The Bartender and The Deli Man: Chef Danny Saccullo & Lucas Peters

What happens when passion collides with profession? When the daily grind transforms into something you genuinely love doing? This episode answers those questions through the compelling stories of two food industry veterans who took dramatically different paths to find their calling.

Meet Danny Saccullo – a journalism major who started washing dishes in Tallahassee to pay rent and eventually worked his way through hotels, hospitals, and banquets before opening his own deli. With Cuban and Italian heritage influencing his menu, Danny shares the unexpected journey that led him to create some of Tampa's most beloved sandwiches, including a controversial take on the Cuban that even this Miami native had to admit was superior. His reflection on self-reliance and the transition from corporate kitchens to entrepreneurship offers valuable insights for anyone considering a career pivot.

Alongside him sits Lucas Peters, bar manager at Propagation Whiskey Bar and Kitchen, whose passion for mixology shines through in every pour. From his flaming "Kentucky Burner" bourbon cocktail to his tequila-based "Loco Luca," Lucas breaks down the art and science behind crafting memorable drinking experiences. 

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Walk Talk Podcast
• 1:42 Meet Denny and Lucas
• 3:09 Lucas' Signature Cocktails
• 5:16 Danny's Cuban and Empanadas
• 11:29 Lucas on Mixology and Creating Cocktails
• 15:10 Danny's Journey to Opening His Deli
• 18:28 From Boone's Farm to Craft Cocktails
• 27:47 Faith, Family, and the Bar Scene
• 35:04 Staying Motivated and Finding Purpose
• 39:56 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Them

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Drinking hanging out with your friends is one thing. Getting wasted and driving home drunk and getting in a car accident is another thing.

Speaker 3: 0:18

Hello Food Fam. This is the Walk Talk Podcast where you'll find the perfect blend of food fun and cooking knowledge. I'm your host, carl Fiedany. Welcome to the number one food podcast in the country and the official podcast for the New York, california and Florida restaurant shows, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit and the US Culinary Open at NAFM. We're recording on site at Ibis Images Studios, where food photography comes alive and I get to eat it. Email us to learn more info at thewalkandtalkcom.

Speaker 3: 0:45

Before we dive in, a quick shout out to Colleen Silk, host of Hospitality Bites, now officially part of the Walk Talk media family. Can not wait to begin sharing her episodes right here, starting with her first guest, me airing this Monday. Now today's guests bring two different paths, both built on hustle and heart. Denny Secuyo got his start back in 95 at a grill in Tallahassee just a journalism major trying to pay the rent, fast forward through every kind of kitchen, hotel, hospital, banquet and he's running his own deli and loving it. And joining him is Lucas Peters, bar manager at Propagation Whiskey Bar and Kitchen and the mixologist behind our recent cocktail about honey. Oh my God, it was fantastic. From making protein shakes at age 12 to pouring creative cocktails in Plant City. Lucas brings serious passion to every pour. Let's get into this, lucas. Yes, sir, my man, what's up brother First? First of all, let me shout you out on that cocktail that we did for the, for the trailer on the, on the documentary.

Speaker 1: 1:52

You did terrific thank you very much. That was, uh. That was an awesome experience, man. It was really cool working with that honeycomb too.

Speaker 3: 1:58

I've never got to use a product like that before, so it was a lot of fun yeah, what's interesting is, um, it's actually for a bourbon wine cocktail and I asked you hey man, what did you want to do? Out of it was just, the stars were aligned and she says oh, I'm doing a bourbon wine cocktail, oh my god, it was perfect and then tasted really good too it was fabulous, it was terrific, was terrific. All right, let's do this. Lucas, you made two awesome cocktails today. What did you do?

Speaker 1: 2:30

So I did two of my favorite cocktails, one of which is kind of what got me into bartending or what made me love craft cocktails in general, and it's called the Kentucky Burner. So it's going to be a flaming poured cocktail. It's going to be bourbon heavy two ounces of bourbon. To be a flaming poured cocktail, it's going to be bourbon heavy two ounces of bourbon. You can do any type of cordial you want, depending on what flavor profile you're going for. I like to use sham board with it, give it nice cherry flavor. And then I did two different types of bitters with it. Today I did some walnut bitters as well as some cherry bitters, and then you do some orange zest and, depending on the season and the client you're giving it to, you can toss some cinnamon in there. It's a very good seasonal cocktail and it's really fun to watch too. That's the biggest part of this cocktail is it's always a nice eye piece for everybody, and every time someone sees it, the next person wants to order one too.

