Foodie and the Beast: Recent Episodes
Federal News Network | Hubbard Radio
Nycci Nellis is everyone's "go to" food journalist for insights and in depth info about everything happening across the food/wine/spirits/brews/restaurant scenes in the Mid-Atlantic and across the U.S. Her husband, David, is a beer and burgers guy. On radio since 2009, they host celebrity guest interviews with famous and up-and-coming chefs, winemakers, distillers, oystermen, farmers, marine biologists and more. Get the foodie info you need to know and won't find anywhere else; enjoy irreverent repartee; pick up great recipe tips for cooking to cocktails and ... have fun! .. with Nycci and David Nellis on the one and only, Foodie and the Beast.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Jason Brauner of Buzzard’s Roost Spirits out of Louisville is with us. If you said, “Who?” you don’t know your bourbon. He’s credited by many for being behind the bourbon “re-revolution.” Jason is with us and … we’ll be sippin’! · Love your shawarma? Love your falafel? Then you’ll love hearing from Phil Petrilli, founder of Untamed Brands and owner of Taim Mediterranean Kitchen, with four locations in the D.C. area and more planned for later this year; · Fairfax City Restaurant Week is back Sept. 4–10, and Mathew Easley is here with the deets. Matt oversees the administration, budget and operations for the Fairfax City EDO. He is joined by Marie Hinds, the genius chef/owner behind Jas & Fam Caribbean Flavor, an authentic Jamaican restaurant; · Holly Heider Chapple owns Hope Flower Farm and Winery in delicious Waterford, Virginia. Aside from great wines and beautiful flowers, the farm hosts weddings, family and corporate, seasonal flower events and more. -and there’s an Airbnb;. · And, they’re baaaaack! Jennifer Meltzer and Ed Reavis of Money Muscle BBQ must’ve forgotten to tell us something when they were in a couple of weeks ago, so they’ve back. And we’re always good with that, because they always bring us good barbecue!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · The Lahaina fire is the deadliest fire in our country in over a century. Maui is remote, and getting supplies and assistance is difficult and slow. Rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts are going to be long and arduous. How can you help? Participate in the Sticky Fingers Diner Relief for Maui fundraiser by donating to the live auction which will take place Wednesday, Aug. 23, 7:00–9:00 p.m. Donations will be multiplied, as all funds will be matched by a factor of four by a generous donor! Celebrity pastry chef and Sticky Fingers owner Doron Peterson joins us with all the info; · Jonathan H. Stahl is the Washington Nationals’ vice president, experience and hospitality. He tells us about some really fun stuff coming up at Nats Park, an event called BBQ and Barrels on Aug. 26. You can sample over 90 whiskeys from over 30 distilleries, there’s a cocktail competition and more. Of course, one of our favorite guest bartenders is in with Jonathan – it’s NRG’s spirits director, Nick Ferrell, here to pour and kibbitz the action; · Next, get ready for the man…the legend … the guy behind many of D.C.’s most legendary restaurants. It’s Tony Cibel! Born in Washington in the 1930’s, and Wilson High grad, he’s been in the hospitality business for 60 years. From the dearly departed Dancing Crab to Tony and Joe’s to Nick’s Riverside Grill, Tony’s seen it all. Not only is he the winner of numerous RAMMY awards, he's a fabulous raconteur and the ultimate D.C insider; · Since she arrived as chef de cuisine at Estuary in the Conrad Washington DC, Ria Montes has been getting sparkling reviews. Chef Ria and her executive sous Sean Tew join us to chat about the way they highlight local ingredients of the Chesapeake in a fresh, unconventional way; · Alessandro “Alex” Oradei is the executive chef at the Mayflower Club, D.C.’s exciting restaurant/nightclub combo. It’s a restaurant Wednesday through Saturday and a nightclub only after the restaurant closes at 11:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. He’s on to talk about the food, the crowd, the red-hot nights there and how he manages to juggle everything while turning out great food.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: - Have you been to Mike Rafidi’s YELLOW in Georgetown? The lil’ Levantine cafe serves up delicious pastries - the lebneh-filled croissant is Nycci’s kryptonite - pita-filled sandwiches and pizza that is not pizza. He is also the chef behind the too-many-awards-to-mention Albi in Navy Yard. The attention to detail at both these spots is what gets them all their accolades - and that includes the coffee program. In today is Ayat Elhag, the coffee director of YELLOW and Albi, where she helms a beverage program that blends creative, Levantine-inspired specialty drinks with intentionally sourced Counter Culture coffee; - In 2018, Debby Portillo Gonzalez made a life-changing move to the DMV area from her native El Salvador. Here she and her husband established the 100% handcrafted barbecue operation 2Fifty Texas BBQ. Using exclusively offset smokers, they spearheaded the creation of a unique culinary experience at 2Fifty. They are dedicated to developing a menu that has top-notch quality control and have now expanded to two locations; - Chef Seng Luangrath was born in Laos and fled the country during the Vietnam War. During her stay in a refugee camp in Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom province she learned how to cook from her camp neighbors and elders. In 2009, at the age of 40, she decided to go after her greatest passion - cooking. In 2010 she took over Padaek, previously Bangkok Golden, a Thai restaurant, where she slowly added Lao dishes of her own. Currently the restaurant offers both Thai and Lao menus. And then — in 2014 she opened Thip Khao, a Lao restaurant in Columbia Heights and home of the Lao Food Movement. And she is just getting started! - Christian Irabien is the visionary founder of Amparo Fondita, a remarkable restaurant that celebrates contemporary Mexican cuisine, particularly emphasizing the flavors and influences of coastal regions. Christian’s commitment to quality and to showcasing the diverse culinary traditions of Mexico is evident in every meticulously crafted dish; - And we are joined on RingCentral by Tiffany MacIsaac. The Buttercream Bakeshops founder grew up on Maui and her family lives there today. She addresses the absolute horror and devastation that have taken place in Hawaii this week. The wild fires have wreaked havoc — and she has some ideas on how we can help.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Mika and Ian Carlin are former attorneys who met while attending law school at the University of Virginia and fell in love with Virginia wine. Now they own Irregardless, a restaurant whose wine list highlights some of the best Virginia wines alongside wines from the rest of the world;
· Chef Dima Martseniuk of the Ruta Ukrainian Restaurant is the three-time winner of the best potato pancake in New York at the city’s Latke Festival. You’ve seen him on ”Beat Bobby Flay” and “Good Morning America;” · Des Reilly is managing principal and co-founder of SRG Concepts. In 2017 SRG set out to create a rotisserie chicken joint that was good, fast, and cheap. Then they threw in the whiskey bar for fun, and the result was Chicken + Whiskey;
· Oyster lover Jasmine Norton is the executive chef and owner of a new restaurant, The Urban Oyster in Baltimore. It’s the first Black woman-owned oyster bar in America, and that’s a very big deal. You’ll hear all about it when Chef Jasmine joins us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show:
· Spice n Nice is a local and woman-owned brand founded by Mariya Cherk and Risa Lin. The company bottles all-natural add-in coffee flavorings made from premium spices, flowers, and herbs. They have zero calories with no added sugars, and each bottle will flavor at least 50 cups of coffee; · As some of you may know, the word “jewfro’ commonly refers to a curly, bushy hairstyle worn by some Ashkenazi Jews. Ari Augenbaum and Nar Hovanian’s Richmond restaurant, Jew Fro, is not at all that -- it’s a place where Jewish foods meet African flavors! It is a Jewish/African culinary journey through two robust cultures. JewFro is meant to educate your palate and encourage cultural exchange and appreciation through food; · Naples (Italy, not Florida) native Giulio Adriani is a seven-time World Pizza Champion who is the only pizzamaker ever awarded a green card from the United States government for achievements in the pizza business. Chef Giulio learned pizza-making from his Neopolitan nonna – his grammy - honed his craft in pizzerias in Naples and Rome and has opened Slice & Pie on 14th Street and Florida Avenue NW. It was recently named one of America’s Top 50 Pizza Restaurants. Chef Giulio joins us with the whole story – and a couple of slices! · D.C.’s own Jackie Greenbaum has brought a lot of fun and good food to the area’s dining scene for many years as co-owner of several popular restaurants, such as Bar Charley, the Quarry House Tavern and, now, the recently opened Charley Prime Foods in Gaithersburg.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · We’re sampling the cocktails at Joon, the new – and outstanding – Persian restaurant in Tysons Corner. But we also talking about the Kitchen Collective. Joining us is the leadership team at Joon – Michelin Star recipient Chris Morgan, chef/co-founder of The Kitchen Collective and boss of the kitchen at Joon, and Said Haddad, The Kitchen Collective’s beverage director, Chris’s longtime collaborator and the guy running the cocktail program at Joon; · Jennifer Meltzer, co-owner and managing partner at Fryer’s Roadside and her partner – and hubby - Head Chef Ed Reavis are in with the delicious details of their latest venture. Fryer’s Roadside is a fried chicken and soft serve spot in Silver Spring and, for the Beast, that is a killer combo! · We are partial to pretty much every morsel of cuisine from countries ringing the Mediterranean. So it’s no wonder that we’re looking forward to talking today about Ililli, a restaurant on The Wharf in D.C. The name means “tell me” in colloquial Lebanese, and the restaurant tells a story of Lebanon’s rich heritage of cuisine and hospitality.. Founded by Chef/Owner Philippe Massoud, with a menu curated by Executive Chef Satinder Vij, Ilili is racking up plaudits; · Baltimore-based ice cream company The Charmery is now open in Chevy Chase. Huzzah! At Charmery locations, the joy of ice cream is king. David Alima, the founder, “master flavor maker” and “dreamer of dreams” for The Charmery, joins us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Dave Delaplaine is the general manager at Roofers Union, and he’s a guy who feels strongly both ways. Dave's first passion in the industry was and always will be craft beer. But he and the team at Roofers Union can’t stop experimenting and recently poured that same passion into agave spirits. So Dave’s in with tastes and talk of Roofers Union’s new Agave Room. Pour it on, Dave! · Danish company GoBoat’s mission is to get us out on the Potomac with a consumer and environment-friendly approach to casual boating. Don’t worry – there’s no need to buy an expensive boat or even have considerable boating experience. GoBoat US wants its guests to enjoy a social experience on the water, while being your own captain. Lavert Phillips, the company’s CEO, is in to explain how it all works; · War has been declared – and you’ll love it, because it’s the annual War of the Rosès. And here to tell us all about it is JP Sabatier, one of the owners of 14th Street’s Jane Jane; · The Jefferson DC’s food and beverage manager Jonnathan Alvis also is in today. The hotel is marking the centennial of the building that the hotel has called home since 1955 with amazing, celebratory offerings in its signature restaurant, The Greenhouse, now helmed by executive chef Fabio Salvatore.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Brian Landry, executive chef, and Michael Schoutens, assistant general manager of restaurants at The St. Regis Washington, D.C., are in with big news about their First Ladies Afternoon Tea, an hommage to the women of the White House, featuring desserts and pastries inspired by various U.S. first ladies, freshly baked scones, the finest selection of tea from Dammann Freres, optional champagne pairings … and more; · Next, we’re talking the finer points of real Mexican food with Blaine Welsh, executive chef at Destination Unknown Restaurants – that’s Destino, Las Gemelas, and Ghostburger; · Clyde Davis, managing partner of Housebar , in to describe its lineup of offerings and how it’s changing the face of spirits consumption and home entertaining.; · Kareem Queeman, Mr. Bake to all of you and a celebrated 2023 James Beard semifinalist, in today with hot-off-the-press news about his awesome dessert lineup of cakes, cake jars, cupcakes, and banana pudding. Sweet!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Glendon Hartley, co-owner of U Street’s celebrated Service Bar and a partner at the equally celebrated Peruvian concepts, Causa and Bar Amazonia, is West Indian. But he’s really a cultural citizen of the world whose inquisitiveness, travels and research infuse his hospitality concepts and cocktails with unique blends of international influences. Glendon is in with some creative cocktail concocting and tales of Causa and Amazonia; · We can’t seem to stop there with talk of cocktails – that’s why Lukas Smith, the self-described “mad scientist of the D.C. craft bartending scene,” is here. He’s a spirits educator, the Line Hotel’s beverage director and co-owner of Made To Measure Cocktails in to whip us up about his quest to bring the practical use of whole botanicals back into the purview of the working mixologist. Can he do it? Is he Don Quixote? We’ll see! · Rick Easton, the James Beard Award-nominated owner of cult-favorite bakery Bread & Salt, has a riveting cookbook/manifesto called ”Bread and How to Eat It.” His premise is that people will line up around the block to buy bread from popular bakeries, without really appreciating the many qualities of this humble product. You’ll find out what he means when we are joined by his just-as-famous coauthor, life partner and our old and good friend, Eater’s Melissa McCart; · Anna Valero is Kraken Up! As the genius entrepreneur behind Hook Hall, the event space and community gathering space in Park View, she’s now also the driving force behind D.C.’s ONLY indoor roller skating and pickleball venue, Kraken Kourts & Skates. Anna’s rolling in later to explain what makes her world go ‘round.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Eileen Vaughn, the general manager at Il Piatto. If you’re a regular listener, you know that anything Italian gets our attention – and, since Il Piatto is the creation of our good friend, local restaurateur Hakan Ilhan– we’re doubly interested in the cocktails they’re concocting there! Eileen joins us to start mix them up for us; · Eva Torres, director of restaurants for Stephen Starr’s group. She has the job of overseeing all D.C. properties, including Le Diplomate, St. Anselm and Bread Alley; · Kevin Kelley, an attorney born with an entrepreneur’s itch. He scratches it by owning and developing hospitality and entertainment concepts, including Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, a comfort food concept found in Dallas, Chicago and now here in D.C.’s Franklin Square; · Dalton Kreiss, the founder of Maguey Melate, an artisanal agave spirits company showcasing independent mescaleros.. In plain English, we’re talking about… mezcal! So, how does a kid from Iowa fall in love with the joys and artistry of agave distilling and make it his life’s work?? Tune in to find out!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Tommy Evans, founder and cidermaker, Two Story Chimney Ciderworks. We’re sipping and talking the finer aspects of cider all during the show; · Joe Farruggio, an interesting guy, a bit of a Renaissance man and the owner of Il Canale, known for its authentic Verace Pizza Napoletana. He’s also the author of a new memoir, "My Name Is Joe and I Am A Pizza Man;” · Susan Gravely, deserving of the term “Renaissance woman,” the founder and the CEO of VIETRI, Inc., a lifestyle brand of Italian artisan-crafted dinnerware and home and garden accessories that now is America’s largest importer of ceramics from Italy. She’s also the author of “Italy on a Plate: Travels, Memories, Menus,” an exploration into what makes Italia so magical -- its staggering beauty, unparalleled style, artistic legacy and incredible food; · Executive Chef Derek Watson of Nama Ko , the Schlow Restaurant Group’s Best New Restaurant Finalist for The RAMMY Awards, coming up Sunday, July 9, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis. On today’s show: · Mary Ann Mohanraj, clinical associate professor of fiction andliterature at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She recently published thefirst vegan Sri Lankan American cookbook, “Vegan Serendib;”· JJDigeronimo, a two-timeaward-winning author who helps women raise their frequencies and empower theirfuture impact through tried-and-tested strategies, mindfulness, and energeticpractices;· David Hunter of Blugenics, which hasharnessed a form of algae for human consumption in the form of supplements andother ingestible products;The leadership team from Casa Kantuta,the first Bolivian cocktail bar in the nation.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show:•Jon Krinn, CEO of WineLAIR in the West End, the U.S. outpost of the European WineBANK network, a gathering place that offers members access to climate-controlled wine lockers and other personalized benefits;•Executive Chef Bader Ali and Chef Kelly Suarez from the Gerrard Street Kitchen at The Darcy Hotel downtown, where a really eclectic and exciting mix of complex flavors of Japan, Morocco, and Korea sits side by side with British, Italian, and Indian classics;•Rebecca Halpern, the director of “Love, Charlie,”, the award-winning documentary about the life and work of acclaimed chef Charlie Trotter. He earned rave reviews, Michelin stars, legions of fans and imitators, and he was the center of lots and lots of juicy culinary controversies. Rebecca’s in to give us the 411 on her stirring documentary;•Worried that the holidays are going to blow out your muffin tops and mess with your ticker? Gerard “Coach G” Burley is here to help with timely tips for getting and staying in shape for the new year.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show:•Phil Greene is back with us. He is an author, cocktail historian, one of the founders of the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans and the winner of the 13th Annual Spirited Award for Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits. He joins us to celebrate the release of his newest book, “Cheers! Cocktails and Toasts to Celebrate Every Day of the Year;”•Lieven DeGeyndt, owner/founder of Sparkle-ist, tells us about a monthly subscription box that contains three bottles of mixed origin and type, hand selected and tasted by him personally;•The restaurant Joselito Casa de Comidas brings a piece of Spain to Capitol Hill. Executive chef and culinary director David Sierra runs the kitchen of this intimate, family-owned eatery and he’s in with tastes and talk of what we can expect there.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show:•When the District Winery opened in The Yards along the Anacostia, it quickly was recognized as a pillar of the revitalized waterfront restaurant scene. Today it still produces great wines and great meals in the restaurant there. Last year winemaker Phil Arras joined the team at the District Winery from the Finger Lakes of New York, where he spent 13 years as a winemaker for the Damiani Wine Cellars on Seneca Lake. Phil Arras and Emily Herbig, District Wines’ Director of Operations, join us today to pour some of the District Winery’s best; •Julie Greenstein and Debbie Sonnenreich are co-founders of URBNmarket, an upscale, curated handmade and vintage pop-up market at the Hotel Washington for three weekends and at Mosaic for two. They have great gifty stuff ranging from jewelry, home décor and bath and beauty products to pet accessories;•Susanna Bae is the executive pastry chef at Kevin Tien’s Moon Rabbit at the Intercontinental Hotel at The Wharf. The plain and simple is that she is to pastry as Kevin is to mastery in the world of savories. Susanna joins us with tastes and talk of the Moon Rabbit’s holiday season dessert offering;•Dara Lyubinsky is chef and owner of Nourish Culinary and Well Fed by Nourish, providing custom personal chef services. They offer gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan and kosher-style options;•Talented local musician and artist Adrian Loving joins us to chat about the exciting changes to the D.C. music landscape and some of his newest projects.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• If we say “French desserts,” you probably think “fancy.” And if we say “baking French cakes,” you probably say, “I can’t pull that off.” Not true. Aleksandra Crapanzano is the James Beard–winning writer and dessert columnist for The Wall Street Journal and she has a cookbook out, “Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes,” that’s going to help you make gateau Breton and lots of other French specialties with the greatest of ease;
• In Spanish, “el cielo” means “heaven” – and El Cielo at La Cosecha in the Union Market District is pretty close to that. Its central offering is “The Experience” – a tasting menu featuring Colombian cuisine. It also has a kick-ass cocktail program headed by lead bartender Andres Carrasco and bar manager Orlando Galleguillos; • IT’S BAAAACK!!! D.C. Cocktail Week, presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, returns as a week-long celebration of the area’s mixology culture from Monday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 4. Julia Fletcher, co-owner of Bo & Ivy Distillers, is in with the details;
• Chef Norbert Roesch is assistant director of dining at The Seneca, a vibrant assisted living and memory care community in Rockville with a salon and spa, a wellness center, billiards, educational programming, and more. It also has four restaurants -- and a bar! Sounds more like a cruise ship experience. Chef Norbert is in to tell us how it all works.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• If we say “French desserts,” you probably think “fancy.” And if we say “baking French cakes,” you probably say, “I can’t pull that off.” Not true. Aleksandra Crapanzano is the James Beard–winning writer and dessert columnist for The Wall Street Journal and she has a cookbook out, “Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes,” that’s going to help you make gateau Breton and lots of other French specialties with the greatest of ease;
• In Spanish, “el cielo” means “heaven” – and El Cielo at La Cosecha in the Union Market District is pretty close to that. Its central offering is “The Experience” – a tasting menu featuring Colombian cuisine. It also has a kick-ass cocktail program headed by lead bartender Andres Carrasco and bar manager Orlando Galleguillos; • IT’S BAAAACK!!! D.C. Cocktail Week, presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, returns as a week-long celebration of the area’s mixology culture from Monday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 4. Julia Fletcher, co-owner of Bo & Ivy Distillers, is in with the details;
• Chef Norbert Roesch is assistant director of dining at The Seneca, a vibrant assisted living and memory care community in Rockville with a salon and spa, a wellness center, billiards, educational programming, and more. It also has four restaurants -- and a bar! Sounds more like a cruise ship experience. Chef Norbert is in to tell us how it all works.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Founded in 1927 as a nine-stool root beer stand in Washington, D.C., Marriott International is the world's largest hospitality company. Brad Nelson, vice president for the company’s global culinary portfolio, joins us with news about Marriott’s global headquarters in Bethesda, especially about its new innovation lab and test kitchen, where chefs and mixologists look at the latest trends in food and beverage and develop concepts for Marriott properties globally; • We call her the Wellness Chef – she’s Dalia David, the first South Asian Wellness Chef to appear on the Food Network’s “Chopped” and become a finalist. A food and lifestyle educator, Chef Dalia helps people have better relationships with food; • We’ve known this guy for 20 years! Longtime D.C. chef and restaurateur Frederik De Pue has a chic contemporary European bistro. It’s Henri, it’s downtown, it serves an extensive seasonal menu in two distinctive dining concepts and you’ll hear all about it;
And pouring drinks today is Darlin Kulla, beverage director, KNEAD Hospitality + Design. She tells us how she works with the chef to create cocktails at The Grill on D.C.’s Wharf.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Founded in 1927 as a nine-stool root beer stand in Washington, D.C., Marriott International is the world's largest hospitality company. Brad Nelson, vice president for the company’s global culinary portfolio, joins us with news about Marriott’s global headquarters in Bethesda, especially about its new innovation lab and test kitchen, where chefs and mixologists look at the latest trends in food and beverage and develop concepts for Marriott properties globally; • We call her the Wellness Chef – she’s Dalia David, the first South Asian Wellness Chef to appear on the Food Network’s “Chopped” and become a finalist. A food and lifestyle educator, Chef Dalia helps people have better relationships with food; • We’ve known this guy for 20 years! Longtime D.C. chef and restaurateur Frederik De Pue has a chic contemporary European bistro. It’s Henri, it’s downtown, it serves an extensive seasonal menu in two distinctive dining concepts and you’ll hear all about it;
And pouring drinks today is Darlin Kulla, beverage director, KNEAD Hospitality + Design. She tells us how she works with the chef to create cocktails at The Grill on D.C.’s Wharf.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Bill Jensen is co-owner and beverage director of the Tail Up Goat and the Reveler's Hour in Adams Morgan. Among many awards of note, he was honored with Michelin's 2021 Washington, D.C. Sommelier Award. He’s in to treat us to some tastes and talk of his wine favorites from the Finger Lakes for your Thanksgiving table; • Lane Levine owns A Friendly Bread, launched four years ago as a fresh sourdough bread business. He has mastered that which previously seemed impossible - producing a preassembled, frozen, single-serve, heat-and-eat sourdough grilled cheese sandwich that heats to a crispy, gooey meal in under 10 minutes. We get to try some in studio; • Hungry yet? Get ready for more when James Wozniuk, owner and executive chef of the Makan Malaysian restaurant in Columbia Heights joins us. Makan is an immersion in the complexities and simple pleasures of Malaysian dining. And, by the way, Makan was included on the Michelin Bib Gourmand List in 2021 and 2022; • Chef Stefano Marzano is president, founder and culinary director of Mighty Meals, providing a convenient, healthy meal delivery service made with locally sourced ingredients by professional chefs, all from a menu that changes weekly.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Bill Jensen is co-owner and beverage director of the Tail Up Goat and the Reveler's Hour in Adams Morgan. Among many awards of note, he was honored with Michelin's 2021 Washington, D.C. Sommelier Award. He’s in to treat us to some tastes and talk of his wine favorites from the Finger Lakes for your Thanksgiving table; • Lane Levine owns A Friendly Bread, launched four years ago as a fresh sourdough bread business. He has mastered that which previously seemed impossible - producing a preassembled, frozen, single-serve, heat-and-eat sourdough grilled cheese sandwich that heats to a crispy, gooey meal in under 10 minutes. We get to try some in studio; • Hungry yet? Get ready for more when James Wozniuk, owner and executive chef of the Makan Malaysian restaurant in Columbia Heights joins us. Makan is an immersion in the complexities and simple pleasures of Malaysian dining. And, by the way, Makan was included on the Michelin Bib Gourmand List in 2021 and 2022; • Chef Stefano Marzano is president, founder and culinary director of Mighty Meals, providing a convenient, healthy meal delivery service made with locally sourced ingredients by professional chefs, all from a menu that changes weekly.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Think NOBU and you might think world-class sake. And that would be true – but Nobu DC has an amazing cocktail program, featuring not only great sakes but other world-class distilled spirits. Filipe Bertrand, the beverage and events manager at Nobu DC, is mixing up some cocktails that we are panting to try; • Ice Cream Jubilee specializes in creative flavors of hand-made ice cream. It has some fun new fall creations and some especially for Halloween, including a ghost pepper ice cream that may very well leave you in R.I.P.-land. Victoria Lai joins us from Ice Cream Jubilee;
• Dr. Jeanine Prime owns two Caribbean restaurants in D.C. In addition to Cane, a dining staple along the H Street corridor, she opened St. James last May on 14th Street. It’s a modern Caribbean restaurant reflecting that region’s melting pot of cultures, highlighting African, East Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and French influences. Jeanine joins us with tastes and talk of the St. James;
• Every time you turn around, it seems, Marriott is up to something new. Like, something really new. Nycci recently had a majorly entertaining dining experience at the JW Marriott in downtown D.C., starring a new and very engaging guy in town, Le Petit Chef. You’ll hear more when we’re joined by Tony Hull, executive chef at the JW Marriott, and Jake Bickel from TableMation Studios.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Think NOBU and you might think world-class sake. And that would be true – but Nobu DC has an amazing cocktail program, featuring not only great sakes but other world-class distilled spirits. Filipe Bertrand, the beverage and events manager at Nobu DC, is mixing up some cocktails that we are panting to try; • Ice Cream Jubilee specializes in creative flavors of hand-made ice cream. It has some fun new fall creations and some especially for Halloween, including a ghost pepper ice cream that may very well leave you in R.I.P.-land. Victoria Lai joins us from Ice Cream Jubilee;
• Dr. Jeanine Prime owns two Caribbean restaurants in D.C. In addition to Cane, a dining staple along the H Street corridor, she opened St. James last May on 14th Street. It’s a modern Caribbean restaurant reflecting that region’s melting pot of cultures, highlighting African, East Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and French influences. Jeanine joins us with tastes and talk of the St. James;
• Every time you turn around, it seems, Marriott is up to something new. Like, something really new. Nycci recently had a majorly entertaining dining experience at the JW Marriott in downtown D.C., starring a new and very engaging guy in town, Le Petit Chef. You’ll hear more when we’re joined by Tony Hull, executive chef at the JW Marriott, and Jake Bickel from TableMation Studios.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Middle Atlantic’s Prestige-Ledroit Distributing Co. offers a huge selection of artisanal and authentic wine and spirits from around the world, which includes the products of the Bardstown Bourbon Co in Kentucky. We are joined by Bardstown’s Nicholas Lewis; • He’s an all-around good guy, a James Beard Award recipient and one of America’s most influential and respected restaurateurs. He’s Michael Schlow and his property on 14th Street, formerly Tico, has been magically transformed into Nama Ko, a Japanese-inspired restaurant and craft cocktail bar that we can tell you from first-hand experience kicks butt and takes names. Michael joins us along with his colleague, award-winning pastry chef Alex Levin, who serves as Michael’s director of strategic business and pastry programs, to chat with us about the wonder that is Nama Ko; • Candice Mensah is a D.C. native. Her parents emigrated from Ghana, and she stayed connected to her cultural roots by learning to cook Ghanaian food. Her restaurant, Hedzole, will open in D.C. soon and she’s in to tell us all about it; • Up for some oysters? Our advice is to “shuck it!” Yup, the ninth annual Georgetown Shuck It! Beer and Oyster Festival is back at the Georgetown harbor at Tony and Joe's Saturday, Oct. 22. Enjoy grilled and freshly shucked oysters from local suppliers, local beer and wine, barbecue and live music. And who better to tell us about it than that continental man about town, Greg Casten, CEO of The Tavern at the Ivy City Smokehouse, Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Nick’s Riverside Grill and The Point D.C. Greg’s here with Dwayne “Gator” Thompson, the world’s greatest shucker, with all the details.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Middle Atlantic’s Prestige-Ledroit Distributing Co. offers a huge selection of artisanal and authentic wine and spirits from around the world, which includes the products of the Bardstown Bourbon Co in Kentucky. We are joined by Bardstown’s Nicholas Lewis; • He’s an all-around good guy, a James Beard Award recipient and one of America’s most influential and respected restaurateurs. He’s Michael Schlow and his property on 14th Street, formerly Tico, has been magically transformed into Nama Ko, a Japanese-inspired restaurant and craft cocktail bar that we can tell you from first-hand experience kicks butt and takes names. Michael joins us along with his colleague, award-winning pastry chef Alex Levin, who serves as Michael’s director of strategic business and pastry programs, to chat with us about the wonder that is Nama Ko; • Candice Mensah is a D.C. native. Her parents emigrated from Ghana, and she stayed connected to her cultural roots by learning to cook Ghanaian food. Her restaurant, Hedzole, will open in D.C. soon and she’s in to tell us all about it; • Up for some oysters? Our advice is to “shuck it!” Yup, the ninth annual Georgetown Shuck It! Beer and Oyster Festival is back at the Georgetown harbor at Tony and Joe's Saturday, Oct. 22. Enjoy grilled and freshly shucked oysters from local suppliers, local beer and wine, barbecue and live music. And who better to tell us about it than that continental man about town, Greg Casten, CEO of The Tavern at the Ivy City Smokehouse, Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Nick’s Riverside Grill and The Point D.C. Greg’s here with Dwayne “Gator” Thompson, the world’s greatest shucker, with all the details.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Bodegas Tempore Wines is an independent brand of four organic and vegan wines produced in Spain’s Aragón region. Alejandra Sarmiento of Bodegas Tempore joins us long-distance and Eric Platt, president of Artisans and Vines, the Bodegas distributor, is in studio to fill our cups with Bodegas Tempore Wine;. • Has it been five years already? Yep – and so, the 5th Annual, DMV Black Restaurant Week starts November 6th, Dr. Erinn Tucker-Oluwole, the event’s cofounder, and Chef Jeffeary (Jeff) Miskiri is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Miskiri Hospitality Group, an inspiring collective of Black, family- and woman-owned products and restaurants in and around DC are here with all the details.
