Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• You’ll remember that in March 2011 a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and then a massive tsunami struck Japan’s Tohoku region along the northeast coast. Nearly total devastation and more than 20,000 deaths forced the Japanese to reimagine the framework of the local economy, and it’s responding with surprising economic vigor, thanks to new approaches to farming and fishing. Here in the U.S., the Japanese embassy works to connect Tohoku’s farmers and fishermen to people in the United States. We are joined by Ryo Tsuzukihashi, agriculture attaché at the Embassy of Japan, and cultural ambassador Reiko Hirai, owner of Happi Enterprises, to hear how that region is rising from the mud and ashes on a new foundation forged by 21st century farming and fishing innovations;
• Staying in town? There’s still so much to do – like fun summer activations at the National Building Museum. Aileen Fuchs, president and executive director of the museum, tells us about all of it, from traveling to Paris via Notre Dame to exploring Shakespeare’s Playhouse or grabbing a yummy bite at the Museum’s new café;
• Talk about two busy women! Seven years ago Dine Diaspora co-founders Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro launched their Black woman-owned and operated venture to connect people and brands to African diasporan food culture. They’ve got a ton going on and you’re gonna hear all about it.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• City-State Brewing in Northeast D.C. opened during the pandemic. You’d think it was not a great business decision – and yet is healthy and celebrating its first anniversary. James Warner, CEO, joins us to talk about surviving and conquering;
• Jarrad Silver, former Birch and Barley executive chef, now operates the Silver and Sons barbecue truck around Rockville, Bethesda and Silver Spring. Jarrad’s barbecue is delish AND distinctive in that it takes traditional American technique and enhances it with Jewish and Mediterranean flavors and styles;

• Steeped in history, Arlington’s Colony Grill’s specialty is its signature 12-inch “Bar Pie”, a thin crust pizza cut into six slices and drizzled in “hot oil”. Ken Martin, co-owner, joins us;

• Stoner alert: What’s better than a late night cookie feast? According to Neal Miglani, nothing is. So he and some friends founded MOLTN COOKIES .The Arlington shop bakes cookies to order and delivers them warm, along with milkshakes and ice cream.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

· Jake Worth, General Manager at Bar Ivy, joins us. Opening this month in Arlington,
Bar Ivy comes from the D.C.-based Blagden Hospitality Group, owner of Tiger Fork, urban backyard Calico, neighborhood tavern Fainting Goat, and many more you know;

· Clementine Thomas and Sam Vasfi, co-owners, Bold Fork Books. Located in Mount Pleasant, Bold Fork
Books is D.C.’s only culinary bookshop, featuring new and vintage cookbooks and elevated kitchenware;

· Laura Kumin has authored a fascinating, new book, “All Stirred Up: Suffrage Cookbooks, Food and the
Battle for Women’s Right to Vote.” The media and history focused on the loud women, those who marched, picketed the White House and even some who went to jail. This book focuses on the forgotten suffragists, those who battled quietly, but just as effectively, with a cookbook or a slice of cake. How’d they do it? Keep listening!
· Another fascinating read is Kate Lebo’s “Book of Difficult Fruit.” In it, she asks and answers the
question: What is a difficult fruit? Of the 26 fruits featured, some are invasive, poisonous, sour, or even explosive. They are also sweet, medicinal, or even make a great pie. Her conclusion is that difficult fruit can nurture as much as it can harm. Through these fruits, Lebo sheds light on the gray areas in life and especially explores the connection between food and medicine. She asks what we can learn from the history of plant-based medicine, examines modern medicine, and explores how we care for one another.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• John Borden, CEO, The Washington Tennis and Education Foundation. The foundation’s mission is giving children and youth a safe environment they trust, where they can excel through a pathway of continual academic, life skills and tennis instruction. WTEF’s 2022 annual Share the Love gala May 21 at the Ritz-Carlton in the West End is a star-studded event celebrating those who support the organization and the continued achievements of scholar-athletes;

• Mitch Berliner and Debra Moser talk about their brand-new Half Street addition to the network of weekly Central Farm Markets;

• Ready to live – feel – and BE better? Through years of coaching and research, Christine Hronec has discovered that the key to fat loss is eating the optimum ratio of macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fat—for your body. In her new book, “Unlock Your Macro Type,” she explains how your ideal varies depending on your body type and carb tolerance. And many will discover they should actually be consuming more calories, not fewer!