Speaker 3: 3:18

Yeah, it's a crowd pleaser and it's going to look great on film. You know, we obviously record everything here. What was the second cocktail?

Speaker 1: 3:25

The second cocktail was named after yours truly. I call it the Loco Luca. So it's going to be a tequila based cocktail, which is my favorite liquor, so it's going to have tequila in it. I love our San Matias. Right now, that's my favorite tequila I've been repping and then it's going to have some agave nectar, some lemon juice, some violet liqueur and some banana liqueur, and today I've topped it off with some soda water, but it was flavored with grapefruit.

Speaker 3: 3:55

Chef Danny. Yes, sir, All right. So today we did something a little bit different. You know, normally we have a chef come in and there might be more than one guest, but there's only usually one person creating something. Today we had cocktails, but then we also had a couple of dishes that you put together. I feel my belly's happy when we put it that way.

Speaker 2: 4:16

Well, I appreciate that and thank you for inviting me when there were going to be drinks here as well.

Speaker 3: 4:21

Much appreciated.

Speaker 2: 4:22

Really, and they were delicious. That's a point of hard team effort.

Speaker 3: 4:24

When I say the moons are aligned here, they're aligned. Yeah, very happy. Danny, you made a sandwich and an empanada, both fantastic. Talk about it.

Speaker 2: 4:34

The Cuban. Obviously I think, being in Tampa, you know the deli's in Fishhawk, which is in Lithia on the map, but in Tampa proper, and I think if you're in Tampa you have to do a Cuban sandwich. So we did that. And then, like you mentioned, we did cheesesteak empanadas, which are delicious. They are a very popular item at the deli. They're on the super secret special menu. You have to know people to know people to get it. But they are on our catering menu as well. They're wonderful to do and wonderful to eat and I'm glad you guys enjoyed them.

Speaker 3: 5:10

Chef, we're in Tampa, mm-hmm, and you are Cuban and Italian.

Speaker 2: 5:16

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 3: 5:18

And I, just how dare you? First of all, the sandwich is delicious, mm-hmm. But how dare you side with the Tampa Cuban when you in fact are?

Speaker 2: 5:30

a Miami boy. This is correct. Yes, we did speak about this earlier and I had come to Tampa very braggadocious about the Miami Cuban and that it was the OG Cuban. You know yellow mustard, ham, pork, swiss cheese, pickles press it, give it to me. And then I came to Tampa and there's mayonnaise and salami on it, and my first thought was what the heck is salami doing on this thing? You know, what do Cubans know about salami? Apparently a lot, because it's delicious. And so I had to eat a big plate of crow and say, yes, this is the better version of the cuban, and then thus that's the one we serve.

Speaker 3: 6:11

The apologies to all my miami friends, the only reason I've given you a pass at all is because so how it goes here in the tampa area. The cubans and the italians built Tampa and the Cubans brought with them their sandwich and obviously the Italians somehow got salami on there and it was like to appease everyone.

Speaker 2: 6:39

Yeah, I guess when you're hungry it doesn't really matter what's on there, you can eat it.

Speaker 3: 6:42

True story. But you know, like I love salami but I love Cuban sandwiches, I'm from Miami too, but I'm Italian, I don't know. The whole thing is confusing to me, but I will tell you that, like I always side with the MIA, with the Cuban sandwich, I have to, I just have to.

Speaker 2: 6:55

I have a very good friend of mine, live in New Jersey and they do the proper Miami Cuban. They would never be called dead putting mayonnaise and salami on a Cuban shell. But they also don't live in Tampa.

Speaker 1: 7:09

I support the Tampa Cuban man. I'm not from here, but that thing is wonderful.

Speaker 3: 7:14

Hey, listen, I'm going to eat it and I'm going to love it. But let me tell you something If I have a choice, I'm going to go old school. Well, old school, miami, old school for me. But if sebastian the ibis, the ibis university of miami, were standing here with you, with us, right now, you would still pick, uh, you would still have to go with the tampa, of course, not. Okay, no, I just wondered if there was a boundary here, know your crowd know your crowd yeah, I know your crowd.

Speaker 2: 7:39

If he comes to the deli then yes, I have the side with the tampa cumin, okay, and by the way, danny's deli, it is danny's deli, okay, yes and and it's not so.

Speaker 3: 7:49

Just so everybody understands it's a, it's a sandwich shop, that's it. Yeah, but you're a chef by trade, yes, right, so it's not just a sandwich shop. It isn't like there's just teenagers in there making sandwiches, like there's. There's a reason and a rhyme for what you do yeah, I tried to tried to make it.

