NC F&B Podcast

Caz & Craig Makepeace have figured out how to travel for a living! Here's what else they figured out; Why to start the This Is Raleigh Podcast When to and when not to travel with your kids? Where's places near Raleigh that are cool to road trip to? How to find parking in Wrightsville beach? What's up with the seaside dining in Beaufort, NC? Listen in for a tour around North Carolina!     Join us f...

Max & Matt sat down with an incredible woman. Preeti Waas (Cheeni & Sugar & Spice) is of Indian descent and a force to be reckoned with. Preeti let the boys in on many Indian cooking secrets, here's what the gents learned: What is curry? How heat is supposed to excite the palate and not fatigue it? What is einkorn wheat  ? Which takes longer, opening a restaurant or getting married? Why you should...

The guys sit down with UNC Football's 2nd leading all time scorer Connor Barth and CEO  Mark Bloomquist to discuss Wilmington, NC's own, Blue Shark Vodka. Here is what they learned; Why North Carolina Sweet Corn makes delicious vodka. What is it like inside the mind of an NFL kicker when the game is on the line? How to scale a homegrown product to national levels? Did Connor Barth have any tackles...

As the legendary Sam Jones said, "That's some good fuckin' BBQ!" Max and Matt got to chat with the champion of the  Discovery Plus Channel's Moonshiner's Smoke Ring BBQ competition. Here's what the guys learned; How a career in transportation and a conversation with U2's The Edge led to a career in BBQ. It's all about the "MOP." When a rehearsal dinner sets off a marriage and a business. Why it's...

Aeva Labs rapidly ages distilled liquor. Steve Guido and Zach Fearnside have invented a way to greatly accelerate the aging process of distilled spirits. Imagine you could have 10 year old bourbon in 5 days? This discussion was controversial and here's what was bantered about; Is Matt Weiss a hater or a traditionalist? When liquor is enhanced in a lab, is it the precipice of creativity or the deat...

The gents sit down with a pillar of the Raleigh community, Tyler Helickson , the owner of Happy + Hale. Here's what they learned; What does leadership truly mean? When can you scale to 100 locations? How to make healthy food that doesn't sacrifice flavor? Where do you go to get staff in these times? Why "Love is Free. Guac is Extra."  Support our Sponsors: Family Forward NC is an innovative initia...

The guys sit down with Chef Schleiffer to talk about it what it's like to take over a Southern cooking institution such as Crook's Corner. Here's what they learned; What was it like to work with Floyd Cardoz? How to make food without a hood? Which mayo went on the famous tomato sandwiches of Chef Bill Smith? What is an Afoiecalypse? Will Danny Dimes be a franchise quarterback in the NFL ?   Suppor...

Do you often crave a healthy yet filling snack? CEO of Ripe Revival Will Kornegay sat down with the guys to discuss the ways that he helps farmers by using their excess produce. Here's what the guys learned; How to make a healthy protein gummy aka fruit chewable from all natural produce? The fact that polyphenols are proven for better absorption (of nutrients) and bio-accessibility as well as demo...

How should restaurant industry people get paid? Who is responsible for compensation, the restaurant owner or the patrons? How should "T.I.P.S be distributed? Should tips be pooled? should each person earn their own tips ( ala an independent contractor) and be mandated to tip out other staff a certain percentage? What is an appropriate living wage? How do patrons, owners, front of house and back of...

Are you fascinated by honey bee's? You will be after this episode! The boys sit down with Joanne de la Rionda and Randall York of Cloister Honey and here's what they learned; Why Max and Matt are opening a bar called the Drone Congregation Area What is the life cycle of bee's? When the mating flight occurs? How the "Royal Jelly" is distributed? Why a male bee's are only 3% of the hive population?...

The last episode of our  @visitwilkesnc series features @callfamilydistillers ! We take you all on a tour through the distillery while learning its history from owner Brian Call, the 7th generation distiller of his family's distillery. Brian talks to us about his dad, Willie Clay Call (aka The Uncatchable), one of the most famous moonshine haulers in the biz. First we check out the cars and then w...

Imagine you as a business owner had a Brij (Gaelic for bridge) to your audience/customers that they would actually cross to meet you? Matt and Max sit down with the gents from Brij who know how to create that, here's what they learned; How to Empower Small Business with Big Dreams Why social media has become a pay to play scenario What the small business owner can do to collaborate and thus circum...

