On this episode of Industry Night, I’m back at a.kitchen + bar for our final show in this space and I want to start with gratitude. Huge thanks to Ellen Yin and Eli Collins for welcoming us in and for being such generous partners. This room has been a wonderful home for thoughtful conversations.Joining me today are Chef Matt Conroy and Chef Isabel Coss, partners in life and in the kitchen, and two of the most exciting voices shaping dining in Washington, D.C. right now. From Lutèce to Pascual to the just-opened Maison Bar à Vins, Matt and Isabel have built restaurants that reflect not only what they love to cook but how they want to lead, and feed people.This conversation is full of laughter and reflection as we talk about their journey together: how they found their way to D.C., their connection with The Popal Group, and what it’s been like to grow as chefs  and collaborators through a rapidly changing industry. We dig into their passion for what’s on the plate, and why mentorship in the kitchen matters so deeply to both of them.Midway through the episode, we pause for The Caviar Connection, presented by our show sponsor Merolin Caviar. What starts as a tasting quickly turns into a creative conversation—and one of my favorite moments of the show. Isabel shares a brilliant idea: topping her Basque cheesecake with Merolin caviar, playing the caramelized crust and creamy custard against that perfect pop of salt. Upsell!From thoughtful mentorship to creative risk-taking (and yes, dessert with caviar), this episode captures why Matt and Isabel are such important voices in the D.C. dining scene.Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the full conversation on YouTube 

What does it really take to build a restaurant that lasts—creatively, financially, and emotionally? On this episode of Industry Night, I’m recording from Rim Tang and sitting down with some of the most thoughtful voices in hospitality to talk about breaking the restaurant mold and putting it back together in a way that works for today.First, I’m joined by Jon Sybert and Jill Tyler, the husband-and-wife team behind the Michelin-starred, and recently shuttered Tail Up Goat AND the creators of Rye Bunny, opening this spring. We reflect on the last decade, what it took to build one of D.C.’s most respected restaurants, the lessons learned along the way, and why now felt like the right moment to rethink the traditional restaurant model. Inspired in part by time staging at Birdie’s in Austin, Rye Bunny represents a fresh, values-forward approach to dining.Midway through the episode, we pause for a caviar moment with our show sponsor, Merolin Caviar. A sensory tasting moment focused on texture and flavor and viewed through a chef’s lens as Jon shares how he would thoughtfully use caviar in a dish (not on a blini!)We wrap things up in the kitchen with Chef Peter and Chef Mama, the minds behind Rim Tang, where we make a papaya salad and talk Thai cuisine, instinct, and the personal stories that shape the food.From reimagining restaurant models to honoring culinary heritage, this episode offers a real, behind-the-scenes look at where hospitality has been—and where it’s headed next.Listen to the full episode here and watch it here. 

Hey everyone, it’s Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night, where we go behind the scenes with the people shaping the hospitality industry, not just through food and drink, but through culture and community. Today’s show is a special one. I’m coming to you from one of my favorite rooms in the city, a.kitchen + bar at Hotel AKA,  a place that's the perfect backdrop for conversations about leadership and vision (and a killer burger!).This episode is about family and what it really takes to build something lasting in hospitality, especially at a moment when so many restaurants are fighting just to stay open.Later in the show, I’ll be joined by Ellen Yin and Chef de Cuisine George Madovsky for a conversation about thoughtful cooking in one of the city’s most beloved dining rooms.But first,  a conversation I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. I’m genuinely excited because I’ve known Omar and Fatima Popal since they were in their early twenties, long before The Popal Group became one of the most respected hospitality families in Washington, D.C. When the Popal family opened Café Bonaparte in Georgetown in 2003 — what many of you now know as Lutèce — they weren’t just opening a restaurant. They were building a new life. They were also some of the very first advertisers on http://TheListAreYouOnIt.com , and watching their journey unfold over the years has been nothing short of remarkable.Today, Omar Popal is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of The Popal Group, leading concept development, design, and long-term vision for restaurants including Lapis, Lapop, Lutèce, Pascual, and Maison Bar à Vins. Fatima Popal, Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer, oversees financial strategy, human resources, growth, and philanthropy.  All while fiercely protecting the people-first culture that defines the group.Together, they represent a powerful family story rooted in Afghan heritage and a hospitality group that continues to grow while staying deeply authentic.Let’s get into it. Listen to the full episode here and watch it here.  

