David was a no-show once more, so I was Beastless for another week on Foodie & The Beast, but the studio didn't get the memo. With our 18th anniversary on air just a week out, this might have been the fullest house we've ever had, and the food backed it up: butter chicken from Chef Sanjay Mandhaiya, platters of dips from Agora (plus their gorgeous Greek olive oil), and cocktails from Devon that were massive and, frankly, a little dangerous. -Agora Brings Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese Cuisine to Three DMV Locations - Betul and Ismail Uslu, the husband-and-wife team behind Agora, now have three Agora locations across the DMV — Dupont Circle, Tysons Corner, and the newest on the ground floor of the Bethesda Hyatt Regency — serving honest-to-goodness cuisine from Türkiye, Greece, and Lebanon.-Executive Chef Sanjay Mandhaiya joined us to talk Pappe, Karavaan, and The Grace, the three restaurants under his Silk Route Hospitality banner. His menus build around freshly ground spices, seasonal produce, and fresh meats and seafood.-Greg Heitzig, General Manager and Executive Chef of The Fountain Inn in Georgetown, came in alongside the inn's bartender, Zach Atzert. We an excellent meal there a few weeks back. Together, Greg and Zach talked about how their little inn in the middle of Georgetown pulls off big tastes and even bigger hospitality.-AND, Mark Your Calendar: Taste of Bethesda Returns October 3, 2026Taste of Bethesda returns Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., bringing more than 50 restaurants — a good number of them new this year — and four stages of entertainment to downtown Bethesda. Stephanie Coppula, the queen of Bethesda entertainment, stopped by with all the details and brought a head start with her: Executive Chef Andrew Fleischauer and bartender Devon Kloth, both of Mon Ami Gabi. Now you know. Tune into Foodie & the Beast every Sunday at 11AM on 1500AM or here. 

 We had a full studio and an even fuller lineup this week, so buckle up.We welcomed Hancie Stokes, Director of Communications for SMYAL, DC's LGBTQ+ youth community center, whose mission is to support and empower LGBTQ+ youth to build a world where queer and trans young people thrive. Hancie came in loaded with info on all the good work SMYAL is doing right now, plus a first look at their upcoming fall brunch. Mark your calendars.Now, I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I think Chef and Entrepreneur Tony Jackson may be onto something big. Tony's built businesses around two things he loves, great food and dogs, and now those worlds are colliding with the launch of DMV Dog Grub, his new line of handcrafted, small-batch dog treats. So be a gooood listener, and sit! And stay! And wait to hear what Tony's got to say.Then we sat down with Monique Rose, an entrepreneur, restaurateur, and hospitality leader with more than 20 years of experience building businesses and creating memorable guest experiences. She's the founder of the La'Caj seafood concept, and she walked us through her whole journey, from where she started to what she's building now.And because the seasons are shifting, we brought in the drinks experts to talk about having the right wines on hand for fall. Micky Edwards, co-owner of Sohal Wine & Spirits, the neighborhood wine and spirits destination she opened with her husband, Alex, in 2025, joined us alongside Lakeisha Mays, founder and owner of Vista Stellata (Starry Vision), an Italian wine brand born from a lifelong love of wine that took root during trips to Napa Valley and deepened through years of education across Europe. Both of them came in loaded down with the wines you're going to want to have on hand this season.Catch the full episode, and get ready to take notes.

 What a show. This week's episode had everything: fundraising for a great cause, a RAMMY win for the region's favorite content creators, and a studio filled with both caviar and chicken nuggets at the same time. We kicked things off with our new best friends, Chef Eric Brannon of Little Birdie's, the too-much-fun, deee-lish chicken joint that's taken over Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood. Fair warning: you're going to want fried chicken after this segment, possibly with a side of caviar, because that's how they roll.Then things got fast and fun with Rick Bratman, Founder and CEO of ASA Entertainment, America's largest action sports event, television, and content production company. Rick's bringing the Super Girl Festival Series to Virginia Beach in early September, the world's largest women's sports, music, and lifestyle platform celebrating female athletes, musicians, creators, and leaders. Who’s going?DC's digital darlings joined us too: Jason Fisher and Tessa Alimahmoodi, the husband-and-wife team behind DCFoodGod, fresh off winning the 2026 RAMMY Award for Content Creator of the Year. Their rise from native Washingtonians to must-follow influencers is as fun a story as it is inspiring.And Bonnie Benwick and Ariel Levinson-Waldman of Tzedek DC joined us to talk about Eat Well Do Justice, the organization's 10th-anniversary fundraiser. This year's theme, "Spice It Up," celebrates Sephardic cuisine, with five returning champion chefs pairing up with new and returning talent, plus newcomer Anthony Jones of Marcus.On the drinks side, Ceren Ç. Hunt, hospitality executive and Chief Operations Officer at Âla Restaurants, stopped by to talk about the Levantine-inspired cocktail program that's putting this concept on the map.11am on 1500am every Sunday or Tune in for the full episode here.