• Next is a story of starting small and making it big - very big. Dario Wolos is the founder of Tacombi, a food and beverage taqueria and consumer products that started as a make-shift food stand on a Mexican beach. Today, Tacombi has grown to 14 locations in New York, Miami and Washington D.C., and has 75 more planned out. Dario Wolos joins us later in the show.
A crisp, full-bodied rosè in a plastic bottle? What!? Born in the pandemic, NautiLife brings you a great potable in an unbreakable bottle. Annapolitans Marina Anglim and Tracy Seybert founded the company and, with help from the omnipresent—and possibly omniscient-- Eric Platt of Artisans and Vine, they are taking off like a rocket.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Bodegas Tempore Wines is an independent brand of four organic and vegan wines produced in Spain’s Aragón region. Alejandra Sarmiento of Bodegas Tempore joins us long-distance and Eric Platt, president of Artisans and Vines, the Bodegas distributor, is in studio to fill our cups with Bodegas Tempore Wine;. • Has it been five years already? Yep – and so, the 5th Annual, DMV Black Restaurant Week starts November 6th, Dr. Erinn Tucker-Oluwole, the event’s cofounder, and Chef Jeffeary (Jeff) Miskiri is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Miskiri Hospitality Group, an inspiring collective of Black, family- and woman-owned products and restaurants in and around DC are here with all the details.
• Next is a story of starting small and making it big - very big. Dario Wolos is the founder of Tacombi, a food and beverage taqueria and consumer products that started as a make-shift food stand on a Mexican beach. Today, Tacombi has grown to 14 locations in New York, Miami and Washington D.C., and has 75 more planned out. Dario Wolos joins us later in the show.
A crisp, full-bodied rosè in a plastic bottle? What!? Born in the pandemic, NautiLife brings you a great potable in an unbreakable bottle. Annapolitans Marina Anglim and Tracy Seybert founded the company and, with help from the omnipresent—and possibly omniscient-- Eric Platt of Artisans and Vine, they are taking off like a rocket.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: -The Beast is back –the Snalleygaster beast, that is. And the head of that massive monster - literally - is Greg Engert, the nationally and internationally acclaimed beer expert from NRG. He is pouring beers all through the show and talking about how you too can get your beer geek on;
-The Capital Jewish Museum—opening at Third & F Streets, NW, in the spring of 2023—is a secular organization that explores the intersection of the American Jewish experience in D.C. In to talk about the museum and the The Capital Jewish Food Festival is Andrew Coulomb, deputy director of the Capital Jewish Museum;
-As many of you know, back in June Nycci went on a trip to Israel with a group called Reality. She was a part of Team Taste, and that meant everyone in the group had a hand in the food, wine and hospitality scene. Among them was Dara Schwartz. Her journey from working in advertising to traveling and learning from chefs and then to creating her own packaged goods items - Darista Dips – now available nationally is an inspiring story – especially for those who are looking to break into the consumer packaged goods market;
- The 2022 Events DC International City Food Festival celebrates food, culture, and entertainment, highlighting the diverse communities in the nation’s capital. We are joined by Jinhee Kim, chief creative officer, Events DC, and competing chef Michael Ciuffardi of the Embassy of Peru, in with his partner and translator, Fito Garcia.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: -The Beast is back –the Snalleygaster beast, that is. And the head of that massive monster - literally - is Greg Engert, the nationally and internationally acclaimed beer expert from NRG. He is pouring beers all through the show and talking about how you too can get your beer geek on;
-The Capital Jewish Museum—opening at Third & F Streets, NW, in the spring of 2023—is a secular organization that explores the intersection of the American Jewish experience in D.C. In to talk about the museum and the The Capital Jewish Food Festival is Andrew Coulomb, deputy director of the Capital Jewish Museum;
-As many of you know, back in June Nycci went on a trip to Israel with a group called Reality. She was a part of Team Taste, and that meant everyone in the group had a hand in the food, wine and hospitality scene. Among them was Dara Schwartz. Her journey from working in advertising to traveling and learning from chefs and then to creating her own packaged goods items - Darista Dips – now available nationally is an inspiring story – especially for those who are looking to break into the consumer packaged goods market;
- The 2022 Events DC International City Food Festival celebrates food, culture, and entertainment, highlighting the diverse communities in the nation’s capital. We are joined by Jinhee Kim, chief creative officer, Events DC, and competing chef Michael Ciuffardi of the Embassy of Peru, in with his partner and translator, Fito Garcia.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: -The Beast is back –the Snalleygaster beast, that is. And the head of that massive monster - literally - is Greg Engert, the nationally and internationally acclaimed beer expert from NRG. He is pouring beers all through the show and talking about how you too can get your beer geek on;
-The Capital Jewish Museum—opening at Third & F Streets, NW, in the spring of 2023—is a secular organization that explores the intersection of the American Jewish experience in D.C. In to talk about the museum and the The Capital Jewish Food Festival is Andrew Coulomb, deputy director of the Capital Jewish Museum;
-As many of you know, back in June Nycci went on a trip to Israel with a group called Reality. She was a part of Team Taste, and that meant everyone in the group had a hand in the food, wine and hospitality scene. Among them was Dara Schwartz. Her journey from working in advertising to traveling and learning from chefs and then to creating her own packaged goods items - Darista Dips – now available nationally is an inspiring story – especially for those who are looking to break into the consumer packaged goods market;
- The 2022 Events DC International City Food Festival celebrates food, culture, and entertainment, highlighting the diverse communities in the nation’s capital. We are joined by Jinhee Kim, chief creative officer, Events DC, and competing chef Michael Ciuffardi of the Embassy of Peru, in with his partner and translator, Fito Garcia.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Taste of Bethesda returns Saturday, Oct. 1 and will bring nearly 40 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to downtown Bethesda. Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications for the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Sebastian Neira, general manager, and Elder Pineda, bartender, both of Jose Andres’ Spanish Diner, join us; . • Bart Yablonsky. owner of Dawson’s Market in Rockville and D.C tells us what we can find there for theholidays; • Sarah Mayo, CCO / Global Sales & Marketing, Black River Caviar / Esturiones del Rio Negro tells us about the Ocietra caviar produced by Black River in Uruguay and… of course we’ll taste it! Finally, Dmitri Chekaldin, co-owner of Dacha Beer Garden in Shaw and Dacha Beer Garden in Navy Yard reminds us it’s Octoberfest time.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Taste of Bethesda returns Saturday, Oct. 1 and will bring nearly 40 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to downtown Bethesda. Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications for the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Sebastian Neira, general manager, and Elder Pineda, bartender, both of Jose Andres’ Spanish Diner, join us; . • Bart Yablonsky. owner of Dawson’s Market in Rockville and D.C tells us what we can find there for theholidays; • Sarah Mayo, CCO / Global Sales & Marketing, Black River Caviar / Esturiones del Rio Negro tells us about the Ocietra caviar produced by Black River in Uruguay and… of course we’ll taste it! Finally, Dmitri Chekaldin, co-owner of Dacha Beer Garden in Shaw and Dacha Beer Garden in Navy Yard reminds us it’s Octoberfest time.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Taste of Bethesda returns Saturday, Oct. 1 and will bring nearly 40 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to downtown Bethesda. Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications for the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Sebastian Neira, general manager, and Elder Pineda, bartender, both of Jose Andres’ Spanish Diner, join us; . • Bart Yablonsky. owner of Dawson’s Market in Rockville and D.C tells us what we can find there for theholidays; • Sarah Mayo, CCO / Global Sales & Marketing, Black River Caviar / Esturiones del Rio Negro tells us about the Ocietra caviar produced by Black River in Uruguay and… of course we’ll taste it! Finally, Dmitri Chekaldin, co-owner of Dacha Beer Garden in Shaw and Dacha Beer Garden in Navy Yard reminds us it’s Octoberfest time.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
miXt Food Hall, located in the heart of Prince George’s County’s Gateway Arts District on Rhode Island Ave., is a chef-driven culinary and cocktail experience for family and friends to meet up and find community within a convivial environment curated by local artisans. Today, we’re going to take you inside miXt’s exciting offerings with the hospitality pros who make this community dining experience so exceptional. We’re joined by members of the miXt team to give you a taste of what’s waiting for you there:
• Rivkah Alvial. As chief mixologist (a.k.a. the “Bar Boss”) for miXt Food Hall’s central bar, Rivkah works closely with the chefs at each station to create the perfect pairing of food and drink; • Sandy Patterson, director of operations at miXt Food Hall. She tells us about the mission of miXt Food Hall, with an overview of the vendors currently there, and the specials and events coming up; • Chef Ismael Montero from La Michoacana, where he and his family whip up tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other authentic Mexican specialties so good that Washingtonian magazine just named it one of D.C.’s best taco spots; • Olu Shokunbi is head chef and founder of miXt’s Spice Kitchen: West African Grill. He’s on a mission to turn Nigerian cuisine into an American household go-to. As far as we can tell, he’s well on his way.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
miXt Food Hall, located in the heart of Prince George’s County’s Gateway Arts District on Rhode Island Ave., is a chef-driven culinary and cocktail experience for family and friends to meet up and find community within a convivial environment curated by local artisans. Today, we’re going to take you inside miXt’s exciting offerings with the hospitality pros who make this community dining experience so exceptional. We’re joined by members of the miXt team to give you a taste of what’s waiting for you there:
• Rivkah Alvial. As chief mixologist (a.k.a. the “Bar Boss”) for miXt Food Hall’s central bar, Rivkah works closely with the chefs at each station to create the perfect pairing of food and drink; • Sandy Patterson, director of operations at miXt Food Hall. She tells us about the mission of miXt Food Hall, with an overview of the vendors currently there, and the specials and events coming up; • Chef Ismael Montero from La Michoacana, where he and his family whip up tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other authentic Mexican specialties so good that Washingtonian magazine just named it one of D.C.’s best taco spots; • Olu Shokunbi is head chef and founder of miXt’s Spice Kitchen: West African Grill. He’s on a mission to turn Nigerian cuisine into an American household go-to. As far as we can tell, he’s well on his way.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Todd Thrasher, an old buddy of ours for 15 years plus, founder of Potomac Distilling Company, an urban distillery producing Thrasher’s Rum and housing the Polynesian-inspired gathering spot, Tiki TNT; • D.C. native Michael Twitty has a new book, “Kosher Soul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.” It’s an oration of his family history and the impact of enslaved Africans on cooking practices and agriculture in the American South;
• Fairfax City Restaurant Week is coming up Aug. 29. It will be shining a spotlight on the truly unbelievable span of cuisines and ethnicities represented. Today we’re putting the spotlight on Bollywood Bistro and its executive chef, Sunil Bastola. And in to tell us more about the restaurant week itself is Kathleen Paley, commissioner of the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority;
• Pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza? We know that Marc Hembach, general manager of Fire Works Pizza Cascades in Sterling sure does. Marc joins us to talk about how his store serves goodness to the community in many different ways.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Todd Thrasher, an old buddy of ours for 15 years plus, founder of Potomac Distilling Company, an urban distillery producing Thrasher’s Rum and housing the Polynesian-inspired gathering spot, Tiki TNT; • D.C. native Michael Twitty has a new book, “Kosher Soul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.” It’s an oration of his family history and the impact of enslaved Africans on cooking practices and agriculture in the American South;
• Fairfax City Restaurant Week is coming up Aug. 29. It will be shining a spotlight on the truly unbelievable span of cuisines and ethnicities represented. Today we’re putting the spotlight on Bollywood Bistro and its executive chef, Sunil Bastola. And in to tell us more about the restaurant week itself is Kathleen Paley, commissioner of the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority;
• Pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza? We know that Marc Hembach, general manager of Fire Works Pizza Cascades in Sterling sure does. Marc joins us to talk about how his store serves goodness to the community in many different ways.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Bob Wiley, co-owner, Deviation Distilling, known for its use of unique global spices and eye-popping bottle designs. Deviation recently launched its line of gins in D.C. liquor stores and restaurants; • Danny Chavez, executive chef at Art and Soul / YOTEL Washington DC. Art and Soul boasts a scratch kitchen, meaning the majority of menu items are made in house, from scratch. Sounds like a lot of work! • If you want to make a difference in the world but aren’t sure how, stay tuned for our chat with The “Bag Lady,” Lisa D.Foster. In 2005 she founded 1 Bag at a Time, Inc., a first-to-market reusable grocery bag company. In four years it grew to annual revenues of $8 million. Now, as a business coach and author of a hit book, also called “Bag Lady,” Lisa helps entrepreneurs navigate their way to success;
• Chef David Rabin of the Caboose Tavern in Vienna and Caboose Commons in Mosaic, a locally owned and operated microbrewery that offers craft beer, fresh roasted coffee and a chef-driven menu; Historically, there are only a handful of cocktail books that strive to tell the cultural and historical stories of?Black?and Brown?mixologists. These stories need to be told. So, cocktail expert and star of the Discovery Travel and Living Channel’s “Cocktail Kings” Colin?Asare-appiah also is coauthor of the fascinating new book “Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology.” It details the significant impact Black?and Brown?mixologists have had on the cocktail industry throughout history.
Hosted by David and Sam Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Antoine Robert, co-owner of Distilleries et Domaines de Provence. We’re sampling Absinthe Absente and learning about the absinthe ritual, a cocktail to remember; • Chad Sparrow, Common Plate Hospitality Group. In 2015, the group launched Mason Social, a contemporary American restaurant in its hometown of Alexandria. The restaurant group expanded in 2018 with Mexican concept Urbano 116, Augie’s Mussel House and Beer Garden. For Urbano, the team has created a tequila which pairs well with… chocolate! • Leigh Phillips and Solomon Mangham founded NextDay Original in 2020. NextDay is a suite of all-natural productivity and recovery products treating the core issues of hangover. Hmmm, sounds like Leigh and Solomon have a lot to confess – uh, “tell” us; • Oklahoma has a lot more going on than just wind whistling down the plain. It has a 2022 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Chef. Chef/owner Andrew Black runs the show at Grey Sweater, a tasting menu-only restaurant where staff interviews guests as they take their reservations to plan out their meals
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Greg King, brand ambassador for The Glendronach, one of Scotland’s first licensed distilleries and producers of a superb Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky; • Jessica Formicola , author of a new cookbook for carnivores, “Beef It Up! 50 Mouthwatering Recipes for Ground Beef, Steaks, Stews, Roasts, Ribs, and More;” • Gianluca Bisol, president, Bisol 1542 Prosecco Superiore. Rooted in 21 generations of Italian heritage, Bisol 1542 is referred to as the “founding family of prosecco superior;”
• Dave Martin, “Top Chef” alum and author of “The Tequila Diet.” Sign us up for that!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Greg King, brand ambassador for The Glendronach, one of Scotland’s first licensed distilleries and producers of a superb Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky; • Jessica Formicola , author of a new cookbook for carnivores, “Beef It Up! 50 Mouthwatering Recipes for Ground Beef, Steaks, Stews, Roasts, Ribs, and More;” • Gianluca Bisol, president, Bisol 1542 Prosecco Superiore. Rooted in 21 generations of Italian heritage, Bisol 1542 is referred to as the “founding family of prosecco superior;”
• Dave Martin, “Top Chef” alum and author of “The Tequila Diet.” Sign us up for that!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Bottles Wine Garden bills itself as an oasis for wine appreciation – and appreciation for the hard work of female winemakers, in particular - on the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue between Georgetown and Foggy Bottom. An indeed it is. Our old friend Angie Duran is operations director and Erika Parjus is head sommelier. They join us to pour and discuss some of the good stuff to be found at Bottles;
• She’s a combo high-powered hospitality industry business leader, foodie extraordinaire and all-around delightful human being. Kathy Hollinger, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, is in with the skinny on D.C.’s gala of galas, RAMW’s annual RAMMY Awards, the local hospitality world’s version of the Oscars, only more fun. Kathy is in with lots of info, including how you can attend the RAMMYs, coming up Sunday, July 24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center; • We met Becky Harris many years ago, when she founded Catoctin Creek Distilling along with her husband, Scott. Today, she’s still the award-winning Catoctin Creek’s head distiller, but also has ascended to new heights as national president of the ACSA, the American Craft Spirits Association. In fact, she was recently elected for a second term. Quite an honor. And they make quite a product. Becky’s in to chat and to let us sample her newest home run, Catoctin Creek Ragnarök Rye by rock band GWAR, a 92-proof rye whiskey;
• Originally inspired by Japanese noodle bars, UDON Asian Food become one of the largest franchises in Spain to offer Asian cuisine. Now thrilling diners in Miami, UDON is set to conquer the U.S. You’ll find out why when we’re joined later by Daniel Valentin, general manager, UDON Miami, and his executive chef, Albert Diez Valls.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Arlington’s Buena Vida Gastrolounge reopened a few months back after an extensive renovation directed by owner Ivan Iricanin, CEO of Street Guys Hospitality. Executive chef Jaime Pelayo and marketing manager Dmani Harrison-Porter join us with info about Buena Vida’s Mexican homestyle tasting menu and – big surprise – their awesome tequila cocktails;
• It opened in 2003. It closed in 2020, with lots of help from COVID. And now – drum roll , please –the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Vermillion is back – and with a new executive chef, yet! He’s Ben Pflaumer, late of Osteria Morini, Masseria, Officina and others you know and love. Ben’s in to tell us about recasting the menu and overseeing a facelift of the space;
• Reginald O. Mack – Chef ROM (pronounced “Rome”) to those who love him – is head chef, House of ROM. And he’s the king of the Crack Bomb and the Messy Marvin. Say what? Hang tight – we’ll explain;
• Some people dream, others live their dreams. Chef Thomas Harvey has been a mainstay in the D.C. area, working in kitchens helmed by Frank Ruta and other James Beard Award-winning chefs in Washington and at some of Virginia’s most popular restaurants. Now he’s opened his own neighborhood restaurant in Falls Church. The name? Harvey’s, of course!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Established in 1783, the original Fountain Inn served as the first stagecoach stop in Georgetown for presidents and residents alike. The new Fountain Inn DC in Georgetown is led by Morgan Kirchner, a veteran of the D.C. spirits and hospitality industry. Morgan joins us today with tastes and talk of the Fountain Inn; • You’ll remember that in March 2011 a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and then a massive tsunami struck Japan’s Tohoku region along the northeast coast. Nearly total devastation and more than 20,000 deaths forced the Japanese to reimagine the framework of the local economy, and it’s responding with surprising economic vigor, thanks to new approaches to farming and fishing. Here in the U.S., the Japanese embassy works to connect Tohoku’s farmers and fishermen to people in the United States. We are joined by Ryo Tsuzukihashi, agriculture attaché at the Embassy of Japan, and cultural ambassador Reiko Hirai, owner of Happi Enterprises, to hear how that region is rising from the mud and ashes on a new foundation forged by 21st century farming and fishing innovations; • Staying in town? There’s still so much to do – like fun summer activations at the National Building Museum Aileen Fuchs, president and executive director of the museum, tells us about all of it, from travelling to Paris via Notre Dame to exploring Shakespeare’s Playhouse or grabbing a yummy bite at the Museum’s new café; • Talk about two busy women! Seven years ago Dine Diaspora co-founders Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro launched their Black woman-owned and operated venture to connect people and brands to African diasporan food culture. They’ve got a ton going on and you’re gonna hear all about it.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• City-State Brewing in Northeast D.C. opened during the pandemic. You’d think it was not a great business decision – and yet is healthy and celebrating its first anniversary. James Warner, CEO, joins us to talk about surviving and conquering; • Jarrad Silver, former Birch and Barley executive chef, now operates the Silver and Sons barbecue truck around Rockville, Bethesda and Silver Spring. Jarrad's barbecue is delish AND distinctive in that it takes traditional American technique and enhances it with Jewish and Mediterranean flavors and styles;
• Steeped in history, Arlington’s Colony Grill’s specialty is its signature 12-inch “Bar Pie”, a thin crust pizza cut into six slices and drizzled in “hot oil”. Ken Martin, co-owner, joins us;
• Stoner alert: What’s better than a late night cookie feast? According to Neal Miglani, nothing is. So he and some friends founded MOLTN COOKIES .The Arlington shop bakes cookies to order and delivers them warm, along with milkshakes and ice cream.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
· Jake Worth, General Manager at Bar Ivy, joins us. Opening this month in Arlington, Bar Ivy comes from the D.C.-based Blagden Hospitality Group, owner of Tiger Fork, urban backyard Calico, neighborhood tavern Fainting Goat, and many more you know;
· Clementine Thomas and Sam Vasfi, co-owners, Bold Fork Books. Located in Mount Pleasant, Bold Fork Books is D.C.'s only culinary bookshop, featuring new and vintage cookbooks and elevated kitchenware;
· Laura Kumin has authored a fascinating, new book, “All Stirred Up: Suffrage Cookbooks, Food and the Battle for Women’s Right to Vote.” The media and history focused on the loud women, those who marched, picketed the White House and even some who went to jail. This book focuses on the forgotten suffragists, those who battled quietly, but just as effectively, with a cookbook or a slice of cake. How’d they do it? Keep listening! · Another fascinating read is Kate Lebo’s “Book of Difficult Fruit.” In it, she asks and answers the question: What is a difficult fruit? Of the 26 fruits featured, some are invasive, poisonous, sour, or even explosive. They are also sweet, medicinal, or even make a great pie. Her conclusion is that difficult fruit can nurture as much as it can harm. Through these fruits, Lebo sheds light on the gray areas in life and especially explores the connection between food and medicine. She asks what we can learn from the history of plant-based medicine, examines modern medicine, and explores how we care for one another.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• John Borden, CEO, The Washington Tennis and Education Foundation. The foundation’s mission is giving children and youth a safe environment they trust, where they can excel through a pathway of continual academic, life skills and tennis instruction. WTEF’s 2022 annual Share the Love gala May 21 at the Ritz-Carlton in the West End is a star-studded event celebrating those who support the organization and the continued achievements of scholar-athletes; • Mitch Berliner and Debra Moser talk about their brand-new Half Street addition to the network of weekly Central Farm Markets;
• Ready to live – feel – and BE better? Through years of coaching and research, Christine Hronec has discovered that the key to fat loss is eating the optimum ratio of macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fat—for your body. In her new book, “Unlock Your Macro Type,” she explains how your ideal varies depending on your body type and carb tolerance. And many will discover they should actually be consuming more calories, not fewer!
• And, speaking of living better, you’ll also want to hear from James Yarborough, owner and co-founder of RAWish. It’s a plant- based concept located in the recently opened Western Market food hall and focused on serving flavorful vegan options designed to support the human body’s optimal performance.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Involved in large scale whiskey events for more than 16 years, David Sweet has owned and managed large-scale tasting events across North America, England and Australia. He is currently running his own event series – Whiskey and Barrel Nite -- in six cities from coast to coast; • Restaurateur and awesome chef, named 2020 RAMMY chef of the year, David Deshaies has a fabulous new restaurant, L’Ardente, on Massachusetts Avenue, and it is nothing short of spectacular. Everyone’s talking about the 40-layer lasagna, but have you had the carbonara?! Chef David is in with his chef de cuisine, Leena Ali;
• Joanna Veltri is chief of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Americas Liaison Office. Her organization is dedicated to working in rural areas of developing countries to address poverty and hunger. IFAD recently teamed up with Chef Rob Rubba of Oyster fame for its Recipes for Change program. Through this program well-known chefs from around the world draw attention to the impacts of climate change on traditional crops and local recipes in the world’s poorest countries and promote ways that rural small-scale farmers can adapt;
• Alam Méndez Florián, a native of Oaxaca, is executive chef at Maiz64 on 14th Street Northwest. He and his team turn four kinds of maiz – corn -- into fresh masa daily for the tacos, tamales, and other corn-based essentials.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• James Simpson, beverage director and partner at Espita, authentic Southern Mexican food and drinks in Shaw, DC.; • Chef Adrienne Cheatham. For now, she’s best known for being the runner up on season 15 of “Top Chef.” Or maybe she’s better known as the chef de cuisine under Marcus Samuelsson at Streetbird, where she received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide. But … Chef Adrienne is about to be even better known after Tuesday, when her very first cookbook, “Sunday Best,” debuts. The title is inspired by the longstanding African American tradition of wearing your best clothes on Sundays for church services and gatherings, and the cookbook parallels this tradition, dressing up Southern/soul food in its “Sunday best;” • Jeff Fugate. He LOVES queso. So much so that he founded Empty Bowl Queso. He now has a small queso empire going, providing queso-maniacs with their daily fixes through stores across six states, including Maryland, Virginia and the District;
• “Oodaalolly” is a time-honored expression of joy, surprise and delight. It’s what inspires Swiss-Filipino entrepreneur and sixth-generation chocolate maker Hernan Lauber’s many creations using Filipino cacao, ingredients, and flavors to make award-winning chocolate works of art, and have some fun doing it!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Michael Jantz-Moon, co-owner, DC Vegan, and Starla Newman, bar manager, previewing cocktails as they prepare to open D.C.’s first vegan bar. A cool note for you: Michael is a musician and has toured with Paul Simon and Brian Wilson and opened for Train, the Black Crowes, Space Hog, B.B. King and Barry Manilow! • Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em! The National Cannabis Festival is back! April 22-24 on the RFK Campus, enjoy great musical acts, a new culinary pavilion and a newly expanded calendar featuring three days of events that include a culinary pavilion featuring chefs from Maydan, Maketto, Moon Rabbit, Disco Mary, the Peruvian Brothers and Pearl and Da Girls. Caroline Phillips, founder of the National Cannabis Festival, joins us with the details;
• BLT Steak, the power restaurant just steps away from the White House, is debuting a new space and a reimagined menu under Executive Chef Michael Bonk, who joins us;
• Breakfast? Lunch? Brunch? Dinner? With your dog? Oh, yeah! The Commentary Social House at The Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel appears to have it all. We’re joined by Executive Chef Francecil Ponte (we call her Fran) and T.J. Daniels, director of food and beverage.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Chef Vic Albisu’s Taco Bamba serves food that is like a narcotic. And Taco Bamba’s beverage director, Amin Seddiq, knows his stuff, too, creating a cocktail menu for every Taco Bamba that opens. He joins us today to mix up, pour and discuss some liquid happiness; • The D.C. Central Kitchen is a national treasure. The organization’s CEO, Mike Curtin, an old and good friend of the show, joins us later with news about the Central Kitchen’s awesome, must-attend, star-studded, annual fundraiser, the Capital Food Fight, coming to The Anthem on the Wharf Thursday, April 7;
Tanorria Askew is a chef, social justice activist and author of a new book, “Staples + 5,”, in which she demonstrates how to transform the most fundamental ingredients into effortlessly delicious dishes, a skill passed down from her mother and grandmother. Her mission is to share accessible recipes that are perfect for getting dinner on the table without extra trips to the store, entertaining unexpected guests without added stress and maybe even throwing together a casserole for a neighbor in need.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Nationally celebrated as one of Food & Wine magazine’s 10 “Best New Chefs” and one of the nicest and most self-effacing guys you’ll ever meet, Kevin Tien presides over the modern Vietnamese cuisine at Moon Rabbit, the Intercontinental Hotel’s signature restaurant at The Wharf in D.C. Chef Kevin and bartender Gemma Hardy also offer a superlative cocktail and wine list, and both join us for drinks and chit-chat. Plus, you’ll find out what a moon rabbit is; • Husband-and-wife duo Gabriela and Tyler Steelman are co-owners of Empanadas de Mendoza, part of Urbanspace Tysons, a food hall opening this week and celebrating some of the best global flavors in D.C.;
• James Beard Award-winning Washington Post columnist Tamar Haspel has a new book out . “To Boldly Grow: Finding Joy, Adventure, and Dinner in Your Own Backyard” is a meticulously detailed and very funny six-part road map for adventurous folks who want to forage for and prepare food from land and sea – from scratch!
• Amy Troutmiller is the CEO of Common Fuel Consulting, specializing in business development, recruiting and architectural design for hospitality and alcoholic beverage companies. She claims that there are some really good boxed wines. So does Nycci. David is skeptical. We find out who’s right.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• It often is said that wine lists don’t always reflect the diversity of makers from all different backgrounds. The response from Lyle’s, the signature restaurant in the new Lyle Hotel at Dupont Circle, is a wine list exclusively featuring women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ winemakers across the country and the globe. Martha Skidmore, Lyle’s Assistant Regional Food and Beverage Director, is with us with tastes and talk of wines you may not know; • I say “recycling” and you say, “Yeah, I totally get that it’s right, but …” Well, you’re not alone. Only a small percentage of what we toss in the recycling bin actually is recycled. Stephanie J. Miller, Founder of Zero Waste in D.C., a former director of climate business at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank and author of the book “Zero Waste Living: The 80/20 Way,” joins us with practical tips for responsible recycling;
• And, finally, we speak with Christine DeLozier, author of “Diet for Great Sex: Food for Male and Female Sexual Health.” Need we say more?
