December 12, 2024 • 31 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's that time, time, time, time, luck and load. So
Michael Verie Show is on the air from on. Can
(00:24):
you play something nice? That's Italian? I posted the other
day and people thought I was joking. I said, of
Tilman Fritita's many accomplishments in his life, he's the largest
(00:45):
private restaurant owner that is a non public company. He
took his company back private. He's the largest private restaurant
company owner in America. He owns multiple casino, multiple hotels,
way more hotels than you. Whatever it is, that's your Italian.
That's what you're using for Italian. That's not even it's
(01:10):
not even distinctly Italian. Man, I guess it is. Hey,
we got to play Tracy Chapman and Pavarotti in that
duet at that open air concert at some point, not
right now. That one gets me every time. Tracy Chapman's
just sitting there being so cool, but she's going, man,
(01:32):
is this really happening? And Pavarotti he don't even move,
He's got his whole body is an instrument and he
just stands there and it just just comes out of him. Man. Oh,
it's glorious, glorious anyway, So I said, the largest restaurant
run a private restaurant owner in America. That's a big
(01:53):
deal on many casinos, many hotels, high end hotels all
over the country. And oh, by the way, paid two
point two billion dollars to have an NBA franchise. That's
not an easy thing to do. You know, the King
of Gallas. And this guy's had a lot of accomplishments,
(02:14):
but of course the most people know him for the
pinnacle of his career success, which was recently becoming a
Michael Berry Show sponsor. Tillman's one of those guys that
I've known for twenty five years. In those guys you know,
always feel like they're too big to quote unquote advertise,
and I don't ask them to do it. But then
everybody they talked to is like, man, you know, Michael
(02:36):
mentioned you on the air, and eventually they realize we
should be partnering and supporting this show. So he did,
and it's his career pinnacle. Until it leaked out two
days ago that Donald Trump is naming him ambassador to Italy.
It is true, supposedly, Yeah, it is. Yeah. How cool
(03:01):
is that? How cool is that he'll open a restaurant
in Florence within within the month. I mean, it's just
it's just what he's gonna do.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
It will not be a Joe's crapshack, I assure you,
and and he'll he'll set out to make it the
best damn restaurant in in all of Roma or Milan
or maybe all of them. Maybe you just never I
love it. Bubba Gump is not a ramon. Now you're
making Tilman jokes. And if he hears about this, he's
gonna think I'm making jokes at his expense. And I
(03:33):
love Tilman. We have a good friendship. But it's like Trump,
you don't make jokes about it. That's it's not that
kind of relationship. So I gave Emily the task of
tracking down the owner of vincentto this this restaurant, and
we have him on the line. Is it Ricardo or Richardo?
(03:54):
It's a well, why why do we need two c's.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
And because otherwise they are thinking I'm a Spanish guy,
but I'm Italian and I didn't change my name when
I came to America in Riqui or Rico. My name
is Ricardo. My i'mma called me in this way. So
Ricardo with two seas.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
You and I have a lot in common because my
mother named me Michael, and she never wanted me called Mike.
So to this day, I don't let anybody call me
Mike unless they're black, because blacks naturally call me Mike,
and I don't think they can help it, and I
just I answer to it. But nobody else do I
allow to call me Mike. So in that sense, I'm
from Orange, Texas and you're from where. Palermo.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
No, No, Palermo is a Cicily Peruja, Peruja central part
of Italy, is just in the heart of Italy. It's
very close to Florence and very close to a Cisi
in the town of San Francis.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yes, of course St. Francis of ASSISI so you do
a good Italian accent, Really you do.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I mean I'm not speaking, Oh that's your real accent. Yes.
When I moved here, I mean I couldn't speak any
word in English. And yeah, I mean, he doesn't change it.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I will tell you what I told my youngest son, Crockett. Crockett,
never change. It's a great accent. It's it's an asset here.
People love it. Of all the accents in the world.
Ramon ranked the accents of the world that we would most.
You would put Spanish before Italian.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Girls.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
I'm talking about a dude. He's a dude. He's a
dude just for dudes. Huh. You put friends above Italian
not me. I think this right here. I like to
like what this guy's working right here? Yeah, does he
ham it up a little? Maybe? You know what? I
hope he does. I like to think he does. It's
smart business. No, he's not going to say a rividrtch.
I'm sorry. I have a ser named Ramon and he
(06:01):
sometimes interrupts the show. So how did you start, Vincento?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I started the basic Yeah, Vincanto is. We started two
years ago and basically I was a general manager in
another place and another wine bar. I was making a
happy the other owner, so I decided, m why not
to open my own wine bar. But I created an
(06:29):
LLC with six different partners, and I'm the co owner
together with these guys and also co manager together with
Georgio the main investor, together with me. So basically we
opened this wine bar shopper little shopper. We are selling
any wines and also we have the kitchen and my
(06:53):
consult Antoni, hey, look, you better to cook a well
line in that area of a Uston because the people
they are pretending that good food. In fact, I mean,
the kitchen is doing pretty well. We have two amazing
cooks from Argentina, husband and wife. I'm also one of
(07:15):
the chefs, together with the Stephanie the other investors, so
it's kind of very unique and very versatile, eclectic space.
