Virtual Gourmet home – Celebrating Act 2™

John Mariani, The VIrtual Gourmet: Tipping, a U.S. Phenomenon

It’s controversial, and it’s unique to the U.S.! So Why do we do it? What’s a ‘fair’ tip and does ...
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What Customers Should Know Before Criticizing a Restaurant POST-Pandemic!

It’s more than about good manners–it’s a discussion about just how demanding and critical a customer should be, really at ...
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John Mariani, The VIrtual Gourmet: Favorite Fall Foods

Art Kirsch and John Coleman of Celebrating Act 2™ get special contributor, John Mariani of the Virtual Gourmet, to discuss ...
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Why Restaurants Need Critics More Than Ever!

The COVID Pandemic has changed many things for the food and hospitality industry. The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani, looks at ...
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A Labor Day Salute to Food Service Workers!

On the appropriate occasion of LABOR DAY, food and travel writer John Mariani who publishes the Virtual Gourmet newsletter, joins ...
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The Virtual Gourmet Explains TRUE TAPAS

Dining A fun, popular and delicious dining experience is often the way a TAPAS restaurant is described. John Mariani, publisher ...
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The Virtual Gourmet Asks: Are American’s Intimidated by Fine Dining?

Are we just a more casual society or are Americans actually intimidated by all the trappings of a FINE DINING ...
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The VIrtual Gourmet, John Mariani, on Chilling Wine!

Should your wine be served chilled or at room temperature? John Mariani, internationally known food & travel writer and publisher ...
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John Mariani, The VIrtual Gourmet, on BBQ Styles & Myths!

Yes there are many varieties of BBQ sauces and styles and quite a few false ideas have cropped up about ...
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John Mariani’s 2nd Online Novel, “Capone’s Gold’

Celebrating Act 2™’s contributing expert for Food & Travel, John Mariani, is also an author with over a dozen books ...
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10 Things Airlines MUST Change After The Pandemic

As the COVID Pandemic slowly recedes due to vaccines, more people are beginning to use air travel again. Celebrating Act ...
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What’s Up? A Big Deal NY Restaurant Goes Vegan

It made big news when NYC’s famous fine dining restaurant Eleven Madison Park announced it was going completely plant-based and ...
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What’s With All The Famous Absentee Chefs?

Does anybody really expect to be greeted by a world famous chef at one of the many restaurants in his ...
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Italian Trattoria vs Pizzeria

What can you expect at a good Italian Trattoria…and what’s the difference between that and a Pizzeria? The Virtual Gourmet, ...
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What Defines A French Bistro?

Lots of restaurants in the US use the name, ‘Bistro’, but are they? Celebrating Act 2™’s knowledgeable Food & Travel ...
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Have Italian Wine Laws Become A Farce?

Have Italian Wine Laws Become A Farce? We all know that wine production in places like Italy and France are ...
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Does Today’s Food MEDIA Demonize Food with P.C.?

Since Covid-19 has turned the world of dining upside down we wonder what the Food Media is doing! our expert ...
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How NOT to Get Sick while Traveling!

Who would know better how to avoid getting sick while abroad than world traveler, food and travel writer, John Mariani, ...
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Irish Cuisine?

Why don’t we see Irish restaurants like we do Italian, Thai or other ethnic cuisines? Food and Travel writer and ...
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INSIDE the Virtual Gourmet Newsletter

Publisher and head writer for the popular newsletter on food and travel, The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani shares the inside ...
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All About Bolognese!…And Lasagna!

Maybe the most popular sauce in the well-loved repertoire of Italian cooking…respected Food and Travel writer, John Mariani, sets the ...
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Favorite Destinations After the Pandemic

Always a mindful traveler, John Mariani still loves the adventure–maybe more so since being restricted by COVID-19. The famous food ...
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All About Pizza

So you think you know about the ubiquitous American food, Pizza? Is it really Italian or was it created in ...
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Now On the Radio: John Mariani

Food and Travel writer and publisher of the newsletter, Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani, turns his hand to a new medium: ...
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How to Save $$ on Vacation Meals

We all know how easy it is to go over budget while on vacation! Travel and Food Writer, John Mariani, ...
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Do Corporate Restaurant Groups Offer Better Quality?

We’ve all seen a high-end restaurant with the name of a famous chef emblazoned upon it, knowing it is one ...
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Fun Quotes On Food & Wine

Whether you want to be pretentious or erudite or just entertaining, it’s always fun to have a famous quote about ...
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Cajun vs Creole Cuisine??