Another great show in the books! -This week we started at the source — literally — with John Norman of Norman’s Farm Markets. Now more than ever, you need to know where your food comes from, and John made the case for why shopping farm markets for your produce isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s the move. From there, we baked our way to Northern Virginia. -Bridie McCalla is a three-time RAMMY nominee for Pastry Chef of the Year,  born in Virginia, seasoned in Florence, and now head baker at Northside Social, working alongside the restaurant’s longtime executive chef, Emer O’Rourke. We’re not in Florence anymore, Dorothy! Bridie brought the talk and the taste of world-class baked goods straight to the show. -Then we headed to Shaw, where The Grace just opened in the former Passenger space,  a modern American tavern and saloon with real buzz behind it. Executive chef Courtney Evans is fresh off her run on Netflix’s “Next Gen Chef” and previously ran the kitchen at Charlotte’s acclaimed Leah & Louise. You’ll hear all about the space, the menu, and her. -Over on K Street, Public Interest is blending French brasserie tradition with American comfort food inside the Tempo by Hilton Washington DC Downtown, and the man behind that kitchen, Chef Arnaldo Pujols, joins us later in the show with all the details. -And because no episode is complete without drinks, veteran bartender José Cox stopped by to talk shop. He’s Bar Manager at U Street’s Kathmandu Tapas & Cocktails, a Himalayan inspired cocktail bar blending modern technique with ingredients sourced directly from Nepal. Farm markets, French brasserie, a Netflix chef, and Himalayan cocktails — this is what DC’s food and drink scene sounds like right now. Tune in.

We've got a stacked one for you today on Foodie & The Beast.-Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj, owner and CEO of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, joins us to celebrate more than 35 years in the business, since opening his first DC restaurant, Bombay Club, back in 1989, and his latest opening, Rosselli, alongside Executive Chef Carlos Cardona, for a taste of what's cooking at DC's newest Italian spot.-CNN Hero Kerry Brodie stops by to talk Emma's Torch, her nonprofit that's trained over 700 refugees, asylees, and survivors of trafficking in the culinary arts, generating more than $34 million in increased wages along the way.-Husband-and-wife duo Mehmet Sukutli and Malti Chaudhari bring us into Tiffany's Bar & Bistro, their ode to Turkish culture and Mehmet's family roots. Dips and puff of pita for everyone.-And on drinks, Chrissy Sheffey of Doyle Bar at the Dupont Hotel debuts her new cocktail menu, a book called Swing Set. It’s more than a menu, it's an homage to the bar as a playground for ideas, inspired by the unscripted moments between arrivals and departures and those who once gathered in spaces like Doyle to quietly shape the world. See what she shakes.That’s Foodie & The Beast every Sunday at 11am on 1500am or here.

It's a packed one.-Cookbook author Domenica Marchetti stops by to talk her new book, Italian Cookies, a regional tour of Italy told through its butter-rich northern treats and chewy Sardinian amaretti.-Cork Wine Bar founders Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts join to talk Marv's Dogs, their new Tenleytown spot built on Diane's memories of her father and Khalid's Detroit roots. Dogs + Arcade.-Peruvian Bros co-founder and two-time Olympic rower Giuseppe Lanzone talks their fast-casual growth from food trucks to DMV domination-Keita Miyaki of Sashimi DC breaks down his direct-from-Japan supply chain bringing bluefin tuna from the Goto Islands to DC in about 48 hours.-On drinks, Damani Goode of Waldorf Astoria Washington DC shares what's shaking at one of the city's top hotel bars.Every Sunday at 11am on 1500am or here.

We're back! After two weeks of soaking up the sun, Foodie & The Beast returned to the studio today, well, mostly. Maggie Keith couldn't join us in person, but she phoned in for a great conversation about regenerative and biodynamic farming.First up, we poured into wine with Jennifer Dasom Anderson, who went from celebrated sommelier to winemaker herself. Jennifer co-founded Novella Wines, crafting bottles out of the Monticello AVA near Charlottesville, and splits her time as a Private Client Advisor at Berry Bros. & Rudd. We got the story behind her career pivot and a taste of what she's making.Then came Maggie Keith, calling in from Foxhollow Farm, her family's 1,300-acre biodynamic operation in Crestwood, Kentucky. Maggie's a fourth-generation steward of the land and a former host of The Farmer and the Foodie on PBS, where she digs into farming, food culture, and land stewardship. Foxhollow raises and distributes 100% grass-fed beef straight to consumers, and Maggie's whole mission is connecting people back to nutrient-rich, locally sourced food.We sat down with Nick Freshman, founder of Mothersauce Partners, a consultancy that helps everyone from restaurant groups to pro sports organizations figure out food and beverage programs for high-performance athletes. Nick's also become the go-to guy on food halls like Upside on Moore and brought in Tony Boloney’s cheesesteaks.And because no episode is complete without drinks, John Filkins joined to talk shop. As Corporate Beverage Director for Clyde's Restaurant Group, John oversees beverage programs across 14 restaurants in the DMV including the recently opened Cordelia’s in Union Market District.Great way to kick things back off. Every Sunday at 11AM on 1500AM or Tune in here for the full episode.

