Foodie and the Beast

Federal News Network | Hubbard Radio

Nycci Nellis is everyone's "go to" food journalist for insights and in depth info about everything happening across the food/wine/spirits/brews/restaurant scenes in the Mid-Atlantic and across the U.S. Her husband, David, is a beer and burgers guy. On radio since 2009, they host celebrity guest interviews with famous and up-and-coming chefs, winemakers, distillers, oystermen, farmers, marine biologists and more. Get the foodie info you need to know and won't find anywhere else; enjoy irreverent repartee; pick up great recipe tips for cooking to cocktails and ... have fun! .. with Nycci and David Nellis on the one and only, Foodie and the Beast.

  1. MAR 28

    Foodie and the Beast - March 29, 2026

    Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.     On today’s show:     ·        2026 is the 50th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, where – for the first time – two Napa Valley American wines bested French wines in a blind tasting. That huge, seismic moment in wine is part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, and Stephen Velasquez, curator of the  Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s Division of Home and Community Life, joins us with all the celebratory details, including the upcoming 2026 Winemaker’s Dinner;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ·        Since the Judgment of Paris is part of today’s conversation, it made sense to also invite Claudia Chamberlain to join us. She’s the U.S. general manager for Berry Bros. & Rudd. Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd is the oldest wine and spirits merchant in the United Kingdom and is still family-owned;                                                                                                             ·        Our  buddy, Jarrad Silver, chef/owner of Silver and Sons BBQ in Bethesda, is in with big news -- unless you're a lamb. The Lamb Jam is back as a month-long dine-around in April, where chefs across the country will feature American lamb dishes under $30 and diners are encouraged to explore and vote for their favorites;                                                                                                                                                                                                           ·        Kenia Euceda Canales, Neighborhood Restaurant Group coffee director, ensures that the non-alcoholic program across the group is a cut above the rest. She’s got lots of caffeinated tastes and talk to share, but especially about the one she manages, NRG’s specialty coffee shop, CAMEO in The Roost on Capitol Hill. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    50 min

  2. MAR 21

    Foodie and the Beast - March 22, 2026

    Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.     On today’s show:     ·        We say “Carla Hall” and you say, “ OMG – that’s celebrated chef, author, Top Chef All-Star, co-host of ABC’s The Chew, and former Howard U accounting major!” Then we say, “Micheline Mendelsohn, ” her partner’s name, and you say that she’s deputy CEO at the Sunnyside Restaurant Group, where her brother, celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, and the rest of the family have the hospitality Midas touch. And then we say, “Bumblebirds on Capitol Hill” and you say, “Thank God we can get Carla’s amazing fried chicken again!” Carla and Micheline join us today;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ·        Erika Polmar, executive director of the  Independent Restaurant Coalition, a national trade association lobbying solely on behalf of independent restaurants and bars – operators working for operators. She’s here to offer the 411 on the coalition’s purpose. But, considering the fragile state of the industry these days across America, Erika also has insights on what the IRC is doing to support restaurant operations today and successful operations tomorrow;                                                                                                                                                                              ·        Emily Brown, owner, Eebee’s Corner Bar, tells her incredible story of building her own business against all odds; ·          ·        The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the DMV’s great celebrations of the advent of spring. It commemorates the 1912 gift of cherry trees from the people of Tokyo to Washington, DC. Lillian Iversen is the vice president of the festival, in with info about all things cherry blossom here in town;                                                                      Owen Thompson provides the drinks. He is the beverage director for Unfold Hospitality, the company behind Casa Teresa and The Square. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    50 min

  3. MAR 14

    Foodie and the Beast - March 15, 2026

    Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.    On today’s show: ·        You’d have to be living under a rock not to know of Marcus Samuelson, a multiple James Beard Foundation award winner. His restaurant here, Marcus DC, opened and instantly became one of The Washington Post’s top five in the city. But Marcus takes global strides and isn’t there all the time -- and his not-so-secret weapon running the place is a Maryland native, Executive Chef Anthony Jones, an exceptional talent who himself is now a James Beard Award semifinalist for Emerging Chef. Chef Anthony joins us; ·        We recently spent four glorious days in Jamaica at a condo resort called The West. And the food there was … the BEST! Thanks to restaurateur Sydney Watson -  the generous hospitality, amazing cuisine, and all-around fun to be had at her restaurant in The West Signature, a premier residential community. Syd’s on the Rocks in Negril is beyond outstanding. Syd is gracious, so talented, and she joins us today from Jamaica;          ·        Mike Friedman of  the All-Purpose Hospitality Group is in. He’s an owner, master chef and the culinary spirit behind a bunch of the area’s most outstanding spots – the Red Hen, All-Purpose, the Boundary Stone, as wells as Bethesda’s Aventino Cucina and A-P Pizza Shop. And now the All-Purpose Hospitality has a new baby – Shaw’s Fossette Focacceria – with killer focaccia sandwiches, gelato, wines, and Italian imported goods (pasta, snacks, etc.) Si mangia bene a Fosette Focacceria.   By the way, “fossette” is a French term meaning "dimples" or "small cavities" – like on a kid’s cheek or in the crust of your fave focaccia.   ·        Stephen Fortier, owner and winemaker, Domaine Fortier Vineyards joins us. Fortier won two gold medals at the Virginia Governor’s Cup wine competition Thursday evening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    52 min

