Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        He’s a flavor explorer and a culinary storyteller - Emmanuel Laroche, the noted food and beverage industry executive, creator and host of the podcast “Flavors Unknown,” and author of “Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door” and “A Taste of Madagascar;"

·        Kat Jiang from Seylou, the organic whole-grain bakery and mill in Blagden Alley, is in to introduce the Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair and Conference coming up March 15-16, organized by the Common Grain Alliance, bringing together farmers, millers, bakers, brewers, distillers, and food leaders from across the Middle Atlantic to strengthen the region’s grain economy and reconnect the full grain supply chain from field to finished food;       

·        Ashley Blake, owner of Prim’s Café in Shaw. A brilliant concept for a beloved neighborhood hang-out, Prim’s features coffee and espresso made with beans sourced from Adee’s Coffee & Bar in Baltimore, matcha, chai, and more -- PLUS fresh pastries that are delivered fresh every morning;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

·        Drink Segment: Rimtang in Georgetown is an outstanding Thai street food restaurant that we’ve featured several times on the show. Today we’re talking cocktails -- and Rimtang’s Kelly Duong is in to mix ‘em up.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        Celebrated for its mouth-watering, slow-smoked meats, Latin-inspired sides, and a no-shortcuts approach to craft, 2Fifty Barbecue is touted by many as the DMV’s best, including Washingtonian’s Top 100 Very Best Restaurants, where it comes in ranked at #22 overall. Not too shabby – so we invited chef/co-owner Fernando Gonzalez in to make him give up all his best-kept culinary secrets;                                                                                                                                                                                                      

·        Speaking of mouth-watering, we also brought in Washington Ramirez,, opening manager of Terra Gaucha Restaurant in Rockville. Terra Gaucha is an authentic, churrasco-style restaurant showcasing traditional flavors from southern Brazil;

·        Formerly with PepsiCo, Liat Kaplan is the co-founder and CEO of WiSP, a cutting-edge wellness and safety platform using new technology to analyze drink contents in real time. Liat’s mission is to support patron safety and personal wellness, empowering people to enjoy food and drink experiences confidently, while minimizing risks like drink-spiking, allergens, and unsafe levels of alcohol consumption;                                                                                                                                                             

·        Kevin Bratt is a partner and the national wine and spirits director for Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Snow Crab. He’s in with tastes and talk of Joe’s wine and spirits programs.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

Geraldine Mendoza is the founder of Taquería Xochi, which just opened a fourth location in the Navy Yard. Not bad for a place that started out as a pandemic-era ghost kitchen. Known for Mexican favorites including tacos, cemitas, tlayudas, and aguas frescas, Taqueria Xochi gets universal praise – even from the hard-to-please Tom Sietsema;

• Back on Foodie and the Beast after years away and years of immense success and growth are Robb Duncan and Violeta Edelman, co-owners of Dolcezza Gelato and Coffee. Dolcezza has a creative lineup of Valentine’s Day-inspired flavors, including the sweet and spicy passionfruit Szechuan pepper matcha, at all 6 DMV shops;

• Downtown Bethesda offers a diverse selection of restaurants ranging from international flavors to American favorites like barbecue, continental cuisine, delicious desserts and more. “Savor Bethesda” Restaurant Week (Thursday, Feb. 19 – Sunday, March 1) is a great opportunity to try something new to eat -- and drink! -- at a great price. We are joined by Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications at the Bethesda Urban Partnership. And mixing up cocktails is Tyler Cotting, bar manager at Pisco y Nazca, one of the restaurants participating in Savor Bethesda.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        Scott Drewno, partnered with Danny Lee in the Fried Rice Collective, here to take about food for the Big Game and the Upstate New York foods he grew up with that he’s now able to offer;                                                                                                                                                                                                       

·        Yves Lowe, executive chef and gastronomy programming manager for the Montréal en Lumière festival. It is one of the largest winter festivals in the world and the most important food festival in Canada. Attendees enjoy hundreds of activities through gourmet experiences that showcase the best of the city’s culinary scene;                                                                                                                                                                                  

·        America loves a comeback story. Chef Paolo Dungca’s modern Filipino restaurant, Kayu, closed on the H Street Corridor at the end of June. But it didn’t take long to make a comeback. A more streamlined casual version of the restaurant is now open at Dupont Circle;                                                                                                                                                                              

·        Dr. Mamuka Tsereteli, founder of the Georgian Wine House.– The nation of Georgia is possibly the birthplace of wine, with 8000 years of uninterrupted winemaking. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·  Diane Gross, chair of the board, RAMW, She and her husband, Khalid Pitts, have also opened a Cork in Cleveland Park;

·         Stephanos Andreou and Constandina Andreou, cofounders of D.C.’s hit, new make-your-own-pasta place, Gigi’s, in the Western Market near The George Washington University. How good is it? They did so well on opening day that they had to go out and buy a second noodle-making machine to keep up with demand;                                                                                                                                                                            

·        Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix are the cofounders of Speed Rack. Now in its 14th year with nearly $2 million raised so far, Speed Rack is the first global competition highlighting the bar industry’s leading women+, with 100% of proceeds going directly to breast cancer education, prevention, and research. And it's happening March 16 at the Howard Theatre;                                                                                                                                                                                                               

·        Jean Carlos Mero is the general manager at Bully, the new Spanish steakhouse in Northwest D.C.’s St. Gregory hotel.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

We’re closing out 2025 with a show we’re calling State of the Plate, because if there’s one thing this year demanded from the hospitality industry, it was honesty. So today, we’re setting the table for an honest, forward-looking conversation:

What actually happened in 2025? What’s broken? What’s changing?

