Jeff and Jamie Feed

Restaurateur Andre Lomeli is bringing the flavors of Southern California and his family’s rich Mexican food traditions to Charlotte through Mal Pan, El Malo, and Hermanita. On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, Andre shares his journey from opening a restaurant with his parents in San Diego to building his own restaurant group in Charlotte. We talk handmade tortillas, regional Mexican cuisine, the lessons passed down through generations of restaurant ownership, and how he’s evolving his family’s legacy through marketing, creativity, and business growth.

What’s it really like to compete on Top Chef? On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, Brittany Cochran, Executive Chef at Stagioni and a contestant on Top Chef Season 23: Carolinas, takes us behind the scenes of the high-pressure competition filmed right here in Charlotte. She shares what it takes to cook under pressure, how her leadership style has evolved, and why Top Chef is putting Charlotte’s food scene in the spotlight.

On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we’re joined by Kristen Wile, founder and editor of Unpretentious Palate, to talk about the changing world of food media and Charlotte’s evolving restaurant scene.

Kristen shares her journey from the Washington Post and Charlotte Magazine to building an independent food publication, and we discuss the decline of traditional food journalism, the rise of influencers and AI, and why local food media still matters. We also dive into current restaurant trends, including the return of nostalgic comfort foods and the rising costs facing restaurants.

Plus, Kristen fills us in on the upcoming Uppy Awards (Monday, November 9th) and her mission to celebrate Charlotte’s hospitality community. For more on Kristen and Unpretentious Palate, visit: http://www.unpretentiouspalate.com/.

On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, the couple sits down with Susanne Dillingham, aka “The Tiny Chef,” for a conversation about an unconventional culinary journey that has taken her from washing dishes at a Charlotte restaurant to studying regional Italian cuisine in Florence, cooking privately for clients including Jeff Gordon and Chelsea Clinton, and building a business around intimate culinary experiences.

Susanne shares what she learned from starting at the bottom, why adapting to change is essential as an entrepreneur, and why private dinners have become her sweet spot. She takes Jeff and Jamie inside her one-acre farm and beehives, explaining the surprisingly wild world of raising bees. The conversation also gets personal as Susanne talks about rebuilding her business after divorce, her experience with adoption, reconnecting with her biological family, and how those experiences inspired her new memoir, Secret Ingredients of Life.

On this week's episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, Culinary Specialist Rachel Mazur of Gordon Food Service joins us to explore the essential relationship between restaurants and their mainline distributors. We talk about the trends shaping restaurants today, the many ways a great distributor can help an operation thrive, and why the relationship is truly a partnership. Rachel also shares the story of Gordon Food Service, a family-owned company now five generations strong, and what has her most excited about the future of our industry.

Heidi Billotto has spent decades helping shape Charlotte’s culinary scene—and bringing the people behind our food closer together. This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Heidi to talk about her influence on Charlotte’s evolving food community, why supporting local farmers and makers matters, and the magic that happens when chefs know the people growing and producing their ingredients. Plus, we look ahead to the 10th annual NCRLA Chef Showdown Grand Finale this September and the chefs, farmers and local products it celebrates. (Get tickets to the event: www.NCChefShowdown.com)

On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Laura White of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) to talk about the intentional work happening behind the scenes to elevate Charlotte on a national stage.

From helping bring the Michelin Guide to the Southeast for the first time, to landing Top Chef Season 23 and supporting Fork & Hammer, the CRVA is betting big on food and hospitality as drivers of tourism and growth. We talk about why culinary matters, where Charlotte is headed, and what it takes to put a city on the map.

In this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we’re taking you behind the scenes of launching Olivelli Deli, our new 82-square-foot walk-up sandwich shop in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood. We share why we made the difficult decision to close Reigning Doughnuts, what inspired the new concept, and the realities of opening a business when the doors are open and guests are already lining up.

From unexpectedly high demand and staffing adjustments to designing a menu for an incredibly small space, we discuss the wins, the setbacks, and the lessons we’re learning in real time. We also dive into our approach to housemade bread, imported Italian meats, handcrafted soft serve, and why every ingredient has to earn its place in a kitchen this small.

Whether you’re a restaurant owner, entrepreneur, or simply curious about what goes into building a food business, we hope you enjoy a peek at the first few days of bringing a new concept to life.

This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with restaurateur Sam Diminich, founder of Your Farms Your Table and the visionary behind Restaurant Constance and the newly opened Grey's Diner.

Sam shares how direct partnerships with local farmers became the foundation of his restaurant philosophy, the challenges and rewards of sourcing locally, and how those relationships shape the guest experience. We also discuss his journey of getting into the restaurant business, his inspiring ability to overcome, and the future of independent restaurants.

It's a thoughtful conversation about food, hospitality, community, and building a business with purpose.

This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Todd and Suzie Ford, founders of NoDa Brewing, to discuss the journey from launching one of Charlotte’s pioneering craft breweries to building a multi-brand beverage company that’s successfully navigating disruption.

We explore the early days of taking a chance on Charlotte’s emerging beer scene, the challenges of growing a brand, and how the beverage industry has evolved over the last decade. Todd and Suzie share insights on distribution, taproom economics, changing consumer habits, the rise of THC and alternative beverages, and the launch of their newest brand, Happy Bird.

It’s a candid conversation about entrepreneurship, adaptability, and what it takes to thrive in an industry that’s changing faster than ever.

This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Chayil Johnson, Executive Chef of Community Matters Cafe in Charlotte, North Carolina, to explore how hospitality can be a powerful tool for transformation.

