DeKalb Talks Tourism

In this episode we got to sit down with Ming Han Chung and James Kim, the owners of Minhwa Spirits in Doraville. As Georgia’s first soju distillery—and recent award winners in San Francisco—they’re making waves in the craft spirits world! We talk about the history of soju, how Minhwa Spirits came to life, and what it’s been like building a distillery right here in DeKalb County. Plus, we got to try some of their spirits and hear the stories behind the flavors.

More Minhwa Sprits ⬇️
https://www.instagram.com/minhwaspirits/
https://www.minhwaspirits.com/

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

In this episode, we sit down with James Maggard to talk about his path into the restaurant industry and what inspired his love for barbecue. James shares the story behind two local favorites, Local No. 7 and Ford’s BBQ, and how they’ve become staples in the community. We also dive into the importance of building a strong team and why his staff plays such a vital role in keeping the businesses thriving. If you love hearing the stories behind your favorite neighborhood spots, this one’s for you!

Ford's BBQ
https://www.instagram.com/fordsbbq/
https://www.fords-bbq.com/

Local No 7
https://www.instagram.com/thelocal_no7/
https://thelocal7.com/

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

The C.H.E.F. Youth Culinary Conference brought together high school students and industry professionals to explore careers in the culinary and hospitality world. These interviews are from the first-ever conference, held in October 2025 in DeKalb. Students had the chance to participate in hands-on cooking demos, hear from professionals about real-world experiences, and learn about leadership, business skills, and career opportunities.

Learn more!
The Navigate Foundation: https://www.thenavigateprogram.org/
CHEF Academy: https://www.chefacademyatl.com/
On the news: https://vimeo.com/1140874191

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/

In this episode we sit down with Shani and Jelani Linder, the owners of Granite House Lofts in Stone Mountain, GA. They share their personal backgrounds, walk us through the transformation of the historic granite building into a unique lodging space, and talk about their vision for the future of Stone Mountain.

If you love local stories, entrepreneurship, and community development, this episode is for you!

Connect with Granite House Lofts:

Website: https://granitehouselofts.com/
Ig: https://www.instagram.com/granitehouselofts/

DeKalb Talks Tourism YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeKalbTalksTourism

DeKalb Talks Tourism IG: https://www.instagram.com/dekalbtalks…

Discover DeKalb IG: https://www.instagram.com/discoverdek…

Discover DeKalb FB: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverDekalb/

Discover DeKalb TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverdekalb

If you have a question or suggestion for a future topic, please reach out to our Marketing Coordinator: [email protected] 

We'll be back next week with more engaging discussions and fascinating guests. Until then, keep listening and keep exploring!

Produced by: Monica Damidi 

Edited by: K.Visualz https://www.kvisualz.com/