• And, speaking of living better, you’ll also want to hear from James Yarborough, owner and co-founder of RAWish. It’s a plant-based concept located in the recently opened Western Market food hall and focused on serving flavorful vegan options designed to support the human body’s optimal performance.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• Involved in large scale whiskey events for more than 16 years, David Sweet has owned and managed large-scale tasting events across North America, England and Australia. He is currently running his own event series – Whiskey and Barrel Nite — in six cities from coast to coast;
• Restaurateur and awesome chef, named 2020 RAMMY chef of the year, David Deshaies has a fabulous new restaurant, L’Ardente, on Massachusetts Avenue, and it is nothing short of spectacular. Everyone’s talking about the 40-layer lasagna, but have you had the carbonara?! Chef David is in with his chef de cuisine, Leena Ali;

• Joanna Veltri is chief of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development’s
Americas Liaison Office. Her organization is dedicated to working in rural areas of developing countries to address poverty and hunger. IFAD recently teamed up with Chef Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster fame for its Recipes for Change program. Through this program well-known chefs from around the world draw attention to the impacts of climate change on traditional crops and local recipes in the world’s poorest countries and promote ways that rural small-scale farmers can adapt;

• Alam Méndez Florián, a native of Oaxaca, is executive chef at Maiz64 on 14th Street Northwest. He and his team turn four kinds of maiz – corn — into fresh masa daily for the tacos, tamales, and other corn-based essentials.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• Michael Jantz-Moon, co-owner, DC Vegan, and Starla Newman, bar manager, previewing cocktails as they prepare to open D.C.’s first vegan bar. A cool note for you: Michael is a musician and has toured with Paul Simon and Brian Wilson and opened for Train, the Black Crowes, Space Hog, B.B. King and Barry Manilow!
• Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em! The National Cannabis Festival is back! April 22-24 on the RFK Campus, enjoy great musical acts, a new culinary pavilion and a newly expanded calendar featuring three days of events that include a culinary pavilion featuring chefs from Maydan, Maketto, Moon Rabbit, Disco Mary, the Peruvian Brothers and Pearl and Da Girls. Caroline Phillips, founder of the National Cannabis Festival, joins us with the details;

• BLT Steak, the power restaurant just steps away from the White House, is debuting a new space and a reimagined menu under Executive Chef Michael Bonk, who joins us;

• Breakfast? Lunch? Brunch? Dinner? With your dog? Oh, yeah! The Commentary Social House at The Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel appears to have it all. We’re joined by Executive Chef Francecil Ponte (we call her Fran) and T.J. Daniels, director of food and beverage.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:
• Chef Vic Albisu’s Taco Bamba serves food that is like a narcotic. And Taco Bamba’s beverage director,
Amin Seddiq, knows his stuff, too, creating a cocktail menu for every Taco Bamba that opens. He joins us today to mix up, pour and discuss some liquid happiness;
• The D.C. Central Kitchen is a national treasure. The organization’s CEO, Mike Curtin, an old and good friend of the show, joins us later with news about the Central Kitchen’s awesome, must-attend, star-studded, annual fundraiser, the Capital Food Fight, coming to The Anthem on the Wharf Thursday, April 7;

