One of the positive’s of the pandemic: we can do the Foodie & The Beast show from anywhere. This last show, Tess and Nycci went up to Philly to see the fam (first time in so so long!) and David and Nycci still banged out another episode. This week’s guests featured some new faces that are changing the DC landscape and some old friends who are re-emerging:  * What’s at Central Farm Market? Deb Moser has the freshest details                                                          * Like the most successful dating apps, the “Happied” app connects people interested in similar food and drink experiences sharing dinners of tasty fare in virtual settings. Happied cofounder April Johnson demo’d deliciousness.                                                                          *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 lived two more decades, thanks to her diet and to a special vegan burger Duane invented that’s now at the heart of Duane’s 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 offering to something bigger than big – and so, he’s arranged, with his Jurassic Encounter show, for Dinosaurs to return from extinction and invade Northern Virginia from May 14-31. Plus, festivals are slowly on the way back and Greg talks new festival protocol. *Erica Christian is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Empowering the Diner, a Black women-led, hospitality industry event/discussion where everyone can come together to explore their palates and dining experiences through the lenses of BIPOC creatives - and, hopefully, change - how  a range of discriminatory practices negatively impact the industry, from the guest to the professional. So much to take in, learn, and apply. Listen to the full episode here.

On Sunday’s Foodie & The Beast, Nycci flew solo hosting the show, and she says she can totally do it without him! But really, David is the humor of the show, no doubt —  still, what makes a great show is really interesting guests and good conversation. This show checked all those boxes:   *Mitch Berliner says strawberries and rhubarb are at Central Farm Markets … in April!    *Estebe Salgado is president and owner of Tradewinds Specialty Imports, an import and distribution company specializing in boutique style family wine, 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 to try some!    *Did you buy an instant pot during covid and have no idea what to do with it? Chef Paula Shoyer, also known as "the kosher baker," is back with her 5th cookbook, The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook. She had tips and recipes and she made converts out of us.   *For those of you sick of cooking, John Aggrey, CEO of the recently launched Din Din, spoke 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, DC's locally sourced, global foods brand that 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!  Listen in to the full episode here.

On last week's Foodie & The Beast, David and Nycci had the pleasure of chatting with a variety of people who made pivotal changes to their businesses and their careers during the last year. *We always kick off the show finding out what is new at Central Farm Market with Deb Moser & Mitch Berliner *Paul Dahm has been on the how talking about many different things over the years. Back in the day, it was Brainfood. Then, Workchew. Now, he has launched an online wine biz, Widget Wine, sourcing wines not available through other retailers that are delivered to your door.                                                                                                      *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 event 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. Jennifer shares their story. *You know the man. You know the legend. Top Chef and restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn has launched yet another business that has a huge WOW factor. As if being the man behind PLNT Burger, Vim & Victor, Good Stuff Eatery, We the Pizza, etc weren’t enough, he’s now teamed with prominent home builder VAN METRE HOMES and is designing state-of-the-cooking-art kitchens. Listen to the full episode here and you too can dream of Spike creating your kitchen while pouring a bottle from Widget Wine, slurping Urban Oysters oysters while prepping for Jennifer's culinary class. It is all possible ~

On the latest Foodie & The Beast, David and Nycci return after a few weeks off and are ready, refreshed and vaccinated: *What's the latest at Central Farm Markets? Deb Moser always knows *Wesley Mannings, owner of Sui Generis Cocktailers, shakes up virtual cocktail programming with novel ways to host private and interactive craft cocktail classes online *DC Central Kitchen's CEO, Mike Curtin, is a man of action and used to being out there working the crowds to raise awareness of and money for DC Central Kitchen. Covid messed with his modus operandi while also putting a crimp in DCCK’s abilities to service the communities it works with and supports. A year in review *The Yardbird has landed. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, the Miami-based American restaurant, has opened its first Mid-Atlantic location in DC.  Chef Patrick Rebholz talks about bringing the concept to DC and fitting in *The Gift Shop, Washington’s first retailer for discovering, appreciating, and shopping Black-owned lifestyle and home goods brands and makers, opened in February in the Union Market District. Gary Williams, Jr. of the Creative Theory Marketing Agency crafted the store’s brand and shares his story For every delicious morsel, click here.  

On the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, Foodie & The Beast was joined by a range of guests in the hospitality industry whose quick wits and imaginations helped them to pivot to new business models that in many cases saved their businesses or helped save others. On the show: * Mitch Berliner, co-founder of Central Farm markets, with food news for St. Patrick’s Day and spring herb garden offerings. * Sara Quinteros-Shilling, co-owner of DC’s Shilling Canning Company, with stories of how their switch to home delivery – and a signature burger – helped maintain their business and their keen interest in lively, timely promotions, including their March 2021, Women’s History Month salute to prominent women in winemaking. * James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur, Michael Schlow (Schlow Restaurant Group), and his right-hand man, award-winning pastry chef, and Schlow’s chief strategist, Alex Levin, discuss how a swivel to more, basic, mainstream comfort foods – especially pizza and chicken parm – and use of a ghost kitchen and pop-up tactics to launch new offerings, sustained the group through the pandemic and resulted in the successful introduction of a new Schlow concept, Little Prince Pizza. * Ian Hilton of the Hilton Brothers' bar and restaurant team shares the story of their rise to 12 properties pre-pandemic, to closing most of them during the past summer and, now, plans for a renaissance of their organization with new properties and concepts. * New York wine importer Vinay Gupta told an amazing story of the founding of Summerlong Supper Club, a concept founded to help sustain restaurants in New York and, now, DC. Patrons can buy “memberships” that translate to affordably fixed-price, home-delivered meals from some of their favorite restaurants, with every dime paid to go to the restaurants without having to share revenue with DoorDash or other food delivery companies. Locally, Centrolina, Rose’s Luxury, and Sushi Taro are among the participating restaurants. Listen to the full episode here.