Speaker 2: 8:06

The local neighborhood deli I'm originally from South Jersey Grew up getting cold cuts, going to get some rolls. The guy behind the counter knows my dad's name when we go in there. So that's the kind of environment I wanted to recreate Fresh made soups, chopped salads, stuff people are familiar with. People recognize it's fresh, that you know. They can watch us make it. You know they they love to. Is that is that my Italian? I didn't want onions on that, like, no, that's not what's your name. Okay, no, this is for, just so you know. But it's the kind of environment I wanted, where people are comfortable, they can talk to while I'm I'm making the food. Um, and I'm really happy, you know, to be able to do it every day. It's uh, you know, like you mentioned, I had a long career and a lot of different spots and, um, I can, you know I go to sleep happy, I wake up happy. I don't get the Sunday scaries.

Speaker 1: 8:58

So you know, that's, that's uh, it's worth its weight in gold it's awesome you still have that passion too, man, because after for so long in the same industry, a lot of people usually get burnt out. You're able to transition that into something you love and something you can keep doing for years to come.

Speaker 2: 9:13

I advise not having a boss that helps whenever possible, lucas.

Speaker 3: 9:19

Yes, sir, propagation cool spot and it's a happening spot too.

Speaker 1: 9:26

It is. It's definitely up and coming, man. We opened up in september this last year. We have had a crazy year, got a lot of barrel picks in this year we got did a lot of cool stuff. I've got a lot of events and tastings going on right now. We're located right in downtown plant city. Most people think of it as a country town because it is a country town, so we're bringing that newer food, the higher quality, but we're still trying to keep it nice and comfortable and welcoming for people because we want to be able to offer that higher level of food and cocktails but make people still want to be comfortable and happy in their hometown.

Speaker 3: 10:00

All right, so let me tell you something. You embody the aura of a mixologist, of a bartender. You, you have it okay, you are missing the mustache I've tried, man you can blame god for that one.

Speaker 1: 10:14

Do you know? Missing facial hair?

Speaker 3: 10:16

yeah, but other than that, you, you've got the look and you're sick of that yeah, right, and and you've got you. You, you produce, you come, you come with this. So, if you're gonna, what's your process for creating a new cocktail from scratch? How do you come up with the, with the ingredients or the profiles? What are you thinking about?

Speaker 1: 10:33

Honestly, it depends on who I'm catering to Like. Who's my client, who's my guest? What is this for? You know what I mean Like what's the experience for? What am I working with here? Is this going to be a party? Is this cocktail designed for people to sit down and sip? Is it for a bourbon lover, a tequila lover? Who is this for?

Speaker 1: 10:51

Because if I made cocktails for myself all the time, I wouldn't be able to cater to all the audience. You know what I mean. All my cocktails would probably taste similar and they'd probably all have tequila in them. So I have to switch it up, especially working for a whiskey bar. But the basis is you start with the base ingredient man, and the liquor is the most important thing, because you could have two different types of bourbons and they could have the same proof, but if they're finished a different way, you can have a completely different cocktail with that same type of ingredients, just with a different bourbon. So I think it's all about the base, and then you just got to transition it to where you want that cocktail to be. And it's also very important when you build it and how you want to serve it, because if you're going to be using ice or dilution or anything like that. The glass that it's actually served in makes a huge impact on the cocktail itself, as well as presentation.

Speaker 3: 11:42

And that's because, why itself, as well as presentation, and that's because why, that's because of uh the, how the, uh the essence comes out of the, the head of the, the glass.

Speaker 1: 11:51

Yep, that that's one thing, because your sense of smell is 30 of your sense of taste. So that's why you see a lot of people garnish cocktails with, uh, citrus or anything like that, because it allows to bring out those more subtle notes in the cocktail and it allows it to give you better balance too. So, if you have like, let's just talk about bourbon for a second. So there's a specific glass you use to drink bourbon. It's called a glencairn and the actual shape of the glass is designed for sipping bourbon because it allows, um, not the heat of the bourbon, but it allows you to actually smell it if you just stuck your glass or your nose even close to the glass. So it's literally built and designed for sipping bourbon. Same with, uh, like a margarita glass or martini glass. You know what I mean. They're all have their their reasonings behind things and why they're built in that cocktail. Let me tell you something?

Speaker 3: 12:39

there's no good reason for a martini glass. I like martinis, but there's no reason in the planet to have something that just wants to spill. It wants to land on your coat.

Speaker 1: 12:50

You know what I'm hearing. I think you need to drink your cocktails faster, that's what I'm hearing.

