On the last Foodie & The Beast, David and Nycci chatted with a group of guests that are bringing back some old favorites and launching new concepts that will be favorites soon: Nothing to be afraid of at any of the area Central Farm Markets. Mitch Berliner has all the gourd-y details. The annual (except for last year!) Shuck It Festival is back October 23 at Tony & Joe’s. Local is the theme featuring wine, beer and oysters all from the area. Greg Casten, CEO of Profish and the seafood-centric restaurant group, Fish & Fire Food Group, and his beverage director, Dennis Shea, poured tastes and filled us in on what to expect this year.  Maryland’s 2019 Chef of the Year, Chef Ashish Alfred – or Chef Al as we call him – has created award-winning restaurants in the Baltimore and DC-metro area under the Alfred Restaurant Group (ARG). You know him for Bethesda’s award-winning Duck, Duck, Goose and soon you’ll know him for others opening this year. (Hint: Get Ready Dupont Circle). Ashleigh Ferran is CEO of In Good Company, an innovator in the world of reusable packaging. In Good Company was recently was honored at the Inaugural, National Reuse Awards (aka The Reusies) celebrating a world without waste.So much happening in the reusable movement. Hell’s Kitchen Finalist, Chef Declan Horgan will be cooking it all up when the 350+ seat Jack’s Ranch Opens in Tysons Corner in a few short weeks  So much to sink your teeth into. Click for the latest ~  

Foodie & The Beast has officially hit teen-dom. Yes, believe it or not, David and Nycci and our lil' show have been on-air for 13 years. Needless to say, we are ever grateful to the incredible talent that shares their stories, to the listeners that join us each week, to our amazing producer Andy -- who truly keeps the show steady and of course to our sponsors and our station both of whom without we could not do what we do and how we do it. This week we chatted: -All things Central Farm Markets -We learned that Din Din should and could be Done Done thanks to John Aggrey, founder of Din Din, a brilliant response to covid and a new way to build community while enjoying the talents of chefs, food truck operators, and home cooks. -The pandemic has revealed how much we need a more resilient food system. One that sustains the earth and provides sufficient, nutritious food for all who need it. Jenna Umbriac talks about this week's DMV Food Recovery Week. -Who doesn't want Keto-friendly meringue cookies with a little bit of soothing CBD? Luis Sayrols did and now he sells them.   -This fall, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) in partnership with Grubhub, come to the rescue of many of America’s struggling LGBTQ+-owned restaurants & allies through a first-ever grant program. Sabrina Kent, Senior Vice President at NGLCC shares the important details. That's #FoodieAndTheBeast, every Sunday for the last 13 years on 1500AM at 11AM - or listen to the latest episode here.

So, we were completely unprepared when Manuela Horn aka the Yodeling Dominatrix sashayed her way into the Foodie & The Beast studio but my goodness, did we have fun: -Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets let us know about the VA market space switch and what’s new at market. -Ala, which translates in Turkish to a blending of colors, recently went through a revamp and now offers cuisine – AND SOME VERY CREATIVE COCKTAILS - melding the flavors of the Levant region. Jenay Dougany, the Beverage Director and General Manager  shook up an array of delish flavors. -Now’s the perfect time to experience the Shenandoah region's vibrant fall colors. Pam Wright, General Manager of Big Meadow in Shenandoah National Park, talked all the great hiking, horseback riding and more, and it’s all about 50 minutes outside the beltway.  -Dust off your lederhosen, the Queen of Oktoberfest, Manuela Horn, is hosting Das Bier Bash with Hook Hall. Manuela Horn, (The America’s Got Talent yodeling, dancing, and comedy act finalist) brings her variety show to DC through October 3. Manuela and Hook Hall owner Anna Valero, also reputed to be a world-class yodeler, went at it in studio. -And this could be CAT-a-clysmic! Kachan Singh, Founder & CEO of Crumbs & Whiskers, throws a spotlight on the adored kitten and cat café, where people can come in and drink coffee, play with kittens, cuddle with kittens, and if they fall in love with a kitten or cat they can adopt them and take them home. (Anyone up for a cat-a-tonic?) Another delish show on the books. Listen to the full episode here.