Looks like spring but feels like winter!  Foodie & The Beast is willing the change in seasons on our latest show:    *Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets talked what’s at market and get your orders in for all the upcoming Spring holiday.    *Sake-it-to-us! Reiko Hirai has a mission: To find and connect with sake lovers in the DC area, and to help experiment and enjoy many collaborations and connecting and bring people together through sake. Reiko launched DC Sake Co. in the middle of the pandemic and is making her mission a reality. *Who doesn’t need a little recipe inspiration right now?  The latest Video Recipe Book from the Jacques Pépin Foundation, COOK WITH JACQUES PÉPIN & FRIENDS, VOLUME 2 is now available, featuring more than 40 culinary luminaries. Chef Jacques’ son-in-law (an accomplished chef in his own right), Rollie Wesen, is the executive director of the Jacques Pepin Foundation. Chef Rollie fills us in on the new cookbook and the Foundation's many good works. *You need another time-suck, you know you do. 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 & success coach Rita Goodroe chatted all the deets of Clubhouse and how it can help boost you professionally while it boosts your brain power. *Marcelle Afram, the celebrated former exec chef at Michelin-starred Maydan, has a new project and it is delicous. Drawing on their West Asian roots to celebrate the cuisine of their ancestors, Marcelle leads the team at Shababi Palestinian Rotisserie Chicken, paying homage to Palestinian Cuisine. What you should be sipping, eating, reading and listening to all on the last #FoodieAndTheBeast. Click here so you don’t miss a morsel ~ 

On the last Foodie & The Beast, Nycci was Beast-less, and let’s be honest, she rocked it. Per usual, the show was a celebration of the latest and greatest in the local hospitality scene:  * What’s at Market? Deb Moser fills us in on the latest offerings at Central Farm * Happy One Year Birthday Maxwell Navy Yard!  Celebrating their first a year,  Brent Kroll and Niki Lang, talk surviving and thriving during their first year (during a pandemic!) * Picnic time is almost back, so says Michelle Ison from Picnic and Peonies, the area’s newest offering in super-luxe picnics. * The corner store is not dead. In fact it has just been incredibly revived. The Foxtrot market is the contemporary evolution of the corner store and café with 60-minute delivery. Mike LaVitola Co-founder & CEO chatted new Georgetown and future Mount Vernon Triangle shops.  * Meals from your favorite restaurants prepared in your kitchen? That’s what Thabo Lenneiye wanted and created MisenBox.  MisenBox delivers restaurant meal kits to your door prepped by chefs and ready to be finished by you in the comfort of your home. For the latest Foodie & The Beast click here ~  

On the latest Foodie & The Beast, Nycci & David chatted to an incredible line up of industry experts, on topics from frozen cocktails to Israeli feasts to plant-based treats and keeping your back of house in order:  *Sam Nellis may be David & Nycci’s son (yes, nepotism lives!) but he is also the very creative bar director at Red Hen and All Purpose where he has launched Sam's Freezer Cocktails that are now at AP Shaw *Bo Davis, cofounder of Margin Edge, a digital solution for common restaurant management issues talked the latest in tech for restaurant operations *Chef 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 has written Plant-Based Gourmet: Vegan Cuisine for the Home Chef - an amazing guide to making more than 150 high-end, restaurant-quality, vegan dishes at home.  *Hamantaschen throw down w/ Israeli chef, food writer and food historian, Vered Guttman. Vered leads cooking classes at the Sixth & I synagogue focusing on Israeli and Jewish food from around the world and tells the stories behind those Jewish culinary traditions. Tune in so you don’t miss a morsel - click here.

How lovely was it that Sunday’s Foodie & The Beast landed on Valentine’s Day? Per usual, David and Nycci gathered a delightful crew to spread delicious antidotes and offer up some heartfelt gift ideas:   As on every show, Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets talked what’s at market including new vendors. Chef Jonathan Bardzik is a storyteller, cook and author. A regular at Central Farm Market’s demo stage and launching a new television series soon. 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 a children's book, both telling stories of the African Diaspora through food & history. Literally, a terrific conversation.  Many a Valentine wants to makeover 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. Nycci got all drool-y learning about the latest in kitchen appliances and technology. Andre McCain, founder and CEO of HalfSmoke, has launched a variety of pop-ups and outdoor experiences as ways to survive and thrive during the pandemic. So much to learn, so much to eat, so much to drink, and so many kitchen appliances and outdoor pizza ovens to invest in. All that and more — click here to listen in.

How fitting that a BIG SHOW from Foodie & The Beast should debut on the same day as the BIG GAME! Super Bowl Sunday notwithstanding, the entertaining moment of this snowy day was our guests:  *Deb Moser, co-founder of Central Farm Markets delivering essential "what to look for" Valentine's Day gifting *Monica Badlani, founder and COO of Somrus Cream Liqueurs, a delicious treat that's challenging Bailey's market domination *Childhood buddies Phil Whittaker and Phil Monde who grew up to become "mover and shaker," recording industry moguls (Fred) and top client financial advisors (Phil) and decided to buy into VERY successful Atomic Wings, with a soon-to-open and DC's first franchise right across the street from Howard University *And, Sean Oh of Virginia's Oh! Market, an international foods wonderland (and, at 47,000 sq. ft., also a wanderland) that plans 10 more, superstore-size markets across the area in the coming years. So so much happening in the DC Metro Area. Tune into the latest Foodie & The Beast here (and remember to listen every Sunday at 11AM on 1500AM).