Eating and Waiting to Eat

Episode 11: Stuart Ralston, The Aizle Hospitality Group

Welcome to Season 2 of Eating and Waiting to Eat. This new set of ten episodes, which continue to take listeners on a behind-the-scenes journey of Edinburgh’s food scene, is bigger, badder and starts off with a real bang! Carlos and Kevin welcome the one and only Stuart Ralston to the studio. Stuart is the chef, restauranteur, and entrepreneur behind the Aizle Hospitality Group which consists of the restaurants: Noto, Tipo (a personal favorite of both Carlos and Kevin’s), Vinette, Vivien, and the Michelin starred showstopper, Lyla. The conversation is epic in scope. Stuart’s story, learnings, and insights is wide ranging, fascinating, and always entertaining. So much so, that it’s the longest episode of Eating and Waiting to Eat yet! So pour yourself a tall glass of wine (or a quad espresso) and enjoy the Season 2 premiere.   Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat?igsh=MWkwYmw2eTZiM2Vvag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr].  Download the First Table app, our sponsors for Season 2, here [https://www.firsttable.co.uk/] and use the code ‘ podcast ‘ for even more savings. Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram: Stuart Ralston [https://www.instagram.com/chef.stuart.ralston/?hl=en] Aizle Hospitality Group [https://www.instagram.com/aizlehospitalitygroup/] Noto [https://www.instagram.com/notoedinburgh/] Tipo [https://www.instagram.com/tipoedinburgh/?hl=en] Lyla [https://www.instagram.com/lylaedinburgh/?hl=en] Vinette [https://www.instagram.com/vinette_edinburgh/] Vivien [https://www.instagram.com/vivienedinburgh?igsh=MXZvbTZiMTR2aXN2OA==] General links from this episode: Gordon Ramsay [https://www.instagram.com/gordongram/?hl=en] Angela Harnett [https://www.instagram.com/angelacooking/?hl=en] Michelin Guide [https://guide.michelin.com/us/en] Bib Gourmand  [https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/restaurants/bib-gourmand] Tom Kitchin [https://www.instagram.com/tom_kitchin/?hl=en] Martin Wishart [https://restaurantmartinwishart.co.uk/] Restaurants and bars mentioned in this episode: Jean-Georges [https://www.jean-georges.com/restaurants/united-states/new-york/jean-georges] Sandy Lane [https://www.sandylane.com/restaurants-in-barbados] Eorna [https://eornarestaurant.com/] Blue Hill Farm [https://www.bluehillfarm.com/] Zabar’s [https://www.zabars.com/] Gray’s Papaya [https://grayspapaya.nyc/] Yamato [https://www.yamatoedinburgh.co.uk/] Mirin [https://www.mirin.uk/] Hey Palu [https://www.heypalu.com/nibbles] Ardfern [https://ardfern.uk/] L’Escargot Blue [https://www.lescargotbleu.co.uk/]

Side Quest II: Jenny Niven, Edinburgh International Book Festival

And the questing continues! This time around, the amazing Jenny Niven, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival - among the world’s oldest and most prestigious literary festivals - joins Carlos and Kevin’s fellowship. Jenny talks about the Festival’s breadth and scope, its unique space in Edinburgh’s cultural scene, its role in championing food and cooking related literature (and experiences), as well as - given that she lived in China for years - the Capital’s very best Chinese restaurants. Enjoy this second, and epic, Side Quests.   Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat?igsh=MWkwYmw2eTZiM2Vvag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr]. Connect with this Side Quest's guest(s) on Instagram:Edinburgh International Book Festival [https://www.instagram.com/edbookfest] General links from this Side Quest: Edinburgh International Book Festival [https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/] Edinburgh International Book Festival Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7wNGVMlr4Jr8c71Grwtd2T?si=4129578e20ce4352] Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 0 [https://hamishhawk.tmstor.es/?choose_location=1&sort=] Hamish Hawk on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3t3q007skKvwNaodwZx8W8?si=v-MJmZTZTquYaLgng19RKw] Ivor Cutler on Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivor_Cutler] Hamish Hawk on his Ivor Cutler tribute [https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/hamish-hawk-on-his-ivor-cutler-tribute-at-edinburgh-book-festival-its-the-most-personal-thing-ive-ever-done-5180684] Underbelly [https://underbelly.co.uk/] Jess Elliott Dennison [https://www.instagram.com/jess_elliott_dennison/] Elliott’s [https://www.elliottsedinburgh.com/]  David Chang [https://www.instagram.com/davidchang/] Restaurants and bars mentioned in this Side Quest: Valvona & Crolla [https://www.valvonacrolla.co.uk/] Noodles and Dumplings [https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186525-d13010268-Reviews-Noodles_And_Dumplings-Edinburgh_Scotland.html] Dumplings of China [https://www.dumplingsofchina.co.uk/]