Speaker 3: 12:54

No, no, no, no, I've listened. You have to understand something. I grew up in the same house as my great-grandfather, my grandparents, my parents. Everything is in like a rocks glass. Wine is in a rocks glass, like. Whatever it is, it's in the same cup. Okay, and that's just how I get down. I'm even okay with a coupe glass, like it's cool, but that, martini, get it away from me. Give me the content, but get it away from me.

Speaker 1: 13:20

I think martinis, man, just like. They just show elegance, you know, in simplicity, and I think that's why women love them in general, because they can feel bougie and you can drink the most. You could drink straight Tito's in a martini glass and you're going to feel bougie, you know what I mean. You could drink water out of a martini glass and you're going to feel bougie. They do seem impractical.

Speaker 3: 13:37

They do, Danny. You've worked in about every food service environment out there. What's the most surprising lesson that you have in going your own way and opening your own deli? I would say self-reliance.

Speaker 2: 13:49

You know I think I mentioned in previous conversations we've had that one of my most favorite things about working in the kitchen at the beginning was the team aspect of it. You know, I'm a big, big sports fan, so team sports has always been a part of my life. I coach you soccer, things like that. So being a part of a team and playing my role, whether it was as a leader or as the chef or the sous chef, or the expo or the kitchen manager or the front of the house manager, or never the bartender sorry Lucas, I was never good enough. Um uh, but you, you know you play your role. You're part of a team, but when it comes to owning your own business, you're going to make all the decisions end up falling on your plate.

Speaker 2: 14:26

The self-reliance aspect of it that obviously I have support. I have my beautiful wife, amy, my mom, my mom and other people around me all my friends who own businesses, things like that that are around that can help me. Ultimately, it's my decision Unfortunately, it's my name who own businesses things like that that are around that can help me. Ultimately, it's it's my decision. It's unfortunate, it's my name on the building, so all the decisions come to me. So the self-reliance and the learning things I didn't know that I thought I knew is going to be the most surprising, I think is uh is definitely. I've been blessed with great customers and great support throughout the community. So, yeah, the self-reliance aspect, that definitely would be the thing that's the most eye-opening.

Speaker 3: 15:05

Are you putting in more effort now than you were when you were in a professional kitchen?

Speaker 2: 15:11

Well, I mean, I'm doing what I want. So I don't know, I wouldn't know if it's efforting. I'm thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing's. I'm not looking at it so much as work, so much as this is my life. You know, this is, this is what I want to do every day. This is what I want to be, um, so, you know, when you say efforting, I I know you mean the word like, like, try. Are you trying harder? You're working harder? Um, yes, I'm working harder, but I don't look at it as working harder. I just I'm doing what I want to do so.

Speaker 3: 15:38

I see the parallel because I've always worked heavy hours, no matter what job I've had, and and being in sales and food services, which is the majority, uh, of where I come from it's a seven day job. It's every day of the year, you know, holidays and birthdays and all that stuff included, and it's taxing. Well, now I mean, I have this company, there's a ton of work that goes into this and it's overnight hours and it's crazy stuff, probably working more now than I ever have. But again, I think I agree with you. You don't seem upset, I'm not upset.

Speaker 3: 16:16

It's fun. I mean there's parts of this that are like you. Really it's daunting, it's fun. I mean there's parts of this that are like you, really it's daunting. It's like, oh, my God, I gotta go do, I gotta do this. But then you start creating and you start piecing the stuff together. You start connecting people, the relationships and the brands that we're working with, all the different parts, and you know John and his photography, the film that we're putting out. When you start seeing the results of the work and it's like our stuff, it's what we're doing. I don't know that I would ever be able to go back 100%.

Speaker 1: 16:48

No one's telling you to do it except you Correct You're investing in yourself at the end of the day, in your product, in your brand, in your name. So it doesn't feel like it's work, it's just a part of life. 100 doesn't feel like it's work, it's just a part of life 100% that Very wise young man.

Speaker 3: 17:04

I've been around the country a couple times. Lucas, what's one spirit or flavor trend that you think is underrated?

Speaker 1: 17:07

Ooh mezcal man. I feel like it's kind of up and coming a little bit, but I think a lot of people are scared of it. Dude A, it's tequila. So that throws people off already. And the way they make mezcal, instead of doing a traditional tequila, is they actually they smoke the agave before they break it down and that's where you get all that flavor from in the tequila. So people think they smoke the tequila itself. No, they smoke the agave and then they cook it and then they break it down. So it's a really fun spirit, but I think that naturally smoky flavor just really throws people off. I I can get down with some mezcal. I feel let me make you a mezcal old-fashioned, yeah oh no, they were delicious.