And yeah, we are not inventing the wheel, and for us,
it's important they approach that we are with the with
customers because we are not making a lot of volumes,
(07:39):
but we are hoping that the customers are coming back
and we wanted to treat them well. So but everybody,
everybody at the same level.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
So I don't know if I like that everybody at
the same level, because I want to come in and
get just the little bit better than everybody else, not
a lot better. I just want to feel like I'm
getting a little bit. Ricardo, does your wife work there
with you?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
My wife, she's a successful attorney on the oil and
GASA and but basically she's helping me, she's giving me
advice and basically she's she's solving a lot of problems
for me because I'm doing a lot of accounting, a
(08:32):
lot of back office, and then with her experience, basically
she can help me in something that is pretty easy
for her.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
All right, hold on, hold on, he's Ricardo Guerri Guerri
and it's vincanto v I n essay into hold on.
That's why I had probably out of tune.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You might have to edit that.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
This is Mark Chestnut and jar Bizaar of Talk Radio
that is on YouTube and about once a year I
go back and watch it, and it's an outdoor concert
and it is the most powerful thing in the world.
We hear on The Michael Berry Show live in caricatures,
(09:21):
So you know, if you're going to Japan, we think of,
you know, World War two and sushi and sumo wrestling.
We kind of keep everything very simple, very simple. Everything
is a caricature. So when Ricardo came on, we immediately
thought about, you know, Pavaratti and that concert and charcuterie Ricardo.
(09:45):
When my assistant Emily came in and needed a rushed
charcuterie board, do you remember this, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I remember she was in Russia for something important.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Yeah, And everything I do is important, whether it's important
or not. Did you notice how many tattoos she had?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yes, I know it is. She's a she's a I
like her tattoos. Do you have to I don't know what. No,
And I just because I'm older. I'm forty three, have
a three heater. So I think that when the people
are younger, they are a better on my young people.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Well, she's in her thirties. You wouldn't guess it, but
she's in her thirties.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I was thinking twenty one, twenty two.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Yeah, No, she looks very young, but she's She worked
for me ten years ago. You can believe that. I
have to tell you. So, Ramona and I had the
charcoterie and it was fantastic, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Thank you. Yeah, we are trying to have a Italian
cheese and meat. We have a local suppliers, a select
food and yeah, because we wanted to offer something that
is different from us.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
So that was my question. Do you have do you
do you struggle to get anything from Italy that you
would really like to have or are you able to
get everything?
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Not? Not really so my mama sometimes when she's flying
to the United States, she's trying to smuggle some meat.
But last time in October she got busted by the
little dog at the custom patroller and she was crying
because saying, come on, dude, this is for my son.
She needs he needs meat, the charcuteri. But they decized
(11:46):
everything from her. So not easy, not easy and very expensive,
especially for the cheese because pari reggiano granda padano this
is a specialty cheese. Here you have a higher taxes
and for a meter is not allowed, especially for the
(12:10):
good ones like for example, the punchette salam similar that,
especially because it's related to the FDA and they don't
want to have a disease inside the meat that can
spread out here in the United States. So they are
very stricter and not easy to find the good quality
(12:34):
price ratio. So if we want the original stuff, we
have to pay a premium. So for this reason, our sarcuityboard,
I mean it's not it's not expensive. It's part of
the market. But for us it's important the presentation. So
I want to give you the the board and everything
(12:55):
just to present in a different way because other wise
in a to go box it's kind of sad.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah, no it is, but the fact that you gave
her the board and trusted her to bring the board back.
Now you weren't there yesterday when she brought it back.
But my wife's thank you to her for having rushed
it was please take the boards back and we'll buy
your meal there. So I asked her what she had,
(13:22):
and I made a note. She went in yesterday and
she had a calamari and vincanto salad and she said
it was delicious, and she had a glass of wine
and she was So I would like to think that
people will reward such gestures because in a world of
big box stores and multinational corporations, you know, this guy
(13:45):
chasing his passion in his little vincanto you know, Italian
market wine shop. That's the kind of businesses we want
to keep in business. Ricardo, you mentioned the FDA. So
my kids are from Ethiopia, and when we have friends
who are Ethiopian who go to Ethiopia and come back,
(14:06):
they have to smuggle certain Ethiopian food products that we
want back into the country that you can't get here.
My wife's from India, yes, so we have to have
food products smuggled in from India. The FDA is not
here to protect people I have a friend who owns
a place called Laboucherie, and he's Italian French, came to
(14:29):
Spring twenty years ago and they do these stuffed meats
and things like that. And beef tallow, which has been
Robert F. Kennedy's big push, was very natural. Beef tallot
has so many benefits and nobody does it anymore. I said, Jason,
if I can get you a market for beef tallow.
So I called a friend of mine that owns Federal
American Grill not far from you, and I said, Hey,
(14:51):
would you be willing to use beef tallow if I
can get you, I can get it. Provide well you
buy from Labushi. I'd like to build up his restaurant
business and bring back tallow And he said, I would
love to. It's hard to get you know, women put
it on their skin and has all these all these benefits.
And he said, well, Michael, I started the process based
on our call. He has an FDA inspector full time
(15:12):
because he is a meat processing plant for for all
these things. But so much of what is supposed to
protect us in this country, Ricardo is actually just protecting
something that a lobbyist interest from red dye in the
in the foods is terrible for kids, or the fake sugars.
Hold on just a second.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Riccardo Lifestyles of the not so rich and famous, or
as I call it, the Michael Berry Joe. I love cheese.
