On the latest Foodie & The Beast, David and Nycci return after a few weeks off and are ready, refreshed and vaccinated: *What's the latest at Central Farm Markets? Deb Moser always knows *Wesley Mannings, owner of Sui Generis Cocktailers, shakes up virtual cocktail programming with novel ways to host private and interactive craft cocktail classes online *DC Central Kitchen's CEO, Mike Curtin, is a man of action and used to being out there working the crowds to raise awareness of and money for DC Central Kitchen. Covid messed with his modus operandi while also putting a crimp in DCCK’s abilities to service the communities it works with and supports. A year in review *The Yardbird has landed. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, the Miami-based American restaurant, has opened its first Mid-Atlantic location in DC.  Chef Patrick Rebholz talks about bringing the concept to DC and fitting in *The Gift Shop, Washington’s first retailer for discovering, appreciating, and shopping Black-owned lifestyle and home goods brands and makers, opened in February in the Union Market District. Gary Williams, Jr. of the Creative Theory Marketing Agency crafted the store’s brand and shares his story For every delicious morsel, click here.  

On the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, Foodie & The Beast was joined by a range of guests in the hospitality industry whose quick wits and imaginations helped them to pivot to new business models that in many cases saved their businesses or helped save others. On the show: * Mitch Berliner, co-founder of Central Farm markets, with food news for St. Patrick’s Day and spring herb garden offerings. * Sara Quinteros-Shilling, co-owner of DC’s Shilling Canning Company, with stories of how their switch to home delivery – and a signature burger – helped maintain their business and their keen interest in lively, timely promotions, including their March 2021, Women’s History Month salute to prominent women in winemaking. * James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur, Michael Schlow (Schlow Restaurant Group), and his right-hand man, award-winning pastry chef, and Schlow’s chief strategist, Alex Levin, discuss how a swivel to more, basic, mainstream comfort foods – especially pizza and chicken parm – and use of a ghost kitchen and pop-up tactics to launch new offerings, sustained the group through the pandemic and resulted in the successful introduction of a new Schlow concept, Little Prince Pizza. * Ian Hilton of the Hilton Brothers' bar and restaurant team shares the story of their rise to 12 properties pre-pandemic, to closing most of them during the past summer and, now, plans for a renaissance of their organization with new properties and concepts. * New York wine importer Vinay Gupta told an amazing story of the founding of Summerlong Supper Club, a concept founded to help sustain restaurants in New York and, now, DC. Patrons can buy “memberships” that translate to affordably fixed-price, home-delivered meals from some of their favorite restaurants, with every dime paid to go to the restaurants without having to share revenue with DoorDash or other food delivery companies. Locally, Centrolina, Rose’s Luxury, and Sushi Taro are among the participating restaurants. Listen to the full episode here.

Looks like spring but feels like winter!  Foodie & The Beast is willing the change in seasons on our latest show:    *Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets talked what’s at market and get your orders in for all the upcoming Spring holiday.    *Sake-it-to-us! Reiko Hirai has a mission: To find and connect with sake lovers in the DC area, and to help experiment and enjoy many collaborations and connecting and bring people together through sake. Reiko launched DC Sake Co. in the middle of the pandemic and is making her mission a reality. *Who doesn’t need a little recipe inspiration right now?  The latest Video Recipe Book from the Jacques Pépin Foundation, COOK WITH JACQUES PÉPIN & FRIENDS, VOLUME 2 is now available, featuring more than 40 culinary luminaries. Chef Jacques’ son-in-law (an accomplished chef in his own right), Rollie Wesen, is the executive director of the Jacques Pepin Foundation. Chef Rollie fills us in on the new cookbook and the Foundation's many good works. *You need another time-suck, you know you do. Heard about Clubhouse? It’s the invitation-only, audio-chat networking app for listening in on conversations, interviews and discussions between interesting people on various topics. Business strategist & success coach Rita Goodroe chatted all the deets of Clubhouse and how it can help boost you professionally while it boosts your brain power. *Marcelle Afram, the celebrated former exec chef at Michelin-starred Maydan, has a new project and it is delicous. Drawing on their West Asian roots to celebrate the cuisine of their ancestors, Marcelle leads the team at Shababi Palestinian Rotisserie Chicken, paying homage to Palestinian Cuisine. What you should be sipping, eating, reading and listening to all on the last #FoodieAndTheBeast. Click here so you don’t miss a morsel ~ 