• Tanorria Askew is a chef, social justice activist and author of a new book, “Staples + 5,”, in which she demonstrates how to transform the most fundamental ingredients into effortlessly delicious dishes, a skill passed down from her mother and grandmother. Her mission is to share accessible recipes that are perfect for getting dinner on the table without extra trips to the store, entertaining unexpected guests without added stress and maybe even throwing together a casserole for a neighbor in need.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:
• Nationally celebrated as one of Food & Wine magazine’s 10 “Best New Chefs” and one of the nicest and most self-effacing guys you’ll ever meet, Kevin Tien presides over the modern Vietnamese cuisine at Moon Rabbit, the Intercontinental Hotel’s signature restaurant at The Wharf in D.C. Chef Kevin and bartender Gemma Hardy also offer a superlative cocktail and wine list, and both join us for drinks and chit-chat. Plus, you’ll find out what a moon rabbit is;
• Husband-and-wife duo Gabriela and Tyler Steelman are co-owners of Empanadas de
Mendoza, part of Urbanspace Tysons, a food hall opening this week and celebrating some of the best global flavors in D.C.;

• James Beard Award-winning Washington Post columnist Tamar Haspel has a new book out . “To Boldly Grow: Finding Joy, Adventure, and Dinner in Your Own Backyard” is a meticulously detailed and very funny
six-part road map for adventurous folks who want to forage for and prepare food from land and sea – from scratch!

• Amy Troutmiller is the CEO of Common Fuel Consulting, specializing in business development, recruiting and
architectural design for hospitality and alcoholic beverage companies. She claims that there are some really good boxed wines. So does Nycci. David is skeptical. We find out who’s right.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• It often is the case that wine lists don’t reflect the diversity of makers from all backgrounds. The response from Lyle’s, the signature restaurant in the new Lyle Hotel at Dupont Circle, is a wine list exclusively featuring women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ winemakers across the country and the globe. Martha Skidmore, Lyle’s Assistant Regional Food and Beverage Director, is with us with tastes and talk of wines you may not know;
• I say “recycling” and you say, “Yeah, I totally get that it’s right, but …” Well, you’re not alone. Only a small percentage of what we toss in the recycling bin actually is recycled. Stephanie J. Miller, Founder of Zero Waste in D.C., a former director of climate business at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank and author of the book “Zero Waste Living: The 80/20 Way,” joins us with practical tips for responsible recycling;

• And, finally, we speak with Christine DeLozier, author of “Diet for Great Sex: Food for Male and Female Sexual Health.” Need we say more?

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and so is a live report and cross-continental tasting from the Emerald Isle, when we’re joined by Elaine Larkin, U.K. brand manager of Grace O’Malley Whiskey and Proclamation, Ireland’s premium whiskey and spirits brands;
• Coming to Ford’s Theatre on March 19, “Grace” is a new musical from Nolan Williams, Jr. examining the rarely told history of African-American culinary tradition and the challenges faced by Black-owned businesses. Packed with an eclectic mix of styles, including jazz, R&B, rousing up-tempos and raise the-roof ballads, the show promises to be a rousing foot-stomper, punctuated by some awesome dance numbers choreographed by Robert Barry Fleming, who joins us to talk about the show;
• The seventh annual Fairfax Restaurant Week is upon us. Starting March 7 and running through March 14, it features amazing fixed-price offerings at some of Fairfax City’s best restaurants to get you back into the swing of dining out. Kathleen Paley, chair of the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority, joins us with all the details;
• At times finding a really good cocktail can be murder. Yes … murrrrr-derrr. “Mixology and Murder” is a new crime-themed cocktail book by Kierra Sondereker. Missing this interview would be a crime.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• You’ve seen those beautiful teal wine bottles. That’s Gemma di Luna (Gem of the Moon) Italian wines. Filippo Lapides, national brand ambassador, joins us for tastes and talk of Gemma di Luna pinot grigio, sparkling muscato and prosecco;
• So, what’s your food story? Everyone has one. How you were raised. What those around you said about food. The messages, happy and painful. Memories about food. All of it. Finding peace with food and your food story — and how it drives your choices — can help you say goodbye to lousy eating habits and more. Elise Museles, certified eating psychology and nutrition expert and author of “Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think and Live,” joins us;

• What are the two greatest food cities east of the Big Muddy? D.C. and New York, yes? And how great is it to be a New Yorker or Washingtonian and able to zap to the other city for a weekend of wining and dining with some sightseeing thrown in? Chad Scarborough, founder and CEO of The Jet, the luxury motor coach offering direct service between Washington, D.C.’s Metro Center and New York City’s Hudson Yards, joins us to tell us how you now can do just that!