You love cheese.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Inside outside, and wow, good job.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Give us someone applies.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Ricardo pronounced your last name for me. Please.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
It's a Gerieri. Translate Guerieri so translated that means warriors basically,
and I know it's difficult.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
No, it's Geriery. I got it. I just needed to know.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
The problem is that we did. The teachers when over
my my kids, they can't pronounce it, so they're calling
just for the first name.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
All right, Ricardo, I'm gonna I'm gonna read your menu
to you so people know this. And there are things
that I noticed that are I don't want to say missing,
but that a lot of people when you kind of
have an idea of what you're walking into, and I
want you to tell me, you know, we're these space limitations?
Was this trying to cross you?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
You know?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Because proper use of your kitchen. I've come to learn
from people like Russell Lebara and Johnny Caraba and tony
vallone and tilman fertita. That's that's how you get food
out on time, consistently, properly. You can't serve everything all
the time, so your appetizers don't have my glasses. Let
(17:25):
me move my mic olive mix, which is mixed olives
and kalamado olives, popcorn patatas critas. That's French fries for you,
Ramon calamari, free ti fried, calm fried goat cheese balls,
and your share bols are anchovy crostinos, preshido, proscheto, cristinos, antipasto, skewers,
(17:49):
brushetta tre color or tricolore, sarsana ro which is six
rolls composed of cucumbers, rakota, smoked salmon, avocado, salt and pepper, balsamic,
vinegar and sesame seeds. Salads are ponzanea, caprice, caprees, vincanto
(18:11):
and avocado savice, which sounds delicious. And then your boards,
which what we got are the basic charcuterie, the cheese,
the crostini, and then the grand board. I have to
tell you we make our charcuterie at home. My wife
prides herself on a big, elaborate charcoterie. A lot of
times in the afternoon I do a morning show and
(18:32):
then an evening show, and in the early afternoon I'll
have someone over and maybe a show sponsor. It may
be a politician, it may be a writer, professor, somebody
that I'm interested in. And my wife will make this
big charcuterie board and she takes pride in that, but
occasionally we have to buy one. And she remarked that
your prices are very good. It was twenty two dollars
(18:55):
for a charcuterie board and thirty six dollars for the
grand board, which is Grande board, which is the three cheeses,
three meats by get mustard, cornie, honey, fruit and nuts.
I mean, some people I think that's expensive, but in
on the West side of Houston, with that level, with
(19:16):
that quality of ingredients, that's a pretty good price.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah. And especially we are okay to cut a little
bit to the Marca on food because at the end
of the day, all the food, all these menu that
we created, it's something to pare well with wine because
at the end of the day we are a wine shopper.
(19:40):
And then I'm prouder to tell you that the selection
of food is pretty big to be a wine bar,
so but it's it's what Italians are good to do,
to pare food and wine, and I'm happy to Ricardo.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
I will tell you you that many is the day
that I don't eat a traditional entree. My wife and
I will have a charcuterie board and a glass of
wine and that is our dinner. And I can do proteins.
I can stay away from carbs. I don't feel full.
It's a little bit lighter and it's great flavors, so
(20:22):
I get it. But I'm gonna ask you a question.
And I'm not trying to tell you to change it, obviously,
because you're doing what you're doing well. But I would
ask you if you were going to add one thing,
especially because the marketplace has this idea of you know
what Italian food is, even though you're a wine bar.
Would it be a lasagna? I'm thinking of something you
(20:45):
could make in bulk, right, you can make before people
got there and then carve out. I have you ever
thought about that?
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yes, sir, And thanks for tell me about death because
we need them. A weddinger and we did a special
dinner for some Japanese executive for a chemical company and
basically we prepare homemade lasagna on Christmas. I have already
(21:16):
a customer that they are super nice Ken Rosanna that
they asked me, hey, can you do homemade lasagna for us?
We have been whatever is necessary to pay, but insteader
to go to a olive garden. We prefer to buy
from you. Oh I'm flattered at that.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
But Ricardo, let me ask you a question. I think
if you were honest about it. So we ated a
little French restaurant the other day, not far from you,
called Bistro five five five. It used to be bet yeah,
and so we just wanted to taste last night. We
just wanted a taste of dessert. And they have a
(21:56):
tiny little kitchen in a tiny little space. They had
to lean over our table to get to wine bottles.
And we love that. Right, you feel like you're in
Paris at this moment. And so when we ordered the dessert,
it was pistachio ice cream, but it was in a
like a glass. And clearly what they do is during
the off times they prepare this and they put it
(22:17):
in the freezer. And I was telling my wife, this
is brilliant because now any server not just your server,
but anybody from the kitchen can go grab that, bring
it to the table, and put it down, and you're
saving time and you're saving space. I think if you
were to call it, you know, Ricardo's Mama's lasagna, and
you made it, and even if you made one per day,
(22:38):
and when it's gone, it's gone, and you cut up
the pieces and they're already placed, and you warm it
and bring it up. I think if you were honest
about that, I wouldn't mind, because I don't mind lasagna
being warmed. I don't need it cooked to order, If
that makes sense. Hold on a second, Ricardo, we're redoing
the menu here, Go on, that's.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
What we do.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
What time up show?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
You know, if if you worked at Papasito's, as I
did in the early nineties, you would get tired of
the mambo Kings, And if you work at a lot
of restaurants, you get tired of was it Jose Feliciano,
Felice Navidad or people get tired of.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
All I want for Christmas? Right about this time? About
the first time you hear it, you go, that's good enough.
