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Brady Viccellio and Alvin Williams have been friends for a long time, and they've been in the restaurant business even longer. Brady’s family history in restaurants goes back nearly a century, and he's the owner of Steinhilber's and La Bella Italia in Virginia Beach. Alvin trained and worked as a chef in his native England before moving to the United States and opening Cobalt Grille, also in Virginia Beach. Their podcast, The Check, is all about restaurants. See more at thecheckpodcast.com, including pictures, helpful links, and episode transcripts.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Alvin and Brady discuss the impact of elections and other major events on their restaurants and give their new lightning round a test run.
Saturday Oct 17, 2020
Saturday Oct 17, 2020
Brady and Alvin reflect on their childhoods, educations, influences and long history in the restaurant business, while also assessing present-day challenges and looking ahead to what might be next for restaurants.
Monday Oct 05, 2020
Monday Oct 05, 2020
The second stop on The Check's roadtrip was Castle Hill Cider, where we learned from cidermaker Don Whitaker and general manager Rob Campbell about an ancient method of making cider underground and discussed which foods pair well with cider.
Friday Sep 18, 2020
Friday Sep 18, 2020
In the second half of our conversation with winemaker Luca Paschina, we learn about the ways his Italian heritage has influenced his approach to wine, how he achieves balance between family and work, and why the Palladio restaurant completes the experience at Barboursville.
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Brady and Alvin hit the road to visit Barboursville and learn how Luca Paschina has become one of the most influential and respected winemakers in the country. In the first of a two-part interview, Paschina discusses Virginia's history as a wine region, how he rebuilt the vineyard from the ground up and developed Barboursville’s signature wine, Octagon.
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
The Check welcomes Alvin’s business partner Gary Black, who’s been the co-owner of Cobalt Grille since it opened 20 years ago. They discuss what it takes to have a successful partnership and look back at the local restaurant scene and how it’s evolved over the years.
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Alvin and Brady discuss the overwhelming financial challenge the restaurant industry is facing and how they're dealing with it in their own restaurants. On the flip side, they take a look at some areas that are thriving during COVID-19.
Saturday Aug 08, 2020
Saturday Aug 08, 2020
During more than three decades as a server at Steinhilber’s, Thom Violette has built countless relationships with restaurant guests. In this episode, Thom shares some of his favorite stories, reflects on formative influences and tells why you should never hesitate to send back a dinner that’s not right.
Sunday Aug 02, 2020
Sunday Aug 02, 2020
Lindsay Bennett, owner of Press 626 Cafe and Wine Bar in Norfolk, visits The Check for a wide-ranging conversation about dealing with the pandemic, overcoming unsuccessful ventures, being a woman in male-dominated fields like restaurants and poker tournaments. She also conducts an impromptu wine-tasting session.
Saturday Jul 25, 2020
Saturday Jul 25, 2020
Bill Dillon has been running his Beatles-themed Abbey Road Pub and Restaurant near the Virginia Beach oceanfront for nearly 40 years. A longtime advocate of the restaurant industry, Dillon is suing Gov. Ralph Northam because he believes that the government does not have the right to shut down businesses during a state of emergency.