 of New York’s restaurant scene” because of the rock stars, models, socialites, movie stars, and Wall Street millionaires who had regular tables there. 

In addition to being a huge celebrity scene, the Quilted Giraffe was a pioneer and a game changer in the business. They introduced tasting menus, an 18% service charge in lieu of tips, the inclusion of Japanese ingredients and techniques, and “must have” dishes like their caviar beggar’s purses and tuna wasabi pizza.

In its lifetime the Quilted Giraffe consistently held 4 stars longer than any other restaurant, and for a while was known as the most expensive restaurant in the country, and maybe the world. 

Did you, like us, miss out on experiencing the Quilted Giraffe IRL? Listen in to hear about some of the moments in American restaurant history upon whose shoulders we all stand today, including: 

~ The 3 Michelin Star restaurants in France that inspired Barry & Susan

~ The Howdy Doody litmus test they used for hiring

~ The pranks Barry would play on regular guest Warren Beatty

~ How his 25 trips to Japan impacted what they did at QG

~ What top model rock star wife they spilled red wine on

~ What restaurants Barry Wine likes now

~ Some uncanny parallels between what they did at the Quilted Giraffe and some of the things we saw in The Bear