It's always funny when you when you work at an
ethnic restaurant, and they have songs that they clearly have
on loop because they're lazy, and the staff is singing
along to the song, but they don't speak English. Well,
they've heard that song a lot of times. If I
(23:53):
owned Vincanto, we'd just have Barbarotti on loop just the
whole time. And you think, well that would get tiresome
only for the staff, because you're only in there long
enough to go, Wow, great song list, great song. Do
you program the music? Ricardo?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, mainly me and Aaron.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
He don't sound Italian, Aaron Fader.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
He's a great guy working together.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, but he's not Italian.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
No, No, he's not Italian. But he did plays. But
sometimes I'm playing he.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
Might try to slip the erasure in there. Hold on.
I got an email from a fellow named Arturo Barrera
and he says, zar, enjoy your show. Listen every chance
I get. You're talking to Ricardo right now. Great guests.
You mentioned Laboucherie. I know Jason and Barrett. That's the
lab people. Oh yes, I am one of the daily
government inspectors there, but please clarify it's USDA Food Safety
(24:59):
Inspection Serve that is there daily not the FDA, God
bless fair enough. Okay, So I got one segment with
you recorded. I got a bunch of questions I need
you to answer fast, okay, yes, and I want you
to add to the end of every world okay, okay, okay.
What is the hardest part about running a small business
(25:22):
that people would not expect?
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Back office, doing quick books, doing payrolls and heavy control
on everything.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Okay, and you're having to do that yourself.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Mostly yeah, mostly by myself. The other manager, Georgio, he's
doing other stuff, but mostly me. And when you don't
tell nobody that is alting you the day, maybe you
have to clean out the Florida.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Yeah, that's part of it. I get that. But did
you have any background in that? Uh?
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Yeah, I mean for four years I was a general
manager in another wine bine shopper, which and I started,
yeah with Vinology, that is Vinology that is located on
West Lay and it's a great place for me to
to grow. But yeah, my back my background is completely different.
(26:26):
In Italy, I was I was a policeman.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
So oh wow, Okay, what is what is the biggest
challenge financially to what you do? What is the biggest
challenge with regard to.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
The money, the biggest, the biggest challenge is to of
course make a profit because in this business is a
matter of volume or profitability. So make sure that what
you're buying, you are reselling with a healthy margin that
(27:01):
can sustain your employees and give a more uh distribution
to the other business part.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
All right, Ricardo, I'm gonna ask you a question and
you have you have to pick one or the other.
You can't say both, okay? Which one would help your
business more? Having more people walk in the door or
being able to keep your costs down better? Which one
of those is more important right now?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Volume having more people?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah? And so your lunch at dinner or your because
your wine barred? I mean, how do you do during.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Branch lancha and dina and also private event? And we
are open to do whatever the castume are asking it.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
So Emily, my assistant was very impressed. She said that
you don't charge any fees for a private event. You
just have a minimum because you have to staff that.
And she said, I don't know why they don't get
more private events. Does that seem like good good strategy?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I don't want to overcharge and the competition is tough.
I'm not reinventing the wheel. There are beautiful places around us.
We are just a small player that we want to
make happy people. And yeah, I mean, if you're coming,
(28:24):
I give you the entire space. The important thing is
I can make at least the same money without you.
So for that reason, there is a minimum. Yeah, that
is all about the food.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Okay, wine, you think we can do that lasagna thing we.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Talked about, of course, I mean I did it for
the Japanese guys. I can do for you.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
No. No, but here's what I'm saying. Just just let's
just try this out. Let's just try this out. So
we just put on the menu Mama's lasagna, and then
you explain, because if you explain to people when they ordered,
hey we make it in bald and then we heat
it when you bring it out. I said, okay, and
you could sell it at cost because that gives people
(29:10):
a dinner option. Because truth be told, and I have
to admit this, We're still going to come back. But
we needed dinner last night, my wife and I and
we weren't and I only eat once a day. So
if I'm in the mood for a hearty meal. So
we tried Bestro five five five. We'll be back when
we're on that side of town. But I think just
one kind of heavier entree. That's easy. That you don't
(29:31):
have to have a running kitchen because the cost of
a kitchen. Just think on it, think on Riccardo.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Yes, yes, yes, I think that is a great idea. Okay,
it's then thanks for their dead life.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Okay, how much time do you need in advance for
people that are calling for a charcuterie plate?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Uh, I mean same as any Give me twenty minutes,
and the Luciana or the Pablo they are doing right
on time.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Oh, I thought, okay, all right, well I'm less impressed
if you'll just do it on the spot. I thought
you did it for us like as a who.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Yeah, of course on the spot. Ten minos you have
if you're calling me twenty minutes if you are over there, Yeah,
ten minutes is going to be.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Okay, explain very quickly where Vincanto is is located. You
got twenty seconds.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Vincanto is located in the west part of Houston on
MEMORIALA and Gas never inside the belt eight eight, and
we are in a Memorial area, and we are a
wine bar, wine shot and bistro.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Okay, quickly twenty seconds in Italian go.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
And Italiano ceric okay, ncanto andor posto the bino bono
chibo caseoy.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
So notice how much more succinct he was in ittied
and was like, oh, I went right into it. Hold
with me for just a moment. If you would record,
I wuldn't talk to you off air. Well done, Thank you,
It's that time, time, time, time, luck and load. So
Michael Verie Show is on the air from on. Can
(00:24):
you play something nice? That's Italian? I posted the other
day and people thought I was joking. I said, of
Tilman Fritita's many accomplishments in his life, he's the largest
(00:45):
private restaurant owner that is a non public company. He
took his company back private. He's the largest private restaurant
company owner in America. He owns multiple casino, multiple hotels,
way more hotels than you. Whatever it is, that's your Italian.
