Industry Night with Nycci Nellis

Many of you may think Nycci is all about Gluttony — all the good food and even better drink. Part of that is true but she is really about living well. And sometimes that involves good wine, sometimes it involves decadent food and sometimes a trip away or just a great pair of shoes. Don’t be so myopic people — there are so many ways to live well On today’s Industry Night, Esosa E — aka the Raw Girl...

On the next Industry Night, Dr. Travis Parno and his team from Historic Saint Mary’s City recently discovered the St. Mary’s Fort and other artifacts recovered during the excavations — he takes us on his dig. But first, Mark Bucher is back talking about the incredible growth of Feed the Fridge, the D.C.-based program that’s turning food insecurity into meal security. That’s Industry Night, Tuesday...

On the next Industry Night, Nycci chats with Carla Sanchez of @SpicyCandyDC fame who is now introducing the DC Are to her Bolivian heritage via the recently launched Casa Kantuta. Casa Kantuta takes visitors on a culinary and cultural experience thanks to Maria Helena, owner of Saya Sal, and mixologist Luis Aliaga. That's Industry Night, Tuesdays at 7pm on RealFunDC .

There has been a lot of talk about the staffing shortages in the Restaurant Industry. On the next Industry Night, Nycci Talks with Tim Banks, associate professor and department chair for the Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies at Howard Community College and Howard Community College student and cake business owner. Rachel Carver. The problem can not be fixed without education. But first, a...

Do you ever go to an area and think — how did they do this? The Navy yard, the Washington Harbor, Georgetown Park, Buzzards Point — are but a few examples of areas that legit did not exist in the flesh but did exist in some pretty magical minds. On the next Industry Night, Nycci chats with Herbert Miller of Western Development Corporation, Michael Stevens with the Capitol Riverfront BID, and Greg...

There are a lot of changes out there. What does it look like for retail in the DC Area? How do we make sure that our city’s streets stay vibrant with diverse and interesting retail? On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks retail retention with the experts: executive director of the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), Leona Agourdis, Philippe Lanier, one of the top commercial real...

On the next Industry Night on Real Fun DC, Nycci talks with wine importer, Estebe Salgado & winemaker of Bodegas Arrayan, Maite Sánchez Márquez about the terroir and tastes of Spanish wines. But first, Nycci catches up on the latest restaurant openings and Rammy info with RAMW’s Kathy Hollinger.

On the next Industry Night, magical botanicals -- elixirs, crystals, overall health — are overall of interest to Nycci and fortunately, Deb Shaffer of enchanted botanicals takes us on her journey from breast cancer survivor to an arbiter of wellness. But first, Nycci talks with aureate and activist Tony Lewis, Jr. activist and author Tony Lewis Jr. As a community leader, and re-entry expert, Tony...

Just because restaurants are ALLOWED to be at100-percent it doesn’t mean that they can. Pre pandemic there was a growing staffing crisis and almost post-pandemic not enough employees to staff all the hospitality establishments. On the next Industry night, Nycci is joined by Kathy Hollinger of RAMW, hospitality industry recruiter, Chris Floyd of Capital Restaurant Resources, Hollis Wells Silverman,...

When Wolfgang Pick announced he was going to open a Cut steakhouse in the Rosewood hotel a few years back there was the usual Foodie backlash —- another steakhouse! But let’s be honest — DC is known as a steakhouse town but we really don’t have many — and especially good ones. So when Cut opened there was a collective sigh that a hip and hospitable steakhouse was here — but then there was a fire a...

It will surprise no one to learn that stereotypes & unconscious bias are rampant in the hospitality Industry. Enter Empowering The Diner an educational events series that aims to empower diners to have better experiences in restaurants. On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks with long-time local hospitality professionals Erica Christian & Kapri Robinson. And, Carlos Rice & Darris Dame...

On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks with chefs Paolo Dungca & Chef Tom Cunanan about DC and how it has always been a haven for cuisines and cultures that were not readily available in other American cities. In the last 10 years that notion has exploded in a variety of ways. Not only are more options available but the execution has been elevated. And, RAMW’s Kathy Hollinger is back to expla...