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• Kimberly Hall and Tracy Franklin of Sip and Tipple, a membership club offering a curated shopping experience and exclusive benefits, all to help people enhance their at-home bar experience with Black-owned spirit brands in a convenient, fun, and educational manner;
• Dip Magar, co-owner of the Himalayan Wild Yak, a restaurant in Ashburn specializing in Nepalese cuisine, including yak;
• Dinesh Tadepalli, the founder of incrEDIBLE Eats, is just plain brilliant! Tired of seeing plastic eating utensils go straight into landfills, he invented completely compostable, edible plant-based spoons crafted with non-GMO wheat, corn, oats, brown rice and chickpeas;
• Lisa Steele, author of “The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook: Over 100 Fabulous Recipes to Use Eggs in Unexpected Ways.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

The “Savor Bethesda” Restaurant Week takes place Thursday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, February 27, 2022. Joining us are Stephanie Coppula of the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Roberto Pietrobono and Donnie White of Alatri Bros.;

Our favorite vegan baker, Doron Petersan, is the founder of Sticky Fingers, D.C.’s premier vegan bakery in Columbia Heights. Last fall she rebranded the company, announcing a digital retail expansion offering her vegan products to ship nationwide. We check in to see how many new worlds she has conquered since;

Philip Brandes founded Bravus, North America’s first non-alcoholic craft brewery. We’ll find out why;

Chef Liz Rogers is founder and CEO of Creamalicious Ice Creams, the only Black-owned national ice cream brand. We get the inside scoop.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• Betsy Bonilla, lead bartender at Chef Danny Lledo’s Slate Wine Bar;
• Fito Garcia, co-owner of Inca Social in Vienna, Virginia, which just opened a second location in Rosslyn, offering traditional Peruvian and other Latin dishes with a special take on modern Nikkei fusion cuisine, a sushi/ceviche bar, and a large indoor/outdoor pisco sour bar;
• Leanne Brown, author of the “Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day” cookbook. It took off like a rocket and hit the New York Times bestseller list. She’s back with a new message in the just published “Good Enough: A Cookbook,” embracing the joys of imperfection, in and out of the kitchen;

• Chef Selassie Atadika, founder/CEO and head chocolatier of Midunu Chocolates, which offers artisanal handcrafted chocolates made with Ghanaian cocoa, along with spices, tea, candles and hot chocolates.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• Beer here! Just in time for the playoffs as they get real serious is really serious BEER! Chris Burns is president of Old Ox, a distribution brewery that sells canned and kegged beer across our region;

• Do you eat like a human? Maybe you think so, but probably not. Dr. Bill Schindler is the author of “Eat Like a
Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health .” He’s an archaeologist, primitive technologist and chef. He founded and directs the Eastern Shore Food Lab with a mission to preserve and revive ancestral dietary approaches to create a nourishing, ethical, and sustainable food system and, along with his wife, Christina, operates the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, which is designed to provide nourishing food using ancestral approaches maximizing safety, nutrient density and bioavailability to the community;

• You see what the COVID pandemic is doing to people’s food supplies and access – maybe some of your neighbors’. And you want to help, but how? What’s the right way? Faced with the same dilemma, Mark Bucher, a local restaurateur and all-around good guy founded the D.C. area nonprofit Feed the Fridge. Mark joins us to talk about a truly unique way of helping to feed hungry here in our area and across America.