That's what you're using for Italian. That's not even it's
(01:10):
not even distinctly Italian. Man, I guess it is. Hey,
we got to play Tracy Chapman and Pavarotti in that
duet at that open air concert at some point, not
right now. That one gets me every time. Tracy Chapman's
just sitting there being so cool, but she's going, man,
(01:32):
is this really happening? And Pavarotti he don't even move,
He's got his whole body is an instrument and he
just stands there and it just just comes out of him. Man. Oh,
it's glorious, glorious anyway, So I said, the largest restaurant
run a private restaurant owner in America. That's a big
(01:53):
deal on many casinos, many hotels, high end hotels all
over the country. And oh, by the way, paid two
point two billion dollars to have an NBA franchise. That's
not an easy thing to do. You know, the King
of Gallas. And this guy's had a lot of accomplishments,
(02:14):
but of course the most people know him for the
pinnacle of his career success, which was recently becoming a
Michael Berry Show sponsor. Tillman's one of those guys that
I've known for twenty five years. In those guys you know,
always feel like they're too big to quote unquote advertise,
and I don't ask them to do it. But then
everybody they talked to is like, man, you know, Michael
(02:36):
mentioned you on the air, and eventually they realize we
should be partnering and supporting this show. So he did,
and it's his career pinnacle. Until it leaked out two
days ago that Donald Trump is naming him ambassador to Italy.
It is true, supposedly, Yeah, it is. Yeah. How cool
(03:01):
is that? How cool is that he'll open a restaurant
in Florence within within the month. I mean, it's just
it's just what he's gonna do.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
It will not be a Joe's crapshack, I assure you,
and and he'll he'll set out to make it the
best damn restaurant in in all of Roma or Milan
or maybe all of them. Maybe you just never I
love it. Bubba Gump is not a ramon. Now you're
making Tilman jokes. And if he hears about this, he's
gonna think I'm making jokes at his expense. And I
(03:33):
love Tilman. We have a good friendship. But it's like Trump,
you don't make jokes about it. That's it's not that
kind of relationship. So I gave Emily the task of
tracking down the owner of vincentto this this restaurant, and
we have him on the line. Is it Ricardo or Richardo?
(03:54):
It's a well, why why do we need two c's.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
And because otherwise they are thinking I'm a Spanish guy,
but I'm Italian and I didn't change my name when
I came to America in Riqui or Rico. My name
is Ricardo. My i'mma called me in this way. So
Ricardo with two seas.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
You and I have a lot in common because my
mother named me Michael, and she never wanted me called Mike.
So to this day, I don't let anybody call me
Mike unless they're black, because blacks naturally call me Mike,
and I don't think they can help it, and I
just I answer to it. But nobody else do I
allow to call me Mike. So in that sense, I'm
from Orange, Texas and you're from where. Palermo.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
No, No, Palermo is a Cicily Peruja, Peruja central part
of Italy, is just in the heart of Italy. It's
very close to Florence and very close to a Cisi
in the town of San Francis.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yes, of course St. Francis of ASSISI so you do
a good Italian accent, Really you do.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I mean I'm not speaking, Oh that's your real accent. Yes.
When I moved here, I mean I couldn't speak any
word in English. And yeah, I mean, he doesn't change it.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I will tell you what I told my youngest son, Crockett. Crockett,
never change. It's a great accent. It's it's an asset here.
People love it. Of all the accents in the world.
Ramon ranked the accents of the world that we would most.
You would put Spanish before Italian.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Girls.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
I'm talking about a dude. He's a dude. He's a
dude just for dudes. Huh. You put friends above Italian
not me. I think this right here. I like to
like what this guy's working right here? Yeah, does he
ham it up a little? Maybe? You know what? I
hope he does. I like to think he does. It's
smart business. No, he's not going to say a rividrtch.
I'm sorry. I have a ser named Ramon and he
(06:01):
sometimes interrupts the show. So how did you start, Vincento?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I started the basic Yeah, Vincanto is. We started two
years ago and basically I was a general manager in
another place and another wine bar. I was making a
happy the other owner, so I decided, m why not
to open my own wine bar. But I created an
(06:29):
LLC with six different partners, and I'm the co owner
together with these guys and also co manager together with
Georgio the main investor, together with me. So basically we
opened this wine bar shopper little shopper. We are selling
any wines and also we have the kitchen and my
(06:53):
consult Antoni, hey, look, you better to cook a well
line in that area of a Uston because the people
they are pretending that good food. In fact, I mean,
the kitchen is doing pretty well. We have two amazing
cooks from Argentina, husband and wife. I'm also one of
(07:15):
the chefs, together with the Stephanie the other investors, so
it's kind of very unique and very versatile, eclectic space.