On the last Foodie & The Beast, Nycci was Beast-less, and let’s be honest, she rocked it. Per usual, the show was a celebration of the latest and greatest in the local hospitality scene:  * What’s at Market? Deb Moser fills us in on the latest offerings at Central Farm * Happy One Year Birthday Maxwell Navy Yard!  Celebrating their first a year,  Brent Kroll and Niki Lang, talk surviving and thriving during their first year (during a pandemic!) * Picnic time is almost back, so says Michelle Ison from Picnic and Peonies, the area’s newest offering in super-luxe picnics. * The corner store is not dead. In fact it has just been incredibly revived. The Foxtrot market is the contemporary evolution of the corner store and café with 60-minute delivery. Mike LaVitola Co-founder & CEO chatted new Georgetown and future Mount Vernon Triangle shops.  * Meals from your favorite restaurants prepared in your kitchen? That’s what Thabo Lenneiye wanted and created MisenBox.  MisenBox delivers restaurant meal kits to your door prepped by chefs and ready to be finished by you in the comfort of your home. For the latest Foodie & The Beast click here ~  

On the latest Foodie & The Beast, Nycci & David chatted to an incredible line up of industry experts, on topics from frozen cocktails to Israeli feasts to plant-based treats and keeping your back of house in order:  *Sam Nellis may be David & Nycci’s son (yes, nepotism lives!) but he is also the very creative bar director at Red Hen and All Purpose where he has launched Sam's Freezer Cocktails that are now at AP Shaw *Bo Davis, cofounder of Margin Edge, a digital solution for common restaurant management issues talked the latest in tech for restaurant operations *Chef Suzi Gerber is an executive chef, food product developer, author, and food and diet medical research specialist, with a passion for plant-based cuisine. She has written Plant-Based Gourmet: Vegan Cuisine for the Home Chef - an amazing guide to making more than 150 high-end, restaurant-quality, vegan dishes at home.  *Hamantaschen throw down w/ Israeli chef, food writer and food historian, Vered Guttman. Vered leads cooking classes at the Sixth & I synagogue focusing on Israeli and Jewish food from around the world and tells the stories behind those Jewish culinary traditions. Tune in so you don’t miss a morsel - click here.

How lovely was it that Sunday’s Foodie & The Beast landed on Valentine’s Day? Per usual, David and Nycci gathered a delightful crew to spread delicious antidotes and offer up some heartfelt gift ideas:   As on every show, Deb Moser of Central Farm Markets talked what’s at market including new vendors. Chef Jonathan Bardzik is a storyteller, cook and author. A regular at Central Farm Market’s demo stage and launching a new television series soon. Chef Eric Adjepong, a finalist on season 16 of Bravo's Top Chef and a contestant on season 17 of Top Chef All Stars, recently announced his first cookbook and a children's book, both telling stories of the African Diaspora through food & history. Literally, a terrific conversation.  Many a Valentine wants to makeover his or her culinary kingdom, inside or outdoors. So we invited Jessica Petrino to join us – She has an unusual career, specializing in appliance industry education initiatives for the AJ Madison Learning Center. Nycci got all drool-y learning about the latest in kitchen appliances and technology. Andre McCain, founder and CEO of HalfSmoke, has launched a variety of pop-ups and outdoor experiences as ways to survive and thrive during the pandemic. So much to learn, so much to eat, so much to drink, and so many kitchen appliances and outdoor pizza ovens to invest in. All that and more — click here to listen in.

How fitting that a BIG SHOW from Foodie & The Beast should debut on the same day as the BIG GAME! Super Bowl Sunday notwithstanding, the entertaining moment of this snowy day was our guests:  *Deb Moser, co-founder of Central Farm Markets delivering essential "what to look for" Valentine's Day gifting *Monica Badlani, founder and COO of Somrus Cream Liqueurs, a delicious treat that's challenging Bailey's market domination *Childhood buddies Phil Whittaker and Phil Monde who grew up to become "mover and shaker," recording industry moguls (Fred) and top client financial advisors (Phil) and decided to buy into VERY successful Atomic Wings, with a soon-to-open and DC's first franchise right across the street from Howard University *And, Sean Oh of Virginia's Oh! Market, an international foods wonderland (and, at 47,000 sq. ft., also a wanderland) that plans 10 more, superstore-size markets across the area in the coming years. So so much happening in the DC Metro Area. Tune into the latest Foodie & The Beast here (and remember to listen every Sunday at 11AM on 1500AM).