On the last Foodie & The Beast, we said goodbye to summer and hello to fall:  Mitch Berliner of Central Farm Markets says tomatoes and berries (berries!) are still in the market. Get ‘em while supplies last. Wine & Cheese. Cheese & Wine. However you say it, Jill Erber of Cheesetique brought the ooey, the gooey, and the stinky in studio and paired them with warm reds.  The beast is back! No not Greg Engert, but Snallygaster, the area’s biggest brewfest. It roars back into town and Greg, in lederhosen, provided all the beer-y details.  Cookbook author Cassy Joy Garcia is ready to save you time and effort in the kitchen, with her latest book, Cook Once, Dinner Fix.   When the Abi-Najm family, owners of the popular Lebanese Taverna, came to America in the ’70s, they were fleeing the Lebanese Civil War, so they feel it is only right to leverage their success to assist folks who find themselves in a similar situation. At the beginning of the year, Lebanese Taverna raised over $150,000 to support various Beirut-based charities in response to the port explosion. Those efforts continue today to help ameliorate the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon. Grace Abi-Najm provided the updated insights and info. Listen in for the full episode here.

On this Sunday's Foodie & The Beast, there was a little snafu with one of the guests, but sometimes things just work out. We had such an engaged and exciting group in studio -- the hour just flew:  This coming weekend is the trifecta! Back to school, Labor Day & the Jewish Holidays -- Central Farm Markets is ready for all the action. We didn't sing "Shake It Up" in studio but we might have well had, Jennifer Kiendl, Bar Manager at Magnolia's in the Mill shook up an amazing array of her locally sourced cocktails. Brent Kroll was back and updated us on the latest happenings at his Maxwell Park (Shaw & Navy Yard locations) and brought with him new chef Masako Morishita. Chef Morishita has created a menu that updates the dishes she grew up learning from her family's restaurant.  It's not pizza it's pinsa! The special style of pizza from Rome is catching on in the states and Chef/owner of Via Roma, Biagio Cepollaro, is helping to make that happen. Click to listen to the latest deliciousness. Tune in Sundays at 11AM on 1500AM or subscribe and listen anytime on any podcast channel.

When the pandemic began - 18 months ago - we had no idea what was going to happen with the Foodie & The Beast radio show, until we got a call from our producer (Andy!) who said: The show must go on -- but with a couple of changes. That week we began doing the show from our bedroom and we recorded the show on Saturdays via Zoom. That experience really opened our eyes to all the ways we can better our show and its content. This week is a great example:    -Mitch Berliner of Central Farm Markets always had the latest about what's at the Market: grapes ~ a rarity for local farmer markets - After a year of Popping Up, Cork is Popping Out! Diane Gross & Khalid Pitts are partnering w/ Chef Ruth Gresser to open a new Cork Market in the Pizzeria Paradiso Spring Valley location. Deets and delish wines poured on air. (Rosé was in the mix, natch) - Industry vet, Shane Mayson swung open the doors of his new, Crazy Aunt Helen's on Barrack's Row with Chef Mykie Moll serving Miss Pixie-style and comforting dishes. David may have consumed a large amount of the deviled eggs and bread pudding -- just saying  - Food (media) is my profession but fashion is my passion, and luckily the Design Foundry's, (a DC-based events company known for its artistic event displays) too. Cory Frank joined us to talk the summer activation fashion funhouse,  #InsideTheWardrobe - The Gathering Spot is a curated, membership community, deeply rooted in culture, that serves as a catalyst for collabs, connections, and innovation. Mitchell McCraw & Chef Martel Stone -- see delish dish above -- decide if we can get in (joking!) The show must go on, it did and does every Sunday at 11am on 1500am or click to listen to the latest.

After a week away, it’s always good to be back in the Foodie & The Beast studio with the latest and greatest happening around the region. For this week, we're always happy to head down New Orlean’s way especially when “Growers” Champagne is involved: Deb Moser of Central Farm Market brought the health stats of community stands Industry veteran, Elli Benchimol has popped open her glorious gem of a Champagne Bar, Apero Art curator and promoter, Shane Pomajambo brings art, culture and cuisine to Ballston Chef Darrell Johnson (winner of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race) transports us to his grandmother’s kitchen and some of the best food in New Orleans  The show ends with a lil’ travel rant from Nycci. What can we say - airline travel is just not what it used to be or what it should be. Regardless — tune in  — and tune in every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on 1500AM.