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and so is a live report and cross-continental tasting from the Emerald Isle, when we’re joined by Elaine Larkin, U.K. brand manager of Grace O’Malley Whiskey and Proclamation, Ireland’s premium whiskey and spirits brands; • Coming to Ford’s Theatre on March 19, “Grace” is a new musical from Nolan Williams, Jr. examining the rarely told history of African-American culinary tradition and the challenges faced by Black-owned businesses. Packed with an eclectic mix of styles, including jazz, R&B, rousing up-tempos and raise the-roof ballads, the show promises to be a rousing foot-stomper, punctuated by some awesome dance numbers choreographed by Robert Barry Fleming, who joins us to talk about the show; • The seventh annual Fairfax Restaurant Week is upon us. Starting March 7 and running through March 14, it features amazing fixed-price offerings at some of Fairfax City’s best restaurants to get you back into the swing of dining out. Kathleen Paley, chair of the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority, joins us with all the details; • At times finding a really good cocktail can be murder. Yes … murrrrr-derrr. “Mixology and Murder” is a new crime-themed cocktail book by Kierra Sondereker. Missing this interview would be a crime.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• You’ve seen those beautiful teal wine bottles. That’s Gemma di Luna, (Gem of the Moon) Italian wines. Filippo Lapides, national brand ambassador, joins us for tastes and talk of Gemma di Luna pinot grigio, sparkling muscato and prosecco; • So, what’s your food story? Everyone has one. How you were raised. What those around you said about food. The messages, happy and painful. Memories about food. All of it. Finding peace with food and your food story -- and how it drives your choices -- can help you say goodbye to lousy eating habits and more. Elise Museles, certified eating psychology and nutrition expert and author of “Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think and Live,” joins us;
• What are the two greatest food cities east of the Big Muddy? D.C. and New York, yes? And how great is it to be a New Yorker or Washingtonian and able to zap to the other city for a weekend of wining and dining with some sightseeing thrown in? Chad Scarborough, founder and CEO of The Jet, the luxury motor coach offering direct service between Washington, D.C.’s Metro Center and New York City’s Hudson Yards, joins us to tell us how you now can do just that!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Kimberly Hall and Tracy Franklin of Sip and Tipple, a membership club offering a curated shopping experience and exclusive benefits, all to help people enhance their at-home bar experience with Black-owned spirit brands in a convenient, fun, and educational manner; • Dip Magar, co-owner of the Himalayan Wild Yak, a restaurant in Ashburn; • Dinesh Tadepalli, the founder of incrEDIBLE Eats, is just plain brilliant! Tired of seeing plastic eating utensils go straight into landfills, he invented completely compostable, edible plant-based spoons crafted with non-GMO wheat, corn, oats, brown rice, and chickpeas; • Lisa Steele, author of “The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook: Over 100 Fabulous Recipes to Use Eggs in Unexpected Ways."
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: The “Savor Bethesda” Restaurant Week takes place Thursday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, February 27, 2022. Joining us are Stephanie Coppula of the Bethesda Urban Partnership and by Roberto Pietrobono and Donnie White of Alatri Bros.;
Our favorite vegan baker, Doron Petersan, is the founder of Sticky Fingers, D.C.’s premier vegan bakery in Columbia Heights. Last fall she rebranded the company, announcing a digital retail expansion offering her vegan products to ship nationwide. We check in to see how many new worlds she has conquered since;
Philip Brandes founded Bravus, North America's first non-alcoholic craft brewery. We’ll find out why;
Chef Liz Rogers is founder and CEO of Creamalicious Ice Creams, the only Black-owned national ice cream brand. We get the inside scoop.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Betsy Bonilla, lead bartender at Chef Danny Lledo’s Slate Wine Bar; • Fito Garcia, co-owner of Inca Social in Vienna, Virginia, which just opened a second location in Rosslyn, offering traditional Peruvian and other Latin dishes with a special take on modern, Nikkei fusion cuisine, a sushi/ceviche bar, and a large indoor/outdoor pisco sour bar; • Leanne Brown, author of the “Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day” cookbook. It took off like a rocket and hit the New York Times bestseller list. She’s back with a new message in the just published “Good Enough: A Cookbook,” embracing the joys of imperfection, in and out of the kitchen;
• Chef Selassie Atadika, founder/CEO and head chocolatier of Midunu Chocolates, which offers artisanal handcrafted chocolates made with Ghanaian cocoa, along with spices, tea, candles and hot chocolates.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Beer here! Just in time for the playoffs as they get real serious is really serious BEER! Chris Burns is president of Old Ox, a distribution brewery that sells canned and kegged beer across our region;
• Do you eat like a human? Maybe you think so, but probably not. Dr. Bill Schindler is the author of “Eat Like a Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health .” He’s an archaeologist, primitive technologist and chef. He founded and directs the Eastern Shore Food Lab with a mission to preserve and revive ancestral dietary approaches to create a nourishing, ethical, and sustainable food system and, along with his wife, Christina, operates the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, which is designed to provide nourishing food using ancestral approaches maximizing safety, nutrient density and bioavailability to the community;
• You see what the COVID pandemic is doing to people’s food supplies and access – maybe some of your neighbors’. And you want to help, but how? What’s the right way? Faced with the same dilemma, Mark Bucher, a local restaurateur and all-around good guy founded the D.C. area nonprofit Feed the Fridge. Mark joins us to talk about a truly unique way of helping to feed hungry here in our area and across America.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Donna Shore and Colleen Sisk of Lena’s Wood Fired Pizza and The Loft at Lena’s Seasonal Dining Experience; • Bryce Iapicca, director of operations, Puro Gusto, Washington, D.C., an authentic all-day Italian café based on the habits and rituals of the Italian people, from breakfast ‘til before dinner time. That is, from a quick morning coffee to a leisurely sit-down lunch to a sophisticated cocktail at the end the day; • Makenna Held, owner of The Courageous Cooking School, housed in what was Julia Child’s La Pitchoune home in France .We chat about its culinary approach to a recipe-free way to learn to cook French and farm-to-table cuisine;
• Get ready for the Matrix in the kitchen! Katerina Axelsson is the 30-year-old founder and CEO of Tastry, a California sensory sciences company. Tastry is an artificial intelligence and data insights company that predicts how consumers will perceive any product you can taste or smell. Tastry "taught a computer how to taste" and built the most sophisticated sensory product and consumer database to answer questions current technology could not answer.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Nick Schulman, wine director, RPM Italian, a restaurant that is modern in approach and Italian in spirit and features a contemporary, chef¬-driven menu with dishes meant to be shared; • Jim Snediker, CEO, Stock Mfg Co, a top workwear creator for sexy, premium hospitality brands. Think Gucci for restaurants (or something like that); • Scott Harris was a successful computer engineer, working for the U.S. Navy, when he gave it all up for a chance to start a distillery with his chemical engineer wife, Becky Harris. Their award-winning distillery in Loudoun County is called Catoctin Creek and we welcome Scott back on the show to get his 10th time jacket and tell us about his products and the Art of the Cocktail: the six-week educational cocktail class returning every Friday evening until Feb. 11 with each week focusing on a different cocktail and its history; • Fiona Lewis, D.C.'s first female fishmonger, the founder and co-owner of three businesses in the Union Market: The District Fishwife, On Toast and Son of a Fish; a nationally recognized expert on sustainable seafood, conservation of local fish species; an advocate for regional fisheries.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • The Watermark Hotel at Tysons is one of the latest and greatest additions to the DC area’s top-tier hospitality offerings. It is also the home of the Wren restaurant. Joining us are Wren’s executive chef, Yo Matsuzaki, and Luis Mantilla, the Watermark’s beverage hospitality director;
• Everyone loves to have options … and that’s what the upcoming, RAMW Winter Restaurant Week, starting Jan. 17, is all about. Even considering COVID restrictions, it’s gonna be a real taste treat. Alex Levin, an award-winning pastry chef and director of strategic business initiatives and pastry programs for the Schlow Restaurant Group, joins us to chat about Restaurant Week overall and what the Schlow Group has waiting for you that week; • Do you believe in magic – or at least the special magic of botanicals? Deb Schaffer, the founder of Enchanted Botanicals, believes in the power of everyday magic, and she creates products to help people bring more magic and meaning to their own lives. We get our spiritual year in order and you’re coming along for the ride; • When it opened in February 2020 just as the pandemic hit, the Daikaya Group’s Japanese-Italian restaurant, Tonari, introduced D.C. to a really cool concept – Japanese-influenced (wafu) pastas and pizza. While COVID presented it with many business challenges, the restaurant is up and running again, and Chef Daisuke (Dice-K) Utagawa joins us to talk about Tonari’s indomitable survival spirit and the true meaning of wafu as a culinary influence.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The fabulous Ruth Gresser, chef/owner of Pizzeria Paradiso, and the equally fabulous Diane Gross, co-owner of Cork Wine Bar & Market, are teamed up at Cork Spring Valley – great pizzas, great potables; • They call her Joy The Baker She’s Joy Wilson, who got her start with an award-winning baking blog and just published the second issue of the Joy the Baker magazine on November 1. Having won accolades from Saveur (for best baking blog) and being named one of the top 50 food blogs by The London Times of London, Joy clearly knows baking, breakfast mixes, publishing and lots more;
• Carrie Morey founded her handmade- biscuit business in 2005 with the goal of making her mom’s tender, buttery, made-by-hand biscuits accessible across the US. She succeeded! Today, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit is widely recognized as an iconic Southern brand with national retail exposure. Her second cookbook, “Hot Little Suppers: Simple Recipes to Feed Family and Friends,” is out, and just hearing about it when Carrie joins us will make your mouth water! • Want to live longer? Live better? Then Don Moxley, director of applied science and brand development at Longevity Labs, is your guy! He claims that research now proves adults deficient in a previously unavailable youth molecule – spermidine - show physical and mental signs of aging. Longevity Labs has developed the solution.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Cranes, THE restaurant and sake lounge in the Penn Quarter, takes diners to the intersection of Spanish and Japanese cuisines. Eric Stewart-Woodruff, the somm at Cranes, is with us to talk about their sake program and the upcoming “sake to me” event; • Wanna cook like Jacques? Pepin, that is. Rollie Wesen, co-founder and executive director of the Jacques Pépin Foundation, joins us with details on a new online course that’ll give you the insider skinny on Chef Jacques’ culinary creativity; • Atoussa Ardalan, managing partner at Noosh Restaurant, one of only three Persian restaurants in D.C.; • Lawrence Cisneros, co-founder, DRNXMYTH, which offers cold-pressed cocktails combining spirits, tinctures, bitters and liqueurs with fresh fruit juices.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• J.P. Sabatier, Ralph Brabham and Drew Porterfield. It’s cozy, it’s sophisticated, it’s fun. Jane Jane just opened and it’s the wonder of 14th Street. It features 30-plus classic cocktails, a selection of house cocktails created by Sabatier, and concise beer and wine lists; • Chef Ed Reavis and Jennifer Meltzer of Money Muscle BBQ and the All Set Restaurant in Downtown Silver Spring;
• And the Chicago Steak Co.’s Tommy Tsitouris and Matt Crowley. They tell us how to get a great steak and how to prepare it.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• RAMW Cocktail Week, represented by two contestants, Shane Mason from Crazy Aunt Helen's and Brasserie Liberte’s Chef Matthew Cockrell; • Sam Bernstein, founder and CEO, Table22, which helps independent restaurants across the U.S. build, launch and grow subscription offerings. Think wine clubs, at-home dining experiences, private cocktail and cooking classes and more; • Katie Seawell is chief commercial officer at Bowery Farming. Bowery builds smart indoor farms near cities, growing fresher, pesticide-free protected produce in precisely controlled environments, 365 days a year. The key? At the heart of each farm is the proprietary Bowery operating system;
• Greg Reynolds, Tap Room manager, and Sten Sellier, founder and president of the Beltway Brewing Co., a local brewery dedicated to helping start-up and growing breweries expand their operations.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Megan Coyle, brand relations manager, The Gallavant Group, on behalf of Rampur Indian Single Malt, part of an emerging category across the global whiskey scene;
• It’s the run-up to Thanksgiving. Along with Central Farm Markets, the place you want to know is Dawson’s Market, a community-focused market supporting local non-profits, hosts many community events and has a commitment that 10% of its staff will be individuals with disabilities. Dawson’s second location is now open in Dupont Circle. Bart Yablonsky – Dawson’s owner – joins us; • Michael Habtemariam is the co-owner of the Roaming Rooster, winner of the 2021 RAMMY for hottest sandwich shop. The Roaming Rooster sells fried chicken that you can feel good about eating. It’s free-range, grain-fed, antibiotic-free, halal and served fresh every day;
• Renaldo Webb of the Pet Plate, which offers direct-to-consumer nutritious dog meals, no kibble.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Phil Guernsey is general manager and beverage director at La Famosa. The all-day Puerto Rican café opened in Navy Yard in September 2020; • Rebecca Juzwiak, VP of Johnson’s Popcorn, a business with 80 years of history in Ocean City, New Jersey; • Hakan Ilhan shares the history/culture of his native Turkey and tells how his Ottoman Tavern offers both a Turkish breakfast and bottomless brunch on weekends to honor his home country’s traditions as well as the demands of his adopted home town;
• The vegan café and pastry shop Elizabeth’s Counter has launched a plant-based menu under recently named Executive Chef Robert Micciulla. Elizabeth’s Counter owner Rob Krupicka joins us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Bruce Gearhart, U.S. managing director, Honkaku Spirits, and Jake Tennenbaum, the firm’s U.S. account specialist, We’ll be talking and tasting Japanese distilled spirits, especially shochu, which is different from and way stronger than sake. Listen and learn; • The Hill Center has put together a community cookbook. It celebrates the center’s 10th anniversary and includes recipes from chefs with Michelin stars (Aaron Silverman, Gerard Pangaud) and James Beard Award nominees (Amy Brandwein, Erik Bruner-Yang), all of whom have taught cooking classes at the Hill Center Sales benefit the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. Board member Bonnie Wolf joins us to discuss; • Osman Cuadros, the new general manager at The Capital One Watermark Hotel Tysons will be on with a deep dive into this 300-suite business hotel;
• Dan Grim, cofounder of Good Stuff Beverages, joins us. Good Stuff Beverages is an all-natural, strain-specific cannabis beverage that actually tastes good! Each bottle contains 100 mg of THC to be sipped, shot, or used in tasty mocktail recipes.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The awesome, annual (except for last year!) Shuck It Festival is back October 23 at Tony and Joe’s. It’s oysters, lotsa other taste treats, beer and more -- and it all benefits the Earth Conservation Corps. Longtime friend of the show Greg Casten, CEO of ProFish and the seafood-centered Fish & Fire restaurant group, and his beverage director, Dennis Shea, will be on with all the info and a nice sampling of all the potables you’ll find at Shuck It; . • Maryland’s 2019 Chef of the Year, Ashish Alfred – or Chef Al as we call him – will be on. He’s created award-winning restaurants in the Baltimore and DC-metro area under the Alfred Restaurant Group (ARG). You know him for Bethesda’s award-winning Duck, Duck, Goose and soon you’ll know him for others opening this year; • Ashleigh Ferran is CEO of In Good Company, an innovator in the world of reusable packaging. Ashleigh’s company recently was honored at theiInaugural National Reuse Awards (a.k.a. The Reusies) celebrating a world without waste. She joins us to discuss the reusable movement in hospitality;
• “Hell’s Kitchen” finalist and chef Declan Horgan will be cooking things up when Jack’s Ranch opens soon in in Tysons Corner. He gives us a wee taste of what to expect.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
· John Aggrey, founder of Din-Din, a brilliant response to COVID and a new way to build community while enjoying the talents of chefs, food truck operators, and home cooks. Customers can order from local chefs and have their food delivered to their doorsteps;
· The global pandemic has revealed how much we need a more resilient food system that sustains the Earth and provides sufficient, nutritious food for all who need it. DMV Food Recovery Week is Oct. 4-9 and Manna’s Jenna Umbriac is here to tell us about it;
· Luis Sayrols of Santte Foods is the inventor of keto-friendly meringue cookies with CBD! Delish and so much fun to eat…and eat… and eat;
· This fall, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce – in partnership with Grubhub and over 30 of NGLCC’s local affiliate chambers – will come to the rescue of many of America’s struggling LGBTQIA-owned restaurants and bars serving food through a first-ever grant program to provide a lifeline Sabrina Kent, senior vice president at the NGLCC shares the important details.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jenay Dougany is the beverage director and general manager at Dupont’s ala, previously Ankara. Ala, which translates in Turkish as “multi-colored,” recently went through a revamp and now offers cuisine – and some very creative cocktails - melding the flavors of the Levant region, which includes Turkey, Syria, Israel, Lebanon and beyond; • Now’s the perfect time to experience the Shenandoah region’s vibrant fall colors. Pam Wrightman, general manager of Big Meadow in Shenandoah National Park, joins us to talk great hiking, horseback riding and more, about 50 minutes outside the Beltway;
• Dust off your lederhosen! D.C.’s Park View bar at Hook Hall hosts Das Bier Bash, with the Queen of Oktoberfest, Manuela Horn, as headliner. The America’s Got Talent yodeling, dancing and comedy act finalist brings her variety show for a twelve-day run, Sept. 22 through Oct. 3. Manuela and Hook Hall owner Anna Valero, also reputed to be a world-class yodeler, join us; • And this could be cat-a-clysmic! Kachan Singh, founder & CEO of Crumbs & Whiskers, will be with us to throw a spotlight on his kitten and cat café, where people can come in and drink coffee, play with kittens, cuddle with kittens, and if they fall in love with a kitten or cat they can adopt it and take it home.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jill Erber, with great wines to preview her Wine and Cheese Dinner. And by the way, this year her Cheesetique is celebrating its 17th anniversary; • Greg Engert, in to discuss Snallygaster, coming Oct. 9 to Pennsylvania Avenue; • Cookbook author Cassy Joy Garcia, who has a new one out, and it’s going to save you time and money by turning leftovers into creative meals for the whole family;. • And Grace Abi-Najm, one of the owners of the popular Lebanese Taverna. When her family came to America in the ’70s, they were fleeing the Lebanese Civil War, so they feel it is only right to leverage their success to assist people who find themselves in a similar situation. At the beginning of the year, the Lebanese Taverna raised over $150,000 to support Beirut-based charities in response to the port explosion. Those efforts continue today to help ameliorate the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jennifer Kiendl, bar manager of Magnolia’s at the Mill - in Purcellville, Virginia – shares a few of own cocktail recipes, sourced locally and in season;
• something’s new at Brent Kroll’s Maxwell on Ninth Street – it’s Executive Chef Masako Morishita. Brent and Masako are in to tell us all about her delicious additions to the menu to complement Brent’s great wine lineup;
• and, just in time for our getaway to Italy – including a fast stop in Rome – Camp Springs’ Via Roma’s chef and owner Biagio Cepollaro makes Roman-style pinsa -- a very special style of pizza that even natives of Rome, Italy aren't super familiar with.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Cork Market’s Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts are in to share some great wine knowledge, to discuss COVID and the return to something like normal and to tell stories from their latest travels in the world of viticulture; • Crazy Aunt Helen’s on Barracks Row is crazy fun. We meet owner Shayne Mayson; • Cory Frank is the chief marketing officer and director of sales at the Design Foundry, a D.C.-based events company known for its artistic event displays. It has opened a first-of-its-kind open-to-the-public, fashion funhouse; • The Gathering Spot is a curated membership community, deeply rooted in culture, that serves as a catalyst for collaborations, connection, innovation and world-class experiences that foster and celebrate community. What does that mean? General manager Mitchell McCraw and chef Martel Stone tell us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Elli Benchimol of Ape?ro in Georgetown, which made its debut May 19. Located at 2622 P St. NW, near Stachowski’s Market. Diners at Ape?ro can enjoy pastries and espresso drinks from 9:00am to 2:00pm, and an assortment of bubblies by the glass and French fare in the evening; • Arlington art lovers have a new venue for complimentary shows at Art Whino, thanks to Shane Pomajambo;
• Chef Darrell Johnson has appeared on the Food Network's “Cutthroat Kitchen” and is season 10’s winner of “The Great Food Truck Race.” But there’s a whole story behind this celebrity chef’s success. We hear it from Chef Darrrell himself.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Washington Post has called Andy Bixby, creative director of beverage at The Imperial, a “cocktail wizard,” for his uber-creative house cocktail ingredients. Andy’s with us today and we find out some of his trade secrets and … if the Post’s praise is justified;
• Thanks to the pandemic, there’s now a dearth of trained hospitality workers for the front and back of the house. Howard Community College is helping to replenish the pool of skilled workers by offering classes to earn a baking and pastries certificates and a culinary arts certificate. The man in charge there is Tim Banks, associate professor and department chair for the Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies. He tell us about the program and its successes;
• Casie Vogel is a lover of all things carbonated, whether it’s a spiked seltzer happy hour or her daily Diet Coke. She loves them so much that she wrote a book: The Hard Seltzer Cocktail Book. She’s a bubbly conversationalist, as you will hear;
• Maryland native Nieshia Williams is owner/pastry chef of Golden Flour. She creates pastries, cookies and breads that are gluten-free. But, trust us, when you bite into one of her goodies you’ll never know the difference!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• You know, the gin and tonic was born in India, but only recently has Indian gin become a highly regarded category. Megan Coyle is a brand relations manager for Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, named the India gin distillery of the year; • He’s at it again! The pandemic couldn’t stop one of D.C.’s preeminent restaurateurs from developing and introducing a new concept. We’re talking about the Knightsbridge Restaurant Group’s founder and CEO, Ashok Bajaj. He joins us with executive chef Tyler Stout to tell us about his newest venture, La Bise; • Dry aging beef at home? It can be done! Scott Kobryn joins us with the story behind his patented steak ager, a device that creates a micro-climate within a refrigerator for dry aging beef; • The Lyle Washington D.C. is a new independent hotel from the Lore Group. It opened in Dupont Circle on April 15. Frederick, Maryland’s Nick Sharpe is the executive chef at Lyle’s, the property’s signature restaurant. He joins us to chat about the hotel, the restaurant and his impressive resume; • Dvon Holland Williams is the driving force behind Sweet Scoops, a Black/Latina-owned small business at the Union Market. She has the scoop – and some scoops – for us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The British West Indies Trading Company, a woman-owned beverage concern, is run by a family that’s been brewing ginger beer since the 1500s and is changing what’s inside consumers’ cocktails. Founder Georgia Dunn joins us with tastes and talk of her new line of gluten-free, plant-based beer/alcoholic beverages made with 100% fresh produce; Who’s the man? He’s the man. He’s Kyle Bailey, 2019 RAMMY chef of the year, owner of The Salt Line near Nationals Park, co-owner of the hit, hip, gloriously delicious Dauphine’s in the Central Business district and our dear buddy; • Nature’s Path Gardens for Good program recognizes the critical role of community gardens and their efforts to provide access to organic, fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables and funds local gardens with through a grants program. Nature’s Path board president Dr. Truphena Choti and director of communications Samantha Falk join us; • Another old friend of the show, restaurateur Hakan Ilhan, said damn the pandemic, full speed ahead and has opened another new concept, Il Piatto, to go along with his other ventures: Brasserie Liberté in Georgetown, the Ottoman Taverna in the Mount Vernon Triangle and Al Dente near The American University. Ilhan and his Il Piatto chef, Chris Lanydrek, join us as well.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jeremy Ross is beverage director and general manager of Tiki Thai, a Reston restaurant offering Thai cuisine with tiki-inspired cocktails. It opened in December 2020 and has quite a story to tell; • Cara Nicoletti is a fourth-generation butcher, winner of the Food Network’s “Chopped,” television host of VICE Munchies’ “Hangover Show” and “Open Fire”, and author of the literary cookbook “Voracious.” After a decade in the field, Cara was frustrated by the environmental impacts of meat eating and began experimenting with veggie-forward sausages. That rolling ball quickly gained traction and sparked the idea for Seemore Meats & Veggies. Now available nationwide; • I came. I saw. I purchased. Bart Yablonsky of Dawson’s Market is back with us – he’s bought another market, and we hear all about that; • Michelle Troxell of Grace Thomas Designs and Joey Olson, her chief kitchen designer, join us to talk about what’s probably the hottest home renovation focus – kitchens, and the latest innovations for them, from built-in coffee bars to special pet areas. Give us some of that!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Need a cure? Deb Schaffer, founder of Enchanted Botanicals, is a spiritual herbalist;
• Grassfed True Aussie Beef & Lamb helps home cooks and food professionals in America achieve success with Australian beef and lamb. But, how healthy is it? Catherine Golding, business development manager for North America, and Pam Smith, their licensed dietician, take us through the nutrition side of things; • Cagla Onal’s Mediterranean café counter and market, the Green Almond Pantry, reopened in Georgetown last month following a fire that shuttered its Shaw storefront in December 2020. The new location offers nearly double the seating and takes advantage of an open kitchen concept to bring forward Onal’s love for simply prepared, high-quality ingredients. Chagla joins us to talk about the trials, tribulations and rebirth of the Green Almond Pantry; • Heeeeee’s baaaccck! Chef/owner of Modern Mexican Restaurants Richard Sandoval is a culinary consultant, television personality, cookbook author, and brand ambassador with 52 restaurants in the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nevis, Japan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Serbia. His newest is dLeña Wood-Fire Mexican Cocina and Mezcaleria. It opened in DC’s Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood in May.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
Prime Roots is a woman-led, alternative meat company based in Berkeley, California. The company is re-imagining meat for people and the planet and serving up options directly to your door to make it easier to eat less meat but still experience the familiarity of meat and seafood. Founder Kimberly Le joins us; • Whisked is a D.C.-based bakery founded a decade ago by former food blogger Jenna Huntsberger with the mission of producing baked goods that are nostalgic but also appeal to adult sensibility. We chat with Jenna;
• Bill Welch is the executive chef at the Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg, Virginia. He joins us to talk about a raft of summer activities he’s planned, running the gamut from cooking classes and tableside cooking carts to 10 course tasting menus under the trellis in the Culinary Garden;
• In Spanish “el cielo” means “heaven” – and from what we’ve seen and tasted, the new El Cielo in the Union Market District definitely lives up to its name. El Cielo chef Sebastian Moreno joins us to talk all about this new restaurant, its freshly minted Michelin star and more.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Nara Ya is a neo-traditional Japanese concept at the District Wharf. What makes it extra special is that celebrated chef Kaz Okochi is the culinary director there. General Manager and Corporate Beverage Director Michael Deery joins us;
• Paris Baguette has three D.C. area locations, but 4000 across the globe. The brand is looking to grow everywhere, but especially here, and Mark Mele, the company’s chief development officer, tells us why;
• The Dejia Harmony Wellness Symposium at Lansdowne Resort Wellness Week is coming up at the Lansdowne Resort. The COO of Dejia Harmony, parent company for the Lansdowne Resort, Mark Namdar, tells us all about this week of restfulness, wellness and enlightenment.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Yuan Tang and Carey Tang of Rooster & Owl. Great seasonal dining. And they won a Michelin star this year; • Jason Trollip, managing director of the Tides Inn, joins us with exciting news about its renovation and conservation efforts. A hospitality industry all-star, Trollip also was manager of Nihi Hotels and Resorts’ Sumba Island in Indonesia. Under his leadership that property was named #1 Best Hotel in the World 2016 and 2017 by Travel + Leisure Magazine; • Ellen and Todd Gray of Equinox and other fame are back with timely news about their latest venture -- Federal Fritter, in Rehoboth Beach, just one block from the boardwalk;
• Seth Goldman is the co-founder of Honest Tea and chair of the board of Beyond Meat. He’s also the founder of Eat the Change®, a platform to inform and empower consumers to make dietary choices aligned with their concerns around climate and health. The first business launched under the Eat the Change® umbrella is Spike Mendelsohn’s PLNT Burger, a plant-based quick serve restaurant that offers delicious burgers, sandwiches, fries and soft-serve.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Like the most successful dating apps, the Happied app connects people interested in similar food and drink experiences connection with sharing dinners of tasty fare in virtual settings. Happied cofounder April Johnson joins us to explain; • About 25 years ago Duane ‘Myko’ Cheers’ mom was diagnosed with lupus. Not happy with the prospect of conventional medical care, she decided to combat the disease with a diet of raw veggies. She has lived two more decades thanks to her diet and to a vegan burger Duane invented that’s now the heart of his company, Legendary Burger;
• Food and wine festival impresario Greg Nivens is not one to just take it on the chin and fall down. When COVID restrictions hit, he broadened his offerings to something bigger than big. And so, he’s returning from extinction, as it were, with his new Jurassic encounter show, which invades Northern Virginia May 14 – 31. Plus, a slew of his Eat, Drink and Relax food and wine festivals are back on the calendar; • Erica Christian is founder executive director of Empowering the Diner, a Black woman-led hospitality industry event where people come together to discuss and explore their palates and dining experiences through the lenses of creative Black, indigenous and other people of color, all to explore—and, hopefully, change -- how a range of discriminatory practices hurt the industry, from the guest to the professional.