Speaker 3: 17:47

I'd like to see how you I'd like to see. Are there more drinks and it could be find out tonight. Do do what I want and do what I want. No, I mean, I'm down for mezcal. They do a great. It's a, it's a terrific, uh, terrific drinker sipper. I would love that. Yeah, dude, I got you. Man Dan, you mentioned Expo was your favorite station. Why did it resonate so much with you and how do you think it helped in your leadership style today?

Speaker 2: 18:12

Well, that's a very elegant way to ask me that, considering my answers, would be because I didn't want to sweat and I didn't want to clean. That's why I wanted to work the expo. But seriously, I thought expo was my favorite station because nothing leaves the kitchen until the expo says it leaves the kitchen. If the chef says it leaves the kitchen and expo says no, the plate doesn't leave the kitchen. The control that the expo had was something I was always interested in. I did mention sports earlier. So when I did play, you know I pitched, I had the ball in my hand. I played quarterback, I played center mid, like I like having the ball in my hand.

Speaker 1: 18:42

You want to be a main player.

Speaker 2: 18:44

Exactly, I want to be in part of the, you know, on the top. So having the opportunity to work that side and see it with the experience of being in the kitchen and knowing you know it's Friday night, it's Friday night, it's 830. We're fully set. Half hour wait. The cook has. He just sent out a plate. He's got 16 other things he's worried about right now. The last thing he needs or her sorry is the plate coming back you know.

Speaker 2: 19:08

So the expo is vitally important. Plus, the servers don't want to look bad, the plate, the steak, doesn't come out the right time or it's the wrong side, or I, you know, I'm allergic to garlic, so so that control over it. You have to really micromanage every single plate, you know, and I think it it helped me become the manager. I was, um, not that I'm a micromanager, but you have to worry about everything, you have to be on top of everything, you have to know what everyone's doing and how they're supposed to do it, and I think that really led to my career rise in the corporate world, because I was really good at telling other people what to do and I knew how they you know how they were supposed to do it. And my bosses love that and I think, yeah, I think, you know, expo was the first place where I really felt like oh, you know, I'm good at this, I can, I can do this, I think, once you get into the zone I used to love Expo too.

Speaker 3: 19:55

I did a it's not that that was my my gig, but I would fill in and once you get into the zone of expo, and everything is firing and you're just and you're just focused, and you see the tickets and you, it's really, it's like the matrix. Yeah, it's exactly, it is. It's like a mix between being in the matrix and also a composer and it's really terrific. And it's akin, on the server side, to just being a food runner. You know, I mean, the good food runners do check tickets a little bit, make sure that, hey, whatever they bring in, everything's supposed to be on there. And and it's an easy night, yeah, you make your money, no side work and you go home.

Speaker 2: 20:30

I did mention not wanting to sweat or clean, right?

Speaker 3: 20:32

yes, yes, well, that led me to want to bring up the food runner part. Yes, maybe you're running, though. I mean you're out there, you're hustling, but it's like that. You don't talk to anyone. It's nice you just you get in and go. Lucas, we'd mentioned earlier that you were behind the bar while we were doing our honeycomb cocktail trailer. How was that experience for you, and how do you approach storytelling through cocktails?

Speaker 1: 20:57

uh, the first thing I felt was being nervous. Nervous because I've never been or done something like that before. So it was a new opportunity for me, which is obviously very exciting. So it was just a great experience all around. We got to get in there nice and early that morning and we got to knock out some beautiful cocktails. I got to work with some quality ingredients.

Speaker 1: 21:16

But, like, I think that the way I can create stories with cocktails is like what the experience is for man. You know what I mean. I feel like every cocktail has a reason to be drank for the right time. You know what I mean, and I think that the best story you can give with a cocktail is the story that you're making with that cocktail right at that point in time. You want people to party. You have them. Take a shot of tequila. You want to cheers? You want to celebrate something? People drink champagne. You want to sit down, smoke a cigar, hang out with your buddies. What do you do? Drink some bourbon on a big rock. You know what I mean. Every occasion has the right cocktail for that time and that is the best story you can have for that cocktail that is so beautifully said and I'm gonna ruin it now because I'm on boone's farm kind of guy you know.

Speaker 3: 22:08

Give me some strawberry hill, some, some you know what that event is then let's get wasted. Let's get wasted baby. No, I'm totally kidding. I'm totally kidding. I'm actually. I'm so far away from you know, is Boone's Farm a sponsor? No, they're not, but you know what? They sponsored most of my upper teen years into my early 20s.