Side Quest I: Adele Conn, TartanSpoon Blog

Gather your fellowship - ideally folks who share your love for breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper - and get ready to embark on the very first Eating and Waiting to Eat Side Quest! Side Quests are episodes that break from our show's usual format. They are designed to air in between seasons of the show, to be shorter in length (just like a Hobbit), and to focus on conversations with individuals doing amazing things in and around (or in support of) Scottish food and drink. Our first guest is none other than Adele Conn. Adele is "a wanderlust food lover, a wine enthusiast and a gin guru." She is also the force behind the award-winning blog TartanSpoon, which features reviews, recipes, and curated guides to Scotland’s culinary scene. Sit back and enjoy this first Eating and Waiting to Side Quest (and remember, always get the pie). Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat?igsh=MWkwYmw2eTZiM2Vvag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr]. Connect with Adele, this Side Quest's guest, on Instagram: TartanSpoon [https://www.instagram.com/tartanspoonblog/]  General links from this Side Quest: TartanSpoon Blog [https://www.tartanspoon.co.uk/] Colin Hinds [https://www.instagram.com/whiskyforager/] Restaurants and bars mentioned in this Side Quest: The Tipsy Midgie [https://www.tipsymidgie.com/] Copper Blossom [https://copperblossom.com/]  Lyla [https://lylaedinburgh.co.uk/] Shakedown Burgers [https://heyshakedown.co.uk/]  Cafe Pomelo [https://pomelocafe.co.uk/] Nadair [https://www.restaurantnadair.com/] Cardinal [https://www.cardinal.scot/] The Gilded Saloon [https://thegildedsaloon.co.uk/] Condita [https://www.condita.co.uk/] Bacaro [https://bacaro42.co.uk/] Blonde [https://www.blonderestaurant.co.uk/] Sabzi [https://www.sabzistreetfood.com/] Mirin [https://www.mirin.uk/] Fingal [https://www.fingal.co.uk/] Ardfern [https://ardfern.uk/] Civerinos [https://www.civerinos.com/]