Hosted by Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
· Estebe Salgado is president and owner of Tradewinds Specialty Imports, an import and distribution company specializing in boutique and family estate wines, spirits, cider and craft beer. Educated alongside first generation winemakers, Estebe acquired the education and expertise to hand pick award winning wines — and we got some; • Did you buy an Instant Pot during COVID and have no idea what to do with it? Chef Paula Shoyer, known as "the kosher baker," is back with her fifth cookbook, “The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook.” She has tips and recipes that will take you through the year;
· And for those of you sick of cooking, John Aggrey, CEO of the recently launched Din Din, is joining us to talk about his locally based meal prep/meal delivery company that connects neighborhood chefs with you, the home diner;
• And then it’s all in the family. On so many levels. Dani Karnoff is founder of Mapp'd, D.C.'s locally sourced global foods brand. It specializes in rare cuisines and unique ingredients in ready-to-cook meals. Not only can you find Dani at Central Farm Markets — she is also Nycci’s cousin!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Paul Dahm, once of Brainfood, has launched an online biz that offers wines not available through other retailers, delivered to your door. These are smaller, underrepresented producers that don’t have access to distribution. It’s called Widget Wine; • Then, a truly inspiring story. Jasmine Norton is the owner of Baltimore’s Urban Oyster. She’s the only Black-female owner of an oyster bar in America! She had to close the brick-and-mortar restaurant due to COVID-19 this past summer, but is continuing to thrive by operating out of a ghost kitchen; • Another inspiring COVID-pivoting and survival story. When the pandemic hit, Jennifer Earnest and Jamey Evoniuk nearly lost one of the South’s largest events businesses and their restaurant, Jacksonville’s Chef’s Garden Catering and Events. With millions down the drain, they reinvented themselves and now have a hugely successful online cooking class series;
• You know the man. You know the legend. Top Chef and restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn has launched yet another business that has huge wow factor, as if being the man behind PLNT Burger, Vim & Victor, the Good Stuff Eatery and We the Pizza weren’t enough, he’s now teamed with a prominent home builder to design state-of-the-cooking-art kitchens.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Wesley Mannings, owner off Sui Generis Cocktailers, born during the Covid Summer of 2020 as a novel way to host private-event, interactive, craft cocktail classes online; • DCCK CEO Mike Curtin is a man of action used to being out there working the crowds to raise awareness of and money for the D.C. Central Kitchen. Covid messed with his modus operandi in a big way, while also putting a crimp in DCCK’s abilities to serve and interact with the homeless and other communities. So, now, a year after the start of the pandemic, what’s up with DCCK? Mike Curtin joins us with a update; • Rejoice… the Yardbird has landed. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, the James Beard-nominated, Miami-based American restaurant, just opened its first Mid-Atlantic location at 901 New York Ave., NW. Founded by the 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, Yardbird DC has Chef Patrick Rebholz at the helm in the kitchen and he tells us what to expect; • As it has so many times in the past, Eden’s Union Market District is leading the way in fostering the growth of new retail concepts. A case in point: The Gift Shop, Washington’s first retailer for discovering, appreciating, and shopping Black-owned lifestyle and home goods brands and makers. Joining us to discuss The Gift Shop’s unique positioning is Gary Williams, Jr. of the Creative Theory Marketing Agency that helped craft the store’s brand.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Shilling Canning Company is excited to launch the Bold but Bubbly program in honor of Women’s History Month, highlighting women in winemaking, both past and present. Sara Quinteros-Shilling brings on the bubbles;
• Pandemic pop ups and ghost kitchens have popped up all over D.C. - and nationally. Little Prince Pizza wasn’t the only thing the Schlow Restaurant Group opened in the last year. Michael Schlow and Alex Levin join us for their year in review;
• One year ago the Hilton Brothers had to make some decisions about all their bar and restaurants - it was grim. But the future is brighter. Ian Hilton joins up to take us on his journey;
• Summerlong Supper Club, the 100% charitable dinner subscription program, has banded together D.C. institutions like Centrolina, Sushi Taro and Rose's Luxury.. It is designed to do one thing – make sure our favorite restaurants are still here come summer. Co-founder Vinay Gupta fills us in.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• DC Sake Co’s Reiko Hirai has a mission: to find and connect with sake lovers in the D.C. area and to help experiment and enjoy many collaborations and connecting and bring people together thru sake; • The latest video recipe book from the Jacques Pépin Foundation, “Cook with Jacques Pépin and Friends, Volume 2,” is now available. It features more than 40 culinary luminaries. Sound delicious? It is - and Chef Jacques’ son-in-law and an accomplished chef in his own right, Rollie Wesen, who also is executive director of the Jacques Pepin Foundation, chats with us about the new cookbook and the Foundation’s many good works; • Heard about Clubhouse? It’s the invitation-only, audio-chat networking app for listening in on conversations, interviews and discussions between interesting people on various topics. Business strategist and success coach Rita Goodroe joins us with all the deets on Clubhouse and how it can help boost you professionally while it boosts your brain power; • Marcelle Afram, the celebrated former executive chef at the Michelin-starred Maydan, has a new project. It celebrates the culture and food of Marcelle's ancestors. Marcelle leads the team at Shababi Palestinian Rotisserie Chicken, paying homage in particular to Palestinian cuisine.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Maxwell in the Navy Yard is celebrating its first anniversary. Joining us to celebrate surviving in business and COVID are Maxwell’s founder, mixologist to the stars Brent Kroll, and Niki Lang, partner/sommelier at Maxwell Navy Yard; • Srping is just around the corner and picnic time is very nearly back. We invited Michelle Ison from Picnic & Peonies, the area’s premier luxury picnic company; • Next we are joined by Mike LaVitola, co-founder and CEO of Foxtrot Markets, a contemporary evolution of the corner store and cafe? with 60-minute delivery; • Okay, so wouldn’t it be great to have meals from your favorite restaurants prepared in your kitchen and served freshly made and piping hot? Yes, it would and yes, you can. MisenBox delivers restaurant meal kits to your door prepped by chefs and ready to be finished by you in the comfort of your home. MisenBox’s Thabo Lenneiye is in to reveal how it all works.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Sam Nellis bar director, Red Hen and All Purpose, designer of Sam's Freezer Cocktails from AP Shaw. They're individually sized, pre-bottled versions of our favorite cocktails that can be stored in the freezer and are ready to drink whenever; • Bo Davis, co-founder of MarginEdge, a digital solution for common restaurant management issues such as invoice flow, inventory and recipe updating, and unpredictable P&L statements. For example, restaurants can photograph their invoices and receipts, upload them to MarginEdge and the information is updated in their poit-of-sale systems within 24 hours; • Suzi Gerber is an executive chef, food product developer, author, and food and diet medical research specialist, with a passion for plant-based cuisine. She’s written what already is the number one gourmet cookbook on Amazon, “Plant-Based Gourmet: Vegan Cuisine for the Home Chef,” and it’s a superb guide to making more than 150 high-end restaurant-quality vegan dishes at home;
• Vered Guttman is an Israeli chef, food writer and food historian who lives in D.C. and, among many other activities, leads cooking classes at the Sixth & I Synagogue. Her website, Vered’s Israeli Cooking, focuses on Israeli and Jewish food from around the world and tells the stories behind Jewish culinary traditions, in Israel, here in the U.S. and around the world.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jonathan Bardzik is a storyteller, cook and author. Starting with his first live cooking demonstration at Washington, D.C.’s historic Eastern Market in 2011, he has appeared in front of more than 750 audiences, including the TedX stage, written three books of recipes and stories, worked with clients from USDA and National Geographic and many more.;
• Return guest Chef Eric Adjepong, a finalist on season 16 of Bravo's “Top Chef” and a contestant on season 17 of “Top Chef: All-Stars,” recently announced his first cookbook and children's book, both telling stories of the African Diaspora – the transatlantic slave trade, that is – through food and history;
• Many a Valentine wants to make over his or her culinary kingdom, inside or outdoors. So we invited Jessica Petrino to join us. She has an unusual career, specializing in appliance industry education initiatives for the AJ Madison Learning Center. She’s going to help us learn about the hottest appliances for post-Valentine’s Day gift giving;
• Andre McCain, founder and CEO of the black-owned restaurant HalfSmoke. at 651 Florida Avenue, NW. It is known for gourmet house-made sausages and signature wood-grilled entrées. Chef Andre’s also known for some pop-up fun and lots more.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Monica Badlani, partner and COO of Somrus Cream Liqueurs;
• Childhood friends Fred Whit and Phil Monde are now business partners. They’re bringing new job opportunities to students of Howard University by opening the first Atomic Wings in D.C. this winter; • To Community and Beyond | Crossing Culinary Bridges is a guest chef series where some of D.C.’s top chefs and neighborhood concepts cross the bridge to Virginia for an evening to cook their own dishes in Chef Jonathan Krimm’s Clarity kitchen. Chef Jonathan is joined by the chef/owner of the D.C. restaurant Cane, Peter Prime;
• Oh! Market in Northern Virginia stocks a variety of international grocery items from many cultures and more than 60 countries in the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Mexico, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and more. Sean Oh, the general manager of Oh! Market in Manassas, is about to remake the retail grocery scene in NoVa, opening 10 stores in the next five years.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Along with her husband, William Gutierrez, Jodi Lehr, partner, Santa Lucia Estate Coffee, a boutique company known for selling its premium 100% Nicaraguan coffee to restaurants, hotels and caterers. With over 25 years’ history, Santa Lucia isn’t a fly-by-night business but one of D.C.’s original sustainable coffee companies. Its big COVID pivot in 2020 involved turning a wholesale restaurant/hotel/office and catering program into an ecommerce enterprise; • First she was a marketing executive with Saks Fifth Avenue, helping retailers promote their luxe goods. Then she became one of the D.C. area’s foremost publicists representing a variety of hospitality and retail clients. Then … she came over to the dark side: Heather Shaw Menis, founder -- along with her husband -- of Curio by Fifth & Main, which features mindfully curated decor, gifts, accessories and beauty and wellness products; • Seen on this past season of “Hell’s Kitchen,” celebrity chef J.R. Robinson is the man in the kitchen and behind the business concept for KitchenCray. He joins us with the complete 411;
• Luanne Savino O’Loughlin manages Olio2go, an online (and brick-and-mortar) retailer of Italian olive oil based in Fairfax, Virginia. One of her top resources is Giorgio Franci, owner of Frantoio Franci, one of Italy’s most awarded olive oil producers. And we are doing a real olive oil tasting!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
January 26 is International Sous Vide Day, when we celebrate not just the birthday of Dr. Bruno Goussault, “the father of sous-vide,” but also the delicious, nutritious, true taste of meats and vegetables that the process of sous vide brings to us, but the many scientific advances that the heartbeat of sous vide – the International Research Kitchens at Cuisine Solutions – are helping to nutritiously enhance the world’s food supply. Sit back and enjoy our many guests representing Cuisine Solutions and check out all that you can do to be involved in International Sous Vide Day on Jan. 26.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Julie Peterson of the Marq Wine Group on the wines of Georgia;
• True Neapolitan pizza is a baked work of art cooked in wood-fire pizza ovens manufactured by masters in Naples. Pizzeria Pupatella brings the real deal – Neapolitan pizza baked in Neapolitan pizza ovens – to several D.C. area locations. Michael Berger, one of the partnerS, will tell us all about it – including what “Puppatella” means; • Yael Krigman is a genius baker, and her Baked by Yael in Woodley Park is a temple of deliciousness. She creates hand-rolled and boiled bagels, award-winning cake pops, mouth-watering challah, yummy black and white cookies, rugelach and … way more; • And speaking of pizza … again … Jordan Fainberg loves it so much that he went to Italy in search of a great pizza that could be baked, sold frozen and and baked again at home. What he found was pinsa. Yes, it’s a thing, and he tells us all about it.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Zachary Patterson, founder of the Umbrella Hospitality Group as well as the Melrose Umbrella Co. bar in L.A. and Genever Category Ambassador, talking about the fine differences between gin and genever. It can get confusing. No wonder genever producers often describe it as a cross between gin and whiskey; • You know the myth, now meet the man – celebrated chef Kevin Tien, late of Humitsu and hailed by Food & Wine as one of America’s 10 best new chefs, and now executive chef at Moon Rabbit, his modern Vietnamese restaurant at the InterContinental Washington D.C. on The Wharf;
• Hollis Wells Silverman joins us to chat about HER recently opened restaurant, The Duck and the Peach. Think laid-back Northern California cuisine with a dose of New England comfort;
• And the Neighborhood Restaurant Group – they of Iron Gate, Blue Jacket, Rustico and more – has added to its colection. It’s Leni, an all-day cafe by James Beard-nominated chef Brittany Anderson that opened in November at The Roost, a food hall on Capitol Hill. Leni pays homage to 1970s eastern European health food trends (think fermented foods, lots of whole grains, etc.).
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jill Erber, Cheesetique in Del Ray and Shirlington, on how her business is handling the pandemic;
• Chap Gage from Schmaltz Bros. What’s schmaltz? We’re talkin’ golden, rendered chicken fat and, in the case of the Schmaltz Brothers, we’re talkin’ a food truck offering a full kosher menu;
• You remember that old saying that “if life gives you lemons …?” Well, Amy Brandwein, chef/owner of D.C.’s Centrolina and Piccolina, across from each other at the City Center, is nothing short of a genius for turning that lemon of a COVID shutdown into retail gold. The four-time James Beard Award-winning chef has launched local and national shipping from both Centrolina’s Market and Piccolina (Esquire’s Best New Restaurant List 2020), delivering handmade pasta and sauces, holiday cookies and more, straight to your home this holiday season;
• Foxtrot is a company redefining what a corner store and cafe? can be. Foxtrot recently announced the launch of the Up and Comers Small Makers Awards, an initiative designed to find the next great brands in food, beverage, wellness, self-care and more. D.C.’s own Chef Erik Bruner-Yang is one of the judges.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Blood Sweat Tears Vodka’s Umberto Luchini, the founder and proprietor of the Wolf Spirit Distillery, located in Eugene, Oregon. On with Umberto will be Ledy VanKavage, senior legislative attorney for the Best Friends Animal Society and current chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s animal law section;
• June Blanks, co-founder and head of product, Cooler Supply, with a turnkey solution that redefines how to show your staff appreciation and boost morale during the work-from-home experience;
• Rob Bildner and Elisa Spungen Bildner, authors of the “Berkshire Farm Table,” which has won New England Cookbook of the Year;
• Joey Jurgielewicz, the Duck Guy.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Ivy Hotel, a member of the exclusive Relais and Chateaux family of luxe, boutique hotels, is in a restored mansion in the heart of Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon, with 18 beautiful guest rooms and suites. Today we’re going to explore the very special, very pampering, Ivy Hotel experience, first with – o General Manager Rob Arthur o then with F&B Director and Certified Somm, Emmanuel West.
We’ll talk staycations from D.C, afternoon tea, superlative dining, the cocktail and broader beverage programs and lots more. Even though you’re likely sitting at home, you’ll feel transported to the luxury that is Baltimore’s Ivy Hotel. • Strand David on a dessert island and give him only one thing to east, and that thing’s gonna be PIZZA! Happily, there’s a great new pizza cookbook out: “Pizza: Recipes, Stories, History, Places, People, Love,” by Thom and James Elliott. Thom joins us today; • An old friend of the show, Chef Rock Harper, gained national recognition when he won Season Three (2007) of the Fox reality television cooking show “Hell’s Kitchen,” hosted by the legendary Chef Gordon Ramsay. Now Chef Rock has opened Queen Mother’s restaurant in Washington D.C, where the mission is to serve the best fried chicken ever.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Often referred to as “an ode to feminine strength,” the Hotel Zena celebrates women’s accomplishments on the 100th anniversary of the women’s right to vote through provocative and immersive art and design. Joining us are Natalie Vachon, area director of marketing for Zena, and, to showcase the amazing cocktail offering at the hotel’s Fig Leaf bar, Jasmine Diaz, assistant food and beverage director and the creator of the drinks menu. • Bonnie Moore is executive director and a founding board member of Real Food for Kids, a group of Fairfax County parents who advocate for increased quantities of fresh, whole foods in schools. • We’ve eaten there and it was delish . La Famosa brings soulful Puerto Rican cooking to Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood. Chef and owner Joancarlo Parkhurst joins us.
And talk about food we’ve eaten and loved! Have you tried Money Muscle BBQ? It’s a food truck concept from the husband-and-wife team of chef Ed Reavis and Jennifer Meltzer, who also own the All Set Restaurant and Bar in downtown Silver Spring.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Today we were joined by Mitch Berliner & Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets who had plenty of good info about last-minute Thanksgiving freshness available. Then, Brandon Bayton of Wunder Garten beer garden in NOMA dropped in with updates on some great pop-ups and special events for the crisp, fall days ahead. Later, Adam Gerson, founder of Near Country Provisions, a subscription-based farm-to-doorstep service that delivers premium, locally-sourced, pasture-raised beef and pork, has great tips for delicious, farm-to-table dining in these otherwise, challenging days of the pandemic. We also heard from Greg Bolton, whose mom and dad founded the now-nationally famous, Bob and Edith’s Diner in Arlington, where 24/7 comfort food keeps its patrons sane and happy. Lastly, we chatted with award-winning paella chef and owner of DC’s Xiquet, the highly-regarded, Valencian restaurant, about some special offerings coming up surviving and prospering in the pandemic.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• John Snedden, RAMW Board Member and proprietor of Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Co., and Alonzo Freeman, bar director of the Royal talk about the RAMW Cocktail Week; • Baltimore’s very cool Ivy is a luxurious hotel in a historic Mount Vernon mansion. The Ivy has reopened after a closure caused by the pandemic and offers a new restaurant concept: Magdalena, a Maryland Bistro. Executive Chef Mark Levy joins us; • The D.C. Central Kitchen’s Mike Curtain is back with us to provide details on the Capital Food Fight 2020. It’s coming up on Nov. 18 and … it’s virtual; • And who doesn’t love the family-owned Lebanese Taverna’s Mediterranean delights? Grace Abi-Najm Shea joins us to talk turkey – uh, Thanksgiving – about her fundraising efforts to aid Beirut after the massive explosion a few months ago and about how they’ve kept keeping on during the pandemic.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• As a financial consultant, Umber Ahmad typically spent her days counseling people on how to expand their brands. Chef Tom Colicchio, heard about her baking hobby and asked for a taste. He must’ve liked it, because Umber became the first member of his “Tom Colicchio Discovery” brands group. She opened her bakery, Mazedar, and now is referred to as New York’s busiest baker. With her new location on the Capitol Riverfront, she’s likely to be D.C.’s busiest, too; • Renowned Chef Paul Yellin - also known as “The Rhum Chef" - is best known for being the owner and head chef at the Cane Rhum Bar in Charleston, South Carolina. Yellin describes himself as a “rum drinker with a cooking problem” who aims to bring Caribbean food, culture and rum to the world stage;
• Andrew Darneille is the owner and driving force behind Smokecraft Modern Barbecue, an award-winning barbecue restaurant in Clarendon. Smokecraft Modern Barbecue’s award-winning techniques are tested and perfected on the competition circuit, and we hear from him how his team constantly pushes the boundaries of barbecue; • Susan Soorenko studied under renowned ice cream experts in New York and a master gelato maker in Italy and clearly her education paid off. Her rich, wholesome ice creams are so good, they’re the only ones sold on QVC in the past 20 years. Susan join us to discuss why everyone screams for her Moorenko ice creams.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Grand Cata, recently voted one of America's 50 Best Wine Retailers, has opened its second D.C. location at La Cosecha. It’s a grocery-wine bar concept with a curated selection of classic and sustainable natural wines from Latin America, framed by artisanal gastronomic products from the region. Founders Pedro Rodriguez and Julio Robledo joins us; • Matt Baker is the celebrated chef/owner of Gravitas, his modern American restaurant in Ivy City. He’s just celebrated the birth of his baby girl by opening Baker’s Daughter, a café and market across the street from Gravitas; • When you walk into an area restaurant – from fine dining to fast casual – and think, “wow – this place is so cool,” chances are pretty good that Core Architecture and Design’s Allison Cooke had something to do with it. Core’s client list reads like a who’s who of leading restaurants, including Centrolina, Astoria, Founding Farmers, the Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, the Schlow Restaurant Group, the Jose Garces Group, Sweetgreen, the CAVA Grill, the Silver Diner and more. Mozzeria is a great new pizza place near Gallaudet University with a very special mission, and, yes, Allison and Core did that one, too. She joins us along with Ryan Maliszewski from Mozzeria with all the details;
• You may remember a while back that Georgetown’s Brasserie Liberte opened to a great response, only to be confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic shortly thereafter. Well, they pivoted in response and are doing fine. Executive Chef Matthew Cockrell and owner Hakan Ilhan join us with an update.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• D.C.’s Anxo cidery and tasting room is the brainchild of restaurant veterans Sam Fitz, Rachel Fitz and Cooper Sheehan. Apples equal fall deliciousness and fun in lots of ways, and Sam joins us to talk about all that Anxo has going on in the weeks ahead; • The team at D.C.’s Espita kicked off its Ghostburger initiative on August 25 for takeout and delivery, and it’s a smashing success. Executive chef Rob Aikens join us with all the details; • They call this talented cook, former senior food editor at Martha Stewart Living and a cookbook author, “Tara Teaspoon.” She’s Tara Bench, and in her debut cookbook, this seasoned food editor, stylist and recipe developer offers sumptuous but simple dishes that anyone can make;
• Brothers Giuseppe and Mario Lanzone founded Peruvian Brothers to share the flavors of the coast of their native Peru. Their first brick-and-mortar location at La Cosecha offers delicious Peruvian-style sandwiches, empanadas, desserts and hot sauces.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Sid Dilwari, master distiller at D.C.’s Filibuster Distillery, joins to chat about surviving and prospering during COVID 19; • Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications, Bethesda Urban Partnership, on with news about BUP in times of COVID, the Streetery and the new Savor Bethesda Week; • Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes, co-founders of Manhattan's Levain Bakery. The new Georgetown location, their eighth, is the first outside of New York. Levain has launched a grocery store product, a frozen cookie which is a 2-ounce frozen version of their enormous cookies; • Tea Drunk is known for the finest and most prized teas from China. No two batches are the same. Some tea leaves are picked from ancient tea trees which are 200-600 years old. Joining us today is Shunan Teng, Tea Drunk’s founder and the educator for an upcoming TED-Ed lesson, “The History of Tea.”
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Several women-owned food businesses are hosting the Women's Food Fest Sept. 23-30 to help boost small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ruth Gresser and Jeanine Prime, co-owner with her brother, chef Peter Prime, of Cane; • Travelers are experiencing lots of uncertainty around traveling safely due to the lack of the comprehensive cleaning of airports and other terminals that service large volumes of people daily. Scumbag is a sanitizing travel kit packed with antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, cleansing towelettes and more that fits in your carry-on for peace of mind and convenience. Robbie Stanfield, the creator of the Scumbag, is coming on to explain; • Shaw’s Nina May is one of our D.C. favorites. Nina May’s owner, executive chef and Maret School alumnus Colin McClimans, and his beverage director, Danilo Simic, conjured up their three-course Feast concept when the COVID crisis hit, providing locally sourced, restaurant quality meals to go. We heard about some tempting new Feast dining options coming our way and invited Colin to tell us all about them.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Two RAMMY Beer Program of the Year nominees, the Roofers’ Union and the Sweetwater Tavern are represented by; o Joe Schineller, head brewer at the Sweetwater Tavern in Centreville, which is one of its three Northern Virginia locations, Jonathan Blake of the Merrifield location and Aaron Emery, who works in Sterling; o Adams Morgan’s Roofers’ Union’s Dave Delaplaine, general manager and beer director; • Indochen’s Indo-Chinese cuisine has patrons lined up in Alexandria’s Cameron Station. One of the partners, Ashok Tamang, joins us; • Been to the Famous Toastery out in Northern Virginia? We have cofounder and CEO Robert Maynard with us to tell you why and how a self-proclaimed “better breakfast” restaurant offers a scratch kitchen and daily specials; • Remember the great movie “ Fight Club?” Well, now there’s a restaurant of the same name, with food packing a similar punch. It’s Fight Club, and chef/owner Andrew Markert and Mackenzie Conway, his “punch director” – a.k.a beverage director - are coming on to tell us all about it
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Mitch Berliner and Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets; • Co-owner Jennifer McLaughlin of the Caboose Brewing Company, a RAMMY nominee for beer program of the year; • Pit master Shawn McWhirter of a barbecue joint that’s finally opening on the H Street NE corridor, the Smokin’ Pig; • Linda & George Meyers, the founders of Cook in Tuscany, an immersive cooking school that hosts weeklong culinary vacations from their 19-room boutique hotel, La Chiusa, located in the hills of Montefollonico in the Italian countryside; • Prince Matey, of the Appioo African Bar and Grill on 9th Street NW, which features West African food and culture They’ve got real, no-kidding Ghanaian food, which we tried the other night and loved. But watch out for that pepper soup!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Greg Engert, Neighborhood Restaurant Group beverage director and partner, RAMMY Beer Program of the Year finalist; • Josh and Alyssa Ammerman, founders of Butterfly Spirits, and Allison Lane, founder of Bartenders Against Racism; • Rutger de Vink, proprietor and CEO of RDV Vineyards; • Chef Elias Taddesse.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Chef/owner Jon Krinn of Clarity in Vienna is an old and good friend. And we’re delighted that Clarity’s General Manager Sam Schnoebelen will be on with is to talk about Clarity’s RAMMY nomination for Wine Program of the Year finalist. We’re also going to get Sam to name his wine of the moment for sultry summer days’ enjoyment;
• This week in Beirut a massive explosion shook the city, killing at least 154 peopland injuring thousands. Marcelle Afram, the chef at Maydan and Compass Rose, whose mother was born in Beirut, quickly worked with chef Roro Asmar of Asmar’s Mediterranean Foods to organize a fundraising effort for disaster relief;
• Victura Park is a family-friendly outdoor pop-up and wine garden located in the River Pavilion at the REACH. It’s a collaboration between the culinary creative team of The Hilton Brothers and Chef Erik Bruner-Yang. Ian Hilton tells us all about it;
• Black business owners in America face unique challenges, including a lack of access to credit and capital, and COVID-19 has only exacerbated these problems. To support black-owned restaurants throughout the District, Feed the Malik, HalfSmoke, and Raise Nation have organized the D.C. Black-Owned Restaurant Sweepstakes. Anela Malik joins us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Field and Main's chef/owner Neal Wavra and sommelier Tony Ruffo will join us to discuss their favorite wines of the moment and what it means to be a Wine Program of the Year finalist;
• We have an exclusive with the man known nationwide as the “serial griller.” He’s Matt Moore, cook, musician, host, pilot, and a true Southern gentleman. Also, author of “The South’s Best Butts” and “A Southern Gentleman’s Kitchen.” We’re dead-center in the middle of grilling season, so listen in for some great tips;
• And we’re thrilled to have chef Jerome Grant joining. A veteran of the Sweet Home Cafe at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, he brings the influences that have shaped his most memorable dishes to the brand-new Jackie, located a few feet from Nationals Park. Sounds delish, and you’ll hear all about it; • In Burma, the Anglo-Indian phrase “toli moli” means “a little of this and a little of that.” Growing up in Rangoon (Yangon), Jocelyn Law-Yone (better known as Chef JoJo) learned that quality food is an essential ingredient for good dinner conversations. She passed that knowledge on to her daughter, Simone Jacobson, and now the two are partnered dishing out Burmese cuisine in their second restaurant, Thamee– the first was called Toli Moli. Simone joins us today.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Have you visited the Wine Kitchen in Leesburg or Frederick? You should have! The Wine Kitchen is a RAMMY nominee for Wine Program of the Year. The Wine Kitchen’s assistant manager and wine program head, Justin Langley, joins us to talk about the nomination and his favorite wine of the moment; • In late June, wine writer and educator Julia Coney launched Black Wine Professionals, a database featuring vetted black wine talent for gatekeepers who say they want to diversify their wine business. She joins us today;
• D.C.’S Ward 5 has some great economic development and jobs news. The City-State Brewing Company, a craft microbrewery, taproom and community gathering space, broke ground July 22 for a 13,000-square-foot building at 705 Edgewood St. NE, overlooking the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Owner James Warner has also announced the launch of an opportunity zone fund to welcome additional investors. City-State Opportunity will leverage the investments to create an array of jobs and apprenticeships at the brewery;
And chef Eric Adjepong, a finalist on season 16 of Bravo's “Top Chef” and a contestant on season 17 of “Top Chef All Stars,” recently launched a series of virtual interactive cooking classes where he teaches some of his signature dishes to a Zoom audience of up to 30 students. Chef Eric is a first-generation Ghanaian-American, bringing West African cuisine to the mainstream as a way to teach black history and the influence of African culture on cuisine.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Vanessa Cominsky, St. Anselm’s beverage manager, Rammy Nominee for Wine Program of the Year; • With D.C. wrapping the first week of Phase 2, seeing restaurants implementing prevention measures to keep staff and clientele safe, restaurants are looking for whatever innovations can help. All-Purpose Shaw is the first official Temperature Checked restaurant in D.C., using the technology for employees before every shift. Bruce Pike, CEO of Temperature Check joins the restaurant’s Michael Friedman to tell us all about it; • School closures, coupled with the economic pressures of the COVID-19 crisis, are causing children to experience food insecurity at unprecedented rates. In D.C. 76.4% of students are enrolled in free and reduced lunch programs. Adam Lustig of the Trust for America’s Health joins us with insights into the problems and some solutions;
The Cane Collective is an innovative consulting agency helping spirit companies develop marketing opportunities in the Washington metropolitan area. Aaron Joseph, one of the Cane Collective’s founders, joins us to recount its fascinating journey to success and tell us about the unique cocktail mixers now available.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Sebastian Zutant of Primrose, RAMMY Nominee, Wine Program of the Year;
• William Asiedu, founder of the Distant Relatives Project, a nonprofit working in underserved communities by creating opportunity and access to resources, including providing free food prepared by local celebrity chefs and personal grooming services (haircuts), free clothing, access to health insurance and mental health sessions;
• With camp closed for the summer and an influx of rainy days, Cook Kitz is here to help. Becca Kat is the founder of Cook Kitz, which features all-inclusive weekly cooking projects delivered to families throughout the DMV! The weekly cooking projects are fully curated, scripted and measured out; • Lisa and Melissa Gerben of Rako Coffee Roasters, a specialty collective focused on sustainably sourced single-origin coffees, environment-friendly roasting practices and advanced brewing methods.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Alonzo Freeman at The Royal – RAMMY Nominee for Cocktail Program of the Year – is mixing up something special for us today. Check out @nyccinellis on Twitter or Instagram to get the cocktail recipe; • Michael Rafidi (chef/owner, Albi and Yellow) . Albi is in D.C.’s Navy Yard neighborhood and opened just two weeks prior to the lockdown and pivoted quickly to carryout and delivery through Skip the Line . Yellow, Chef Michael’s morning and daytime café, opened adjacent to the Albi dining room on May 30. We hear how it’s all going as the COVID crisis eases a bit; • Chef Johanna Hellrigl from the West Wnds’ Mercy Me joins us. She loves bread and, when the pandemic hit, she wanted to help feed people. So she started giving away sourdough starters, and now folks from all over are rolling in dough; • Pastry chef Ashleigh Pearson, owner of Petite Soeur, seemed destined to succeed. Winner of a $10,000 scholarship from Les Dames de Escoffier while working for Robert Wiedmaier, she headed off to Paris (with rRobert’s blessing) for classes at Le Cordon Bleu. Now back in D.C., her pastries from Petite Soeur are wowing patrons; • Dave Coleman of Three Stars Brewing joins us to discuss his imperial stout Black is Beautiful, a beer project to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and also his venturing into the concept of community-supported… beer!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• As you listen to this show, go to @nycci nellis on Twitter or Instagram and get the recipe for the Foodie and the Beast Cocktail of the Day. Then join us and RAMMY nominee for lead bartender, Officina’s Ismael Barreto, to make his honey cocktail, the Positano Punch; • One minute pastry chef Paola Velez is the celebrated James Beard finalist for rising star chef, wowing guests at Kith and Kin, and the next coronavirus minute she’s furloughed and out of her kitchen. Did she mope around? Maybe for a second. Then she started baking on her own to feed folks. After that she launched something called Bakers Against Racism. Intended as a local thing, it’s gone international. Paola joins us to provide the 411 on all that; • Farmers markets have been touted as one of the healthiest and safest ways to do your food shopping. Central Farm Markets co-founder Debbie Moser joins us; • Returning guest Andra “A.J.” Johnson is managing partner and bartender at Serenata at La Cosecha in the Union Market District and co-founder of D.C.’s Black Restaurant Week. She’s a passionate advocate of diversity and across-the-board fairness for restaurant industry workers. We’ll hear about Serenata’s upcoming events in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and A.J.’s recent City Paper article and a book she’s developing addressing the “cultural neglect” of African Americans in the restaurant industry;
• When the COVID crisis hit, Huntsman had been in the business of selling premium specialty foods to top restaurants across the Mid-Atlantic. Huntsman owner, chef Javier Arze, pivoted on a dime and now is delivering gourmet goods directly to consumers while helping furloughed chefs that the pandemic has sidelined. Huntsman’s new Furloughed Chef box delivered to you is a gourmand-level CSA featuring products made or raised by some of his former clients. Chef Javier joins us to explain.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Chanel Turner, founder of D.C.’s award-winning Fou-Dré spirits distiller, is back with us today. She’s a prominent force in the otherwise male-dominated spirits industry. In fact, Chanel is not only the first woman to own her own spirit, but also the first African American woman, as well as the youngest individual to own and operate a vodka brand. And she’s a commanding voice for black distillers across the country; • Accomplished actor James Henry, a Rockville native, is a strong supporter of representing diversity in the community. He lives his commitment creating content across various platforms such as TikTok, where he reaches over 3 million followers and helped push an initiative to include different races in the program as TikTok became a popular platform. He has a Forbes feature coming out this month showcasing his impact within the black community; • Benjamin Gray is general manager of The Bellmoor Inn & Spa, Delaware's top-rated hotel, in Rehoboth Beach. He’s also chairman of Southern Delaware Tourism and board director for the Rehoboth-Dewey Chamber of Commerce, and he serves on Delaware Gov. Carney’s task force for reopening hotels in Delaware. He joins us to discuss the constantly shifting state of reopening for business in the face of the waxing and waning COVID-19 crisis;
• For more than 35 years, D’Artagnan has been a valued resource for high quality, free-range and sustainable meat, poultry and game for chefs, butchers, and retailers nationwide. D’Artagnan’s Jamie Forsythe comes on to discuss how the company deftly pivoted when the coronavirus hit and also kept its business economically sustainable.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Foodie and the Beast COVID Cocktail Hour with Juan Coronado of the Colada Shop, a RAMMY nominee for cocktail program of the year, during which we’re all gonna make a knockout cocktail right along with him (see the list of ingredients @nycci nellis on Twitter or Instagram);
• Shawn Townsend, Washington, D.C.’s director of the mayor’s office of nightlife and culture, the central point of contact between the city’s government, the nightlife industry, and District residents, joins us to discuss the city’s reopening plans; • Debbie Shore, cofounder and CEO of Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry joins us to discuss the already enormous challenges of addressing hunger, especially childhood hunger, during the pandemic, when food resources are stretched even further and shortages put low-income families at even greater risk; • Camilla Marcus, chef and owner of New York’s west~bourne and a prominent member of the leadership team of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, is with us to discuss efforts to preserve the hospitality industry in the face of the COVID pandemic; • The Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s spirits manager and mixologist extraordinarire, Nick Ferrell, talks about selling pre-batched cocktails to go, something you couldn’t do before COVID.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The Foodie and the Beast COVID Cocktail Hour, with Alan Grublauskas, GM and cocktail maven at Jose Andres’ China Chilcano, a RAMMY nominee for cocktail program of the year, joins us and we’re all gonna make a knockout cocktail right along with him. Get the recipe @NycciNellis on Twitter or Instagram;
• DC Greens melds food education, food access and food policy to advance food justice in the nation’s capital. With so many people unable to access healthy food, and with diet-related chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension increasing mortality rates during the COVID crisis, DC Greens co-founder and executive director, Lauren Shweder Biel, joins us to talk about DC Greens’ exceptional response to addressing food insecurity, helping to feed the food-challenged here in D.C.;
• Remember the Matt Damon movie “The Rainmaker,” in which an insurance company is stiffing policy holders even though they’ve paid their premiums? Well, it’s happening here in COVID World. Restaurants forced to close during the pandemic now have to sue insurance companies over unpaid claims. Both sides say it’s a life or death struggle. Our favorite celebrity baker, Tiffany MacIsaac of the Buttercream Bakeshop, and attorneys Mike Davis and Dave Feinberg from the Venable law firm join us for a look at how one insurer, Erie, is being taken to the woodshed for non-payment; • Everyone’s favorite fresh seafood chef, Jamie Leeds of Hank’s, has a cool new offering in concert with Maine’s War Shore Oyster Company. Chef Jamie joins Brad and Hannah Blymier of War Shore to talk about their new offering called the Current Catch.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Amy Brandwein, chef/owner of Centrolina and Piccolina at City Center DC tells us how she’s responding to the COVID mess with new takeaway offerings that are” totalmente buonissimi;” • Have you ever made bread and had so much fun rolling - and punching - the dough? There’s a new book called “Rage Baking: The Transformative Power of Flour, Fury, and Women’s Voices.” It was written by James Beard Award-winning journalist Kathy Gunst and Katherine Alford, who has spent the past 20 years at the Food Network. They tell us how punching bread and rolling out pie crusts are great ways to express our rage about the current state of our country; • Greg Casten, president, Oceanpro Industries, which is doing business as ProFish, the Ivy City Smokehouse, Tony and Joe’s and more has a new offering called Captain’s Choice;
• DC To-Go-Go is a web-based food and beverage ordering platform allowing bar and restaurant owners to better control their food delivery process and costs, especially those forced into delivery by the pandemic. These business owners are paying up to 30% of their profits to larger food ordering platforms. DC To-GoGo provides the ability for restaurants and bars to minimize these fees, at a time when sales and profits are down. Adam Fry gives us the 411.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Our guests are:
• David Guas, the chef/owner of the Bayou Bakery Coffee Bar and Eatery, has founded the Chefs Feeding Families program, a collaboration with Real Food For Kids, which has been operational since the closure of Arlington County Public Schools on March 13. We talk about Chefs Feeding Families and the challenges facing small business owners during the current pandemic; • Gerard Bertholon. chief strategy officer at Cuisine Solutions, talks about how continued innovations with sous vide cooking and new ways of extracting essential nutrition from what may look like vegetable leftovers can help feed and nurture us during and after the pandemic;
• Edward Segal, one of D.C.’s foremost public relations practitioners and crisis management authorities, has just dropped a book, “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals and Other Emergencies.” The pandemic has had a devastating effect on thousands of restaurants across the country. Ed shares tips on how restaurants can get through this crisis and turn the lights back on for their businesses, and what they can do now not just to survive, but to thrive, after the crisis ends;
• Michelin Star chef Chris Morgan (formerly chef/co-owner at Maydan, who’s planning the opening of Bammy's this summer) spearheaded the launch of Save D.C. Eats. Some of D.C.'s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs are rallying together to offer unique experiences that guests can buy now and redeem later, with 100% of proceeds benefiting restaurants and members of the hospitality industry affected by COVID-19.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Chefs are working on feeding the needy, offering meals to hospital workers and helping to sustain restaurant worker who have lost their jobs. And a local distillery has taken to producing sanitizer.