Speaker 1: 22:28

So same here. So funny you even brought that up is so? I have an older brother. He's seven years older than me. He's been one of the biggest figures in my whole life. He was also an avid person for me to do things I shouldn't have done when I was younger. But Boone's Farm was always a thing we did when I was in my 21, 22 years of life. He would have me drink for every second of an age I was. So he'd give me a bottle of Boone's Farm and he'd be like okay, you're 22, chug for 22 seconds. And I'd start chugging and then he'd be like 17, 17, 17 and he'd just keep going until I drank most of the bottle.

Speaker 3: 23:05

So so when does he get out of prison? Never, I mean, we used to go to the. You know, being in miami, we used to go to, like the hurricane games and, um, I was probably there too. Yeah, I'm saying 16, 17, 18, 19, boone's farm, it is what it is, man like that's. That was kind of it's kind of a thing and we used to be out there by the walgreens or whatever it was playing football before and that there was that one lot people who grew up in the 80s and 90s who used to go to hurricanes game, miami hurricanes remembered that there was a parking lot that was in front of a walgreens and that's where everybody went to play football and tailgate and all kinds of shenanigans. Yes, all good, clean, fun. Hashtag boone's farm. Just saying, danny, what's a dish on your menu right now that feels personal to you, and why club sandwich?

Speaker 2: 23:57

sandwich, my favorite sandwich. I remember again in South Jersey, going to the deli, we'd always get ham and turkey. So sliced bread, ham cheese, turkey cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, let's go. And no one serves a club sandwich. No one serves a club sandwich.

Speaker 3: 24:15

There's nothing in a club sandwich. I don't like. I like it all. There should be just a club sandwich store. There's nothing in a club sandwich. I don't like. I like it all.

Speaker 1: 24:20

There should be just a club sandwich store. It's one of my favorite sandwiches actually. I knew I liked you for a reason. I appreciate that, lucas.

Speaker 3: 24:26

Here's my thing If I go somewhere and there's a club sandwich on the menu.

Speaker 2: 24:30

I'm getting it, I'm not. I don't have to look anymore.

Speaker 3: 24:32

But, but, but, but, but, but, but. If there's an actual physical club sandwich in my personal space, I'm eating it and I'm going to love it, right? What do you mean? Whoa, whoa, club sandwich monster. Okay, All right, I ain't mad at you. You might lose a finger. So that's what he's saying Be careful. I heard that. Look again, I'm not mad at this. I just you know. Now, if there's a, if the tomato soup is good, I do make a good tomato biscuit yeah now we're talking With the grilled cheese.

Speaker 1: 25:02

Am I hearing grilled cheese with it? You can do whatever you want with it. That's what people do, most people do.

Speaker 3: 25:07

Are you a dipper?

Speaker 1: 25:08

though? Or are you an eater with the sandwich and you scoop the soup?

Speaker 2: 25:13

No, I'm dipping. I don't need to hold two things, I'm already you.

Speaker 1: 25:17

you know who doesn't dip like a spoon, and yeah, it's there is some crazy people out there, man, you just hey, man, I saw you make a drink, so I'm never gonna question anything or the way you do it, so don't worry spoon away.

Speaker 3: 25:28

All right, call me the big spoon lucas, if you could serve a drink to anyone, past or present, who would it be and what would you make them?

Speaker 1: 25:37

It's going to sound really bad, but Charlie Sheen shot of tequila baby.

Speaker 2: 25:43

That's a great answer.

Speaker 1: 25:45

I don't know what to say to that. Is he dead? No, but he's. I mean all the things he might have in him, maybe you never know and he's got the tiger blood. He might be dead inside, but he's still. He's dead inside for sure.

Speaker 3: 26:00

But maybe the tequila is what keeps him. Yeah, keeps him going.

Speaker 1: 26:03

You know actually. So I worked during COVID in a bar the whole time and nightclub we shut down for a couple months, obviously, but Florida opened up before everybody did and I worked in that nightclub the whole time. Did not get COVID a single time, and I'm a firm believer, it's the amount of tequila I drank, dude, did not get COVID a single time and I'm a firm believer, it's the amount of tequila I drank dude.

Speaker 2: 26:24

So I think it kept my immune system up and it kept me alive. That or the 22 seconds of Boone's Farm every year.

Speaker 3: 26:28

So journalism, Danny, why you wanted to go into it.

Speaker 2: 26:34

Yeah, yes, I majored in it, I wanted to be a sports reporter.

Speaker 2: 26:42

Again, I wanted to be the Philadelphia Phillies beat writer is what I wanted to do.

