HiddenFandB

Jasmine Norton of the Urban Oyster in Baltimore Maryland is the country’s black female owner of an oyster bar. And even though she spends her days with plump oysters, at home, give her a fatty steak. Jasmine Norton, on the Hidden F&B.

Elizabeth Engelhardt  has written a fascinating book about how boarding houses – and their culture – affected our food traditions and even a bit of our gig economy. Plus she talks about a court case in which a boarding house girl had to prove whether she was just a good-time girl or a victim of a scoundrel. Elizabeth Engelhardt on the Hidden F&B.

We talk with Ashli Hazel and Brit Lancaster of Cultivation Brewing. Britt owns Cultivation in tiny Norcross, Georgia, and Ashli is the only female brewmaster in the whole county. They talk about the process of making new flavors, what it’s like to be a female in a male-dominated industry, and why neither one keeps a lot of beer at home. Ashli Hazel and Britt Lancaster of Cultivation Brewing, on the Hidden F&B.

The traditional Valentine’s pairing is red wine and chocolate. You see it on all the ads. But Lauren Patz used to pair wines with chocolate for a living and she’ll tell you red wine really isn’t the best wine pairing. Today, she’s head distiller at Purple Brands and she’s creating flavors that she hopes will be as classic as Valentine’s Day. Lauren Patz on the Hidden F&B.

Art DeCaro is the trainer at Waters Edge Winery and he has a lot to say about pairing wine and cheese, and the one wine and cheese pairing he would NEVER do. Art is a big advocate of using technology smartly in the wine business. Art DeCaro,on the Hidden F&B.

Pork, cornbread, seafood...Marcie Cohen Ferris looks at a place's history and culture through its food. She talks about that in her book, "Edible NC," and on the Hidden F&B! 

We're talking with Jon Murray and Wilson Brannock of Noko Nashville. They've joined with a third partner to create their dream restaurant in Nashville. Besides the food, they want nothing less than to change the whole model of the hospitality industry. They are offering their employees health insurance, a travel stipend, and more. As Murray says, “We want our guests to be happy, but we want our people to be happy.” The two talk about how to make that happen, how a restaurant can afford to make it happen, and how it shows up in customer service. Jon Murray and Wilson Brannock of Noko Nashville on the Hidden F&B.

Ryan Mitchell and his dad, Ed, of North Carolina, have just released a book about whole hog barbeque. Ed’s first time cooking a whole hog came when the older guys in the family were passed out from a bit too much moonshine, but his son, Ryan, says cooking a hog can be an almost spiritual experience. Ryan Mitchell, on the Hidden F&B.

Zak Melang, one of the owners of 10 Matador Restaurants across the country, says he’s done everything you can do in restaurants, from washing dishes to managing. Owning seemed a natural extension.

 Ashleigh Fleming is the chef at the Blue Jay Bistro in Littleton, North Carolina. How little is Littleton? Well, in the town proper, the census says there are around 600 people. But Littleton is also known as the little town with the big heart and part of that big heart is the Blue Jay Bistro and its chef. Ashleigh Fleming on the Hidden F&B.