Our guests are:
• Nate Mook, CEO of the World Central Kitchen, where he works hand-in-hand with the non-profit’s founder, world-renowned activist and humanitarian Chef José Andrés;
• Nicole Marquis, founder and CEO of Hip City Veg, who is leading a response to food shortages during the pandemic, by delivering meals to hospitals battling COVID-19; • Erik Bruner Yang, multi-James Beard finalist, four-time Michelin Bib Gourmand, who has begun an iinitiative called “The Power of 10.” Its mission is to aid independent restaurants across America by re-employing staff, sustaining business operations and providing food to community members who need it the most; • Scott and Becky Harris of Catoctin Creek Distillers, joining us with the story of their fight to swim upstream against the coronavirus-driven business slowdown.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
The restaurant industry now has two goals: to continue to support and employ staff during this challenging time, and to feed the communities and the people that have embraced them over the years.
Our guests are:
• Michael Babin, the CEO of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which has rethought its business model to survive the pandemic; • Anna Valero, co-founder of Pirate Ventures, which is now running a relief operation called Hook Hall Helps; • Ruth Gresser of Pizza Paradiso fame, who is now making pizzas for the food-insecure; • and Sam Sgori and Sara Abdel-Rahi,, who operate Tables Without Borders, a non-profit that supports refugee and asylum-seeking chefs.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
COVID-19 Be Damned! We’re Back With A New Show!!! Sure, we and our guests are remote, but our conversations are lively and timely. Joining us are Kathy Hollinger, president of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, to discuss the DC area’s once-and-soon-to-be-again vibrant (we hope) restaurant scene, what restaurants are doing to survive and keep their staffs paid and what the future holds for the industry; Deb Moser and itch Berliner, co-founders and proprietors of Central Farm Markets, discussing the even more essential role of farmers/farmers/farm markets to provision us in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic; Jonathan Stahl, the Nats’ vice president for ballpark operations and guest experience, discussing the stadium’s unique partnership with Josè Andres’ World Central Kitchen to feed thousands of meals a day to needy area residents, along with MANY other, essential activities during this extended shutdown, and Jason Berry, co-founder and CEO of Knead Hospitality and Design (owners of Succotash, Mi Vida and The Grill), on the line to tell us about Knead’s crucial, Lee Initiative, a crucial fundraiser supporting furloughed restaurant workers.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
Located in Brentwood, Maryland, Savor at Studio 3807 is Prince George's County's first food hall and the second African-American-owned food hall in the country. Savor offers a range of dining options. Its operators have created an indoor farmers’ market, an artisans’ market and a variety of mini-restaurants.
Savor is a lot of fun and good eats, and we want you to know all about it – so we’ve brought one of its founders, business attorney and food entrepreneur April N. Richardson, and several Savor food merchants in today.
In with April are Savor merchants, including:
• Bianca Tabbs of Curated DMV, which allows independent designers and artists and emerging brands to sell high-quality handcrafted, well-designed products in a range of categories; • Kathy Voss of Voss Foods, a vegan food concept; • Mackenzie Kitburi of Little Miner Taco; • Chef Damian Brown of the brunch carry-out concept, The Uncaged Chefs.
Plus we enjoy cocktails concocted by April and Kathy from the menu at their joint project at Savor, Community Cocktail.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Kareem "Mr. Bake" Queeman is founder and the man rolling in dough at Mr. Bake Sweets, winner of Buddy Valastro’s (the Cake Boss) newest TV series “Bake It Like Buddy” and currently holds the title of the first male to win America’s Best Baker D.C. competition;. • Bisi Nnaji is founder & CEOof Twelve 31 Spirits. He launched the liquor company in 2017 in Washington, D.C. and is now in over 50 accounts in the District and Maryland. We’ll hear all about how to succeed in business when you’re determined to do so! • Tatiana Podoliako is a woman who loves dessert over all other courses. She also loves health! As owner of Rawfully Delish, she oversees an operation that makes delicious, healthy dessert cakes from activated nuts, seasonal berries and fruits, low-glycemic sweeteners, and an absence of gluten and lactose, She wants her desserts to be enjoyed by anyone, including people with diabetes, pregnant women and kids of all ages;
• The nonprofit St. Baldricks foundation raises money to combat childhood cancers. every year, volunteers tee up to raise money during the foundation’s shaving day promotion– what’s that? you’ll hear all about it from Daniel Vilarrubi, head brewer, Atlas Brew Works, and Colleen Gillespie, general manager at D.C.’s Boundary Stone, where a special St. Baldrick’s Day shaving party moment is about to occur; • Zachary Faden, lead bartender, Brasserie Liberte, where the cocktail program reflects the overarching narrative of the restaurant – using the best ingredients to offer quality products at a great value. The offerings pay respect to the classics.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Rose Noel, executive chef at Danny Meyer’s just-opened Maialino Mare on D.C.’s Wharf, a Roman-style, seafood-focused trattoria likely to blow your mind; • We wanted to know more about Urban Plates restaurants’ mission to serve up a variety of affordable, scratch-made meals from top quality ingredients. So, in with us today is Chris Humphries, general manager of Urban Plates Bethesda, and on the phone with him is his West Coast compadre, chef Robert Buycks. Urban Plates’ Southern California regional chef; • Award-winning cookbook author, chef and culinary tour leader Amy Riolo is back. We hear about all her projects, including the upcoming culinary tour she’s leading to her ancestral homeland, in Calabria; • At chef Daniel Boulud’s Michelin-starred restaurant Daniel, the annual cheese dinner is an hommage to French culture and chef’s childhood memories. Here in D.C. at Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen and Bar, executive chef Nicholas Tang mirrors that spectacular event with his own version on March 5; • Erlinda Alexandra Doherty of Vinicola is a sommelier, wine educator, wine writer. She’s here to discuss women in the wine industry and the challenges and opportunities in the 2020s. She has brought in tastes from women winemakers.
This show was awash in great potables and related info. First to join us: Winebow’s Jason Whiteside, proud holder of a Level 4 Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and a Certified WSET Wine Educator, in talking about the potential impact of new wine tariffs and with tastes of great wines to try as spring dining rolls in. Next up? Laura Evan, former Fox 5 news anchor and designated leader of DC Newswomen, the organization behind the 11th Annual NewsBash, Tuesday, February 18, where supporters dressed in head-to-toe pink, will raise money, awareness and the roof to support breast cancer victims. And for people who maybe overeat, the cool new thing is cryo fat freezing. Radiance Med-Spa owners Marvin and Candice Lytle are in with all the deets on what it is and how and why it works to remove fat – especially pesky muffin tops – permanently. Also in: Sabrina Medora of Un-Plated, the website known for meaty content about the food world , and the Coconut Club’s bar manager, Chris Chapman. They’ve teamed on an alcohol-free cocktail event in response to demand for more, non-alcoholic options made with the same seriousness given to traditional cocktails. And speaking of cocktails, we also were joined by Funding Spirits’ two key players, distillery director Jon Arroyo and vice president for sales, Clyde Davis, who told the tale of Farmers Restaurant Group’s (Founding Farmers, Famers, Fishers and Bakers) new, DC distillery and whipped up cocktails (real ones!) with their branded vodka, gin and whiskey.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Catherine Goulding is business development manager for North America for Meat and Livestock Australia. We’re talking true, delicious, Aussie beef and lamb. We attended their event at Gravitas and it was a spectacular feast. She’s in to chat about the glories of Aussie beef and lamb; • Ever gone truffle hunting? We have. Ever found a white truffle? We definitely haven’t. These rare, delicious fungi are a truffle gourmand’s holy grail. In fact, one sold in Philly in 2018 for $112,000 and our guest Mauro Carbone was there. He’s general manager of the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourism Board and director of Italy’s National Center for Truffle Studies;
• When it’s time to watch a big game, where do you want to go?! Scott Shaw, principal, Alexandria Restaurant Group, which opeates Joe Theismann’s Restaurant, is talking what to eat and where for to eat it; • An old friend of ours and of Foodie and the Beast, Bertrand Chemel, has been the celebrated executive chef at Restaurant 2941 in Northern Virginia since 2008. Most chefs and most restaurants don’t last that long in the same place. What’s the secret to his longevity there and 2941’s continued success? Bertrand tells us how it’s done; • Vienna resident Michael Biddick is head sommelier and owner of Blend 111. He is a Master of Bordeaux wine, a certified French Wine Scholar (FSW), was trained by the Court of Master Sommeliers and authored the award-winning book “43 Wine Regions.” He’s here to share both knowledge and a few bottles of wine.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • We liked this place a lot: Nina May, on 11th Street. Offering New American cuisine, it opened in November . Today we welcome Colin McClimans, the executive chef and owner; • Mary Ackley, of the Little Wild Things City Farm, produces Certified Naturally Grown microgreens, micro-herbs, shoots, and edible flowers on less than a quarter-acre in the heart of Washington, D.C. And she serves over 50 restaurants, hotels, caterers, schools, grocery stores and organizations wholesale, and also sells direct to the general public in greater D.C.; • Frank Linn and Kate Diamond, co-owners of Frankly…PizzaIt started as a mobile pizza oven in 2011, frequenting farmers markets in Montgomery County. It opened a brick and mortar location in Kensington, Maryland in July 2014; • Will Patton, beverage director at the Michelin-starred Bresca (and at the upcoming Jônt. Will is currently a finalist at the prestigious Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition;
• And Nazia Khan, director of coffee and counter service for NRG, who will lead the charge on the development of Cameo, the all-day coffee shop at The Roost food hall.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, is the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method.
It used to only be something that was only available in fine dining restaurants but now has gone mainstream (even Starbucks sells sous vide eggs).
International Sous Vide Day is Jan. 26, which also happens to be the birthday of Dr. Bruno Goussault, the father of modern sous vide and founder of Cuisine Solutions.
Today we’re honored to have Dr. Goussault in studio with us, along with Cuisine Solutions’ “chef innovators”, Sean Wheaton and Delian DiPietro, and the galactically famous executive chef and co-owner of D.C.’s legendary Equinox restaurant, James Beard nominee Todd Grey.
We have a lot of ground to cover and, honestly, this is one Foodie and the Beast show for which you might want to take notes, as we take you inside the world of sous vide as brought to you by Cuisine Solutions and the culinary research and education academy (CREA), a global leader in culinary research, education and consulting, also founded by Dr, Goussault.
Talk about delicious shows! This week’s Foodie and the Beast had something for every taste bud.
First, we were joined by chef extraordinaire and innovative restaurateur Erik Bruner Yang (whose company, Foreign National, owns Maketto, Spoken English, Brothers And Sisters, Hometown Newsstand, Shopkeepers), who has a new spot, ABC PONY, an ’80s- and ’90s-themed pasta place (with Asian influences) in the Navy Yard. Erik’s signature is creating very cool, food and space combos as common gathering spots. Also in are Antonio Matarazzo and Chef Matteo Venini, co-owners of Stellina Pizzeria at Union Market, with news about a new Stellina location coming in 2020 and their new, Union market pastry shop, Annare. Brandon Gaynor, founder and CEO of Eat Brgz (Eat Burgers), joins us with tastes and talk of his new, fast casual burger concept where healthy, custom, meat and plant-based hamburgers are served up. And, Manny Nadal, assistant GM at the sky-high, POV cocktail at the W Washington DC is in and serving up politically-themed cocktails for the holidays.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
· Butter Chicken Company, Bombay Street Food Butter Chicken Company, a fast casual concept, opened October 21st at 818 18th street in downtown DC, near the Farragut West Metro Station. Asad Sheikh · Javier Arze, Founder, Huntsman Specialty Game & More – FIELD TO TABLE WILD GAME · SUZY MENARD of Via Umbria – HOLIDAY DINING. GIFTING AND MORE · Susan Sadigova, Director of Strategic Development, Foreign Policy magazine – FOOD FOREVER SOLUTIONS SUMMIT, Foreign Policy's inaugural food security summit will bring together high-level guests across multiple sectors to address and discuss the most pressing issues facing our global food system, including biodiversity, agricultural innovation, and sustainable business models for a changing world.
· DRINKS! Dan Ziegler, Founder, Chacho Spirits - Chacho jalapeno “aguardiente,” a sugarcane based liquor native to Colombia, South America
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Jeff & Jill Erber of Cheesetique to talk opening new space in Shirlington ; • RAMW’s D.C.Cocktail Week is back. We have all the details and Harley Mocker from Karma Modern Indian in to tell what he’s cooked up for it; • Reid Shilling of Shilling Canning; • an age-old tradition in French charcuterie, pâté en croûte (or pie-crust), is a meat pie baked in a pastry, usually made of veal and pork. Sound easy? Wrong! Pâté en croûte mastery demands proficiency in both butchery and pastry, relentless attention to detail, and true culinary artistry. When it comes to major pate en croute competitions, most expect the French to dominate. Not this year. American-born Christian Welch, chef de cuisine at Kingbird in the Watergate, is the 2019 North American champion of pâté en croute. Chef Welch is in today with his mentor, Kingbird’s executive chef – and frenchman - Sébastien Giannini;
• for our drinks segment we have Paul Gonzalez, manager/bartender at Allegory at the Eaton Hotel, Al Thompson, bar director, Hanumanh, and Kapri Robinson, D.C.'s 2017 Queen of Cocktai;s, founder of the Chocolate City’s Best cocktail competition and bartender at the Reliable Tavern on Georgia Avenue.
Our annual, holiday gift-giving show never fails to deliver, and this year was no different. So, if you’re still searching for the ideal gift for that special someone, listen up! Joining us in-studio were City Center DC’s general manager, Timothy Lowry, who resides over a fabulous collection of top-of-the-pyramid designers, such as Carolina Herrera, Alexis Bittar, Dior, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and … well, you get it. With him were Felix Johnson, manager of the Alexis Bittar jewelry store with stunning, original designs, and Joshua Trusty, store director at CH Carolina Herrera (Check Instagram to see Nycci decked out in Bittar costume jewelry and a Herrera “to die for” dress). And for those who enjoy holiday gift shopping in a different realm, we also had DC Brau’s Mari Rodela and Mel Afzal, co-founder of KrampusnachtDC in with news about the 7th annual DC Brau Holiday Market, happening on Small Business Saturday, November 30th at DC Brau and featuring a special visit by Santa’s sidekick, Krampus. And, if liquid gifting is more to your liking, try Moet Chandon or Veuve Clicquot or …! We did, thanks to our friend and frequent guest, wine expert Chris Houck.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Ashley Rose Young, Ph.D. of the American Food History Project of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, talking about the 2019 food history weekend; • Justin Pass and Rachel Watson present Sera Luce. Inspired by an Italian classic, Sera Luce Venetian Spritz awakens your palate with the perfect balance of bitter and sweet; • the Northern Virginia Battle of the Bartenders to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is coming up. Lauren Barrett, operations manager and event coordinator from Scott and Becky Harris’ Catoctin Creek Distilling is in with the details; • Chas Jefferson, wine director and sommelier at Jug & Table and the Roofers Union.
• Steve Bashore, Director of Trades, George Washington’s Mount Vernon – LOTS GOING ON THERE IN COMING WEEKS , INCLUDING THE new George Washington Whiskey Festival! Enjoy some of the finest spirits from Virginia craft distillers and other famous whiskey producers- HEAR ABOUT THAT AND MUCH MORE. • CELEBRITY CHEF TODD ENGLISH IS BACK WITH US – ONE OF HIS GIGS IS AS Executive Chef/Partner of MXDC Cocina Mexicana – HE’LL BE ON TALKING BOTH MEXICAN Day of the Dead and JAPANESE Shabu menus -HE’S COOKING UP AND HOW THE TWAIN SHALL MEET • Jonathan & Laura Nelms, Co-owners -Supra, DC’s first and only Georgian restaurant located on 11th street in Shaw – IN WITH NEWS ABOUT GEORGIAN WINES, A NEW RESTAURANT THEY’RE OPENING AND … MORE. • Galvin Medrano, Head Bartender -Morris American Bar – HALLOWEEN PART / HALLOWEEN-THEMED COCKTAILS
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• NanoSalad is a new “wholesome hack” to help you Eat Better Fast. IT’S A Zero-prep, 100% REAL ORGANIC VEGGIE AND FRUIT FOOD. Sprinkle onto almost any meal for a fast veggie vigor & fiber boost - Jag Bhalla, NANOSALAD’S OWNER, AND CHEF Nick Moyer ARE IN TO TELL US ALL ABOUT IT.
• EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT IT – THOMPSON ITALIAN IN FALLS CHURCH CITY – CHEF-OWNERS Gabe & Katherine Thompson - The Thompsons – who wrote the bestseller Downtown Italian – are excited to serve casual Italian food that stirs the imagination in a family-friendly setting that they’re deeply connected to.
• Gordon Lambourne IS VP, Communications AT The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) – IT provides people from all backgrounds with the training, education, financial resources, and career development they need to build pathways to meaningful jobs and careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. The NRAEF is a national organization, but HQed right here in the District. Last fall, THEY kicked off THEIR career and technical education program, ProStart, for high school students AT DC HIGH SCHOOLS, AND WE’LL HEAR ALL ABOUT THIS PIONEERING PROGRAM.
• Jenna Umbriac, Director of Programs, MANNA FOOD CENTER IS IN WITH DETAILS ABOUT THE OCTOBER 26, No Waste, Big Taste: Rescued Food Cooking Competition AT Fresh Farm Silver Spring Farm Market, 890 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, MD - Local chefs compete “Chopped” style to turn ugly produce and recovered food into culinary masterpieces.
• Meredith Meyer Grelli is Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Wigle Whiskey, Pittsburgh's first distillery since Prohibition. Since beginning distilling in December 2011, Wigle Whiskey has worked to restore Pittsburgh’s legacy as the Birthplace of American Whiskey and the epicenter of Rye. She’s in with tastes and talk of everything from Wigle to the Whiskey Rebellion.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Daniel Kramer is the managing partner and co-founder of Duke’s Grocery, Duke’s Counter and the recently opened Gogi Yogi Korean BBQ; • Andrew Gruel is founder and executive chef of the Slapfish restaurant, based in Huntington Beach, California, with 22 locations nationwide and more to come. Chef Andrew’s mission is to change the way people think about seafood, and he’s a huge proponent of responsibly raised and harvested sustainable seafood;
• Steven McRae now runs the kitchens of both Rusticos, in Ballston and Alexandria, as executive chef, serving up seasonal American cooking against a backdrop of amazing craft beer curated by beer director Greg Engert. He’s in with tastes and talk of their revamped menus; • Jordan Harris, head winemaker at Loudoun County’s celebrated Tarara Winery, is a frequent guest. Today he’s in with a slightly different twist, joined by Adam Behnke, COO of Loudoun United F.C., the professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. Loudoun United was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United. Tarara has taken a major partnership role with the team, and we hear all about it; o Nick Farrell, spirits director, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, oversees the cocktail lists at NRG concepts like Iron Gate, Vermilion, Hazel, the Columbia Firehouse and more, including the forthcoming low ABV bar Show of Hands - opening in the Roost food hall on Capitol Hill in early 2020.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
o celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, doing the plant burger thing in a big way; o master bread baker Daniel Leader, a living legend, who’s authored another stunning cookbook for artisan bakers, “Living Bread;” o John Melfi, the executive chef at one of the many great restaurants in Ashok Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Group – Modena, on New York Avenue. It’s a new concept, offering Italian-influenced California cuisine driven by sustainable, locally sourced ingredients. John has weathered some serious health issues while staying the course and serving dishes worthy of la vera cucina italiana;
• and, toasting our anniversaries, Anna Bran-Leis and Levi Woodzell are in from Dos Mamis and the Taqueria del Barrio.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Knightsbridge Group CEO Ashok Bajaj and … breaking news … his new executive chef for his newest restaurant, Annabelle, opening soon in the former Restaurant Nora space, celebrated chef Frank Ruta; • Flower Child restaurant’s Rebecca Dye; • Scott Harris and Evan Moore (with Wolfgang Puck’s Cut). The Catoctin Creek Distillery is collaborating with Cut in creating some exclusive spirits; • The Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Jonathan Collins, the executive chef at Owen’s Ordinary, is in with details of some tasty new menu additions; • Snallygaster is Washington D.C.s biggest, beastliest beer festival, happening again downtown Oct. 12. Yes, Snallygaster is back -- and so is our good friend, NRG’s partner and beer director, Greg Engert.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• cold and flu season is coming and though your mom may not be able to take care of you, Val Zweig from Prescription Chicken can help; • chef/owner Danny Lledo discusses his new restaurant, Xiquet, offering a Valencian tasting menu concept; • David Hagedorn, food writer and Chefs for Equality founder and Co-Chair is in to tell us about his amazing upcoming event to promote full LGBTQ equality; • florist Holly Simmons, owner of the Petworth flower shop She Loves Me, in with info about all her uber-creative fall events; • and, last but never least, Diane Gross, co-owner of the Cork Wine Bar and Market, in (following her summer junket to Spain) with tastes of new Spanish wines now available there.