And yeah, we are not inventing the wheel, and for us,
it's important they approach that we are with the with
customers because we are not making a lot of volumes,
(07:39):
but we are hoping that the customers are coming back
and we wanted to treat them well. So but everybody,
everybody at the same level.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
So I don't know if I like that everybody at
the same level, because I want to come in and
get just the little bit better than everybody else, not
a lot better. I just want to feel like I'm
getting a little bit. Ricardo, does your wife work there
with you?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
My wife, she's a successful attorney on the oil and
GASA and but basically she's helping me, she's giving me
advice and basically she's she's solving a lot of problems
for me because I'm doing a lot of accounting, a
(08:32):
lot of back office, and then with her experience, basically
she can help me in something that is pretty easy
for her.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
All right, hold on, hold on, he's Ricardo Guerri Guerri
and it's vincanto v I n essay into hold on.
That's why I had probably out of tune.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You might have to edit that.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
This is Mark Chestnut and jar Bizaar of Talk Radio
that is on YouTube and about once a year I
go back and watch it, and it's an outdoor concert
and it is the most powerful thing in the world.
We hear on The Michael Berry Show live in caricatures,
(09:21):
So you know, if you're going to Japan, we think of,
you know, World War two and sushi and sumo wrestling.
We kind of keep everything very simple, very simple. Everything
is a caricature. So when Ricardo came on, we immediately
thought about, you know, Pavaratti and that concert and charcuterie Ricardo.
(09:45):
When my assistant Emily came in and needed a rushed
charcuterie board, do you remember this, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I remember she was in Russia for something important.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Yeah, And everything I do is important, whether it's important
or not. Did you notice how many tattoos she had?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yes, I know it is. She's a she's a I
like her tattoos. Do you have to I don't know what. No,
And I just because I'm older. I'm forty three, have
a three heater. So I think that when the people
are younger, they are a better on my young people.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Well, she's in her thirties. You wouldn't guess it, but
she's in her thirties.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I was thinking twenty one, twenty two.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Yeah, No, she looks very young, but she's She worked
for me ten years ago. You can believe that. I
have to tell you. So, Ramona and I had the
charcoterie and it was fantastic, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Thank you. Yeah, we are trying to have a Italian
cheese and meat. We have a local suppliers, a select
food and yeah, because we wanted to offer something that
is different from us.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
So that was my question. Do you have do you
do you struggle to get anything from Italy that you
would really like to have or are you able to
get everything?
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Not? Not really so my mama sometimes when she's flying
to the United States, she's trying to smuggle some meat.
But last time in October she got busted by the
little dog at the custom patroller and she was crying
because saying, come on, dude, this is for my son.
She needs he needs meat, the charcuteri. But they decized
(11:46):
everything from her. So not easy, not easy and very expensive,
especially for the cheese because pari reggiano granda padano this
is a specialty cheese. Here you have a higher taxes
and for a meter is not allowed, especially for the
(12:10):
good ones like for example, the punchette salam similar that,
especially because it's related to the FDA and they don't
want to have a disease inside the meat that can
spread out here in the United States. So they are
very stricter and not easy to find the good quality
(12:34):
price ratio. So if we want the original stuff, we
have to pay a premium. So for this reason, our sarcuityboard,
I mean it's not it's not expensive. It's part of
the market. But for us it's important the presentation. So
I want to give you the the board and everything
(12:55):
just to present in a different way because other wise
in a to go box it's kind of sad.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah, no it is, but the fact that you gave
her the board and trusted her to bring the board back.
Now you weren't there yesterday when she brought it back.
But my wife's thank you to her for having rushed
it was please take the boards back and we'll buy
your meal there. So I asked her what she had,
(13:22):
and I made a note. She went in yesterday and
she had a calamari and vincanto salad and she said
it was delicious, and she had a glass of wine
and she was So I would like to think that
people will reward such gestures because in a world of
big box stores and multinational corporations, you know, this guy
(13:45):
chasing his passion in his little vincanto you know, Italian
market wine shop. That's the kind of businesses we want
to keep in business. Ricardo, you mentioned the FDA. So
my kids are from Ethiopia, and when we have friends
who are Ethiopian who go to Ethiopia and come back,
(14:06):
they have to smuggle certain Ethiopian food products that we
want back into the country that you can't get here.
My wife's from India, yes, so we have to have
food products smuggled in from India. The FDA is not
here to protect people I have a friend who owns
a place called Laboucherie, and he's Italian French, came to
(14:29):
Spring twenty years ago and they do these stuffed meats
and things like that. And beef tallow, which has been
Robert F. Kennedy's big push, was very natural. Beef tallot
has so many benefits and nobody does it anymore. I said, Jason,
if I can get you a market for beef tallow.
So I called a friend of mine that owns Federal
American Grill not far from you, and I said, Hey,
(14:51):
would you be willing to use beef tallow if I
can get you, I can get it. Provide well you
buy from Labushi. I'd like to build up his restaurant
business and bring back tallow And he said, I would
love to. It's hard to get you know, women put
it on their skin and has all these all these benefits.
And he said, well, Michael, I started the process based
on our call. He has an FDA inspector full time
(15:12):
because he is a meat processing plant for for all
these things. But so much of what is supposed to
protect us in this country, Ricardo is actually just protecting
something that a lobbyist interest from red dye in the
in the foods is terrible for kids, or the fake sugars.
Hold on just a second.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Riccardo Lifestyles of the not so rich and famous, or
as I call it, the Michael Berry Joe. I love cheese.