There was literally "Snow" place to go on Sunday but  #FoodieAndTheBeast. David and Nycci took a virtual trip to Nicaragua for a coffee cupping, pretended to be in Tuscany sniffing and slurping olive oil, headed online for fab design inspo, and drooled over loaded-lobster mac. Another great show featuring incredible guests who are passionate about their products and profession:   *What's at Central Farm Markets with Mitch Berliner & Deb Moser  *Jodi Lehr, partner of boutique coffee company Santa Lucia Estate, one of DC’s Original sustainable coffee companies and known for selling its premium 100% Nicaraguan coffee to restaurants, hotels and caterers and now to you at home. *First, she was a marketing exec at Saks Fifth Avenue, then she became a DC Area luxury publicist, and now Heather Shaw Menis shares her fabulous taste and aesthetic through Curio By Fifth & Main  *Seen on this past season of Hell’s Kitchen, Celebrity Chef JR Robinson is the man in the kitchen and talent behind the business concept for KitchenCray.  *Luanne Savino O’Loughlin manages Olio2Go, an online (and brick-and-mortar) retailer of Italian olive oil. One of her top resources is Giorgio Franci, owner of Frantoio Franci, one of Italy’s most awarded olive oil producers companies. Together they chatted body, aroma and flavor of Frantoio Franci from both Virginia & Italy. So while not live and in studio, we are live from our bedroom. It's kind of sexy and all sorts of delcicous. Listen in to the full episode here.

In celebration of sous vide….! For the third year in a row, Foodie & The Beast toasted & hosted our friends at Cuisine Solutions, the global authority on sous vide (the innovative slow-cooking technique that Cuisine Solutions’ founder, Dr. Bruno Goussault, pioneered, perfected, and popularized). Today’s show is dedicated to exploring the world of sous vide, getting the 411 on the International Sous Vide Day festivities on the January 26th and the overall “journey” from the early 1970s as a unique cooking technique employed by the world’s most famous fine dining chefs, to its common use today, not only in restaurants of all types, but by millions of consumers who have found a better way to prepare, cook, and enjoy everything from meats and poultry to produce and so much more. Joining us on the show as to celebrate Sous Vide Day : Gerard Bertholon, Cuisine Solutions’ Chief Strategy Officef and an inductee into the exclusive Académie Culinaire de France Chef AJ Schaler, Executive Chef of Cuisine Solutions’ CREA (The Culinary Research and Education Academy). CREA is a global leader in culinary research, education and consulting Celebrated chef Katie Button, of Asheville, NC, a four-time James Beard Award nominee, cookbook author, and prominent proponent of sous vide.       TV star, chef, author, and global philanthropist, Grace Ramirez Listen in as we discuss how sous vide went from the kitchens of Michelin-starred chefs to your kitchen and to feeding those in need - especially during a pandemic. 

The tasty fun from the latest Foodie & The Beast (from home): *Deb Moser of Central Farm markets gave a 411 on all the local spirits and brews that can now be found at market. *Julie Peterson of Marq Wine Group gave an updated tutorial on the range of incredible wines that can be had from the country of Georgia.  *True Neapolitan pizza is a baked work of art cooked in wood-fired pizza ovens manufactured by masters in Naples. Pizzeria Pupatella brings the real deal to several DC area locations. Michael Berger, one of the partners, talked (pizza) shop.  *Former Lawyer, Yael Krigman discovered that she preferred baking and was really good at it. Cut to today and her Woodley Park bakery, Baked by Yael, features hand-rolled and boiled bagels, award-winning cake pops, challah, black & white cookies, and much more.  *Jordan Fainberg went to Italy in search of a great pizza that could be baked, sold frozen and baked again at home. What he found was Pinsa – Yes, it’s a thing, yes you can order it here locally and, yes, Jordan told us all about it. Listen to the full episode here.