Episode 10: Matt Carroll, Fortitude Coffee Roasters

And just like that, season 1 of Eating and Waiting to Eat comes to an end! And what an episode to close out on: Matt Carroll, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Fortitude Coffee Roasters, joins Carlos and Kevin in the studio. Fortitude holds a special place for Carlos and Kevin. Not only is Fortitude among the first places that they (independently) became regulars at but it was the fact that they kept seeing each other at Fortitude that cemented the friendship; one could say that Eating and Waiting to Eat exists because of Fortitude! Matt tells his origin story, his learning curve as both coffee shop owner and coffee roaster, and the realities of sustaining and growing a coffee business. Sit back, make yourself a double (quad?) espresso, and enjoy the season 1 finale!  Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat?igsh=MWkwYmw2eTZiM2Vvag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr]. Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram: Fortitude Coffee Roasters [https://www.instagram.com/fortitudecoffee/?hl=en] General links from this episode: Fortitude Coffee Roasters [https://www.fortitudecoffee.com/]  Best Coffee App [https://www.bestcoffee.guide/]  Led Zeppelin Spotify Page [https://open.spotify.com/artist/36QJpDe2go2KgaRleHCDTp?si=UDaHxTmKTI-UsIvJELbHvg] Golden Hare Books [https://goldenharebooks.com/] Stand Comedy Club [https://www.thestand.co.uk/whats-on/edinburgh] National Galleries Scotland: Portrait [https://www.nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-portrait-gallery]   Coffee Seasonality [https://coffeehunter.com/coffee-seasonality/]  Studio Arhoj [https://arhoj.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqlTj76MwDGtSU02OciS8BUhZHoZflz9IIuqPcg3NjMYc_LRVV5]  Lost Shore Surf Resort [https://www.lostshore.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22698097605&utm_content=184937027881&utm_term=surf%20center%20edinburgh&device=c&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22698097605&gbraid=0AAAAA-AtubyF8MWvenFCPK5hJHCtWkLTc&gclid=CjwKCAiA1obMBhAbEiwAsUBbIhsLdLAzIYpEXutd55_zvWbxvgFu60fY0M2bhwgB60c-NSQVOZKqrhoCR10QAvD_BwE] B [https://beccamarriner.com/]ecca Marriner [https://www.instagram.com/swan_in_progress/?hl=en]  Restaurants and bars mentioned in this episode: Short Long Black Coffee [https://www.instagram.com/shortlongblackcoffee/feed/]  Patricia’s x SLB [https://www.instagram.com/patriciasxslb/?hl=en] La Cabra [https://lacabra.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21792895802&gbraid=0AAAAADN7JS8bnV82OhS-k436LE2Q717Dp&gclid=CjwKCAiA1obMBhAbEiwAsUBbIm2lt9J1jEyRO5nzoNKaRBo6e_CUDVIlmPPMkB3bsYQXqAkBC2BOshoCI48QAvD_BwE] Artisan Roast [https://artisanroast.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOordP0s9668u30IGf27ZTQtyJTYhXu8n2hkWduCwjOJ3VylwzJjB]  Origin [https://www.origincoffee.co.uk/pages/origin-coffee-edinburgh]  Cairngorm Coffee Roasters [https://cairngorm.coffee/?srsltid=AfmBOoq2B2VKN3IC5xSqZdbF9c08gDehtmUjaVcuI-eXCthKsZu0LDv7] Cult Coffee Roasters [https://cultcoffeeroasters.com/] Razzo Pizza [https://razzopizza.co.uk/] Civerinos [https://www.civerinos.com/]   Prolog Coffee [https://www.prologcoffee.com/] http://instagram.com/swan_in_progress

Episode 9: James Clark, Sotto

What does it take to open up a restaurant in Edinburgh today? What about opening a new restaurant in a spot that used to belong to a beloved, decades old institution? Well if you’re James Clark, the Edinburgh-native and restauranteur behind the Italian enoteca and trattoria Sotto in Stockbrige, the answer is: an entrepreneurial spirit, grit, respect for a venue’s roots, and a deep love of wine and pasta. James joins Kevin and Carlos on an entrepreneurial-themed episode of Eating and Waiting to Eat. Come for James’ (and Sotto’s) multi-faceted origin story (we think James might have been a spy), stay for the geeking out about wine and pasta. Did we mention we talk about wine and pasta? Follow Eating and Waiting to Eat on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/eatingandwaitingtoeat?igsh=MWkwYmw2eTZiM2Vvag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr]. Connect with this episode’s guest(s) on Instagram: Sotto [https://www.instagram.com/sottoedinburgh?igsh=MThmdW1xYm1qMmxsbg==] James Clarke [https://www.instagram.com/jamesieclark?igsh=MXBsaXk0d3d3MWxseQ==] General links from this episode: Sotto [https://www.sottoedinburgh.com/] Splintr [https://www.splintr.co.uk/] Ping On’s Kenny Mac lunches in James Clark’s Sotto [https://www.stockbridgelocal.co.uk/stockbridge-news/2025/3/28/ping-ons-kenny-mac-lunches-in-james-clarks-sotto-former-ping-on] Vittoria Restaurant Group [https://www.vittoriagroup.co.uk/] Lidl Champagne [https://www.lidl.co.uk/c/sparkling-wine-champagne/a10023649]  Trattoria Wikipedia Entry [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trattoria] Sotto’s Michelin Guide Entry [https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/city-of-edinburgh/edinburgh/restaurant/sotto] Erbaluci Wikipedia Entry [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erbaluce] Restaurants and bars mentioned in this episode: The Palmerston [https://www.thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk/] Divino [https://divinoedinburgh.com/] The Kebab Mahal [https://www.kebabmahaledinburgh.co.uk/] LYLA [https://lylaedinburgh.co.uk/] Cafe Gallo [https://www.instagram.com/cafe.gallo?igsh=dTBtb3RmNGx4dTJo]