Chayil shares the story behind the cafe, the innovative training programs that help individuals rebuild their lives, and the challenge of balancing a meaningful mission with the realities of running a successful restaurant. We discuss leadership, staffing, food quality, growth, and why Charlotte has been such an important part of the organization’s journey.

It’s an inspiring conversation about community, second chances, and the unique ability of hospitality to create lasting impact.

This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Eric Cacciatore—host of the wildly popular restaurant podcast Restaurant Unstoppable—for a deep dive into the business, culture, and future of hospitality.

Eric shares how growing up around restaurants shaped his passion for the industry, what he’s learned from interviewing hundreds of restaurant owners, operators, and chefs, and the common traits he sees in the people building truly great businesses.

We also get into some of the biggest challenges restaurants are facing right now—from staffing and sustainability to burnout and rising costs—and why Eric believes collaboration, transparency, and stronger community between operators could be the key to helping more restaurants survive and thrive.

It’s an honest, insightful, and inspiring conversation for anyone who loves restaurants or works in hospitality.

On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Level 3 Advanced Sommelier Michael Klinger for a conversation that goes far beyond what’s in the glass. We dive into what it really takes to become a somm, the art of showmanship at the table, and some of the most exciting trends happening in the winemaking world right now. Plus, Michael shares his favorite wines for warmer weather and what foods pair best with them. Whether you’re deep into wine culture or simply want to order with more confidence, this episode is packed with insight, stories, and plenty of great recommendations.

Jeff and Jamie sit down with Jess Berresse and Garrett Tichy of Seemingly Overzealous, a local dairy, egg, and gluten-free ice cream shop, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about what it really takes to grow a small business into something bigger, without losing what made it special in the first place. From navigating the complexities of multiple locations to building a thoughtful, sustainable growth plan, Jess and Garrett share the wins, the growing pains, and the lessons learned along the way.

The episode also dives into the unique dynamic of working together as a couple: how they divide responsibilities, handle pressure, and stay aligned through constant change. Plus, in a fast-evolving city where trends move quickly and competition is fierce, they open up about the ongoing challenge of staying relevant while staying true to their brand.

This week, Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown sit down with their own marketing director, Allie Papajohn—the woman behind @eatdrinkclt. What started as a personal passion project back in 2014 has evolved into one of Charlotte’s most trusted food Instagram accounts, giving Allie a unique perspective on both sides of the influencer world.

She shares how she built her platform organically, what makes content resonate in 2026, and how she approaches authenticity in a saturated space. The conversation also pulls back the curtain on how she manages influencer partnerships for the Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group—what works, what doesn’t, and how restaurants can build meaningful relationships with creators.

Whether you’re a restaurateur, content creator, or just curious about the business behind the posts, this episode offers an honest look at the intersection of hospitality, marketing, and modern influence.

In this episode, Jeff turns the mic on Jamie to talk about her new book, Eleven Tables. What begins as a conversation about writing quickly opens into something bigger—an honest look at what it really takes to bring an idea to life and turn it into something real.

They dig into the small, often invisible steps behind big projects, the role of resilience in building a business, and how Jamie carved out time to write in the middle of a full restaurant life. At the center of it all is belief—the willingness to trust an idea before it fully exists, and the discipline to see it through.

This is a conversation about starting, continuing, and finishing—held together by the power of taking even the tiniest steps forward.

This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Colleen Hughes—James Beard–nominated mixologist and recent recipient of Michelin’s “Exceptional Cocktails” award for the Southeast.

Colleen gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how she builds standout cocktail programs, from her creative process to the systems that keep her nimble in a constantly evolving industry. We dive into the rise of spirit-free cocktails, the growing role of THC beverages, and what it really takes to stay ahead of the curve in today’s bar scene.

Whether you’re a bartender, server, restaurant owner, or just someone who loves a great drink, this conversation is packed with insight, perspective, and a glimpse into where the future of beverages is headed.

In this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, Jeff and Jamie talk about filming the final three episodes of Season 1 of Fork & Hammer in Atlanta, including what it was like working alongside Jamie’s brother and the behind-the-scenes rhythm of television production. The last two episodes of the television program bring the team back to Charlotte, where the focus shifts to the final stretch before opening Leluia Hall—finishing design details, continuing to tweak the menu, and hosting a full staff practice night to get ready for the real thing. Listen in for an inside look at the controlled chaos that comes right before a restaurant finally opens its doors, and the filming for Fork & Hammer season 1 comes to an end.

In this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Kristen Miranda of Blume Studios to talk about the powerful intersections of dining, theatre and immersive entertainment. As restaurants evolve beyond simply serving food, we discuss how dining out is increasingly becoming a form of theater — an experience that blends atmosphere, storytelling, performance, and connection. Kristen shares how Blume Studios weaves food and beverage into their immersive arts programming, intentionally curating environments that invite guests to step into something unexpected and unforgettable. With experiences like “The Magician’s Table”, Blume Studios is blending food, drink, and performance to create something far beyond a traditional night out. We explore how they thoughtfully curate each experience and how similar theatrical elements show up in our own restaurants. This conversation is about a current and rising moment in hospitality: where art, storytelling, and the table come together to create theatrical moments guests won’t forget.

On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with visionary Charlotte leader Tim Belk to talk about building a stronger local food system. Tim shares the story behind his family’s Wild Hope Farm located in Chester, SC—and why having farms near fast-growing cities like Charlotte is essential to the future of food. We dig into how restaurants and farms can work together more effectively, the realities of scaling sustainable agriculture, and his work with the Carolina Farm Fund to invest in the next generation of regional farms in a sustainable, thoughtful way. This is the unique farming infrastructure being planted now that will impact chefs and locals alike in generations to come in Charlotte. It’s a conversation about land, leadership, and what it really takes to feed a city well.