On the next Industry Night, Michelin stars have dropped around DC, and the North American Chief Inspector (anonymous!) talks about who is in and who is out. Chef Ryan Ratino is in! Retaining the one-star at Bresca and earning two stars at his recently opened Jônt, Ryan talks about the business of receiving these kinds of accolades. Lindera Farms has a cult-like following and forager/producer Danie...

On Industry Night, Nycci catches up with the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s President, Kathy Hollinger about the status of the restaurants during Covid and how they are going to deal with the next hurdle, staffing. And, Nycci takes a deeper dive into the making of the area’s first retailer that’ mission is to discover and appreciate, Black-owned, lifestyle and home goods brand...

On the next Industry Night, one thing the pandemic has made crystal clear is that our outside space is sacred. Jessica Petrino from appliance experts AjMadison, landscape architect, Robert Bell of Bell Design, Inc., and lighting specialist, Reed Libby from Affordable Sprinklers join Nycci Nellis to talk about creating an outdoor oasis. But first, Moon Rabbit's Kevin Tien shares his experience as a...

On the next Industry Night, chef/owner Danny Lee, (of some of DC’s most loved restaurants, Mandu, Chiko, Anju), shares his experience as an Asian American & offers guidance on what we can all do to put a stop to racism & hate. Later in the show, Nycci says goodbye to Rosé all day and hello to Sake with DC Sake Co's Reiko Hirai.

Have you been invited to join Clubhouse? What is this new social media phenomena and why should you be on it? On the next Industry Night, Rita Goodroe, International speaker and business strategist talks why who, what, where and how Clubhouse is the next great networking platform. Erik Bruner-Yang pops back to revisit "Pandemic Year in Review" & his Power of 10 Initiative’s evolvement. Industr...

It’s been a year since the pandemic shut us down. On the next Industry Night, Nycci Nellis goes on a data discovery mission on the industry’s numbers with MarginEdge’s co-founder, Bo Davis, and owner of Ford’s Fish Shacks Tony Stafford. RealFunDC’s Tommy McFly pops in with a Cherry Blossom Festival updates.

During these pandemic times, as discussed on this show often, businesses have had to pivot and swivel and contort themselves in all sorts of ways to survive with hopes of thriving. Elliot Spaisman of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Valerie Zweig of RX Chicken & Maria Iturralde of Saya Salteña joins Nycci on Industry Night to chat about Collaborative Kitchen spaces. Kathy Hollinger of the...

We all talk about local — buying local, shopping local — but in these pandemic days, it is pretty easy to just order online. It is up to us, the consumer to do our homework, stay educated, and support those that greatly enrich our communities and our bellies! Dawson's Market, one of the few independently owned grocery stores in the DC Metro Area that is committed to filling its shelves with local...

On Industry Night, RAMW’ Kathy Hollinger is back to chat pandemic updates for both those in the hospitality industry & its consumers. And, Nycci talks rapid changes in food tech and third party delivery systems with Adam Fry of DC To Go Go.

On Industry Night, Courtney Lewis launched Err’body Eats in August of last year. Courtney and her organization is empowering the food insecure and have distributed over 3600 meals already. Later in the show, Chef Ed Reavis & his wife/business partner Jennifer Meltzer talk swiveling in the pandemic with their Money Muscle BBQ launched and what it means to be a black-owned business in 2021 @alls...

On the next Industry Night, Kathy Hollinger of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington is back to update all of us on the status of pandemic dining in DC. And, Chef Jonathan Krinn of Clarity in Virginia is hosting an array of DC chefs. I call it a collaboration he calls it crossing culinary bridges. Joining Chef Krinn: Chef JoJo LawYone of Thamee, Chef Bobby Pradachith of Thip Khao,...

Was one of your resolutions to learn more about the history of the spirits behind the bar? On Industry Night, two experts - Zach Patterson, of Melrose Umbrella Co. bar in LA and a Genever (Gen-aa-ver) Category Ambassador & Glendon Hartley of DC's Service Bar - chatted pandemic survival, building a better bar and the history of one of the original spirits, Genever. @WorldofGenever @imbibelife @...

On the new Industry Night, Nycci talks with RAMW’s Kathy Hollinger on the latest status of dining in/out of restaurants and the launch of the Winter Restaurant Week. AND, Food Halls were on trend in pre-pandemic times but how do they survive and ultimately thrive now? Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Michael Babin, Greg Engert & Ivan Medina have recently opened up their culinary clubhouse, The...