Cold and flu season is coming and though your mom may not be able to take care of you, Val Zweig from Prescription Chicken can help. Chef/Owner Danny Lledo discusses his new restaurant offering a Valencian tasting menu concept. David Hagedorn, food writer and Chefs for Equality founder and Co-Chair is in to tell us about his amazing upcoming event to promote full LGBTQ Equality.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• food festival impresario Greg Nivens of the Trigger Agency, in with news of his Chesapeake Oyster, Wine and Beer Festival at Union Market’s Dock 5; • D.C .superstar restaurateur, Hakan Ilhan (Turkish-inspired Ottoman Taverna, French restaurant Mirabelle -- which is getting ready to reopen next week under a new chef -- and Italian eateries Alba Osteria and Al Dente) is opening a 6,000 square-foot brasserie in Georgetown – Café Liberte. He and Chef Jaryd are in with tastes and talk of this soon-to-be-hotspot; • Dawson’s Market in Rockville has so much new stuff going on, and owner Bart Yablonsky is in. (By the way, Dawson’s is the only market in Montgomery County where you can buy beer and wine and actually enjoy sips while you shop!); • distiller and entrepreneur Chanel Turner is in with updates on the upcoming Black Women Spirits Makers event, featuring unknown but soon-to-be-famous spirits distillers from across the U.S.; • and Sylvia Choi and bartender Matt Cox are in from the fabulous St. James, the one-of-a-kind, sports, wellness and entertainment venue in Springfield, with sips of their signature, healthy cocktails.
Sunday, September 8, 2019 was our annual, “Be good by doing good” show, featuring area nonprofits and the great events they’re hosting around the area. Joining us were: Chris Shaughness, executive director of MCPAW (Montgomery County Partners for Animal Well-Being; the dedicated nonprofit fundraising partner of the Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption Center) in with details of the groups kick-ass fundraiser – an upscale, 60’s-style frat party featuring awesome food and drink, a great auction and live music by Junior Cline and the Recliners; Melissa McCall and Amanda Garzon, in with info about how hydrocephalus affects thousands of infants and adults and about how you can help find a cure by joining the 2019 National Capital WALK To End Hydrocephalus - Saturday, September 28th at the Lincoln Memorial; Aisha Bond and Aleka Ross, joining us with a ton of info about the upcoming, September 14, annual, Art All Night North Capitol DC’S only free overnight art festival; Benito Bermudez also was in - he’s the head roaster and founder of Café Unido in Panama City, now coming to Union Market, and so were cocktail mavens and rum lovers Duane Sylvestre and Chris Chapman Shakra, in with tastes and talk of … what else?... rum and their concept for a great (rum-inspired) staycation! Join us!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• James Beard-nominated 2018 RAMMY Chef of the Year Amy Brandwein, executive chef and owner of Centrolina and her new osteria, Piccolina;
• Gabriele Poli, founder and president of The Gelato Festival, which is returning to Washington Sept. 7-8 at the City Market on O Street. It will be co-hosted with Dolci Gelate; • Colleen Gillespie, general manager, Boundary Stone, in to talk about the 6th annual D.C. Beer Week, which is coming up, and The Battle of the Barrel-Aged Beer, Sept. 10 at the Boundary Stone. Joining her is Sarah Jane Curran, the host of the podcast Beer Me! Read more at https://wheregeniusgrows.libsyn.com/64-sarah-jane-curran-choosing-what-you-like#bs5q86kwMtebJOzI.99 • Olivia Restaurant’s beverage director, Tim Hays, and bartender Eduardo Acabal talk about and pour gin and tonics.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• There’s an event coming up that deserves your attention. It will bring together a panel of hospitality industry leaders discussing efforts to make restaurants and bars more welcoming to persons choosing to cut back on or abstain completely from drinking, while making their spaces safe, fun and supportive environments for these guests and for employees. Amanda Hoey of Wildheart Media is in with the details; • Going … going … gone! Iconic D.C. sports bar Buffalo Billiards is hosting a farewell party Aug. 24 from noon until closing. Bar items are currently being auctioned off online, with a percentage of proceeds going towards So Others Might Eat. Buffalo Billiard’s co-owner Geoff Dawson will tell us all about it; • Stable Restaurant owners Silvan Kraemer and David Fritsche always dreamed of opening a restaurant together, but weren’t exactly sure what the eatery of their dreams would look like. Well, Silvan is here to tell us what it looks like and, most important, about the taste of Switzerland it delivers;
• Also joining us is Veronica Kunkel -- they call her “V -- and she’s a sommelier who, along with working to elevate women in the wine world, is committed to making wine education, enjoyment and pricing less intimidating for the uninitiated. V is the founder and CEO of Sommstock. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to only drink wines crafted in the vineyard, organic where possible and that punch way above their weight class? SommStock can help! It takes the effort out of finding wines, so that you can simply focus on enjoying them. For more, visit www.SommStock.com; • And finally,if it has to do with wine, spirits and more, the guy you want to know is Nick Hellberg, beverage director at the Conrad Washington D.C. He’s in with tastes and talk of all there is to enjoy at the city’s newest and coolest hotel.
Hosted by Davis and Nycci Nellis. On today's show: • James Beard Award Winner Michael Schlow Opened His First Fast-Casual Restaurant – it’s Prima … it’s in Bethesda and it serves gluten-free bowls based on Italian antipasto in Bethesda. The restaurant’s culinary director, chef Ed Scarpone, is with tastes mand talk of Prima. • KATHY HOLLINGER, President and CEO of RAMW, is in with the biggest news of the summer – RESTAURANT WEEK IS BACK! It kicks off Monday, August 12 and runs through Sunday, August 18 with 250 amazing restaurants and bars serving IT ALL up at amazing prices. • Events DC is the face of conventions, sports, entertainment and cultural events within our nation’s capital. Ashley Forrester, Corporate Director Communications & Marketing for Events DC, is in with us to say … IT’S HAMMER TIME. YES, I SAID IT … MC HAMMER – LIVE ON AUGUST 23rd – and you’re gonna hear all about it. • It’s gonna be cocktail time - Thy Parra & Nicole Hassoun are the founders of Cocktail Curations, and they’re in to help our taste buds get happy.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Shizu Okusa, the Founder & CEO of Wellthy & Co, a family of direct-to-consumer wellness brands, including JRINK, a cold-pressed juice subscription company, and Apothékary, a plant-based farmacy disrupting the healthcare space with its line of CBD-infused drinks; • Dr. Sunyatta Amen, Tea-EO (get it?!) of Calabash Tea & Tonic, whose healthy and, uh, motivating teas include powerful aphrodisiacs such as Love Potion #10 Chai and the Mighty Mandingo Chai; • Homewood Suites Navy Yard – near Nationals P{ark – is always abuzz during baseball season. We’ll hear all about that a more from Anat Levinson, the hotel’s general manager; • Dan and Meg McNeill are in. They own the Miscellaneous Distillery in Mount Airy, Maryland. It recently received four prestigious medals at the 19th San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Josh Carin is director of hospitality, Montgomery County Revenue Authority/MCG Events. The Authority is teaming with CFM for a Farm Tour in the Montgomery County Ag Reserve and for a CFM Farm To Table Dinner July 27 benefitting MANNA; • Ballpark operations and guest experience for the Washington Nationals – from then to now – the evolution of concessions at at Nats Park; • Have you ever thought, “I’d love to work in the theater?” Well, maybe this is your chance – joining us today is Amy Saidman, Artistic Executive Director of Story District. Through dozens of performances and classes, one-on-one coaching, corporate training, partnerships and a podcast, Story District creates a platform for diverse perspectives and enriches an understanding of our common humanity; • Erin Lingle is a co-owner of Mola, saluted by D.C.’s Michelin Bib Gourmand for bringing Spanish flair to the District’s summer scene. She’s in to talk refreshing summer dining, Spanish-style; • The Gibson is celebrating its 10th anniversary, so congrats to a D.C. hospitality pioneer that’s still relevant today. Julia Ebell is creative director at The Gibson. She’s in with tastes and talk of this now-legendary cocktail bar and its classic cocktail menu.
Hosted by David and Sam Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Talented chef Eric Adjepong – a season 16 finalist on “Top Chef” - and his wife, decorator Janell Adjepong, Pinch & Plate thoughtfully plans and produces customized, full-service dinner parties in guests' private homes and venues;
• Sultan Shakir, the executive director of SMYAL (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders), an organization that works to support and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, DC, metro area;
• Paul Dahm, co-founder of WorkChew, which creates co-working spaces in restaurants during off-peak hours; • Amazing Women, a fundraising event to help kids at the U.S. border who are facing a humanitarian crisis. Restaurants from all over D.C. are contributing food and drink to support the event. In to talk about it is Diane Gross, co-owner, Cork Wine Bar;
• Beth Cover, wine manager for ,Wardman Wines, a store in Brookland that has just launched Wardman Circle, a wine club.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Gayle Galbraith is the co-founder and owner of the Federal Brewing Company in Federalsburg, Maryland. Yes, she’s a brewer. But, along the way, Gayle discovered she had an affinity for brewing the ancient healing elixir, kombucha. Go figure. Gayle’s in to tell us all about it; • Mintwood’s General Manager Gene Alexeyet and his chef de cuisine, Matthew Cockrell talk about the neighborhood appeal of their D.C. establishment;
• And Maria Bastasch, wine director at the restaurants Compass Rose and Maydan. This summer at Compass Rose, they are featuring a curated list of thirst-quenching chilled wines made by women. Proceeds from sales of these wines go to support their neighbors from N Street Village, the largest provider of housing and services for homeless women in the District.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• The 37th Annual RAMMY Awards Gala will be held Sunday, June 30 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to. honor the exceptional ability and accomplishments of the hardworking individuals and organizations of the capital region’s restaurants and foodservice community. Today we’re talking RAMMYS, as well as about the state of dining in D.C.
Joining us in this are: o Kathy Hollinger – president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington o and Ashok Bajaj – winner of the Duke Zeibert Restarauteur of the Year award, founder/CEO of the Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, which includes the Bombay Club, Rasika and the Oval Room.
• Also joining us today is Jon Chocklett, director of sales & marketing at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, and executive sous chef at that property Justin Bergo. They are in to talk about their new Sleep Sanctuary Program. The offering includes a variety of sleep wellness luxury products, services and amenities geared toward providing wellness enthusiasts and over-worked high achievers with nurturing experiences that resonate long after their departure. The Sleep Sanctuary Menu features dishes and treats that each contain specialty ingredients to help the body feel nourished and relaxed and to promote a better night’s sleep;
• And then there’s Chantal Tseng. With almost 20 years of tending bar in D.C. with a passion for sherry, natural wines, books, cocktails and travel, Chantal is the current U.S. Ambassador for International Sherry Week, as well as a noted bartender/sommelier and avid drinker of tea. She helped lead the craft cocktail scene in the city and has had many recipes published in articles and books over the years. She is currently the head barkeep of the Reading Room of the Petworth Citizen, where she runs her Literary Cocktails program as well as natural wine nights, Ice Cream Social Cocktail nights, Absinthe Nights and Sherry Events.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Paul Cullen, former bassist for Bad Company, now celebrity chef, is with us. Last year alone, he cooked in over 200 kitchens in the Mid-Atlantic, Chicago, and Nashville. Paul has revived classic recipes taught by his Italian Grandma Tagliaferro and Mom Nancy along with his Italian chef friends from his many visits to Italy, which he pairs perfectly with regional wines of Italy; • La Fête du Rosé Wine and Music Festival is a picnic-style celebration coming up on June 22 at the National Harbor. To attend, you’ve gotta dress to impress in pink and/or white. Cleveland Spears III of the Spears Group, joins us with all the deets;
• The 2019 RAMMY awards are coming up June 30. We have another nominee in with us. Representing Royal in LeDroit Park is a “cocktail program of the year” finalist, and it’s his third nomination in the category in recent years. Jake Kenny is the bar manager at Royal, and he’s in with us today; • Adam Bernbach, bar director at Estadio, is known around town as a master cocktail-concocting chemist! He, we and the Spaniards love gin - one of the most popular gin cocktails is the gin and tonic (or “gintonic,” if you’re in Spain) and Estadio’s celebrating gin and the gintonic all month long with its second annual “Juniotónico: a Gintonic Festival,” now through June 30; • And the Wilder brothers, Ari and Micah, are back. When we first met them, they were bartending and consulting mixologists. Now they are big time entrepreneurs who own Chaplin’s in Shaw and just opened Zeppelin, offering an omakase experience, complete with sushi, yakitori and other Japanese menu items and, of course, amazing cocktails to match.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Megan Robbins moved to the D.C. area this past February to join The Canopy by Hilton hotel on The Wharf as executive chef and lead culinary enthusiast in charge of Canopy Central, the hotel’s cafe and bar, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacks at the rooftop cocktail bar, Whiskey Charlie; • In a record-setting year in which red wines still dominated, a white wine wowed the smell and taste senses of those who judged the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition. Horton Vineyards’ 2016 Petit Manseng was awarded the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Shannon Horton, the family-owned vineyard’s general manager, is in; • Culinary cultural anthropologist Amy Riolo, and Dr. Sam Pappas have teamed up to offer the latest culinary and medical inspirations to live and eat with pleasure and health. Amy is a food historian and Mediterranean Diet advocate. May is Mediterranean Diet Month and the perfect time for the release of Amy’s new Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook. Dr. Pappas is a board-certified internist who has been selected as a “top doctor” in t Washingtonian Magazine, and is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Pappas wrote the foreword to Amy’s new book. Together, they lead public forums, panel discussions, webinars, a Facebook Live series, cooking classes and workshops, teaching the tenets of the Mediterranean Diet along with the tips and techniques needed to fit them into a busy lifestyle;
And bringing the cocktails today is RAMMY nominee Will Pattton of Bresca.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• World Central Kitchen is the non-profit organization founded by Chef José Andrés to leverage the expertise of chefs and implement smart solutions to hunger and poverty. Dine-N-Dash, an annual fundraiser, is an unparalleled night of food and drink from D.C.’s best chefs and bartenders to benefit the World Central Kitchen. Nate Mook is the executive director of the World Central Kitchen and is in to give us the deets; • A third-generation restaurateur with more than four decades of culinary experience, Chef Walter Staib is an author, TV host, James Beard-nominated chef and culinary historian. His newest book, “A Taste of History,” is an offshoot of his Emmy Award-winning public television show of the same name that brings 18th century colonial foods and food culture to life; Jose Andres’s Barmini is known for many, exceptional offerings, not the least of which is its superb cocktail lab, which also happens to be nominated for a 2019 RAMMY. Ismael Barreto, the bar manager at Barmini. He lets us sample a few of the amazing drinks he has on offer.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• You know spring is here when our first guest is in the studio! Greg Nivens of Trigger, organizer of the National Harbor Wine and Food Festival, happening May 4 and 5;
• Sarah Collins calls in from the United Kingdom. She’s the founder and creator of Wonderbag and the Wonderbag Foundation. The Wonderbag is a simple but revolutionary heat retention slow-cooker, which continues to cook food that has been brought to the boil by fire, cook stoves or any conventional method for up to 12 hours without the use of any additional fuel source. The South African invention is saving lives from smoke inhalation, combating deforestation, providing time for women to work and for children to go to school, and decreasing the incidence of rape; • John Coleman is in. He’s the wine and cheese buyer for Balducci’s and travels the world searching for the most interesting and delicious products out there. He prides himself on finding new producers and bringing them to market first. He’s in with great new options for spring/summer wining and dining. And he’s brought … mimosas! • Tory Pratt is the founder of the Pratt Standard Cocktail Company. Four years ago she tried to make a gin and tonic with Green Hat, and noticed the tonic was loaded with preservatives and high fructose corn syrup. She went on a quest to find the original tonic syrup recipe and launched the Pratt Standard Cocktail Company (previously known as True Syrups and Garnishes) in 2014; • Chad Spangler, bartender and owner of Service Bar DC, was recently crowned top mixologist for the Northeast region by the National Restaurant Association at their Star of the Bar Mixology Competition. Now he's heading to Chicago in a couple of weeks to compete for the national title. He’s here to mix up his smash hit, award-winning cocktail, just for our taste buds!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• EMP 180 Weight Loss, whose staff provides nutrient-rich foods and total-care counseling. Clients receive food each week that they choose from a menu. EMP staff provide breakfast, lunch and snacks. EMP staff give specific guidelines to clients on their dinners. If clients want to use their own foods, they can request a customized meal plan. In to tell us about it are owner Eric Candelori, consultant Kim Spivak, and local restaurant industry veteran Drew Swift, who is down over 150 pounds. Oh yeah, and David is also on the weight loss program!
• Bart Yablonsky, owner of Dawson’s Market in Rockville, a local, natural foods grocery store, with Passover and Easter menus;
• Paul Williams, beverage program director, and Mike Huff, culinary director of the Metropolitan Hospitality Group. MHG is a locally owned and operated restaurant group focused on providing exceptional seasonal fare, craft cocktails and hospitality. It owns and operates CIRCA and El Bebe, which recently opened in the Navy Yard district. MHG also operates Open Road and Trio in Falls Church.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Talk about visiting the four corners of the earth for good food and drink. On our show were award-winning Kaz Okochi chef/ owner, of Kaz Sushi Bistro, celebrating its 20TH ANNIVERSARY!!! In business (How many restaurants anywhere can say THAT?! P.S. Chef Kaz also has a piece of DC history: He’s one of the few chefs in Washington formally trained in the Japanese delicacy of fugu (blowfish) and the first one to serve it in the city back in 2001.); Grover Smith, founder of ChefsFeed Indie Week and chef Zachary Meloy, of Pulpit Suppers/Better Half, in with details of ChefsFeed, a traveling event featuring 24 all-star chefs, ranging from James Beard finalists, Michelin honorees and Top Chef contestants, all in DC for this national dinner series from bringing brings diners up close and personal with culinary talents as they cook collaborative 12-course meals at the nation’s hottest restaurants.; the charming Tuba Sapanli of Mediterra Seafood Restaurant and fish market, in with news of great, sustainable seafood, oven-ready, meals to go and "Make your own meal kits" which you pick your choice of protein and vegetables from a variety of easy to prepare; Chalisa Pornpornprot of Thai Chef, talking Thai New Year celebrations and the restaurant’s special events and offering to celebrate, and finally, buy never last nor least, the boys from 2019 RAMMY finalist Caboose Brewing Company, Caboose’s Head of Brewery Operations, and Tim McLaughlin, one of the original owners of Caboose Brewing.
Like … who would want to miss all this?!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• Elise Museles is a certified eating psychology and nutrition expert, creator of the Food Story platform and host of the podcast, “Once Upon a Food Story.” Her mission is to empower women to create a healthier relationship with food and their bodies by reframing the way we think and feel about food. • And we’ll have our first-ever call-in from Greece, when Dr. Jerolyn Morrison, a potter, anthropologist and archeologist specializing in Minoan cooking pots and cooking, joins us. She’s been working in Crete since 1997, exploring the island’s culinary culture and cooking pots. Cretan culinary history, Minoan culture and how they tie to modern dietary and cooking needs are her thing, and we’ll dig into all of it with her. • The Embassy Chef Challenge is celebrating its 11th year on Tuesday, April 2 at the Ronald Reagan Building. Dries Molken is the executive chef to the ambassador of Belgium. He’s in, along with Chinyere Hubbard, vice president of communications and marketing for Events DC, under whose auspices the challenge is being held.
• Since 2009, Cookology has been one of the only few home grown cooking schools in the D.C. area. Maria Kopsidas is owner of Cookology at the Dulles Town Center and a new location in the Ballston Quarter shopping mall. Cookology offers hands-on cooking classes in a commercial kitchen.
Bill Thomas is the owner of the Jack Rose Dining Saloon, home to the one of the largest publicly available whisk(e)y collections in the world with more than 2,700 expressions. On Sunday, April 7 Jack Rose is hosting a whiskey festival: the 2nd Annual “Premier Drams” – a celebration of cask strength, new and rare.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
Chef Doug Psaltis has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens and, along the way, picked up three stars from The New York Times and a Michelin star running the kitchen at Country restaurant in New York City. Today, he is a chef/partner with Lettuce Entertain You, running RPM Italian and RPM Steak in conjunction with celebrity couple Bill and Giuliana Rancic;
Christian Eck is assistant food and beverage manager and tea specialist at the Park Hyatt’s Blue Duck Tavern. The Blue Duck has 35 different kinds of tea on the menu, and Christian’s in with tastes and talk of many of them and news about the new three-course tea menu;
412 Food Rescue’s technology platform, also known as “Food Rescue Hero,” is an end-to-end system that matches food donations to the appropriate nonprofits, coordinates a last-mile transportation network of volunteers, trains volunteers on food safety and tracks data and analytics–measuring impact on hunger and the environment. Food Rescue Hero’s Leah Lizarondo tells us how it works;
Chef Alvin Dela Cruz is the chef de cuisine at the Westend Bistro in the Ritz-Carlton Washington and a legend in the making. He’s introducing tasty new treats at the Westend and he’s in to tell us all about them;
Valor Brewpub is a veteran-inspired restaurant and brewery just across the street from the 8th and I Marine Barracks. Valor makes it a point to employ veterans, use veteran-owned products and support veteran causes, donating 10% each time a veteran organization or non-profit hosts an event there. Greg Maddrey, the brewmaster, is in today with a taste of Valor.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• Andrew Dana of Timber Pizza and Call Your Mother fame is reopening the Supper Club at Call Your Mother and opening Turo Pizza in Ballston • You know her. You’ve seen her. You wonder how you can get her gig! Samantha Brown, host of the PBS series “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love,” will be with us. And, you can meet her next week, because she’s headlining next weekend’s D.C. Travel and Adventure Show at the D.C. convention center.
• Is it “prah-leen,” “pray-leen” or what? We’ll find out when Susan Lim, cofounder of the Praline Bakery in Bethesda joins us for tastes and talk of her delish offering.
• Among Washington’s many monuments is the venerable Mayflower Hotel. standing on Connecticut Ave. since 1925. The Mayflower has always set D.C.’s standard for elegance and beauty. Today, the always updated Mayflower still sets the standard for luxury, elegance and peak service. To prove the point, we’ve brought in members of the Mayflower’s team to tell you all about it.
• If it’s Sunday, it’s time for “Foodie and the Beast,” and if it’s Foodie and the Beast, then there always have to be drinks! Yay! With cherry blossom time right around the corner, we’ve invited in Ryan Ward, beverage director at Momofuku to treat us to cherry blossom-themed cocktails and more.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• It’s time once again for Fairfax Restaurant Week! Great eats and libations at fixed prices you can’t help but love, too. Jinson Chan, founder and co-owner/general manager of High Side and Chris Bruno, economic Development Director for the City of Fairfax, are in to tell us all about it. • And today we have with us the original man of La Mancha! Manuel Manzaneque, winegrower/maker from La Mancha, is in with tastes and talk of his incredible wines of Spain. He is joined by wine marketer Andrew Holod of Grapes of Spain. • The Smoked and Stacked location on Ninth St. has morphed into something even better - Tin Shop, a creative bar and restaurant development group founded by Geoff Dawson and Peter Bayne. March 7 they’re opening Tall Boy, serving day-into-late-night treats like killer grilled cheese sandwiches, cocktails, and, of course, tall boys: Schlitz, Guinness, PBR, Bold Rock Cider, Burly Oak Lost IPA, Union Duckpin, Flying Dog Numero Uno and Terrapin Hopsecutioner
• Drinks!!! Serena Huggard is a brand ambassador with Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Triple Blend Whiskey. Fortunately for us, this ambassador has come to the embassy of Foodie and the Beast with a selection of sips from Tullamore, so put on your seatbelts and get ready for some liquid fun from the Old Sod!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• Less than 4% of the federal government’s funding for cancer research is goes toward pediatric cancer research at the Children’s National Health System. Chance for Life’s Brad and Callie Nierenberg are in to tell us about the organization’s many good works and about some upcoming events. • Born in Iran, Najmieh Batmanglij has spent 35 years cooking, traveling, and adapting authentic Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. Hailed as “the guru of Persian cuisine” by The Washington Post, her cookbook “Food of Life” was called “the definitive book on Iranian cooking” by the Los Angeles Times. Her “Silk Road Cooking” was selected as one of the 10 best vegetarian cookbooks of 2004 by The New York Times; and her book “From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table” won the Gourmand Cookbook Award for the best wine history book of 2007.
Her newest cookbook is “Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes & Kitchen Secrets.” It’s out now, and it is a masterpiece. Najmieh is in to tell us all about it.
• Whenever you’re craving a taste of good health, Flower Child complies, with farm-fresh grains, greens and wraps, along with refreshing flavored lemonades, kombucha, organic wines and beer. Flower Child’s Jessica Mulroy and Monica Copeland give us the 411.
• Noe Landini is the owner of Junction Bakery & Bistro. Opened in 2016 in Del Ray, Junction creates breads, pastries and specialty desserts in-house daily, along with breakfast, lunch, brunch and now dinner. Noe is in with Chef James Duke to tell us all about it.
• Any regular listener knows we always have a drink segment. And, if we’re gonna have something to drink, it’s gotta be good. That’s why the City Winery’s beverage director, Sam Miller, is in today with a tasty sampling of great wines, produced right here in D.C.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• I Ricchi is D.C.’s legendary, award-winning, nowhere-does real-Italian-food-better restaurant. Its equally legendary chef/owner, Christianne Ricchi, is in today to talk about where the restaurant is headed into its fourth decade and about what it talks to remain true to “la vera cucina italiana;” • Bettina Stern is the co-founder of Chaia, a seasonal vegetable taco company that gives customers fresh, flavorful plant-based ingredients. Stern and her business partner Suzanne Simon brought their unique restaurant concept to Washington D.C.’s farmers markets, where it instantly created long lines. Within weeks of their debut, Chaia was selected by the Washington Post “as one of D.C.’s top nine up-and-coming tastemakers.” Now Chaia has two brick-and-mortar locations in D.C. – the new one is in Chinatown; • The Sally restaurant opened at The Fairfax at Embassy Row hotel in December 2018. The Sally’s chef is French-trained Ricrado Planas, who most recently served as chef de cuisine at the Cafe du Parc at The Willard Intercontinental Hotel; • Black Betty vodka, Picaroon rum… famous spirits are coming out of Blackwater Distilling. Its regional head of sales, Vince Tyson, and brand ambassador, Jamie Imhof, are in to tell us more and to serve some up.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• Jill Erber of Ballston’s Cheesetique, which is the go-to neighborhood spot for fine cheeses, food-friendly wine, and an eclectic, cheese-centred menu.
• Sukey Jamison and her husband, John, own and operate Jamison Farm and Jamison Packing in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Jamisons’ farm produces some 3,000 lambs annually, which are destined for great cooks at home and the finest chefs and restaurants in the world. And they are authors! Their new book, “Coyotes in the Pasture and Wolves at the Door,” is filled with stories taking you from their farm to your table.
• Danya Degen is the sommelier at Little Pearl. Liv Caillabet is GM of Toki Underground. The two friends share an appreciation of lesser known reasonably priced wines, especially those that can be paired with ramen and dumplings. So, they created Common Cru, a monthly food and drink series at Toki Underground.
• Located in an historic warehouse on Georgetown’s canal, Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill is a dining out gem. Owners Donald and Amy Carlin have a great story to tell, along with great foods to serve. • Claude Thiebot , Thibaut-Janisson Winery partner, is in with a fabulous selection of Virginia sparkling wines.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
• You know his great restaurant in Shaw, Kyrisan. Now Tim Ma has a new place to add to it, American Son in the Eaton hotel. Chef Tim is in with tastes and talk of his latest masterpiece. • Art Ehrens is an award winning writer, producer and director. Now add “author.” His first children’s book is called “Sweet Potato Pete and the Green Garden Gang.”
• Chinese New Year is around the corner and The Source is one of D.C.’s great go-to restaurants for Chinese New Year’s celebrations. That’s why we have the restaurant’s Chef Russell Smith and Assistant General Manager and Beverage Director Drew Brandwein to tell us what they have planned.
• Last October, the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Evening Star Café welcomed a new executive chef, Jonathan Till. He has brought a new take on food to that venerable neighborhood gem. • Lance Mion is the new executive chef and drink lead enthusiast at The Canopy by Hilton in North Bethesda. Chef Mion is responsible for all food and drink operations. The cocktail menu is his, too, so he’s making some of his creations for us.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show;
As Homer Simpson famously says, “uhmmm…donuts!” Nothing’s better. That’s why we’ve invited Greg Menna in for tastes and talk of District Doughnuts, which just opened its fourth location at Union Market. • Guess who’s back? Every year, Greek chef Aglaia Kremezi comes to D.C. to work with Chef Michael Costa and the Zaytinya team. As Zaytinya’s chef partner and “Greek grandmother,” (also known by the Greek term “yia-yia)” they cook, taste and talk about authentic flavors and traditions that inform the restaurant’s menu. • Bloomingdale’s woman-owned Tyber Creek offers seasonal food and a curated wine program. Chef/owner Jordan Stahl is in to tell about this neighborhood restaurant success story.
• Shouk’s modern Israeli street food has taken Downtown D.C. by storm and has just introduced a plant-based shawarma made entirely from oyster mushrooms. Co-cofounder Dennis Friedman is in to give us a taste.
And Guinness has opened a brewery (and more!) in Baltimore, and head brewer Hollie Stephenson is in with the 411 on the new Guinness Blonde.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
–– January 26 is International Sous Vide Day. This precision cooking technique ensures exact temperature control. It used to be offered by only the finest of fine dining restaurants, but now has gone mainstream. (Even Starbucks now sells sous vide eggs !)
