Foodie and the Beast

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.   On today’s show: ·        Tae Strain is the most excellent chef-partner at Burnt Hill Farm and culinary director of the Old Westminster Winery, both owned by the same family team. We met him many moons ago when he was the head chef at D.C.’s gone, but not forgotten, Michelin-starred Momofuku. We met up with him again for an excellent meal at his stunning new chef’s counter at the tasting room at Burnt Hill outside of Frederick;                                                                                                                             ·        Eater’s newest cookbook, “Eaterland: Recipes and Stories From Across the United States,” is now available for preorder. Edited by our good friends Missy Frederick, editorial director for Eater’s dining team across 23 cities, and cookbook contributor Tim Ebner,  it focuses on the iconic regional dishes that define American cuisine;                                                                                                                                                                              ·        David Lee is the award-winning executive chef and co-founder of PLANTA, a leading plant-based restaurant group with locations across North America including, of course, here in the DMV. Chef David’s 'Passport to Summer' menu is a curated itinerary of 15 new, globally-inspired dishes, drawing from the world's best coastal food cultures;                                                                               Attorney Chipp Sandground heads a boutique law practice dedicated to the legal needs of restaurant and bar operators, wine shops and food retailers. He has worked with people you may have heard of, like our late great friend, Michel Richard, with whom he founded Central, now celebrating its 20th year in business. To help with Central’s 20th anniversary celebration, Chipp has curated an entirely new wine list of 50+ bottles, all priced under $100 and some as low as $35.  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: ·  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.  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:·        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 Nellis.   On today’s show: ·        So timely a guest and a subject. Brian Mulholland, chairman of the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, whose mission is very straightforward -- to ensure local food pantries have the resources they need to support food-insecure families with dignity and respect. He is joined by Christianne Ricchi; ·        Chef Tadayoshi Motoa of the Omakase Room by Tadayoshi. Chef Tadayoshi has held leadership roles in cities such as Madrid, London, Jakarta, Osaka and Copenhagen. As executive chef at Toki in Madrid he earned a Michelin star within six months of opening. This is Chef’s first U.S. venture;        ·        Moxies is a premium casual restaurant whose menu focuses on house-made ingredients with a "global inspiration." Brandon Thordarson is Moxies’ Washington D.C. franchise owner and a partner at Elevated Hospitality. Moxies has 58 locations in the U.S. and Canada. It is opening an  8,000+ sq. ft. flagship restaurant early in December, in the heart of  D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood;                                                                                                                                            ·        Cynthia Phillipe and Brandon Shackelford join us from the West End’s a.kitchen restaurant+bar.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: ·        Dr. David Nutt is the chief scientific officer of both GABA Labs and SENTIA Spirits. A world-renowned neuropsychopharmacologist, he founded GABA Labs in 2016 to develop scientifically validated alternatives to alcohol by targeting the GABA system, the brain’s natural mechanism for relaxation and sociability. And we try some to see just how sociable we can get;                                                                                                                                                   ·        Georgetown continues to hop with new restaurants to try and love. Rimtang is the newest concept from the YUME Hospitality Group, created by culinary director Chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute and his mother,Executive Chef Prapit “Mama” La Femina. We’ll be tasting and talking about Rimtang’s many yummy Thai choices; ·        Husband and wife team David Harris and Megan Draheim are co-founders of the new Song Dog Farm Distillery, 29 acres of fun and hard work in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, dedicated to bringing grain-to-glass spirits to Montgomery County;                                                                                                                                                                                                          ·        Michelle Lim Warner, co-founder and CEO of DCanter, a Capitol Hill fixture and a great little wine shop near Eastern Market. We drink some of Michelle’s wines today.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 mystery man who for 25 years has been The Washington Post’s celebrated food critic, Tom Siestema. He recently announced his impending departure to so he can spend the rest of his life not hiding out… or something like that. You’ll get the whole story when Tom joins us;                                                                                          •      Irena Stein of Baltimore’s celebrated Alma Cocina Latina. It’s said that stepping into Alma feels like entering a vibrant Venezuelan home filled with art, greenery, and warmth; Food writer and restaurant critic David Hagedorn joins us to talk about this year’s Chefs for Equality event;              ·        Richard Hanauer, beverage partner at RPM Italian in D.C., which  has just debuted a collection of three expertly blended single-vineyard wines, available exclusively at RPM Restaurant locations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.