I’m especially excited about today’s conversation. If you care about the future of restaurants — how they nourish communities and sustain themselves — this is an episode you’ll want to spend time with.Joining me are Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and Arjav Ezekiel, the chef, beverage director, and co-owners of Birdie’s in Austin, Texas, a restaurant that has quietly become one of the most important case studies in modern hospitality.Before we dive in, a quick detour. I was recently in Negril, Jamaica, staying at Syd’s on the Rocks, a stunning cliffside destination where food and culture are deeply connected. It was a reminder that hospitality, at its best, is about the experience you create for people.And that brings us right back to today’s show.Birdie’s is a small, fine-casual restaurant and wine bar with a counter-service format and fine-dining-caliber food rooted in seasonality and European technique. More importantly, it’s a reimagining of the restaurant business itself.Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel is a James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Texas, a Food & Wine Restaurant of the Year honoree, a Cherry Bombe Power List inductee, and a TIME100 Next Innovator, known for cooking that is precise and deeply ingredient-driven.Arjav Ezekiel is a James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, widely respected for his farm-forward wine program and his deeply values-driven approach to hospitality.In this episode, we dig into the hows, the whys and the “little things” matter, and how Birdie’s is helping reshape hospitality from the inside out.Follow along at @‌NycciNellis on Instagram, and don’t forget,  Industry Night is available on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube. 

Hey everyone, it’s Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night.Yes, this is show number two today, and honestly? I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sit down with today’s guests.If wanderlust is one of your intentions for 2026, it is certainly mine! Who isn’t craving travel, connection, nature, and food that tells a story? If you are like me? Then this episode is absolutely for you. Because today, we’re heading to Northern California, to a place that feels both deeply grounded and quietly magical.Joining me are Chefs Juliana Thorpe and Ignacio (Nacho) Zuzulich, the husband-and-wife, co-executive chefs behind The Lodge at Dawn Ranch, set at the foothills of the redwood forest in Guerneville, Sonoma County, one of California’s most unique microclimates.Together, they are reinventing California cuisine through the lens of their South American heritage, drawing from Juliana’s upbringing in the mountains of Matutu, Brazil, and Nacho’s roots in Córdoba, Argentina, where his family ran a long-standing restaurant.Their paths converged in some of the world’s most respected kitchens,  from Mugaritz in Spain to Meadowood in Napa Valley, and today, that shared experience shows up on the plate as a dialogue of flavors: Brazil +  Argentina, and the rushing Russian River (you’ll hear it as an AMSR throughout the whole show).Beyond the cuisine, Juliana and Nacho are also rethinking hospitality itself, prioritizing mentorship, collaboration, sustainability, and I am very interested in their approach to leadership. I’m thrilled to welcome them to Industry Night. Listen to the full episode here and watch it here. 

Hey everyone, it’s Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night — my love letter to the people who feed us, pour for us, and keep this industry moving.And first of all… Happy New Year!Whoo hoo — this is our first episode of 2026, and I am very happy to be back behind the mic.I am really excited about our show today because I am going to be talking to a chef who has really changed the conversation on Japanese dining in the Midwest = Chef David Utterback.I’ve been a little bit everywhere these last few weeks.A quick Philly food tourm  highlights included Little Water and Kalaya (because obviously).Then a glorious week on the French side of St. Martin, where we don’t leave Grand Case, because you don’t have to. Morning walks into town for croissants, sun all day, and nights bouncing between incredible restaurants. Back in DC, I popped into Maison Bar à Vin for those glorious seaweed choux buns, and over to Chang Chang for Peking duck (a Christmas must). And then a quick 24-hour hit in NYC: Russ & Daughters for bagel and schmear, and Sugarfish for their classic trust me menu.Which feels like the perfect way to bring us to today’s guest… because we’re talking sushi and pushing expectations.Joining me today is Chef David Utterback, a chef who is redefining what world-class Japanese cuisine looks like in the American Midwest. David is a multiple-time James Beard Award semifinalist and made history in 2023 as the first Nebraska-based chef to be named a finalist for Best Chef: Midwest. He’s the chef and owner behind Omaha’s acclaimed restaurants Yoshitomo, Ota, and Koji.From Omaha’s indie punk scene to a formative trip to Japan, David forged his own way. His work has been described as Japanese precision with Midwestern sensibility, and his restaurants are challenging the idea of where exceptional sushi belongsI’m thrilled to welcome him to Industry Night. Listen to the full episode here and watch it here.  

