Jeff and Jamie Feed

Kerry Brown, founder of eat G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R. and Jamie's identical twin sister, joins Jeff and Jamie to share the story behind her growing allergy-friendly baking brand. Inspired by personal health challenges, Kerry set out to create clean-ingredient baking mixes that make food more accessible and enjoyable for people with dietary restrictions. They discuss the challenges of building a packaged fo...

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,...

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...

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 inf...

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 cul...

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 o...

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...

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 CRV...

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 unexpecte...

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 gues...

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 be...

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...

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 trai...

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 wha...

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...

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...

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...

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 o...

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 stre...

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...

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...

What’s it mean to close a business—and how do you know it’s the right call? In this episode, get the honest scoop about what it’s like to consider closing something you’ve poured yourself into. We share our story of closing Crepe Cellar to make space for something new, and why we’re now in the process of closing our doughnut shop, Reigning Doughnuts. Are there ways to see these moves not as failur...

Jeff and Jamie sit down with architect Don Peadon to talk about what really makes a restaurant work—long before the doors open. From the importance of a strong architect–restaurateur relationship to designing spaces that support both front and back of house, this conversation explores how thoughtful planning sets restaurants up for long-term success. Don, Jeff, and Jamie dig into the challenges th...

In this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we talk about why goal setting matters so much to us and how powerful it can be to see what’s next for your life. We share our different approaches to setting goals, why writing them down and creating a vision board makes a difference, and a few real stories of goals and visions that have come to life for us. We also touch on trusting the process and the u...

Nashville served up inspiration at every stop—from casual counters to Michelin Guide–recognized kitchens. Jeff and Jamie reflect on a fast-paced food tour packed with thoughtful service, smart concepts, and moments of hospitality that reinforced why the guest experience matters just as much as what’s on the plate. Come along for tiny insights and more momentous inspiration as the two entrepreneurs...