Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor

Louisville restaurants, barbecue, and Mediterranean food collide in this episode of Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, where I sit down with two of the city's most talked-about restaurant owners: Dustin Olsen, butcher, pit master, and owner of Mill Iron 4, and Chef Noam Bilitzer, chef/owner of MeeshMeesh Mediterranean and executive chef/owner of Mill Iron 4. This conversation brings together fo...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor, I sit down with Dave Astorga, owner of Bar Toast, for a conversation about whiskey, entrepreneurship, relationships and the power of connection. What started as a small garage barrel project grew into Bar Toast, a brand built around great pours, shared stories and unforgettable moments with good people. Dave opens up about his journey with whiskey,...

For more than 30 years, Dawne Gee has been one of Louisville’s most trusted voices, but this conversation goes far beyond the news desk. Dawne opens up about the faith that grounds her, the heart behind her service, the health battles that changed her perspective and the strength behind her belief that life cannot take anything from you that you refuse to give up. This is a powerful conversation a...

Teacher Turned Whiskey Tastemaker Before Nikki Armento was guiding guests through some of Kentucky’s most memorable whiskey experiences, she was a teacher learning how to connect with people, hold a room, and make complex ideas feel approachable. In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , Nikki shares the journey that took her from the classroom to becoming Director of Whiskey Experiences a...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , we sit down with Rhona Kamar , Founder and Executive Director of Feed Louisville , and Chef Emmaly Saliga , Head Chef of Zest , for a powerful conversation about food, dignity, community, and mission-driven hospitality in Louisville, Kentucky. Feed Louisville is celebrating 6 years of rescuing food, nourishing people, and strengthening community by...

Dessert Has a New Voice. In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , we sit down with Chef Ben Deutsch , chef and owner of Retta’s on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. Retta’s is one of Louisville’s most creative dessert experiences, blending seasonal desserts, ice cream, cocktails, natural wine, vinyl records, and Kentucky-grown ingredients into a concept rooted in a true sense of p...

The 3rd Annual Rollin’ on the River Fest is more than just a good time, it’s a celebration of community, purpose, and bringing people together for something bigger. In this episode, I sit down with Todd Antz and Kelly Conn, the co-organizers behind Rollin’ on the River Fest benefiting the WHAS Crusade for Children. We dive into how this festival came to life, the vision behind it, and what makes i...

Chef Michael Bowe of Red Yeti in Jeffersonville, Indiana joins Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor for a conversation about the journey behind the title. From Appalachia to becoming a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: Great Lakes, Michael shares the path, pressure, and purpose that shaped him along the way. In this episode, we talk about his culinary journey, building Red Yeti, leadership in the ki...

Creola Dickerson, National Brand Ambassador for New Riff Distilling, joins me for a powerful conversation about leadership, mentorship, representation, and what it takes to build a respected voice in whiskey. With more than 20 years of experience across the spirits, hospitality, and restaurant industries, Creola shares how fearlessness, education, and authenticity helped shape her journey. In this...

Built From Pain, Served With Purpose — in this episode, I sit down with Nicolee Burks and Roberto Davila, the owners of Big Nita’s Cheesecakes, for a conversation that goes far beyond dessert. Nicolee opens up about addiction, shame, rebuilding her life, and how cheesecake became the beginning of purpose when life felt empty. Roberto shares what it has looked like to support that journey, build to...

What stories in bourbon still are not getting the attention they deserve? In this episode, Maggie Kimberl joins the show for a conversation that goes far beyond what is in the glass. As a Kentucky Colonel, ninth-generation Louisvillian, Spirits Writer of the Year, Content Editor of American Whiskey Magazine , and Co-Chair of the World Whiskies Awards , Maggie has become one of the most respected v...

Grateville Dead has become more than a festival in Louisville. Ashley Angel shares how it grew from an idea into a music, art, and community experience with real culture behind it. In this episode, Ashley Angel, co-founder of the Grateville Dead Festival, talks about the origins of the festival, the Grateful Dead influence, the Louisville jam-band scene, and what has helped Grateville build someth...