Today’s Industry Night comes to you from one of my favorite spaces in the City Ridge development, the light-filled Anna’s House greenhouse. Huge thanks to the City Ridge team for hosting and for creating a place where design and community truly intersect.This episode brings together two builders working in very different (but deeply connected) lanes.First, Chef Erik Bruner-Yang, a chef who helped change the conversation in DC hospitality 20 years ago with Toki Underground on H Street NE. From Maketto and ABC Pony to Bar Providencia and now Manifest, Erik has continuously pushed food, culture, and community forward, including through his Power of 10 Initiative, launched during the pandemic.Then, Richard Lake, founding partner of Roadside Development and the visionary behind City Ridge. We talk about intentional design, neighborhood-building, and the personal story woven into this development, from Anna’s House to the creative spaces that bring this community to life.Two perspectives. One thoughtful conversation. Welcome to Industry Night. Listen to the full episode here and watch it here.  

This was an amazing show. I had a whole list of questions ready for my guest, but the second we sat down, we dug in deep and went off-script. We followed some fantastic rabbit holes: Michelin stars, hustle vs. flow, culinary storytelling, leadership, and the future of dining both here in D.C. and across the country.On this episode of Industry Night, I’m coming to you from Yume Sushi, the flagship of the Yume Hospitality Group and the place where their “dream” first began. I’ve had the absolute pleasure of taking this show on the road with this team: from the darling Thai street-food haven Rimtang with Chef Mama & Rock Harper, to the super-sexy Kyojin with Tom Sietsema, and now back to where it all started at Yume. I am so grateful for this partnership and the hospitality they bring to every table and every guest.My first guest is the brilliant Chef Eric Adjepong, Food Network host, Top Chef finalist, restaurateur, cookbook author, and one of the most important voices bringing West African cuisine into the American culinary mainstream. We talk about his rise, his mission, how he balances TV life with running his restaurants (Elmina and DAWA), and why the African diaspora continues to shape the global pantry.Then I sat down with the incredible team behind the Yume Hospitality Group — Jeff King, Chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute, and Cici Yang — to talk about the group’s evolution, their commitment to precision and their newest ventures. Plus whole fish omakase and catering.Listen in. Watch it. Dig in. This is Industry Night. Listen the full episode here and watch it here.  

Hey, it’s Nycci! Welcome to Industry Night: my pod/vod love letter to the people who feed us, pour for us, and keep the DMV delicious. We’re posted up in Georgetown at Rimtang —huge thanks to Cici Yang, Chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute, and Chef Prapit “Mama” La Femina — for hosting this shiny new residency.Today’s guest! My friend Chef Rock Harper. You know him, Hell’s Kitchen winner, community builder, Queen Mother’s fried-chicken maestro, and now the mind behind Hush Harbor, DC’s first phone-free bar on H Street NE. We talk about presence over doomscrolling, Southern-leaning comfort, and what hospitality in the DMV and across the country looks like right now. Then, Rimtang. “Rimtang” means “by the roadside,” and that’s the vibe: Thai comfort, family recipes, and Mama-level hospitality that tastes like home. Peter and Mama join me to chat about roots, and the growing YUME family.Plug in and let’s eat, talk, and actually look each other in the eye. You can watch the whole video here or listen to it here. 

Today I am not at one of my Industry Night residencies. No City Ridge, no restaurant, no bar. I am actually home, surrounded by my plants… and, believe it or not, a frankly ridiculous amount of whiskey.I went to my own bar and pulled a little selection for today because I am very honored to be joined by someone who has probably forgotten more about whiskey than most of us will ever know: Noah Rothbaum.Noah is the spirits editor at Men’s Journal, one of the world’s leading authorities on cocktails and spirits, a James Beard Award winner, and a fellow at the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits at the University of Kentucky.He’s written The Art of American Whiskey, The Business of Spirits, and he was associate editor of the award-winning Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails.And now he’s back with a brand new doorstop of a book:The Whiskey Bible: A Complete Guide to the World’s Greatest Spirit — more than 600 pages of history, secrets, lore, producers, timelines, and 60 cocktail recipes that cover everything. So let’s pour a little something, and talk about how you take all this knowledge and tasting and turn it into a bible. Listen to the full episode here and watch it here.