And what does it take for restaurants not just to survive — but to thrive — in 2026?

Our guests are:

Shawn Townsend — President & CEO, Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)

Greg Casten — ProFish & Fish & Fire Group

Daniella Senior — Co-Founder, Colada Shop

Michael Babin — CEO, Neighborhood Restaurant Group

Chris Schmid — Prestige Ledroit

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        Monica Evans, beverage director, the Coquito Bar, a tropical holiday cocktail oasis inside La Cosecha in the Union Market District;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

·        Joy Johnson, director of visitor experience at the fabulous Folger Shakespeare Library, with inside news about all the cool stuff happening there across the holidays during the 2nd Annual Folger Frost Fair and lots more;       

·        Sarah the Elf. North Pole native. ‘Nuff said. And, oh yeah, there's a big holiday light show and festival up in Baltimore. She tells us all about it;                                                                                                                                                                                               

·        Equal billing for some among us who don't celebrate Christmas, but who also have a cool holiday this time of year! Josh Saltzman is co-owner at the Juneberry Garage. We had Juneberry’s Chris Powers in last week. Josh is also co-owner at Ivy and Coney, where they’re about to celebrate their 9th Annual Hannukah pop-up bar, called Chai-vy and Cohen-y. Josh is here without his mishpocha but … with all the deets;l                                                                                                                                                                           

·        Elena Johnson is the D.C. and Maryland market lead for The Macallan. She’s in with news about The Macallan’s newest venture here, The Snug. It’s D.C.'s new whisky lounge, open now -- and only to be found at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington D.C.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        The SNAP mess created during the recent government shutdown threatened 40 million Americans – among them, 16 million kids – with the loss of desperately needed funding for food. Food they count on for survival. Hunger across America – and across the DC area – remains a challenge. Radha Muthiah is the president and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. She joins us for an update on the ongoing problem;                                                                                 

·        Former White House pastry chef Susan Limb is co-owner of the Praline Bakery & Bistro in Bethesda and at The Wharf. She’s celebrating Praline’s 20th anniversary in April -- and we’re going to do the run-up celebration today;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

·        Greg Engert – globally famous partner and beer director at NRG – on ways to give during the holidays;

·        Chris Powers, partner/owner at the Juneberry Garage, a tavern-style bar and restaurant in The Parks at Walter Reed;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

·        Eric Lawson, director of food and beverage for the Singing Tiger, the new restaurant and bar recently opened in the lower level of the Hotel Nell in the Union Market District.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        He’s a true Renaissance man in the food world. You’ve seen him on PBS and all sorts of national media … and now Chef Gregorio Fierro is here on Foodie and the Beast. He is a certified master Instructor for the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli, an authority on Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine, and co-owner of Wagyu Sommelier, a Florida-based purveyor of authentic Japanese Wagyu beef;                                                                                                                                                             

·        Marriott’s Bonvoy Moments. Here to talk about them is Chef Stephen Toevs, VP Culinary, Global Operations, Marriott International;

·        Mel Johnson, executive director, The Storehouse, a fresh food bank that started in 2022 in Prince George’s County. It is the nation’s first Black-run food bank;          

   ·        Gardner Douglas, the "Oyster Ninja," a professional oyster shucker and personality from the Washington, D.C. area,                                                                                                                                                                                                       

·        And we’re talking beer. Kyle Farrelly is here. He’s the GM at Atlas Brew Works and the new Atlas Bridge District Brewery & Tap Room.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

·        One of the hottest new restaurants in D.C. is K Street’s Barbouzzard, French for “secret agent”. Inspired by the French Riviera, this place is just as hot. Barbouzzard’s creator and principal managing partner, Nasr El Hage, and executive chef and partner – and one of our favorite guys in the world - Cedric Maupillier – join us;

·        Tysons Corner’s Tower Club is a Northern Virginia legend sitting on the 17th Floor of a beltway landmark – the high-rise building that looks like a shopping bag. The Tower Club recently underwent a multi-million-dollar reinvention, including its menu. Vinny Mauriello, City Clubs’ senior VP and national food and beverage director joins us with all the delicious details;                                                                                                                    

·        Caviar is undeniably one of the world’s great delicacies. But what do you really know about it and its origins? Alboroz Tajik, owner of Northern Virginia’s celebrated Merolin Caviar, is in with tastes and talk of his amazing offering of imperial osetra and imperial gold caviar;

·        And we’re gonna need something good to wash down all that caviar. Fortunately, Anna Valero and Brian McGahey are in with cocktails from District Still and Supply – shh … a speakeasy … that will do the trick.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.