  4. MAR 7

    Foodie and the Beast - March 8, 2026

    Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.     On today’s show: ·        He’s a flavor explorer and a culinary storyteller - Emmanuel Laroche, the noted food and beverage industry executive, creator and host of the podcast “Flavors Unknown,” and author of “Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door” and “A Taste of Madagascar;"   ·        Kat Jiang from Seylou, the organic whole-grain bakery and mill in Blagden Alley, is in to introduce the Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair and Conference coming up March 15-16, organized by the Common Grain Alliance, bringing together farmers, millers, bakers, brewers, distillers, and food leaders from across the Middle Atlantic to strengthen the region’s grain economy and reconnect the full grain supply chain from field to finished food;                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ·        Ashley Blake, owner of Prim’s Café in Shaw. A brilliant concept for a beloved neighborhood hang-out, Prim’s features coffee and espresso made with beans sourced from Adee’s Coffee & Bar in Baltimore, matcha, chai, and more -- PLUS fresh pastries that are delivered fresh every morning;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ·        Drink Segment: Rimtang in Georgetown is an outstanding Thai street food restaurant that we’ve featured several times on the show. Today we’re talking cocktails -- and Rimtang’s Kelly Duong is in to mix ‘em up. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    50 min

  5. FEB 21

    Foodie and the Beast - Feb. 22, 2026

    Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.     On today’s show: ·        Celebrated for its mouth-watering, slow-smoked meats, Latin-inspired sides, and a no-shortcuts approach to craft, 2Fifty Barbecue is touted by many as the DMV’s best, including Washingtonian’s Top 100 Very Best Restaurants, where it comes in ranked at #22 overall. Not too shabby – so we invited chef/co-owner Fernando Gonzalez in to make him give up all his best-kept culinary secrets;                                                                                                                                                                                                       ·        Speaking of mouth-watering, we also brought in Washington Ramirez,, opening manager of Terra Gaucha Restaurant in Rockville. Terra Gaucha is an authentic, churrasco-style restaurant showcasing traditional flavors from southern Brazil;   ·        Formerly with PepsiCo, Liat Kaplan is the co-founder and CEO of WiSP, a cutting-edge wellness and safety platform using new technology to analyze drink contents in real time. Liat’s mission is to support patron safety and personal wellness, empowering people to enjoy food and drink experiences confidently, while minimizing risks like drink-spiking, allergens, and unsafe levels of alcohol consumption;                                                                                                                                                              ·        Kevin Bratt is a partner and the national wine and spirits director for Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Snow Crab. He’s in with tastes and talk of Joe’s wine and spirits programs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    50 min

  6. FEB 7

    Foodie and the Beast - Feb. 8, 2026

    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.

    51 min

  7. JAN 31

    Foodie and the Beast - Feb. 1, 2026

    Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.     On today’s show:   ·        Scott Drewno, partnered with Danny Lee in the Fried Rice Collective, here to take about food for the Big Game and the Upstate New York foods he grew up with that he’s now able to offer;                                                                                                                                                                                                        ·        Yves Lowe, executive chef and gastronomy programming manager for the Montréal en Lumière festival. It is one of the largest winter festivals in the world and the most important food festival in Canada. Attendees enjoy hundreds of activities through gourmet experiences that showcase the best of the city’s culinary scene;                                                                                                                                                                                   ·        America loves a comeback story. Chef Paolo Dungca’s modern Filipino restaurant, Kayu, closed on the H Street Corridor at the end of June. But it didn’t take long to make a comeback. A more streamlined casual version of the restaurant is now open at Dupont Circle;                                                                                                                                                                               ·        Dr. Mamuka Tsereteli, founder of the Georgian Wine House.– The nation of Georgia is possibly the birthplace of wine, with 8000 years of uninterrupted winemaking.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    51 min

  8. JAN 24

    Foodie and the Beast - Jan. 25, 2026

    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.

    51 min
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About

Nycci Nellis is everyone's "go to" food journalist for insights and in depth info about everything happening across the food/wine/spirits/brews/restaurant scenes in the Mid-Atlantic and across the U.S. Her husband, David, is a beer and burgers guy. On radio since 2009, they host celebrity guest interviews with famous and up-and-coming chefs, winemakers, distillers, oystermen, farmers, marine biologists and more. Get the foodie info you need to know and won't find anywhere else; enjoy irreverent repartee; pick up great recipe tips for cooking to cocktails and ... have fun! .. with Nycci and David Nellis on the one and only, Foodie and the Beast.

Information

  • Creator
    Federal News Network | Hubbard Radio
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    352
  • Copyright
    © © Hubbard Radio Washington DC, LLC
  • Show Website
    Foodie and the Beast