Speaker 2: 26:46

Well, originally I wanted to be the shortstop, but I mean, you look at me, I'm not very big, I can't hit a curveball, so that was kind of out of it, and I knew I wanted to be around sports, you know, growing up. So I figured that would be a pretty viable option. I thought, um, but it wasn't. So, uh, I had to find something else, but I still you know, it was always I'm still interested in it like being here doing, doing the podcast with you guys and you guys setting up the shoot and all that. It was super cool, just super cool, to see you guys work and do all the stuff you guys did and how you know all the different things you do and how you set it up and the way john was setting up the picture with the screen and this. I mean it's just, you know, way above anything, I'm good at um, so it was really interesting to see that and I've always been interested in that. And also, lucas, your ability to make those drinks was really, really awesome.

Speaker 1: 27:30

Well, it's not those sandwiches, man. We might have been buzzing too much to do this podcast we ate at the right time.

Speaker 2: 27:35

We definitely did. But yeah, journalism was something you know you're a communicator, ultimately, you know you're telling a story. Obviously now, with visual being such a prevalent and I mean everywhere anybody can see, I can see anything I want you know. But before you'd wake up You'd read the paper, you'd see, well, what happened last night and I always thought being that raconteur, that storyteller, was something that always interested me and it still does.

Speaker 2: 28:04

You know I obviously don't write articles or anything like that now, but I feel every day I get the opportunity to talk to someone and tell a story, or even if it's a five minute conversation with somebody at the deli, or you know they're telling me how their daughter's doing or how their mom's doing, or you know why they hate the Eagles, things like that. You know they love to come in and give me, give me crap about all that. So you know those are all you know blessings and and you know it's why, it's why I do what I do, to be able to see the faces we see and support and and and you know it's just, it's, it's a, it's a great, it's a great day. You know, even the worst days are the best days.

Speaker 3: 28:35

Who's your favorite broadcaster of all time, harry?

Speaker 2: 28:38

Callas. Who is that he was the Phillies uh play-by-play man for my youth. He passed away in 09, right after we won the world series. Do you do his voice? I do not. I knew you were going to ask me. No, I do a terrible one. I have a very good friend of mine shout out Justin Dean. He does a tremendous. Harry Callis no, I would never even try and do that no.

Speaker 1: 29:04

So if you hear this, Justin, give him a call tonight and use that voice, please don't.

Speaker 3: 29:08

Lucas, you're still a young guy, You're in the bar scene. By speaking with you for I don't know, the last couple of weeks, I know that you were a little bit of a wild character. I'm sure you're a blast actually. I know you're a blast actually, but you're a man of faith. You say yes, sir, how do you wrestle with the bar scene?

Speaker 1: 29:34

faith and being a new dad um, well, first off, without my faith and my family, I definitely would not be the person I am today. Like you said, I was very wild. I still have a very wild personality, but I had to transition out of that part of my life. You know, you can still release the beast once in a while, but it's all about self-control and knowing your environment. So I really had to work on changing my whole lifestyle, honestly, when I had a family, because you have to put your kids first and your wife first before you put yourself first. It's supposed to be God, your woman, your family and then everything else comes along. So I just really recently got back into my faith. About a year ago.

Speaker 1: 30:17

I went through some things throughout my life that made me lose my faith for a really long time. I'm blessed to have a supportive fiance who's very religious, and she helped me find my religion again. So now every Sunday we go to Sunday school together. We are able to go to church as a family. It's helped me really realign myself with my morals and who I feel I am as a person. You know, because, especially I feel like as a young adult, you start traveling down the path of trying to find yourself and you meet all types of people you know and you want to emulate, people you look up to or you see, and you kind of lose your own self person, you know. I mean you lose yourself sometimes, man, and you get caught up in it. So I think it was a a good transition for me.

Speaker 1: 30:59

And sometimes things happen in your life that you don't expect, plan for, want. You know what I mean. I planned on being a bachelor my whole life, told my parents that told, never having kids, and then a year later met my fiance and I told them I'm, she's pregnant, you know. And then I moved my whole. I was living in St Augustine at the time. I just I moved my whole life over here, moved in with my fiance she was my girlfriend at the time to put in plant city and I just tried to change my whole life, man.

Speaker 1: 31:28

So I think, working behind the bar, I just got to always try to keep my, my morals intact, you know, and think about what the bigger picture is and I try to to resemble that in my like my leadership too. I'm a very chill, easygoing guy, but I, you know, we all have a job to do. We're here for a specific reason. I think we need to always keep that on on track and you just got to separate that, you know? Um, I think drinking's fun, but it's all about regulation. You know what I mean. Drinking hanging out with your friends is one thing. Getting wasted and driving home drunk and getting in a car accident is another thing. You know what I mean. So I think it's all about that regulation, and especially when invested in alcohol, which is like the most legal drug you can have in the United States, you know what I mean. So I think there's like that huge stipulation around it that you really have to walk that fine line, especially when it comes to religion.