New Orleans is the home to two great regional cuisines: Cajun and Creole …Or is it? What’s the difference between ...
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Best Food Movies

As a food & restaurant writer and publisher of The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani would of course have an opinion ...
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Champagne vs Sparkling Wine

On holidays many folks will opt to celebrate with Champagne…and certainly it’s considered the standard at weddings and other events ...
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The Movies and Wine Of Francis Ford Coppola

Join this freewheeling discussion about both the wines and movies of celebrated director, Francis Ford Coppola. Lots of interesting facts ...
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Brown Spirits-Whiskey, Scotch, Etc.

What’s the difference between Whiskey, Bourbon and Scotch? Food and travel writer John Mariani, respected publisher of The VIrtual Gourmet ...
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Las Vegas Update

Celebrating Act 2™’s founders, Art Kirsch and John Coleman, ask regular contributor John Mariani, (food and travel writer and editor ...
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Seasonal Wines

We ask our favorite wine and food critic about ‘seasonal’ wines. Are they just marketing hype? And especially about Beaujolais ...
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European Travel Restrictions

Covid-19 has affected the whole world, especially travel. Europe in many ways has fared better than the US, but that ...
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Boston Dining Update

Of course no destination remains the same…and every city’s dining and entertainment scene has been affected by the pandemic restrictions ...
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Reasons NOT to AGE YOUR WINE

The Virtual Gourmet, John Mariani, is always happy to dispel myths about food and wine for our Celebrating Act 2™ ...
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How Italian Food Conquered the World

Ever notice how Italian cuisine seems to be everywhere–and the most popular! Why is that? Food and Travel writer, John ...
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About Detroit!

One of America’s great cities has fallen on hard times–and not just because of COVID-19. Food and Travel expert, John ...
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See The USA…Travel Regionally!

Veteran Food and Travel writer, John Mariani of the Virtual Gourmet newsletter (free), says we don’t have to give up ...
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Eating In Parking Lots

With a new round of restrictions on restaurants due to COVID-19 many places are allowed only to serve food outside ...
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Travel Writing -The Mariani Touch

Writer John Mariani has been writing professionally about Food and Travel–and much more –for well over 20 years. As a ...
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Develop Your Wine Palate- Start Here!

Food and Travel writer, John Mariani talks with Celebrating Act 2™’s Art Kirsch and John Coleman about the idea of ...
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Wine Myths Which Waste Time & Money

Based on his article in Mariani’s Virtual Gourmet newsletter, Food and Travel writer John Mariani shares three of the ten ...
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NYC – Best Food City In the World!

As a professional Food and Travel writer, who is also a regular contributor to Celebrating Act 2, John Mariani has ...
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Love & Pizza – The Book

Yes, we love food–including pizza–and yes, romance often revolves around subtle, sensual acts like eating….Which is one reason why John ...
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Americas Cuisine:The Gift of Immigrants

As America is a land of immigrants, so too our cuisine is as varied and diverse as our population’s origins ...
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How to Read A Wine Label

Like John Coleman, co-founder of Celebrating Act 2™, many of us wine drinkers may know what we like but don’t ...
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The Future of Restaurants After COVID-19

While we all wonder what the ‘New Normal’ will look like after the COVID-19 Crisis ends, many have predicted the ...
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Menu Collection Reflects History & Culture

Food and Travel writer John Mariani has been collecting menus from great restaurants he has reviewed for over 40 years ...
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Great Restaurants Selling Great Wines at Discount!

Can you believe a famous restaurant which can normally sell a great wine from their cellar for well over $100 ...
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Are Small Restaurants Hurting The Most?

Food and Travel writer John Mariani knows the restaurant industry inside and out. Small, local ‘Mom & Pop’ restaurants are ...
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Travel in the Age of COVID-19

What will we do when travel restrictions imposed because of COVID-19 pandemic are relaxed? John Mariani, noted Food and Travel ...
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Get Great Wines at Great Prices, NOW!

Celebrating Act 2™’s Food & Travel contributor, John Mariani, author of the popular weekly newsletter the Virtual Gourmet, explains why ...
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Meet Food & Travel Writer, John Mariani of Virtual Gourmet

Celebrating Act 2™ co-founders, Art Kirsch and John Coleman introduce us to regular Contributor, John Mariani, world traveler, columnist and ...
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Seafood Myths

It seems there’s more myths surrounding seafood than any other cuisine! Which are true and should be heeded and which ...
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