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Kymi Douglas, an Executive Bourbon Steward , Lead Spirit Guide at Dark Arts Whiskey House , and a 2026 World Whiskies Awards Judge to break down what separates casual sipping from trained tasting . Kymi blends a deep background in Biology and Chemistry with real-world whiskey experience, and she shares how science shows up in the glass, from how you approach...

Welcome to Bagdad, Kentucky, where a century-old brick building holds one of the best-kept food secrets in the state . In this episode, I sit down with Buckshot , the man behind B&N Food Market , to talk family legacy, small-town pride, and the food that keeps people lining up day after day. We get into the story behind his granddad “Newt” (the legend who built the standard), how Buckshot took...

Louisville has a festival for everything… but most people have no idea what it takes to bring those moments to life. In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , I sit down with Trevor Cravens and Tisha Gainey , the co-founders of HB Productions —the team behind some of Louisville’s most anticipated experiences, including Tailspin Ale Fest , NuLu Bock Fest , Germantown Oktoberfest , the Bowma...

THE SACRIFICE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING explores the personal journey behind Anne Shadle’s people-first leadership. Anne Shadle is a Louisville entrepreneur best known as the co-owner of Mayan Café, but this conversation is centered on Anne the person: the difficult choice to sacrifice school to pursue the restaurant world, the loneliness that can come with building something before you feel like yo...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , I sit down with David “Dave” Swick, the craftsman behind Swicktone . A Chicago transplant with decades of hands-on experience, Dave has been repairing and modding guitars since the late ’90s and building handmade instruments for over a decade. We talk tone myths, what most players misunderstand about setups, how a great guitar should feel , and wha...

Jared Fox Matthews is one of Louisville’s most hands-on restaurateurs, the founder of the Lou Lou Restaurant Group, and the kind of operator who can build a room, a culture, and a full guest experience from the ground up. In this episode, Jared takes us from his Louisiana roots in Marksville, where crawfish boils and family tables taught him that food is connection, to his early days in Louisville...

In this episode, I sit down with Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson for a real conversation about what it takes to build a name, carry pressure, and keep moving forward when life gets heavy. We go back to the early days, where the “SuperChef” identity was born, then into the moments that tested his confidence, his discipline, and his leadership. Darnell talks about the difference between who you are on...

What does it really mean to be seen? In this episode, I sit down with Ben Marcum , award-winning portrait, boudoir, and headshot photographer, to explore the confidence, vulnerability, and psychology behind stepping in front of the camera. Ben shares how photography goes far beyond lighting and lenses and becomes an act of trust, coaching, and self-belief. We talk about why so many people struggle...

In this first episode of the new year, I’m sitting down with Tyler Watson, Enterprise & Emerging Categories at Kinder’s Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces (and former SVP, Head of Sales at Dan-O’s Seasoning ) for a conversation that’s equal parts inspiring and real. Tyler’s story is dishwasher to disruptor, a true underdog climb from the back of the house to leading major growth conversat...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , we sit down with Chris Williams , owner of Four Pegs Smokehouse , to talk about the pressure of restaurant ownership, the purpose behind the work, and the smoked wings that put Four Pegs on the map. Chris shares stories from the early days, leadership lessons learned along the way, and the heart behind Taste for Life , a summer charitable event cre...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , I sit down with Chrissy Cortese to share the story of how a Jersey girl turned bourbon pro and became a force in the Kentucky spirits world. Chrissy walks us through her journey from New Jersey to Nashville in 2006, then into Kentucky by way of weekend trips to visit her best friend in Louisville. Those early visits led her deep into the bourbon sc...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , I travel outside Louisville and head to Bardstown, KY to sit down with Whitney Rye, hospitality veteran, creator of The Mash Bill Podcast , and owner of The Parlor Room, one of Bardstown’s most unique and beloved bourbon destinations. Whitney takes us through her journey from the fast-paced hospitality world into podcasting, content creation, and b...

In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor , I sit down with Jordan Clemons, the Senior Director of Investor Development at Greater Louisville Inc. Jordan’s story is a powerful blend of positivity, small-town beginnings, and a deep belief that Louisville deserves more enthusiasm, more energy, and more champions. Jordan opens up about how he built one of the most effective networking ecosystem...