That’s largely due to the efforts of Cuisine Solutions, the global authority on sous Vide. Joining us today are Cuisine Solutions Chief Strategy Officer Gerard Bertholon, the executive chef at Cuisine Solutions’ Culinary Research and Education Academy, A.J. Schaller and chefs Delian DiPietro and Kai Park.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: –– • nutritionist Kara Carter on a diet-free approach called “intuitive eating;” • Dr. Arleen Lamba of Blush Med Skincare, in Bethesda and at D.C.’s Wharf; • Tori Fyock from D.C.’s 305 Fitness; • and Bart Yablonsky, the brand-new sole owner of the re-opened Dawson’s Market in Rockville.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: ––
• Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld has closed Matè and opened Susheria, a “casual-glam” sushi restaurant, with a modern Latin influence. • Sheeeeee’s baaack! Dorie Greenspan, the James Beard Award-winning author of “Dorie's Cookies” and “Baking:From My Home to Yours,” is with us today celebrating the release of her thirteenth cookbook, “Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook.” • When it comes to cocktails and peak hospitality, D.C.’S Derek Brown is the man with the Midas touch. And, from a new book coming out next spring to very cool pop-up products and more, he has a ton of stuff going on that you’ll want to know. • Ellen and Todd Gray are D.C. institutions. He’s the Rammy “Chef of the Year” award-winning talent behind the success of their restaurants, like Equinox, Milk & Honey and Manna. She’s a powerhouse idea person who comes up with some of the city’s best and most special, things to do. A case in point: gingerbread-making classes, for would-be cookie and gingerbread house bakers.
In with the gingerbread update and all the deets is sous chef Darnell Thomas and, because gingerbread tastes so good with coffee, Darnell has brought along Manna’s/Milk & Honey’s head barista and bevereage director Trey Smith .
• Last, but never least, we always like to imbibe while imparting important info, so we invited the District Winery’s Conor McCormack, and he’s brought some of the Winery’s best suggestions for enjoying great wines during the holiday season
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: ––
• Kathleen Overman is director of connection with CUREATE, a mission-driven firm with products and services for connecting large and small businesses and the cities they serve. This holiday season they’re partnering with the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City to help them source products from D.C.-area entrepreneurs for their inaugural Shop Local holiday pop-up shop. • James Majewski of Hugh and Crye is here. He and his team there have finally solved men’s problems with ill-fitting off-the-rack shirts with a unique sizing system, based on the height and build of the torso, to give guys a better fit.
• D.C. jewelry designer Sophie Blake creates timeless jewelry for the modern woman. Her SBNY collections explore the fine line between classic and contemporary, creating iconic looks that are inspired by everything from Cubist art and techniques to 1930s Art Deco. Sophie’s in today with some spectacular one-of-a-kind gift items to share with us. • Liam LaCivita is the executive chef at Suzy and Bill Menard’s Via Umbria in Georgetown. He’s in with great linens, wines, ceramics and, of course, food gift items, all imported from Italy’s fabulous Umbrian region.
• You met Scott Harris almost 10 years ago right here on “Foodie and the Beast,” when he had just opened Catoctin Creek Distillers, the first in Loudoun County since Prohibition. That was then and this is now, and the award-winning Catoctin Creek is distributed across the region and further and is on everyone’s list of top-drawer spirits.
Today on Foodie and the Beast was a classic, filled with amazing eats, cocktails …CHAMPAGNE! … and, what else, beauty tips (go figure!). Joining us were:
• Two extremely talented guys from the French Embassy – Chef Mark Courseille and GM Max Jacquet – they run Le Café Descartes, Au Petit Bouchon and catering at … the French Embassy here in DC. Yup, a fine dining restaurant, a café and soup-to-nuts catering, all available at an embassy. It’s the only deal like it in DC and … the food is amazing. • Return guest, Chef Peter Prime of Spark at Engine Company 12 in Bloomingdale and a true master of Trinidadian-inspired cuisine. The menu has wowed reviewers, including the Post’s Tom Seitsema and just recently landed spark a coveted spot on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Chef Peter came in with delish bites and a special announcement you won’t want to miss! • Rachel Mulcahy, proprietor of Ivy Wild, a clean beauty boutique in D.C., was in to discuss the world of clean, high-performance skincare and cosmetics for a high- performance life. • Last, but hardly least, mixology master Jacob Weinstein, GM at Anna Bran Leis’ Taqueria Del Barrio, mixed up some signature cocktails that were eye-poppingly pretty and went down with a bang!
Tune in! We had fun! You will , too!
Also, special thanks, again, to the sponsors of our blowout, 11/11/18, 2-hour live, 10th Anniversary remote from NRG’s Bluejacket: Neighborhood Restaurant Group; Bluejacket; Profish/Ivy City Smokehouse; Knightsbridge Restaurant Group; Jamie Leeds Restaurant Group; CHI-KO; RW Restaurant Group; 3 Stars Brewing; the Market at River Falls; the Trigger Agency and Passion Food Hospitality
Foodie and the Beast celebrated 10th anniversary on Federal News Network's airwaves with a live, 2-hour remote broadcast from Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Bluejacket, DC’s most amazing brewery/restaurant/bar. Hosts David and Nycci Nellis welcomed scores of guests — from restaurateurs and chefs to distillers and mixologists, and many more.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Peter Greenberg, a multiple Emmy-winning investigative reporter and producer, America’s most recognized travel news journalist. As the host of the public television show “The Travel Detective,” he’s the consummate insider on reporting the travel business as news; • And, speaking of insider info, Andrew Trull, who runs media relations for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, is no slouch when it comes to great insider tips for flying during the holidays. For example, how to make the best of a delay, what to do if your flight is delayed a day or two, what kinds of things should we pack for a long layover?
• Executive chef Judith Hernandez knows Reagan National Airport like the back of her hand. She’s shring info about what to do when it’s time to dine at D.C.’s longest-serving airport;
• Robin Fisher, founder and CEO of Polished Image and Style, knows what we do when we’re hanging at the airport and we’ve finished eating … we shop! Robin’s in to talk buying some holiday gifts and finding fun and unique items while you are at the airport;
• Michael Matarazzo works at one of those cool places you like to stop into while hanging at the airport. He’ the operations specialist at Reagan’s Grille District, and one of the things he specializes in is mixing awesome cocktails and finding great craft beers across a range of taste profiles.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Between 1939 and 2015, Montgomery County lost 71 percent of its farmland. That loss was slowed in 1980, when citizens, farmers, politicians, and planners created the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, recognizing the value of land set aside for the environment, farming, history, and community. Claudia Kousoulas and Ellen Letourneau are in to discuss “Bread and Beauty: A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve;”
• Mission Navy Yard, the enormous bar and restaurant, is now open across from Nats Park. Fritz Brogan and chef Roberto Hernandez are in with tastes and talk of Mission Navy Yard; • According to the National Restaurant Association, African-Americans make up only 8% of restaurant owners and the same share of restaurant managers. So rhe industry, the community and patrons across the board need a wake-up call: from Nov. 4 to 11, D.C. celebrates Black Restaurant Week and, with it, the city's top talent in food and drink.
In with us today for a roundtable discussion are:
o Two of the event’s three cofounders; (1) Dr. Erinn D. Tucker, director of Georgetown University’s global hospitality leadership master’s program; and (2) Chef Furard Tate, who provides training, mentoring, and teaches job skills;
o Meggrolls founder and food truck entrepreneur Meghan Baroody. Meggrolls was named a Top 25 Food Truck in Washingtonian Magazine’s Ultimate Food Truck Guide in 2014, was featured in Southern Living Magazine as offering “some of the South’s most Inventive meals” and voted “Best Food Truck” this past summer in Northern Virginia Magazine.
o Grey Goose Ambassador Earlecia Richelle. Living and working in New York City, she developed a distinct conceptual style, fusing culture, history, and cocktails to open new avenues of communication and creative expression. • And then there’s our drinks segment. Eric Kozlik is a D.C.-based cocktail entrepreneur, educator, and podcaster. He is the CEO of the Modern Bar Cart, a cocktail platform helping home bartenders and industry pros make better drinks. And… he’s gonna make some for us!
The Wharf is D.C.’s hot, new meeting place, with dazzling water views, spectacular new restaurants, year-round entertainment, and waterside style all together in one inspiring location.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show: • Brian McNair is in with news about Rock the Block, a food event for a new charity in an old part of town: it’s a culinary tour of Old Town Alexandria – and proceeds will benefit the foremost organization that finds and protects children, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
• Vickie Reh is a chef and certified sommelier from Arlington, Virginia who spent years traveling to visit and cook with winemakers in France and Italy. “The Wine Table” is her new book recounting these adventures Chef Vickie is in with us today to tell us all about it; • June Drummond is a former attorney from Brazil who discovered that life is sweet when dealing with sweets. She’s the founder of June B Sweet and she’s with us today with tastes and talk of brigadeiro, a Brazilian national treat most commonly made in chocolate; • Robert Hayk of G&B Importers is in with Bulgarian wines for us to taste, and to tell us about their line of Rough Day wines. We’ve discovered that, after a rough day, Rough Day’s rose, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon are the best possible antidotes.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Bresca is a neighborhood restaurant on 14th St. that is anything but neighborhood. The recent recipient of a Michelin star, Bresca’s kitchen is headed by chef Ryan Ratino who, according to Michelin, delivers “a clear sense of culinary artistry and whimsy” with a menu driven by “bistronomy.” Chef Ryan is in with us today, so stick around to learn what that means! • More than 7500 people are homeless in D.C. on any given night. About a third are considered chronically homeless, meaning they have been homeless for years, or repeatedly, and are living with a chronic health condition. Miriam’s Kitchen is committed to ending chronic homelessness in D.C., connecting the chronically homeless to permanent supportive housing, ensuring they have the necessary support to remain in housing and helping to feed those in need. Chef Cheryl Bell of Miriam’s Kitchen is in with the whole story; • Angelina Klouthis is executive director of the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, which helps provide rural communities in India with training, tools, and technology to make sure development leaves no one behind. The foundation is hosting a fundraising wine and food tasting on Oct. 20 and Angelina’s in to tell us all about it; And the Taste of Bethesda is coming up Saturday, Oct. 6. Brenna O’Malley and Stephanie Coppula of the Bethesda Urban Partnership and the Rock Bottom Brewery’s brewmaster Geoff Lively and general manager Shane Weeks are in with info and “starter sips” to get us ready and rarin’ to go.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• Ashok Bajaj has done it again – the restaurateur with the Midas touch – the man behind such monumental D.C. dining spots as Rasika, The Oval Room and The Bombay Club, has transformed Ardeo/Bardeo in Cleveland Park into Sababa, an Israeli dining concept. Sababa’s executive chef, Ryan Moore, is in with tastes and talk of this great new dining spot;
• Every visit to a Cuban home starts with the offer of a cafecito topped with caramel-colored foam called “espumita” and every night ends with a passed tray filled with small cups of sweet coffee. D.C.’S Colada Shop carries on that tradition with amazing Cubano coffee greats, including caffeinated cocktails. The Colada Shop’s Chef Mario is in to jack us up with a taste;
• Along with the power breakfast, the restaurant Seasons at the Four Seasons Washington D.C. hotel boasts one of America’s premier steakhouses, Bourbon Steak. Executive chef Drew Adams loves to dress up his menu with seasonal treats foraged from local forests. That’s cool. but what’s cooler is that you can tag along! Chef Drew is going to tell you how;
• Today’s drink segment is a tad different. Jill Erber is the founder of the Cheesetique, a specialty cheese shop. So, she knows here cheeses. She also knows her wines - and which of them pair well with her cheeses.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Lotsa fun to report from Foodie and the Beast this week! Guests include Andrew Court, Executive Chef at the fabulous, Four Seasons Hotel, Washington, DC. Chef Andrew, who spends his days (and nights!) fashioning menus for the hotels, legendary power-dining spot, Seasons, the stand-alone wine bar ENO, and working with the team at the hotel’s renowned American steakhouse. Bourbon Steak,; environmental activist Lisa Comento leads the Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants program, seeking to combat the plastic pollution suffocating our oceans with more than 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic and drive changes in behavior, all to drive improvements to our plastic (and water!) footprint; former Finnish Embassy executive chef, Mikko Kosonen opened his first restaurant, Mikko, in Dupont, and the Nordic cuisine at Mikko, says the Washington Post, “…represents the best of all the Nordic nations,” and Dancing Moon Coffee’s Jamie Weldon and Scott Steer give us talk and tastes of the health benefits and amazing flavor varieties of fair trade coffees from around the world.
Join us for a truly delicious show!
Foodie and the Beast is vegan! In with us is repeat guest Erica Meier, founder and executive director of Compassion Over Killing (COK and founder of what now is the east coast’s largest, annual vegan festival, VegFest. The 10th annual DC VegFest is Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at Yards Park from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., with free admission, free festival of food, music, education, and inspiration.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
• In a city of a thousand and one pizza places, how does one achieve superstar status? Andrew Dana (a.k.a. Dough Boy), founder of D.C.’s Timber Pizza Co., joins us; • Texas de Brazil in D.C.’s Mount Vernon Triangle is recognized for its unique blend of Brazilian culture and fare complemented by the generous hospitality of Texas. We’ll be joined by Texas de Brazil’s event manager, Courtney Bond, to hear all about it; • What?! More pizza talk? You bet – Chef Daniele Catalani cut his teeth with James Beard Award-winning chef Roberto Donna. Since then Daniele has gone on to his own fame and fortune and now has his own place, Cucina Al Volo, where the pizzas are sublime. Daniele joins us with even more carbs on hand; • One of America’s most successful annual fundraisers is one many people around here are not aware of, because it happens on the Left Coast. Since its inception the Sonoma County Wine Auction has raised more than $29 million to support community organizations focused on literacy, education, health and human services, the environment and arts and culture. Last October this California county was affected by the wildfires. Over 5000 homes were lost and over 100 businesses also, so this year’s event is especially meaningful.. We have George Hamel of Sonoma’s Hamel Family Wines on the phone to give us all the event details and to tell you how you can get involved; • Restarauteur Hakan Ilhan’s Mirabelle is on everyone’s list as one of D.C.’s finest restaurants. One reason? An amazing wine list, crafted by Mirabelle’s general manager and beverage director, Jennifer Knowles. She’s in with tastes and talk of all the many delicious treats to be found there.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Joining us are Chef Troy Knapp of the Michelin-starred, Blue Duck Tavern in DC’s Park Hyatt Hotel, in to talk about the hotel’s amazing tea program and a forward-looking, employee-focused program for nurturing the team there with nutritious meals; Mike Milyavsky and Ann Gorovoy, founders of Shaker and Spoon, a monthly cocktail subscription program that delivers the craft cocktail experience to your home with beautifully curated recipes and techniques for mixing the perfect drink, every time. (Think Blue Apron for cocktails); Adam Rosenbaum, strategic director for The Meatball Shop, an awesome, meatball-centric, full-service restaurant that’s a hit all over Manhattan and Brooklyn and is opening here on DC’s 14th Street, and Danny Lleda of DC’s Slate Wine Bar, in with tastes and talk of the 200-plus wines he cellars.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On today’s show:
This show is awash in thought provoking topics info AND lotsa liquid refreshment. Guests include local entrepreneur, Kristof Grina, co founder of Up Top Acres, which bring greening to rooftops and other underutilized spaces with urban farming techniques yielding bountiful crops for city dwellers; Michael Iglesias, beverage director at chef Victor Albisu’s new Poca Madre and Taco Bamba “combo" restaurant in the Penn Quarter, is in with tastes and talk if his selection of his more than 90 premium mescals; one of the world’s foremost authorities on culinary culture, Amy Riolo, who is the national spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association's new, Quick Diabetic Recipes Cookbook, and is in discussing the value of the tasty, delish recipes in her new cookbook, and, finally, Sam Nellis, Foodie and the Beast’s Number Three son, has become an acclaimed mixologist in his position as assistant GM and the guy in charge of the cocktail programs at The Red Hen and Chef Mike Friedman's other property, All-Purpose Shaw – he’s invented a signature line-up of flavored spritzes, and we get to sample them all!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Joining us are:
The Urban Butcher, Cuban-born chef Raynald Mendizabal, whose Silver Spring restaurant was called a “carnivore’s playground” by none other than the Post’s Tom Seitsema; Kol Foods’ Devorah Kimelman-Block and Emily Landsman, who have turned kosher meats into delicacies you won’t believe; Michelle Gueydan, GM and somm at chef/owner Jen Crovato’s new, 1310 Kitchen & Bar in Georgetown and Mark and Kristin Handwerger of The Board Room and now, Ms. Peacock’s Champagne Lounge. Tune in for the fun!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
Joining us this week are Alex Levin, executive pastry chef for Michael Schlow Restaurants, in to talk about the new, Jewish Roman brunch he’s created at Casolare; Dr. Shayla Cornick, owner of CYCLED, an upscale boutique, indoor cycling studio in with tips on ideal, pre- and post workout snacks and overall nutrition for working out; CEO Shana Greenbaum and COO Luba Hansen of Healthy Fresh Meals and their fresh, never frozen, ready-to-eat meals, delivered weekly across the region; Nic Bash of Honeyflower, a catering company with a focus on health, wholesomeness and sustainability, and somm Jay Youmans, educational director and owner of the Capital Wine School, and owner of Rock Creek Wine Merchants, a sales and marketing consultancy, in with tastes and talk of SommCon, the annual wine tasting/wine education event that DC loves to sip!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
Sit back, relax and enjoy a show that treats ALL your senses. Our guests include Corporate Executive Chef, Demetrio Zavala from Alan Popovsky’s PRG restaurants (Teddy’s, Lincoln and the new DNP – Declaration Nationals Park) in to talk All-Star Game special hot dogs and more, plus a recap of his winning stint on the Food Network’s Chopped. Also in is Soulex found Pedramin Vaziri with updates on flotation, the newest form of meditation (We’ve tried it, and it rocks!). In with her is her devoted client, Meaghan Scott, who’s got great insights on the benefits of flotation after several months.
But wait … there’s more! Chef Todd Sprik of the “Lupos” – Lupo Verde, Lupo Marino and the new market at Lupo Verde – is in with news about expanded fare. And, because booze is always an essential part of the show, we have Adrienne Walker of Blue Henry handcrafted cocktail candy in with the latest twist on treats for your taste buds!
From edibles to potables, this show has it all. Our guests include celebrated chef and restaurateur Erik Bruner Yang (Toki Underground, Maketto) whose two, new restaurants, Brothers & Sisters and Spoken English, at the uber-cool, Line Hotel in Adams Morgan are the talk of DC; former DHS attorney-turned-ice-cream-maven, Jessica Lai of Ice Cream Jubilee; Co-owner Nick Fontana and Chef Rob Brown from the very cool, new food and entertainment venue, Pearl Street Warehouse, just opened at DC’s newest hot spot, The Wharf, and Jessica Banaroti, marketing director for Huneeus Wines and Sonoma’s famous, Flowers Winery.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
• On June 19 D.C. residents will vote on Initiative 77, the highly controversial proposal to eliminate the tipped minimum wage in all District restaurants. The ballot measure has the potential to transform the way restaurants operate, servers and bartenders are paid, and diners eat out. Good? Bad? The answer’s not all that easy.
So, in with us today to discuss all sides of the issue are two of D.C.’s highest profile restarateurs, Jill Tyler, co-owner of Tail Up Goat, and Genevieve Villamora, co-owner of Bad Saint, as well as a seasoned server, Thea Merl.
• Candy Schibli is the owner and founder of the Southeastern Roastery, a small batch specialty coffee roasting company in D.C. One of her main focuses is to incorporate women throughout her supply chain. We sip, sample and chat about how women are making an impact in what still is a male-dominated industry.
• This month, at the Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.’s Quadrant Bar & Lounge launched a revolutionary, sound-aged spirits program using sonic wave technology to mimic the taste and qualities of traditionally aged spirits. Quadrant’s lead mixologist, Chris Mendenhall, is in to tell us about it and to pour some tasty spirits.
• What makes the wines of Margaret River, Western Australia, so different from the rest of Australian wines? Australian Bruce Dukes is a consultant and winemaker. He’s in with tastes and talk of exceptional, but not yet widely appreciated, Margaret River wines.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
- David Hoffman, general manager of Sagamore Pendy Hotel in Baltimore
- Jenn Segul, author of Once Upon a Chef
- John and Sukey Jamison, owners Jamison Farm
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
• Legendary food journalist and author Mark Bittman tells us how to grill everything; • James Beard Award-winning, Michelin Star-holding chef Patrick O’Connell of the Inn at Little Washington is in to chat with us about the 40th anniversary celebration of that establishment of renown; • Church Hall is a new addition to D.C.’s great lineup of watering holes. The guy behind it is Geoff Dawson;
• and the 37TH annual Virignia Wine Festival is coming up June 2-3, and two of the participants are here, pouring their best: Neal Glaser of Horton Vineyards and Victor Guimarais of Morais Vineyards.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
THE 10th Annual Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge happens May 17 at the Reagan Building in Washington. The Challenge encourages culinary diplomacy through the celebration of food, drinks, dance, music and fashion. Today on Foodie and the Beast, we’re celebrating the “drinks!”
We’re joined by some experts on the topic:
• Erik Moses, senior vice president and managing director of sports, entertainment and special events for Events DC;
• Matthew Keller, representing the embassy of Liechtenstein;
• Carl Hartill, counselor, embassy of Canada, sampling a number of Canadian craft beers;
• Cristina Tufts, Harbor Wines (representing the embassy of Moldova).
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
Cinco de Mayo is coming, and we’re getting in the spirit.
• • Mexico in a Bottle mezcal tasting event organizer Susan Coss , accompanied by ? Joahna Hernandez of Manos de Maiz, bringing back the real flavors of corn to D.C., ? Erick Rodriguez, from Alma Mezcalera, known to some, we understand, as the “Indiana Jones” of mezcal, and Christian Irabien, until recently the executive chef and culinary program director for the La Cocina VA Project and now preparing to open Amparo Fondita, a modern Mexican restaurant in Mount Pleasant. • and … speaking of Mexican cuisine -- you know him from his awesome serbian cuisine restaurant, Ambar – Ivan Iricanin is heading south of the U.S. border to open not one, but two restaurants in one with a definite Mexican flavor, Tacos, Tortas and Tequila and Buena Vida. He has brought his chef de cuisine, Graham Bartlett; • Erica Meier is the executive director of Compassion Over Killing (COK), a national non-profit animal protection organization exposing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting veg-friendly eating as a way to build a kinder world. • Finally, we introduce you to Supra, a new Georgian cuisine restaurant (that’s Georgian as in Tbilisi, not the ATL!). Jonathan Nelms and Jacob Weinstein are in with tastes and talk of Supra and some great Georgian wines.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
We’re consumed by – and consuming! – wine!
After opening in five other cities, City Winery finally has come to DC. It’s 40,000 square-foot location in Petworth includes a huge, wine production facility, a restaurant, party space and 300-seat, live performance venue, all on four floors. Pretty cool! Hear about it from City Winery’s winemaker, Pascal Valadier, beverage director, Vanessa Phillips and John O’Neill, talent buyer, while we sip great wines and get the 411 on acts coming to the venue, including Suzanne Vega, Joan Armatrading, Billy Squire, and many more. Chef Frida Johansson has served as the Executive Chef of Sweden’s Ambassador to the United States of America since May 2010. During that time, Frida has had the opportunity to cook for SUCH notables such as King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia, and Prince Daniel as well as Vice President Joseph Biden, government ministers, Members of Congress, Nobel Laureates, the Washington Capitals, and more – Chef Frida joins us in studio with tastes and talk of life as an embassy chef.
And, speaking of Petworth … Ruta del Vino is a Latin American wine bar with an awesome wine cellar filled with great tastes from across South and Central America (only). Justin Logan is in with the pours, and has with him chef Will Harner, whose ceviches and other small dishes are stirring up impressive reviews.
And, as always, Central Farm Markets' Mitch Berliner offers the 411 on what’s fresh and wonderful at their three farmers’ markets around town.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today:
• Charity off the Hook raises important funding for lots of great local charities. It is sponsored by Profish Charities. We have John Rorapaugh, Profish director of sustainability and cofounder of Charity off the Hook, and Becky Lee, family law attorney and founder of Becky’s Fund to foster awareness of domestic violence; • Dining with the Chefs is a biannual fundraiser that supports the Campus Kitchen, a project of the DC Central Kitchen. Wildwood Kitchen chef Brandon Shapiro and Camous Kitchen head Rivka Alvial are in to tell us about it; • Inquiring minds want to know : who are the Halal Guys and what’s their culinary mission? Andrew Eck is here to share the story of how one food cart in New York City has become a national franchise chain;
• Greg Nivens, the impresario’s impresario who heads the Trigger Agency in Annapolis, is the guy behind all those amazing beer, wine and food events you find in summer months around this area. He talks about the upcoming National Wine and Food Festival at the National Harbor.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Today the show goes all local, all the time. Dawson’s Market in Rockville (MD) Town Square is a market that features products from local vendors that have to meet strict standards for all-natural ingredients and production. The second Tuesday of every month, Dawson’s hosts and highlights several of its select vendors whose products represent the excellence of its offering. Today. Bart Yablonsky of Dawson’s is in with a number of his top providers, including: • Greg Glenn of Rockland Farms (Poolesville, MD) – Rocklands is a full working farm and vineyard. CEO Greg Glenn is in with tastes and talk of Rocklands’ Anna's Rosè , a Merlot, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cab Sauv blend, and Farmhouse, a 100% Chamborcin, whole cluster, steel aged, light, dry red wine. Bio: • Tsiona Bellete, an Ethiopian chef whose packaged foods use exotic ingredients from Ethiopia in dips, chips, dried soups and stews and more. • Jenn Rogers, CEO of newly launched Brawling Bear Brewing, with tastes of her Bare Knuckle IPA ( juicy East Coast Style India Pale Ale with sweet citrus hop flavors) And Low Blow Blonde Ale. • Andy Brown’s Eat Pizza is taking the world by storm – A frozen pizza that cooks up perfectly (crisp bottom, doughy crust!) in the oven, Eat Pizza is at Dawson’s, of course, but also at 54 Whole Foods and more.YaÜ Vietnamese yogurt is simply delish. Founders Fred Chen and Phuong Nguyen have perfected the offering in a range of good-for-you flavors. • Ever Bar founder Alex Hempfield has created a hemp seed protein bar now found nationwide and enjoyed by millions.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
The name of the signature restaurant in D.C.’s new Museum of the Bible is Manna. The folks behind it and behind Milk and Honey, the museum’s café, are well known to Washington’s fans of dining out: Rammy award-winning chef Todd Gray and his business partner and wife! Ellen Kassoff Gray, whose restaurant, Equinox, has been a celebrated cornerstone of downtown dining for years. Also in: Walter Silva, Manna’s chef de cuisine; Brandi Edinger, Manna’s pastry chef; and Susan Masten, the museum’s curator of antiquities.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. This week: • Marisol Plata, Brand Director with ThinkFoodGroup, oversees the José Andrés Foods brand, working with gourmet food producers in Spain and getting José Andrés Foods items on US shelves. Like, what kinds of foods? Well, like amazing, Spanish virgin olive oils . We’ll be taking – and tasting olive oils with Marisol coming up.
• Ryan Aston is a professional bartender here in DC. He’s also a founding Board Member of the Restaurant Workers of America. Two summers ago he was heavily involved with convincing DC City Council to keep the tip credit in DC. And recently authored a Washington Post op ed piece on the subject – Ryan’s in with us today, and we’re going to dig into the issue with him.
• Momofuku City Center DC continues to evolve its menu and presentation - and has brought in a home town guy to head its kitchen – new exec chef Tai Strain is here with tastes and talk of Momofuku CCDC.
• The capital Grille’s new Capital Burger restaurant in D.C. is dedicated to creating a luxury burger experience. So, what’s a ”luxury burger experience?” We’ll find out, when GM Matt Jaffe joins us, later in the show.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. It may still be iffy outside, but cherry blossom time is just around the corner and we are filled with spring spirit here on the show. On today’s show:
• Thierry Delourneaux, executive pastry chef at The St. Regis, Washington, D.C., is in to chat about some of the exciting cherry blossom-focused promotions at the recently opened Alhambra restaurant near the White House;
• Theater for foodies? Yes, indeed! Actor and D.C. native Tony Nam, whom many will remember from his performances at the Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Folger Theatre and Round House Theatre, is making his debut at Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre playing the lead role of Ray, a classically trained chef, in “Aubergine,” the mouthwatering new food-centred play that is described as “sweet, savory, and uncommonly nourishing” by the San Francisco Chronicle.
• Wine lovers have something to celebrate at the end of March, the annual Spring Wine Fling showcasing amazing wine programs at area restaurants. Johanna Kearns (Pavilion Café): Oliver Meade (Iron Gate): Ezra Rosenberg (Jug and Table) all are participating and in with tastes and talk of spring, wine and flinging!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today's show: * Spike Mendelsohn - you know the name - celebrity chef - top chef home run hitter - successful cookbook author - stints on everything from "Iron Chef America," "Beat Bobby Flay" and his own shows, including the Food Network's "Kitchen Sink" - now married guy, dad and, oh yeah, head of a successful restaurant group that includes the Good Stuff Eatery - well, he's here, and we're gonna hear from him on lots of subjects, including his new restaurant, Santa Rosa, an authentic Mexican taqueria; * Gwyn Whittaker, founder and CEO of the Greenfare Organic Café in Herndon, in to talk Greenfare and its many programs for healthy lifestyles; * Alex Cohen of Twenty Tables, a mobile restaurant concierge platform designed to provide consumers affordable meals while also feeding D.C.'s hungry and food-insecure; * Cameron Syme and John Rochfort, two of Australia's preeminent craft whisky distillers. We'll taste and talk Australian whiskies and how they just might take over the world!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show:
• We welcome Haidar Karoum (formerly of Proof, Estadio, Doi Moi), here to talk about Chloe, his first solo restaurant, at the Navy Yard, along the Southwest waterfront; • Whisky Live is back. It’s the annual event with unlimited tasting OF 150+ whiskies and more. We’ll be talking to the event’s mastermind, Dave Sweet;
And, speaking of whiskey, we’ll also speak with David Ozgo of the Distilled Spirits Council the U.S. about a powerful new program rolling out in partnership with Whisky Live to encourage responsible drinking;
• Spark at Engine Company 12 is a new, Caribbean-inspired smokehose in Bloomingdale. Executive chef Peter Prime is in to introduce us to this new venture;
• And it wouldn’t be a proper Foodie and the Beast show without … alcohol! Morris American Bar is the snazzy first concept exclusively from master cocktail craftsman David Strauss. He’s in to mix up some of his signature cocktails.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show on Federal News Radio: • • • Blue Star Families is an organization whose mission is to bridge the gap between civilian and military communities. The Neighbors Celebration honors civilians that go above and beyond the call of duty to provide assistance for the betterment of our servicemen and women. The event welcomes a select group of D.C. and military chefs that join forces in the kitchen. Jennifer Medeiros and Sal Khan are in to tell us all about it;
• Did you know that D.C.’s arts space in the old trolley tunnels beneath Dupont Circle is currently being used for TBD Immersive’s new theatrical production “Cabaret Rising: One Nation Underground?” The show allows audience members to interact with characters, move freely exploring the space, solve puzzles and quests, and even affect the plot. Strother Gaines (director/artistic director) and Jenny Splitter (playwright) all are in to tell us about it; • Bacardi Legacy is a global cocktail competition launched as an hommage to signature, Bacardi rums. French Scott Marshall is a head bartender at Five To One, recently named by Zagat as one of the “hottest” new bars in D.C., and he’s competing! We’ll hear all about going head-to-head with mixologists the world over to win the coveted Bacardi Legacy competition;
• You all know about The Wharf. It’s hot. And one of the hottest places there is Whiskey Charlie, the rooftop cocktail lounge perched atop the Canopy Washington DC at The Wharf. Bartender Donnavon Lalputan is in to treat us to some of his signature concoctions.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. This is THE show for foodie Italophiles!