You love cheese.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Inside outside, and wow, good job.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Give us someone applies.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Ricardo pronounced your last name for me. Please.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
It's a Gerieri. Translate Guerieri so translated that means warriors basically,
and I know it's difficult.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
No, it's Geriery. I got it. I just needed to know.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
The problem is that we did. The teachers when over
my my kids, they can't pronounce it, so they're calling
just for the first name.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
All right, Ricardo, I'm gonna I'm gonna read your menu
to you so people know this. And there are things
that I noticed that are I don't want to say missing,
but that a lot of people when you kind of
have an idea of what you're walking into, and I
want you to tell me, you know, we're these space limitations?
Was this trying to cross you?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
You know?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Because proper use of your kitchen. I've come to learn
from people like Russell Lebara and Johnny Caraba and tony
vallone and tilman fertita. That's that's how you get food
out on time, consistently, properly. You can't serve everything all
the time, so your appetizers don't have my glasses. Let
(17:25):
me move my mic olive mix, which is mixed olives
and kalamado olives, popcorn patatas critas. That's French fries for you,
Ramon calamari, free ti fried, calm fried goat cheese balls,
and your share bols are anchovy crostinos, preshido, proscheto, cristinos, antipasto, skewers,
(17:49):
brushetta tre color or tricolore, sarsana ro which is six
rolls composed of cucumbers, rakota, smoked salmon, avocado, salt and pepper, balsamic,
vinegar and sesame seeds. Salads are ponzanea, caprice, caprees, vincanto
(18:11):
and avocado savice, which sounds delicious. And then your boards,
which what we got are the basic charcuterie, the cheese,
the crostini, and then the grand board. I have to
tell you we make our charcuterie at home. My wife
prides herself on a big, elaborate charcoterie. A lot of
times in the afternoon I do a morning show and
(18:32):
then an evening show, and in the early afternoon I'll
have someone over and maybe a show sponsor. It may
be a politician, it may be a writer, professor, somebody
that I'm interested in. And my wife will make this
big charcuterie board and she takes pride in that, but
occasionally we have to buy one. And she remarked that
your prices are very good. It was twenty two dollars
(18:55):
for a charcuterie board and thirty six dollars for the
grand board, which is Grande board, which is the three cheeses,
three meats by get mustard, cornie, honey, fruit and nuts.
I mean, some people I think that's expensive, but in
on the West side of Houston, with that level, with
(19:16):
that quality of ingredients, that's a pretty good price.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah. And especially we are okay to cut a little
bit to the Marca on food because at the end
of the day, all the food, all these menu that
we created, it's something to pare well with wine because
at the end of the day we are a wine shopper.
(19:40):
And then I'm prouder to tell you that the selection
of food is pretty big to be a wine bar,
so but it's it's what Italians are good to do,
to pare food and wine, and I'm happy to Ricardo.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
I will tell you you that many is the day
that I don't eat a traditional entree. My wife and
I will have a charcuterie board and a glass of
wine and that is our dinner. And I can do proteins.
I can stay away from carbs. I don't feel full.
It's a little bit lighter and it's great flavors, so
(20:22):
I get it. But I'm gonna ask you a question.
And I'm not trying to tell you to change it, obviously,
because you're doing what you're doing well. But I would
ask you if you were going to add one thing,
especially because the marketplace has this idea of you know
what Italian food is, even though you're a wine bar.
Would it be a lasagna? I'm thinking of something you
(20:45):
could make in bulk, right, you can make before people
got there and then carve out. I have you ever
thought about that?
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yes, sir, And thanks for tell me about death because
we need them. A weddinger and we did a special
dinner for some Japanese executive for a chemical company and
basically we prepare homemade lasagna on Christmas. I have already
(21:16):
a customer that they are super nice Ken Rosanna that
they asked me, hey, can you do homemade lasagna for us?
We have been whatever is necessary to pay, but insteader
to go to a olive garden. We prefer to buy
from you. Oh I'm flattered at that.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
But Ricardo, let me ask you a question. I think
if you were honest about it. So we ated a
little French restaurant the other day, not far from you,
called Bistro five five five. It used to be bet yeah,
and so we just wanted to taste last night. We
just wanted a taste of dessert. And they have a
(21:56):
tiny little kitchen in a tiny little space. They had
to lean over our table to get to wine bottles.
And we love that. Right, you feel like you're in
Paris at this moment. And so when we ordered the dessert,
it was pistachio ice cream, but it was in a
like a glass. And clearly what they do is during
the off times they prepare this and they put it
(22:17):
in the freezer. And I was telling my wife, this
is brilliant because now any server not just your server,
but anybody from the kitchen can go grab that, bring
it to the table, and put it down, and you're
saving time and you're saving space. I think if you
were to call it, you know, Ricardo's Mama's lasagna, and
you made it, and even if you made one per day,
(22:38):
and when it's gone, it's gone, and you cut up
the pieces and they're already placed, and you warm it
and bring it up. I think if you were honest
about that, I wouldn't mind, because I don't mind lasagna
being warmed. I don't need it cooked to order, If
that makes sense. Hold on a second, Ricardo, we're redoing
the menu here, Go on, that's.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
What we do.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
What time up show?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
You know, if if you worked at Papasito's, as I
did in the early nineties, you would get tired of
the mambo Kings, And if you work at a lot
of restaurants, you get tired of was it Jose Feliciano,
Felice Navidad or people get tired of.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
All I want for Christmas? Right about this time? About
the first time you hear it, you go, that's good enough.