Speaker 3: 32:20

Danny, looking back, what kept you going in the years where the grind in the business could have pushed you out of the industry?

Speaker 2: 32:35

Well, I was blessed with a wonderful work ethic, just seeing how hard my parents worked every day. You know, my dad got up every day and went to work. My mom got up every day and went to work. It just was second nature for me to go to work. If I needed something or there was something that had to be done, I was always taught or showed like get it done, Do it, Figure it out.

Speaker 2: 32:51

So I never I guess maybe later thought of it more as a grind, but it was always just in it. You know, I was happily married, you know, have a beautiful wife and we have a beautiful life and to go to work, and I was always striving to do more, to get more. Being a sous chef wasn't enough. I wanted to be an exec and you know I wanted to now work weekends and nights. I wanted to get a nice cushy shift. So I got an corporate exec job and then that wasn't enough. I wanted to be a GM. I got that and then I realized I didn't really want any of that. Um, I mainly just wanted to schedule and weekends off, uh, which is not enough. You know, if you're doing that, you're doing it for the wrong reasons, you know, Um, so I I kind of figured out I'll just do what I want to do.

Speaker 2: 33:29

So I never really looked at it until the end of this grind. I just thought this is my life, this is my career path. You know, I'm going to get to a certain point and I'm going to have my schedule and I'll work somewhere for 15 years and then they'll throw me a big retirement party and I don't know what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll open a deli, I don't know. But that all got rushed a little bit faster. But yeah, I don't. Uh, you know, I guess I'm not answering the question in good faith, Um, but I really never did look at it as a grind until I was like bird's eye view. You know, I was just in the forest.

Speaker 3: 34:04

I didn't see the trees. You see me often enough at the shop. The food's awesome. I appreciate that. But I noticed something. I noticed things. That's what I do. I notice that, amy, your wife is like your backbone over there, absolutely, and she is.

Speaker 2: 34:19

She is a gangster for you in that shop her ability she has does not come from a culinary background at all, you know and her ability to just say, yeah, let's do it. You know, she put her faith in me, her trust in me, um, and just was there at every step of the way. And you, you know, I'll say this out loud she probably makes a better hoagie than I do, you know. I'll give her that. So, yeah, you're absolutely right, I would never not be able to do any of this without her. Um, you know her ability to juggle, you know, being a real estate, being a mom, being a wife, and then going in there and making a kick-ass hoagie. You know, and, and and doing my job better than I can. Yeah, you're absolutely right.

Speaker 2: 34:56

You know, I mean you're, I'm sure, your wife and you know I've never had the pleasure of meeting her, but I can tell that you know you come from a good family and a good life and you made it that way. So you obviously know as well as I do or anybody else that you can't do it alone. You got to have somebody there who loves you. You know who, for the right reasons, who wants it for the right reasons, and I'm very, very, very fortunate to have that lucas in three words, how would you describe your personal style at the bar?

Speaker 1: 35:22

violence, speed and momentum. Baby, I tell my my guys that all the time I'm a rip and roar type of guy, so you can use that one too. I try to bring the energy and I make it happen behind the bar. Heard that chef.

Speaker 3: 35:38

Same question Cool, calm collective. All right guys, let me tell you something. Today was really great, john. As usual, fantastic. There's going to be a lot of content coming for this. Lucas, how do we?

Speaker 1: 35:49

find you. You can always come and see me at Propagation Whiskey Bar and Kitchen in Plant City Florida. You can shoot me an email at bar, at propagationkitchencom, or you can look me up on Instagram at libationprojectlucas.

Speaker 3: 36:05

Chef, same. How do we find?

Speaker 2: 36:06

you Please don't, but please find the deli at dannys-delicom. We're also on Facebook, at W or Facebook Danny's Deli 75. And we're on DoorDash, google, grubhub, all those other online ordering systems. But just come on in. It's much better if you come in.

Speaker 3: 36:24

I have to agree with that 100%. Everything's good. Everything is good. You should put the empinadas on the menu, john. You know, today you were a little, you were different today, You're an animal.

Speaker 1: 36:40

John Killed it. Man, you're an animal.

Speaker 3: 36:42

It's true, it is, you're an animal. All right, guys, thanks for coming out. We appreciate everything that you all did today. John, you too, we are out.