Bill and Suzy Menard, foodie Italophiles themselves and proprietors of the fabulous, Via Umbria in Georgetown, are in studio with their exceptional in-house team and their also-exceptional partners from Umbria, Italy. Join us for lots of great conversation with Bill and Suzy; their exec chef, Liam LaCivita; Via Umbria’s butcher, Scott Weiss; awesome, Umbrian chef and restaurateur, Simone Proietti-Pesci (in whose restaurant in Bevagna, Italy our family had New Year’s Eve dinner last year!) and Albertino Pardi of the storied, Pardi Brothers vineyards in Montefalco for a deliciously robust conversation about all things Umbrian to eat and drink!
Buon appetito!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today's show we visit the Italian region of Umbria, which lies just south of Tuscany. Our guides are the owners of the D.C. restaurant and store Via Umbria, located in Georgetown, Bill and Suzy Menard. Also on today's show: * Simone Proietti-Pesci, chef/owner at Le Delizie del Borgo restaurant in Bevagna, Umbria; * Albertino Pardi, whose family owns and operates Cantina Fratelli Pardi, a winery in Montefalco, Umbria; * Liam LaCivita, the executive chef at Via Umbria; * Scott Weiss, the head butcher and manager at Via Umbria.
New Orleans’ favorite son, chef David Guas, joins David Nellis in hosting today’s show. Also in studio are: two mad scientists - Alex Laufer and Stephen Corrigan – from One Eight Distilling, here to talk their special techniques that take their products from grain to glass; from the Market at River Falls – Jim McWhorter and Julia Feder; former Cafe Leopold executive chef Joel Hatton, who is the new guy running the kitchen at Café ST. Ex; and 1986 Whiskey Bar founder and GM Dan Patrizio, in with tastes and talk of potent, whiskey-driven cocktails.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today's show is all about health, wellness and what you can do to attain and retain both! The Warrior Wellness Challenge is an offering of a consortium of DC area health and wellness businesses. The overall concept is to help you overcome new Year's resolution fatigue, by getting and staying in a course to feeling, looking and being better! The Challenge was initiated by Ariane Valle and Turner Hoff, co-founders of Vegetable + Butcher, a subscription meal service delivering healthy, locally-sourced wholesome meals prepared by a fine dining chef and approved by a registered dietitian, Partnering with them on the Challenge "package" are Sarah Waybright, a registered dietician and owner/founder of WhyFoodWorks; Chris Perrin, former collegiate football star and owner/founder of Cut7 Gym and Kaitlin Dinneh Wozniak a personal trainer and nutrition coach, who is a brand ambassador for Gouter, a DC alkaline-water based beverage company. Challenge participants have the choice of three tiers, Warrior I, Warrior II, and Warrior III. Upon subscribing, they will receive a four-week healthy meal subscription, a personalized daily vitamin pack from care/of, a wellness kit from Virginia's Woolf Lavender Farm, a Wellness Warrior Playbook with a mindfulness journal, fitness programming by Cut7, and access to a private Challenge Facebook group, where subscribers can share accountability, support and wellness advice.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. The world's rarest breed of cattle dating back to the 1700s is the Randall Lineback, recognized as special and different at the first taste. About 75% of all Randall Lineback cattle are raised in one spot - Chapel Hill Farm. Chapel Hill's owner, Joe Henderson, is with his daughter Lulu and info about the sold out, January 25th dinners they are doing in collaboration with Jeff Black and chefs from Black Restaurant Group. Food and wine event impresario Greg Nivens of the Trigger Agency is in with Moet Hennessey champagne specialist Jeffrey Barrientos with info about his upcoming, special brunch event to be followed the same day by a mind-blowing, rosè event. Listen in! Joe Neuman's Sloppy Mama's meat is all smoked barbecue made without any gas ovens, and it's got quite a rep around town for amazing flavors and great taste! Joe's in with tastes and talk of Sloppy Mama's. Know those great, Italian restaurants downtown, Aperto and Al Tiramisu? The effervescent celebrity chef behind them is award-winning chef/restaurateur Luigi Diotaiuti. Chef is a world-renowned authority on Italian cooking and living, known for promoting culinary traditions on the verge of extinction in the United States, Italy, and around the globe. He's with news of several cultural efforts he leads in Italy to reserve centuries-old Italian cooking traditions. Danny Abi-Najm, a member of the family that owns and operates the many Lebanese Taverna restaurants, is in talking Lebanese winemaking and the Lebanese wines that headline at Lebanese Taverna. Today's guests include: * Joe Henderson and his daughter, Lucia, of Chapel Hill Farm, here to tell us about their prized Randall Lineback beef; * world famous food event impresario Greg Nivens; * Joe Neuman of Sloppy Mama's, where the meat is all smoked barbecue made without any gas ovens; * the effervescent celebrity chef Luigi Diotaiuti, a world renowned authority on Italian cooking and living.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Today's guests/topics include: * Mitch Berliner of Central Farm Markets and Meat Crafters; * Toki Underground is D.C.'s original ramen house, and one of the Washington's most popular. Olivier "Liv" Caillabet serves as general manager, and he's in to share the District's most awesome ramen; * Honeygrow is a Philly-born fast-casual concept featuring premium, wholesome made-to-order stir-fry, salads, and honeybar, all made from scratch and fully customizable. And, it's coming to Rockville! Culinary director chef David Katz is in with all the deets; * U Street's Service Bar is a fried chcken and artisanal cocktail bar. Glendon Hartley and Kevin Rogers are in to tell us all about it.
This week's guests include:
-
Dena Leibman, executive director of Future Harvest, Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. Future Harvest works to build a sustainable Chesapeake Foodshed from farm and fishery to table by training new and experienced farmers in the best ways to manage their land and their crops. She's in with info about the upcoming, 19th Annual Cultivate the Chesapeake Foodshed conference, Jan. 11, in College Park, Md.
-
Meaghan and Shane Carpenter, who are participants in the Cultivate the Chesapeake Foodshed conference, own Hex Ferments in Baltimore and have been creating fermented foods for almost 20 years. Their ferments have been featured on the PBS series Moveable Feast, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Bon Appetit and by many other media. We'll hear about fermenting, its value for our health, diets and ... more!
-
DC'S RARE Steak and Seafood is a recent entry into downtown's fine dining, surf and turf wars. Exec chef Marc Hennessy is to tell us all about it.
-
Pedromin Vaziri joins us with cool info about her total stress relief salon, Soulex Float Spa - her sensory deprivation chambers are all the rage for meditative stress relief and relaxation.
-
Santa Teresa rums are famous and delicious. Reliable Tavern's bartender, Kapri Robinson (who also happens to be DC's reigning, bartending queen) is in with tastes and talk of Santa Teresa.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's guests include: * Marcella Kriebel is a DC-based artist and cookbook author, known for her mouth-watering "Illustrated Feast"series of watercolors. She has a new cookbook, "Comida Cubana: A Cuban Culinary Journey," inspired by her travels throughout Cuba in 2016;
-
Jamie Leeds of Hank's is in with Thomas Palmer to talk about the Feast of the Seven Fishes at Hank's Pasta Bar in Alexandria, Virgnia;
-
chef Jeff Tunks, Gus DiMillo, David Wizenberg and their Passion Food Hospitality team have proudly brought back the highly successful TenPenh concept, after its successful eleven-year run in downtown D.C., to Tysons Corner, delivering a culinary journey through the flavors of Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines;
- Tatiana Podolyako and Viktoriya Riley, the founders of Fluffness, a provider of high-quality, boutique cotton candy - that's organic, all natural cotton candy, with no artificial coloring or flavoring.. . and it comes in 15 flavors!
- Mixologist Paul Benkert of Baltimore's new Bluebird Cockktail Room.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Our December 3, 2017 show features Foodie and the Beast's annual holiday gift-giving line-up. Meet:
- Chef Nate Anda, of Neighborhood Restaurant Group's Red Apron Butchery. He's in talking about Red Apron's new online gift service from which you can order charcuterie, snacks, Nate's spicy, smoked pimento cheese , tigelles, pork roasts and so much more.
- Shop Made in Dc is a new store and a new concept just off of Dupont Circle that only features merchandise made within the confines of the District of Columbia, from jewelry and apothecary to clothing and more, all for holiday gifting.
- Gourmet vinegar? As a holiday gift? Uh-huh? Chef Daniel Liberson, owner and self-proclaimed Vinegar Geek at Lindera Farms, brews vinegar for some of America's top restaurants, including the Michelin-starred ONES here in DC, from ingredients he forages just across the river from DC. - listen in to our taste-test to learn why it's cool to give the gift of vinegar to the home entertainers and cooks in your life.
- Entrepreneur Juanita Britton is founder and CEO of BZB International, Inc. and produces the BZB Holiday Gift and Art Show in Shaw. This is the show's 27th year at the Shiloh Baptist Church on 9th Street in Shaw and features more than 60 local, U.S. and international artisans' and small businesses' awesome products. Juanita's in with a sampling of the great gift ideas to be found there.
- And, dear, friends, what are the holidays without great Champagnes and wines. Celebrate with us as Chris Houck, Moët Hennessy Portfolio Specialist, leads us through amazing tastings of Krug and more. Listen, learn and start planning your own, bubbly holiday celebrations!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week, Foodie and the Beast are joined by:
Debbie Shore, cofounder of the remarkable nonprofit, Share our Strength, which has raised more than a half-billion (yes BILLION!) dollars to combat childhood hunger in the USA. Hear all about their No Kid Hungry program and the newest program, Friendsgiving, that lets you and your friends, family and colleagues join in to feed hungry kids!
Nick Phelps and Jason Lundberg, founders of "From the Farmer", a fresh produce, home delivery service that brings good food and great cooking tips with to your doorstep.
Star mixologist and president of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild, Andrea Tateosian, is in to tell us about the upcoming, Prohibition Repeal Day Ball, coming up December 9th.
The Six O'clock Scramble's new CEO, Jessica Braider, is in with tips for getting dinner - and breakfast - on the table during the work week quickly, easily and without blowing your mind!
Boundary Stone is a great restaurant, craft cocktail bar and beer spot in Bloomingdale. Colleen Gillespie and Reed Doherty are in with great cocktails to concoct with fresh ingredients they grow right up there on their roof! Nice!
This week on Foodie and the Beast, hear from Chef/Owner Jeff Black of Black Restaurant Group. He's resurrected a new and improved Addies, now open in Potomac Park and ... has a new concept - Black Coffee - coming soon to the Palisades neighborhood in DC.
Seattle superstar chef and James Beard Best Chef finalist Rachel Yang has a cool, new cookbook: My Rice Bowl: Korean Cooking Outside the Lines filled with fusion fun for the home chef. She's on the phone with coauthor Jess Thomson.
Now through November 19th, is DC Cocktail Week, sponsored by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). More than 40 restaurants and bars are participating - in with al the deets are Baba Cocktail Bar's Danilo Simic and RAMW's I-Shee Patterson.
Fruitive at City Center is DC's ONLY certified, organic restaurant (now that Nora Poullion has closed up shop). Fruitive's Greg Roseboom is in with tastes and talk, plus news of a new location coming at Dupont.
Beer here! City Tap's Curtis Gray is in pouring beermosas and other innovations from City Taps expansive craft beer lineup. Cheers!!!
Guests this week include:
- Executive chef, Ryan Ratino, this year's RAMMY winner of the Rising Culinary Star award, who now conjures delicious, new taste delights at Bresca, based on what's fresh, seasonal and delicious.
- Bill and Suzy Menard, proprietors of fabulous Via Umbria in Georgetown, a combo market, butcher shop, restaurant, wine store and event space - all themed to one of Italy's most fabulous regions - are in with upcoming events news and a selection of the offering from their new cheese department
- Yoga teacher Erin Son explains how she combines exercise, spiritualism and suds to create the new phenom: Eat, Yoga, Drink. Yoga and beer, anyone? Sounds like fun!
- Fishscale is Chef Brandon Williams' new, DC sandwich shop serving awesome sandwiches from sustainable-only fish. We tried them, and they rock.
- Speaking of rocking, if you haven't been to the recently opened, DC Winery - the City's first-ever, wine production facility - you are missing superlative wines, a spectacular, new space in The Yards on the Anacostia waterfront. And if that weren't enough, there's a great restaurant there, too, called Ana. Founders Brian Leventhal and Jonathan Stires—also founders of the famous Brooklyn Winery - are in with tastes and talk of S=District Winery.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Today's guests include:
- Tony Cibell, founder and proprietor of the world famous Tony and Joe's on the Georgetown Harbour waterfront ;
- Profish owner Greg Casten and John Rorapaugh, Profish's director of sustainability ;
- Dr. Ron Goodman, Greg's partner and owner of Ivy City, a commercial smokehouse and restuarant right behind the old Hecht's warehouse in D.C.
Hosted by savvy foodie Nycci Nellis and her husband, inveterate Beatles fan David Nellis.
It's the show's 9th anniversary and our marriage's 21st! Celebrating in-studio with us are: - Danny Lee, Andrew Kim and Scott Drewno of the Fried Rice Collective and Barracks Row's Chi-Ko Chinese and Korean eatery ; - The Salt Line's Kyle Bailey and his wife, celebrated local pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac; - Fight for Children's Keith Gordon; - Food journalist David Hagedorn; - Veuve Cliquot's Chris Houk.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Today's topics include:
· James McWhorter is back on Foodie And The Beast to fill us in on what is happening with the annual FreshFarm Feast gala on October 17th at Dock 5 at Union Market and he has brought in with him famed chef, Nora Pouillon;
· Michael Rafidi is the executive chef of Arroz, a Mike Isabella Concepts restaurant located at Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. and soon he and Isabella will open Requin at District Wharf where, as executive chef, he will offer a contemporary interpretation of classic French cuisine;
· Chef Ferhat Yalcin draws his inspiration from the simple preparations and fresh seafood dishes of the Bosphorus (he is from Turkey) and just returned from there. At Drift on 7 chef cooks up a variety of dishes sustainable and responsably fished;
· Taste of Bethesda returns Saturday, October 7, 2017 and will bring nearly 50 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to downtown Bethesda. Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications for the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Florent de Felcourt, founder and CEO of Fresh Baguette, are in the studio;
· MurLarkey creates spirits with what co-founders Tom Murray and Mike Larkin call farm-to-flask values.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's topics include:
The EdibleDc Awards;
The "Foodies" photographic exhibit at Glen Echo;
Oktoberfest at Dawson's Market in Rockville;
And some creative mezcal cocktails.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's guests include:
Paul Entis from The Jewish Food Experience;
Babka French Toast , courtesy of Ilyse Fishman of the very popular On Rye; Marcia Friedman, who has blended her adopted Jewish culture with her previously underappreciated Sicilian heritage and written all about it in her cookbook, Meatballs and Matzah Balls; Alex Levin, executive pastry chef at the Schlow Restaurant Group; And kosher wine advocate Diane Gross of Cork.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's guest include:
-
Alvaro Roche, co-founder of Bethesda's Bold Bite, on new ventures Taco Arepa and Bold Bite Market;
-
Fou-Dré Vodka owner Chanel Turner;
-
Dr. LaKeischa McMillan of NAVA HEALTH;
-
Melissa Kopolow McCall, co-chair of the walk to raise awareness of hydrocephalus;
-
Chef Ashish Alfred, owner of Bethesda's, Duck Duck Goose on his soon-to-open venture George's Chophous;
- And beer festival Snallygaster organizer Greg Engert.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's guests include:
- Shizu Okusa of juice purveyor Jrink, which now offers good-for-you waters as well;
- Ed McIntosh of Tortilladora;
- Veganism advocate Erica Meier on the upcoming VegFest near Nationals Park;
- Cable Smith of LeDroit Park's Royal.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's guests include:
legendary mistress of mixology Gina Chersavani;
Georgetown's legendary Dean and DeLuca;
Choolaah Indian barbecue;
Jerry Zawacki of Service Bar DC;
and cider master Sam Fitz of Anxo.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week's guests include: * Maria Booker of the Capital Area Food Bank ;
-
Rum Day co-founders Clyde Davis and John Peterson ;
-
Sasha Felikson, , a 2017 RAMMY finalist for "rising culinary star of the year<" in to "Thai one on" with tastes of Doi Moi;
-
Diner en Blanc co-hosts - Bryer and Kaitlin Davis;
- award-winning mixologist and sommelier Chantal Tseng.
This week, we are afloat in world-class potables and awash in equally as inspiring edibles. Guests include top sommelier Brent Kroll, newly minted partner in the newly opened Maxwell Park, a 33-seat gem of a wine bar in the sexy Shaw District. In with Brent are his partners (more somms!) Niki Land and Daniel Runnerstrom.
We all scream for ice cream in the summer, but this guy's ice cream makes for screams heard 'round the world! RAMMY award-winning, "Pastry Chef of the Year" pastry chef Fabrice Bendano, he of Steven Starr's Le Diplomate in DC, has launched a summer ice cream cart for guests on the restaurant's sidewalk featuring homemade glaces that are blowing up taste buds (in a good way!). Paris-born Fabrice joins us for tastes and talk of his amazing, sweet treats.
DC's storied Watergate Hotel - home of the Watergate break-in that toppled Richard Nixon's presidency - turns 50 this year, and topping the celebration is a one-of-a-kind commemorative dinner at Kingbird, the hotel's signature restaurant. An homage to the late Jean-Louis Palladin, the legendary, James Beard Award-winning chef whose innovations and feats of culinary magic at the hotel started in DC's dining revolution and launched the careers of many of today's current, top chefs. Joining us on the show is the hotel's executive chef, Michael Santoro, and GM, Jeff David, to discuss the anniversary, event and provide deets on the other, famous chefs joining Chef Michael to prepare the $250/plate, five-course dinner: Michael Laiskonis, Paul Liebrandt, Brian McBride and Robert Wiedmaier.
District Distilling's Chef Justin Bittner is justifiably known for the crazy-good fried chicken biscuits he created (along with versions thereof). Now all are enshrined in the chef's Backroom Biscuit Happy Hour.
Listen in as we discuss and devour tonnage biscuits.
And, our new friend, Nick Farrell, bartender at NRG's Iron Gate restaurant, is known for creating some of the craftiest cocktails in DC - He's in with secret recipes and ingredients (not so secret anymore) and lotsa sips for us to try.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Saturdays can be a drag, especially when you're coming down from a tough week - but the third Saturday of every month is now a real drag (in a good way) at Jamie Leeds' Hank's Pasta Place in Alexandria, when female impersonator Summer Knight and her team entertain during the restaurant's Sparkle Saturdays Drag Brunch! Chef Jamie and Summer are in studio to tell us all about it.
Adams Morgan's celebrated Jack Rose Dining Saloon, which boasts a consensus All-American whiskey menu, also is known for its beer line-up. Beer director Nahem Simon leads a program that is RAMMY-nominated as "Beer Program of the Year" and is in with tastes and talk of Jack Rose's truly innovative beer offering and beer service mechanics - ya gotta listen to learn!
Also RAMMY-nominated as "Casual Restaurant of the Year" is Silver Spring's Daily Dish. Chef and co-owner Zena Polin is in a great menu sampling, including a tomato pie that highlights the restaurant's dedication to local, fresh and seasonal.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. Mortal combat? Yes, between those age-old opponents, beer and wine. In one corner, Virginia's oft-awarded Tarara Winery an its equally as decorated winemaker, Jordan Harris. In the other, Virginia's heralded, family owned Old Ox Brewery and its leader, be whiskered Graham Burns. Both go head-to-head to win David's and Nycci's votes in a beer-to-wine match to the last drop. Wondering about your overall health? Wondering if a hyperbaric chamber is really good for you (or wondering what the hell it is in the first place?). Then listen in to health and wellness experts from the Nava Health and Vitality Center. And, for great new eats, listen to what Kerry Chao of Papa Poke (That's "poke-ay" - traditional Hawaiian fresh fish, veggies and rice bowls) and Chef Chris Roberson of Etete Ethiopian restaurant have to say (and hear our oohs and aahs as we do your tasting for you!).
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Chef Logan McGear of southern Italian restaurant hit, Rosario, in Adams Morgan, creates southern Italian dishes and homemade pastas; Dena Leibman, executive director of Future Harvest CASA, and farmer Shane Hughes of Liberty Delight Farms. An all natural meat farm near Baltimore, to talk about the Second Annual Chesapeake Foodshed Feast, a benefit dinner for Future Harvest, a nonprofit providing programs to keep farmers on their land using practices that are profitable, protect the Chesapeake Bay, and provide healthy food for communities and folks from the annual Vine on the Waterfront Food & Wine Festival, including award-winning winemaker Doug Fabbioli of Fabbioli Cellars.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Myron Mixon, host of Discovery Channel's "BBQ Pitmasters" and winner of more than 200 grilling competitions, has opened Myron Mixon's Pitmaster in Arlington, Virginia, along with veteran BBQ judge Joe Corey. Listen in as we grill Joe about the finer points of BBQ, while also talking with Sally Cowal and Robert Muse, founders of Virginia's Muse Vineyard which, after only six years in business, walked away from more than 400 competitors to win the 2015 Virginia Governor's Cup for the state's top wine. Other guests: Jonathan Langel, Bobby Van's Steakhouse; Chris Houk, Moet Hennessey; Jenn Hall, Champagne Bureau USA and Dave Delaplaine, from RAMMY-nominated, Roofer's Union (for Bets Beer Program).
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Red Hen, a great, Italian osteria, consistently is rated as one of D.C.'s top restaurants, and, according to the Washington Post's tougher-than-tough, restaurant critic, "It's all good" at Red Hen's sister restaurant, All-Purpose, which is also D.C.'s top new restaurant. The restaurants' partner and executive chef, Mikey Friedman, arrives with tastes and talk of establishing and maintaining good taste in a highly competitive restaurant arena. You'll also hear from Daisuke Utagawa, co-owner of K?b?, the new restaurant in a restaurant located inside award-winning Sushiko; from Jonathan Langel of Bobby Van's Steakhouse and from Vinoteca's wine director and assistant Manager, Kate Chrisman, talking "Rosé All May."
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
The RAMMYs are coming up and Ashok Bajaj, legendary D.C. restaurateur (Rasika, Oval Room, Bombay Club, Ardeo and more), is this year's recipient of the Duke Zeibert Award as the area's top restaurateur. He's in to talk life, success and more, along with butcher Matt Levere, one of the stars of D.C.'s annual LambJam, Walker Brown, founder of Lubanzi Wines of South Africa and Republic Restaurant's beer director, Brett Robison, talking a whole new breed of craft brewskis.
A special, two hour presentation celebrating eight years on the air. Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
The show celebrates its eighth anniversary with a special, star-studded, two-hour edition, hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
This week, we take you aboard Celebrity Cruises for a preview of the DC Celebrity Chefs Caribbean Cruise , coming up January 28 - February 4, 2017.
Nycci has curated am amazing, first-of-its-kind, Foodie and the Beast cruise with Top Chef alums Mike Isabella and Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Today Show regular and host of the Travel Channel's American Grilled, Chef David Guas and one of America's most celebrated mixologists, DC's own Derek Brown. We'll leave from Miami for a luxurious, 5-star, sun- and fun-filled week of special dining, cooking classes, private beach parties and much more, with stops in Cozumel, the Caymans, Jamaica and Hispaniola, before returning to Miami. For trip details, visit www.dcchefscruise.com.
Guests on today's show are the senior executives from Celebrity who worked together to make our custom cruise so special. They include:
Philip Jacobs - East Coast Market Sales Representative
Lorenzo Davidoiu - Director of Food & Beverage Operations
Andrea "Andey" Rebecca Ziff - Beverage Development & Guest Services Manager
Becky Thompson Foley - Entertainment Director
* Joan Sanchez - Global Tour Operations Senior Sales Manager
Enjoy the show and then check out the cruise - it's gonna be a delicious week!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
Guests this week include:
- Mike Koch, the Fresh Farm Markets Executive Director
- Chef/restaurateur Michael Schlow: you've seen him on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Bravo's Top Chef Masters, the Food Network, etc., and probably know his many restaurants. He's in with tastes of and talk about his two newest in DC Casolare and Conosci.
- Daisy Freund is director of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' (ASPCA) Farm Animal Welfare Campaign. Daisy's on to discuss how consumers can better understand labels on animal products and the impact some labels have on farm animal welfare.
- Jessica Raven is executive director of Collective Action for Safe Spaces and a partner with Defend Yourself on the Safe Bars program. Safe Bars teaches bar the skills to recognize subtle signs that someone may feel uncomfortable or unsafe, like reading body language, and then we practice strategies for safely and effectively intervening to prevent aggressive behavior from escalating to something more severe.
- Allison Slute represents Tejo Wines. Located in the very heart of Portugal along the banks of the famed Tejo River and just a short drive from Lisbon, the Tejo region is experiencing a wine renaissance from vine to bottle, and Foodie and the Beast is going to get a good taste of it !
Interviews with local business leaders about what makes them tick, how they were able to build their enterprises, their personal secrets of success, management style, industry trends, challenges and opportunities ahead.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On this week's show:
- Erik Bruner-Yang is the award-winning chef/owner of DC's Toki Underground, Maketto and his unique, restaurant and market, Honeycomb. A 2015 James Beard Foundation Award Rising Chef of the Year finalist, Erik is in with tastes and talk of Maketto and his many other projects.
- Always scrambling to get dinner on the table after a jam-packed day? Then meet Today Show and Washington Post contributor Aviva Goldfarb, inventor of the Six O'clock Scramble, a website (and cookbooks) that put easy, simply prepared and wholesome meals on your table in no time at all.
- Tea is in, and nowhere more so than at the Park Hyatt's tea cellar. The hotels resident tea expert, Christian Eck is in with sips and info about tea's diverse, great tastes and many health benefits.
- Cocktails are hugely popular and so is cocktail glassware. Retailer Victoria Vergason of The Hour is in with contemporary and vintage glassware to makes any cocktail even more special.
- Speaking of cocktails, Chris McNeal, GM at Bar DuPont, loves bitters. He created as a new bitters blending program enabling patrons to add special flavors to their favorite cocktail concoctions. We'll be taste-testing a bunch of 'em!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On this week's show:
- A new, regular feature starts today! Get up-to-the-minute field reports from FreshFarm Markets' executive director Mike Koch. Hear about what's happening at the FFM farmers market near you, including weekly specials, events and more.
- Elizabeth Todd from Old Town Alexandria's Show Hive is in with info about the 11th Annual Alexandria Warehouse Sale on February 6th.
- Alex Menes, the "Sultan of Smoke", is one of America's leading BBQ chefs. His Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill has 15 locations on the West Coast and now there's one in Springfield, VA. He's in with tastes of sirloin tips and talk of Wood Ranch.
- DC's Pennsylvania 6 has a great cocktail program and an awesome menu. Culinary Director Brian Cooke is in with a cross-section of tastes, from lobster rolls to you name it!
- Silver Spring's Denizen brewing is Montgomery County's largest production brewery and only, female-owned and operated brewery. Denizen's Julie Veratti is in with Chef Shannon Troncoso from Brookland's Finest Bar & Kitchen in DC's Catholic U neighborhood - they're teaming up for some beer dinners in February and Foodie and the Beast get to sample everything first!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.
On this week's show:
-
James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joan Nathan is in for her annual visit to provide news of this year's celebrity chefs/celebrity mixologists, Sips 'n Sups events are the weekend of January 22-23 at the Newseum and in private homes across the City. The even benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha's Table, two organizations feeding thousands of hungry people in DC every day.
-
A seventh-generation farmer from Virginia, Forrest Pritchard wrote his first book, a surprise NY Times best seller called Gaining Ground as a crash course on the benefits of sustainable farming. His newest book, Growing Tomorrow, is a deeper drill into sustainable farming, reflecting conversations with and recipes from sustainable farmers.
-
Winemaker Ted Edwards from legendary, award-winning Freemark Abbey in Napa is stopping in during his easy coast swing to offer tastes and talk of some of his winery's latest and greatest vintages, including the official wine of Super Bowl 50!
-
Former engineer Anthony Arguin decided one day that locally-sourced and prepared foods and deliciously affordable wines were more of a passion than engineering. So, he opened the Wine-ing Butcher way up north in New Hampshire. There now are three, with Wine-ing Butchers the newest in Ashburn. Anthony is in talking about being a foodie entrepreneur and about his appearance at the Dulles Expo Center on January 22, where he'll appear on the cooking stage.
-
Brewmaster and mixologist Ben Matz is in from the new Wicked Bloom DC Social Club in NoMa. No surprise, he'll be mixing up samples of his signature cocktails and filling us with info about this cool, new watering hole.