Have we mentioned how excited we are to be back in studio? Well, we are! It feels so good to have these interviews face-to-face. The interaction is totally at another level. The plethora of cocktails and platters of sweet treats have nothing to do with it. On this week’s show:  *The Washington Post has called Andy Bixby, creative director of beverage at The Imperial, a “cocktail wizard,” for his uber-creative house cocktail ingredients. Andy’s enthusiasm behind the bar and on-air is infectious.  *Thanks to the pandemic, there’s now a dearth of trained hospitality workers for the front and back of the house. Howard Community College is helping to replenish the pool of skilled workers by offering classes to earn with offers baking and pastries certificates and other culinary arts & hospitality certificates. The man in charge there is Tim Banks, associate professor and department chair for the Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies. He talked the program and its successes. *Casie Vogel is a lover of all things carbonated, whether it’s a spiked seltzer happy hour or her daily Diet Coke. She loves them so much that she wrote a book: The Hard Seltzer Cocktail Book. She’s a bubbly conversationalist, duh!                             *Gluten-free baked goods ALERT. Nieshia Williams is the Owner/Pastry Chef of the new Golden Flour bakery. Aside from making really delicious gluten-free goods, she has a whole story to tell, but the teaser is that she was invited to audition for The Great British Baking Show but…turned them down. Foodie & The Beast is back and it is really delicious. Listen in to the latest episode~

Being back in studio feels good. Like, we have to pinch ourselves that we are gathering in studio and toasting and tasting and celebrating all that industry folks are doing. On Sunday's #FoodieAndTheBeast David and Nycci chatted with: *Deb Moser called in from Maine to chat keeping your Central Farm Market finds cool in the heat. *Craft Gin from India makes sense since the Gin & Tonic was created there. Megan Coyle poured, stirred, and shook up an array of tastes featuring Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin.  *Very little slows restaurateur Ashok Bajaj down, even a pandemic! Always a delight to have him in studio to talk about his latest projects, including the recently opened La Bise. Ashok and executive chef Tyler Stout walked us through the creation of the newest property.                                                  *Why dry age steak? Scott Kobryn explained the process and why aging creates a better-tasting steak. His Steakager device creates a micro-climate within a refrigerator for dry-aging beef. *The Lyle Washington DC, a new independent hotel from Lore Group, recently opened in Dupont Circle and chef Nick Sharpe is the man behind the stove executing the impressive menu (and he brought orange-scented monkey bread, yee-um)                                                                                        *Dvon Holland Williams is the force behind Sweet Scoops, A Black/Latina woman-owned small business at Union Market serving up a dizzying array of Philly-style water ices. Listen in to the scoop here.

Foodie & The Beast is back baby. Actually, we never left but we have been recording the show out of our bedroom for the last 16 months! What an absolute gift to be back in studio with producer Andy and all of our incredible guests:  *Mitch Berliner of Central Fam Markets chatted Gazpacho  *Georgia Dunn, the woman behind the British West Indies Trading Company, joined us to pour a variety of her family-inspired beverages like ginger beer — as it was originally made — and hard lemon and mango “ades” made with the simplest of ingredients.  *Good friend and one of the area’s beloved chefs and restaurant owners, Kyle Bailey has been very busy during the pandemic opening up one of the sparkliest restaurants - Dauphine’s - to hit DC in a long time.  *Nature’s Path Gardens for Good program recognizes the critical role of community gardens through grants. Samantha Falk talked the program’s mission and efforts while grant recipeint, Truphena Choti, shared how she is bringing gardens and all their goodness to her community. *Not one to sit idly by, restaurateur Hakan Ilhan had to do some twists and turns during the pandemic. Coming soon is his new Il Piatto helmed by chef Christ Lanydrek.  We ate, we drank, and we talked. A lot. It feels so good to be back. Tune in to the latest #FoodieAndTheBeast — it's the closet thing to being there.