It's always funny when you when you work at an
ethnic restaurant, and they have songs that they clearly have
on loop because they're lazy, and the staff is singing
along to the song, but they don't speak English. Well,
they've heard that song a lot of times. If I
(23:53):
owned Vincanto, we'd just have Barbarotti on loop just the
whole time. And you think, well that would get tiresome
only for the staff, because you're only in there long
enough to go, Wow, great song list, great song. Do
you program the music? Ricardo?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, mainly me and Aaron.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
He don't sound Italian, Aaron Fader.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
He's a great guy working together.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, but he's not Italian.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
No, No, he's not Italian. But he did plays. But
sometimes I'm playing he.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
Might try to slip the erasure in there. Hold on.
I got an email from a fellow named Arturo Barrera
and he says, zar, enjoy your show. Listen every chance
I get. You're talking to Ricardo right now. Great guests.
You mentioned Laboucherie. I know Jason and Barrett. That's the
lab people. Oh yes, I am one of the daily
government inspectors there, but please clarify it's USDA Food Safety
(24:59):
Inspection Serve that is there daily not the FDA, God
bless fair enough. Okay, So I got one segment with
you recorded. I got a bunch of questions I need
you to answer fast, okay, yes, and I want you
to add to the end of every world okay, okay, okay.
What is the hardest part about running a small business
(25:22):
that people would not expect?
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Back office, doing quick books, doing payrolls and heavy control
on everything.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Okay, and you're having to do that yourself.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Mostly yeah, mostly by myself. The other manager, Georgio, he's
doing other stuff, but mostly me. And when you don't
tell nobody that is alting you the day, maybe you
have to clean out the Florida.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Yeah, that's part of it. I get that. But did
you have any background in that? Uh?
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Yeah, I mean for four years I was a general
manager in another wine bine shopper, which and I started,
yeah with Vinology, that is Vinology that is located on
West Lay and it's a great place for me to
to grow. But yeah, my back my background is completely different.
(26:26):
In Italy, I was I was a policeman.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
So oh wow, Okay, what is what is the biggest
challenge financially to what you do? What is the biggest
challenge with regard to.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
The money, the biggest, the biggest challenge is to of
course make a profit because in this business is a
matter of volume or profitability. So make sure that what
you're buying, you are reselling with a healthy margin that
(27:01):
can sustain your employees and give a more uh distribution
to the other business part.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
All right, Ricardo, I'm gonna ask you a question and
you have you have to pick one or the other.
You can't say both, okay? Which one would help your
business more? Having more people walk in the door or
being able to keep your costs down better? Which one
of those is more important right now?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Volume having more people?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah? And so your lunch at dinner or your because
your wine barred? I mean, how do you do during.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Branch lancha and dina and also private event? And we
are open to do whatever the castume are asking it.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
So Emily, my assistant was very impressed. She said that
you don't charge any fees for a private event. You
just have a minimum because you have to staff that.
And she said, I don't know why they don't get
more private events. Does that seem like good good strategy?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I don't want to overcharge and the competition is tough.
I'm not reinventing the wheel. There are beautiful places around us.
We are just a small player that we want to
make happy people. And yeah, I mean, if you're coming,
(28:24):
I give you the entire space. The important thing is
I can make at least the same money without you.
So for that reason, there is a minimum. Yeah, that
is all about the food.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Okay, wine, you think we can do that lasagna thing we.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Talked about, of course, I mean I did it for
the Japanese guys. I can do for you.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
No. No, but here's what I'm saying. Just just let's
just try this out. Let's just try this out. So
we just put on the menu Mama's lasagna, and then
you explain, because if you explain to people when they ordered,
hey we make it in bald and then we heat
it when you bring it out. I said, okay, and
you could sell it at cost because that gives people
(29:10):
a dinner option. Because truth be told, and I have
to admit this, We're still going to come back. But
we needed dinner last night, my wife and I and
we weren't and I only eat once a day. So
if I'm in the mood for a hearty meal. So
we tried Bestro five five five. We'll be back when
we're on that side of town. But I think just
one kind of heavier entree. That's easy. That you don't
(29:31):
have to have a running kitchen because the cost of
a kitchen. Just think on it, think on Riccardo.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Yes, yes, yes, I think that is a great idea. Okay,
it's then thanks for their dead life.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Okay, how much time do you need in advance for
people that are calling for a charcuterie plate?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Uh, I mean same as any Give me twenty minutes,
and the Luciana or the Pablo they are doing right
on time.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Oh, I thought, okay, all right, well I'm less impressed
if you'll just do it on the spot. I thought
you did it for us like as a who.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Yeah, of course on the spot. Ten minos you have
if you're calling me twenty minutes if you are over there, Yeah,
ten minutes is going to be.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Okay, explain very quickly where Vincanto is is located. You
got twenty seconds.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Vincanto is located in the west part of Houston on
MEMORIALA and Gas never inside the belt eight eight, and
we are in a Memorial area, and we are a
wine bar, wine shot and bistro.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Okay, quickly twenty seconds in Italian go.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
And Italiano ceric okay, ncanto andor posto the bino bono
chibo caseoy.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
So notice how much more succinct he was in ittied
and was like, oh, I went right into it. Hold
with me for just a moment. If you would record,
I wuldn't talk to you off air. Well done, Thank you,
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