On this week's Foodie & the Beast — Molly Irani of Chai Pani Restaurant Group, DC Brau's Brandon Skall celebrating 15 years, Chef Jamie Leeds at Hank's Pasta Bar, and sommelier Che McKissic on rooftop cocktails.This week's Foodie & the Beast is packed — four guests who have built something real in the food and beverage world, and every single one of them has a story worth hearing.Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant GroupCo-founder and Chief Culture Officer of the James Beard Award–winning Chai Pani Restaurant Group, Molly is out with her debut book Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality — the honest, warm account of how she and husband Meherwan Irani (James Beard Award-winning chef, founder of Spicewalla) took a leap of faith and built one of America's most celebrated restaurant groups.Brandon Skall, DC Brau — 15 YearsWashington DC's first packaging brewery since 1956 is turning 15, and co-founder Brandon Skall is in studio. He's talking the brewery's sometimes rocky road to success, anniversary beers, and some standout NA options worth knowing about.Chef Jamie Leeds, Hank's Pasta BarTwenty years of knowing her, 21 years of Hank's Oyster Bar, and now Hank's Pasta Bar in Old Town Alexandria. Chef Jamie Leeds is in with GM Clifton Brown — and they brought tastes.Che McKissic, Syn Rooftop Bar & LoungeSommelier-certified beverage specialist and Complex Director of Food & Beverage at the Reston AC and Residence Inn (home to Seven Restaurant and Syn Rooftop Bar & Lounge). We're going rooftop, and Che brings the cocktail energy.Tune in to the full episode here.

Pull up a chair and pour yourself something good, preferably from a Maryland hillside, for this week's Foodie & the Beast.Chef Tae Strain is back, and he brought the whole farm with him. We first met Tae when he was running the kitchen at DC's Michelin-starred Momofuku. We adored him then, followed him since, and when we heard he'd landed as Chef-Partner at Burnt Hill Farm and Culinary Director of Old Westminster Winery in the rolling hills outside of Frederick, Maryland, we drove straight out there. His Chef's Counter is a multi-course experience with reserve wine pairings and cooking that is delicious.Missy Frederick and Tim Ebner brought the whole country with them. Missy is Editorial Director for Eater's dining team across 23 cities. Tim is a cookbook contributor and longtime friend of the show. Eaterland: Recipes and Stories From Across the United States, Eater's newest cookbook, is a deep dive into the iconic regional dishes that define American cuisine. Unexpected recipes, chef essays, local ingredients, American traditions. A road trip in book form.Chef David Lee brought sushi. Plant-based sushi. And it was extraordinary. The award-winning Executive Chef and Co-Founder of PLANTA — one of North America's leading plant-based restaurant groups, with a location right here in DC — arrived with bites from his brand-new Passport to Summer menu: 15 globally-inspired dishes drawing from the world's best coastal food cultures. If you think plant-based and fine dining can't coexist, Chef David is here to change your mind. He did it for us.Chipp Sandground is a lawyer AND a wine guy, and we have questions about how one person gets to be both. Chipp's boutique practice is dedicated to the restaurant and bar world, and  he co-founded Central with the late, great Michel Richard. Central is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and Chipp honored it beautifully with an entirely new wine list: 50+ bottles, all under $100, some as low as $35. He joined us with pours, stories, and a toast to twenty years and to Michel. This is Foodie & the Beast at its best. 11am on 1500am or here.

This week's Foodie & The Beast was one of those shows where every guest opened the door to a completely different world. It's the exact way to kick off a Sunday.First up was Chris Swonger, President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) and Responsibility.org. Chris joined us to talk about the current state of the spirits industry, consumer trends, and DISCUS' new Spirit Forward initiative celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Chris offered a fascinating look at one of the country's most dynamic industries.Ready to sharpen your knife skills and elevate your home cooking? Kelly Singer, founder of the upcoming Georgetown's Skillette, talked about her innovative cooking school and culinary lifestyle house designed for serious home cooks and aspiring culinary pros alike. Kelly is creating a space where learning and community come together around food.Then things got a little wild!Chef Daniel Perron, owner of Fredericksburg's acclaimed Locavore Restaurant, and Gabrielle Cerberville, better known to many as Chaotic Forager or Mushroom Auntie, took us into the fascinating world of foraging. We talked mushrooms, edible plants, patience, safety, and the incredible connection that happens when you learn to see the natural world through a different lens.Hospitality is constantly evolving, and William Grace, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve, joined us to explain how hotels are thinking beyond traditional events and overnight stays. Today's hospitality world is increasingly focused on creating memorable moments rather than simply providing a place to sleep.And because no Foodie & The Beast show is complete without something delicious in our glasses, we welcomed back Happy Endings Hospitality CEO Tuyet Nhi Le and NUE Beverage Director Kevin Lim from NUE Vietnamese Restaurant in Falls Church. The pair shared and poured some of NUE's newest cocktail creations, showcasing the restaurant's elegant Vietnamese perspective on modern mixology and proving once again that some of the most exciting drinks in the region are being crafted right here in the DMV.This week's show was a reminder that food is never just about what's on the plate. It's about the people, ideas, and experiences that bring us together.Catch the replay and get ready to be inspired.