Catching Up with James Iranzad + James Langford-Smith Calls In

About this episode

Recently, I sat down with my good friend James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) for a long-overdue catch-up, beginning with a piece that caught both our attention: Substance Abuse, a column by Ed Elson in the Simply Put newsletter. Elson's provocative thesis suggests that the dramatic decline in alcohol sales isn't primarily about health consciousness, GLP-1 drugs, or cannabis legalization — it's about screen addiction. Together, we broke down his argument, and discussed what it means for the hospitality industry. Next up: North America's 50 Best Bars returned to Vancouver last month, turning a spotlight on the city's growing international reputation as a beverage destination. What did the event mean for the local scene? Who showed up? And what does this continued investment in our city signal about where the global industry thinks we sit on the map? Then, we run through the results of the latest editions of Canada’s 100Best Restaurants and the Vancouver MagazineAwards to talk about who made it, who moved up, and who got overlooked; as well as which patterns we're seeing across the lists — regionally, stylistically, and in terms of what the judges seem to be rewarding. Finally: E