Mike Lombardi & Chef Stephen Hicks on Seafood, Trust, and Building Real Vendor Relationships

What does a real vendor relationship actually look like?

In Episode 193, Mike Lombardi, third-generation seafood distributor behind a 65-year family business, joins Chef Stephen Hicks in studio for a conversation that goes far beyond product and price.

This episode dives into what really drives long-term success in the restaurant industry, trust, accountability, and understanding the pressure on both sides of the line.

From early mornings on the docks to high-pressure moments in the kitchen, Mike shares what it means to stay close to the source, build relationships with fishermen, and guide chefs with real-time market insight. Chef Hicks brings the operator perspective, breaking down how the right partners create confidence, consistency, and the ability to push beyond expectations.

This is a conversation about more than seafood.

It's about legacy, decision-making, and the kind of trust that only gets built over time.

🎥 In the studio, Chef Hicks prepares two standout dishes:

• Grouper with Sweet Corn Purée, Succotash, Spherified BBQ, and Butter Poached King Crab
• Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs with Caviar and Chives

Real product. Real relationships. Real conversation.
BRAND PARTNERS
During this episode, you'll hear about Franki App, a performance-based growth platform helping restaurants generate measurable, incremental diners, not just impressions.
Metro Foodservice Solutions metro.com
Commercial-grade storage, transport, and workflow systems trusted across professional kitchens.
RAK Porcelain USA rakporcelain.com
Professional tableware engineered for durability and presentation.
Citrus America citrusamerica.com
Premium citrus solutions supporting chefs, retailers, and distributors.
Crab Island Seafood crabislandseafood.com
Florida-based supplier delivering responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice partners.
Testo North America testo.com/en-US
Precision measurement and food safety solutions for professional kitchens.
Franki getfranki.com
A platform connecting restaurants with high-intent diners through real experiences and user-generated content.
CAUSE PARTNERS
The Burnt Chef Project theburntchefproject.com
Advocating for mental health awareness in the hospitality industry.
Operation BBQ Relief operationbbqrelief.org
Providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters.
Sustainable Supperclub sustainablesupperclub.com Pop-up dining experiences focused on sustainability and food access.
TRADE SHOW & INDUSTRY PARTNERS Florida Restaurant Show therestaurantshows.com/florida
New York Restaurant Show therestaurantshows.com/new-york
California Restaurant Show therestaurantshows.com/california
Pizza Tomorrow Summit pizzatomorrow.com
U.S. Culinary Open usculinaryopen.com/About
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay cltampa.com
ABOUT WALK-IN TALK MEDIA Walk-In Talk Media is an industry-recognized B2B food and hospitality media company focused on chef-driven storytelling and real conversations inside the business of food.