The "Fine" Dining Podcast Celebrates Septemburger: A Hilarious Hunt For The Best Burger Crown
PLUS...Ear Worthy Writer Was A Guest On 5 Random Questions Podcast W/ Danny Brown
The "Fine" Dining podcast has a fascinating premise. "The search for the most mediocre chain restaurant in America." As podcast topics go, this one serves up all kinds of possibilities. You can play this one straight like a New York Times food critic or for laughs. Or play both sides of the fence with comedy and drama.
The podcast's stated mission is: "The hilarious search for the most mediocre chain restaurant in America. Host Michael Ornelas hits popular spots like IHOP, Texas Roadhouse, & Chili's to find the perfectly average 5-out-of-10 fine dining experience."
This September, "Fine" Dining: The Hilarious Search for the Most
Mediocre Restaurant in America is sinking its teeth into something meaty. Welcome to the second annual Septemburger, a special month-long burger bonanza where host Michael and a slate of guest judges embark on a delicious quest to crown the king (or queen!) of all things mediocre.
Fine Dining isn’t your average food podcast. Imagine the thrill of discovering the best (and worst) meals hidden in plain sight, reliving the nostalgia of childhood favorites, and finding new joy in a routine you’ve done a million times—like eating at popular chain restaurants. Comedian Michael Ornelas has made it his mission to explore the likes of IHOP, Texas Roadhouse, and Cracker Barrel in a hilarious search for the most gloriously average dining spot. Because who said ‘mid’ can’t be Mid-nificent?
And now, it’s burger time. Septemburger is Fine Dining’s earnest attempt to find something actually great by pitting 24 burgers from eight different restaurants against each other in a single-elimination tournament. The contenders? Only the finest in fast-casual: Shake Shack, Steak ‘n Shake, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Whataburger, In-N-Out, Culver’s, Rally’s, and White Castle.
The stakes are high, the burgers are juicy, and the competition is fierce. Joining Michael for this delicious showdown are guest judges, podcasters Coyal Harrison and comedian Jen Kober.
Listeners can even get in on the action by submitting their own Septemburger bracket by September 10th for a chance to win $500!
Every "Fine" Dining episode is a culinary journey through time, taste buds, and the art of embracing the ordinary. But don’t be fooled—this isn’t just a show about food. It’s about memories, community, and the undeniable charm of the average. So, whether you’re here for
the nostalgia, epic food puns, or the hunt for the perfect burger, Septemburger has something for everyone.
The Septemburger series kicks off on September 4th and will run throughout the month, with new episodes dropping every week. Get ready for a burger battle like no other, and don’t forget to follow along on social media using the hashtag #Septemburger2024.
Fill out your Septemburger bracket here for a chance to win $500. "Fine" Dining is available every Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.
"Fine" Dining: The Search for the Most Mediocre Restaurant in America is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the charm of chain restaurants that often go overlooked. Join comedian Michael Ornelas as he navigates the world of “mid” and reclaims the joy of dining at places that might not be the best—but certainly aren’t the worst. With almost 25,000 subscribers on YouTube, Fine Dining has quickly become a go-to for anyone who appreciates the beauty in the ‘ordinary’
Check out The "Fine" Dining podcast. Even though the podcast reviews barely adequate chain restaurants, it is a superb feast of restaurant reviews, cultural appraisals, and quirky, often absurdist humor.
You don't need a reservation to listen to the podcast.
Don't forget to fill out your Septemburger bracket here for a chance to win $500!
Thanks to Holly Brown, Tink Media
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Ear Worthy Writer Was A Guest On 5 Random Questions Podcast W/ Danny Brown
Leave it to a podcasting pro like Danny Brown to put a surprise twist on the tried-and-true interview podcast.
Welcome to 5 Random Questions with host, Danny Brown. Each week, Danny sits down with his special guest and uses a random question generator to come up with five unpredictable, thought-provoking, and sometimes downright hilarious questions. No topic is off-limits as Danny and his guests dive into their answers, sparking lively discussions filled with laughter, surprises, and occasional deep insights.
As a special twist, every guest gets to turn the tables and ask Danny any random question they like, putting him on the spot and keeping things fresh and fun.
The podcast began in June 2024 and has already received a lot of listener attention and buzz. Here's just an appetizer to some of the randomly generated questions Danny has asked in the first five episodes. These responses include a poop-dropping neighbor from hell, why one guest would love to be splashing around with an umbrella, a preference for wet dog smells, and the person most likely to die by the guest's hand.
So far, some of Danny's guests have included Joe Casabona, podcast systems coach, and host of the Streamlined Solopreneur podcast; Kattie Laur, the creator of the Pod The North Substack about Canadian podcasting and an award-winning podcast producer; Tony Doe, creator of the Into The Podverse Substack, a superb podcaster and an expert on the African podcast community, and Em, the creator and host of the terrific Verbal Diorama movie podcast.
Anyway, Danny was kind enough to invite Ear Worthy manager and senior writer, Frank Racioppi, on the show. He was interviewed several weeks ago while Danny was dealing with a flooded basement. The episode aired on August 29th.
Racioppi confessed: "Danny was helpful through the show, saving me on several occasions from rhetorical gaffes and longwindedness."
Danny's show offered Racioppi the opportunity to talk about his favorite topic, independent podcasting. He was gracious enough to allow Racioppi to discuss indie podcasters in the context of the five random questions.
When discussing his lotion routine, Racioppi mentioned that he learned a solid lotion technique from Arielle And Ned's Daily Tips That May Or May Not Help You in which Ned advised putting on the lotion before you towel off, just out of the shower or bath.
When discussing people Racioppi love to meet and celebrities, the guest made the point that being a celebrity is highly contextual.
"To me, indie podcasters are celebrities," Racioppi explained. "I want to meet Jennica Sadhwani from the Multispective podcast, and Matt Gilhooly from The Life Shift podcast. I've already met Jenn Trepeck from Salad With A Side Of Fries and that was a treat. To me, Jenn, Jennica, Matt and Danny, of course, are celebrities."
Racioppi continues: "It takes a great deal of courage and grit to start an independent podcast."
The guest gets to ask host Danny Brown a question in the show.
Racioppi noted: "Danny is such a professional that the random question I asked him (listen to find out) was handled with such aplomb, insight, and diplomacy that I applaud his skill."
Check out this episode of 5 Random Questions.
After the episode aired, Racioppi confessed: "After listening to the episode, I'm sure I will not be invited to any other podcasts. I must confess, however, that I would love to be a guest on Cooper Talk, Salad With A Side Of Fries (to discuss fries, not salad), and Surfing Corporate."