Max and Matt continue their tour of Wilkes County! Here's what they learned; Jay Raffaldini of @raffaldini Vineyards specializes in Italian-style dry white and red Appassimento wines. How Jay tbrought Wall Street to Wilkes.  Louis Jeroslow of @elkincreekvineyard ! helped elevate the property in 2001 and in addition to wine offers up some pretty dank brick-oven pizzas that they prepare from scratch...

Max had a serendipitous moment when traveling to Luray caverns in Virginia which introduced him to Virginia Distillery Co. and Gareth Moore .  Here's what the Max and Matt learned; Who is Doctor Jim Swann What does it mean to be single malt whiskey How to artfully blend whiskey Why Aberlour Scotch is a muse When should we conduct a Scotch vs American single malt blind tasting ala The Tasting of Pa...

Max and Matt continue their tour through Wilkes County, NC. Here's what they discovered: Apple Brandy Beef is a 100+ year old cattle farm that dry ages the entire carcass.  What are best practices for marbling beef and why that's important. Did you know that Wilkes is the largest corn producing county in the state? BTW, the cows love it! Amalfi's of Wilkesboro - taught us how to balance what a che...

This episode gets smoky as we discuss the modern cigar lounge. Here's what we learned; Which cocktails go with which cigars? Where do the best cigars come from? What is a Catador? When you leave a cigar lounge how can you not not reek of cigar smoke? How do you decide what type of cigar you would like?     Support our Sponsors: Proof Alcohol Ice Cream Triangle Wine Company Use promo code 'NCFB' at...

Max and Matt journeyed to Wilkes County North Carolina and discovered some absolute gems! Here's what they found in this episode; The man the myth the legend Nico Von Cosmos , owner, winemaker, brew master and Mead Maker of Stardust Cellars ! The only bio-dynamic farm in North Carolina. How to be cooler and more bohemian than Brooklyn, NY Why is North Carolina perfectly suited for growing certain...

We love "dive bars." Imagine within your favorite dive bars there was just a little something more? Food driven by a bad ass chef and spirits selected by a dude who has walked the wood more than anyone cares to count. This "Dive" is a jump into comfort with class.  Wow Downtown Cary!   Support our Sponsors: Proof Alcohol Ice Cream Triangle Wine Company Use promo code 'NCFB' at checkout! And listen...

We finally dive deep into cheese! Samantha and Austin Genke from Boxcarr Handmade Cheese guide us through the cheese making world. Here's what we learned; How to raise and name 150 Kids (goats) What is rennet ? The difference between American, French and Italian cheeses. When in the cheese making process can you define the texture? What is the importance of a washed rind.     Support our Sponsors:...

Matt & Max sit down with the owner of Bar Virgile , one of the best business minds in the craft cocktail game. Here's what they learned: How to perfect a Ramos Fizz Why and how to buy out your partners What's the deal with Alcohol to go during Covid. Whatever happened to pre-shift lineup? The reason we all need to #sitthehelldown Support our Sponsors: Proof Alcohol Ice Cream Triangle Wine Company...

Howard Sider and Ryan Cummings help you sift your way through the hippest and nerdiest craft brew, with 90 Second Beer Review . Here's what we learned; Why it only takes 90 seconds to know if you should buy a beer. How to drink beer and tell others about it? Why Pints of Love is the best virtual beer fest going & why you need to attend! How you get your wife to install a urinal in your man cave. F...

Jesson Gil has golden nuggets of restaurant knowledge. He joined the pod to chat about what it was like to take the reigns of a legendary Asheville restaurant. Here's what we learned from Jesson; Why you would turn down a VP position at McDonald's to open up your own restaurant. The secrets of running a restaurant that is culinarily successful and business savvy, and why the two do not need to be...

Wright Thompson has been the journalist of choice for the likes of Michael Jordan , Urban Meyer and Julian Van Winkle 111 . Wright wrote a book about the life and times of the Van Winkle family and I swear if you listen to it, it's as good as tasting Pappy! Here's what we learned; Wright is the next great American author! The history of bourbon and why Kentucky became its homeland. How Julian Van...

Wait, what the NC F&B sat down and talked to a large/corporate fast food chain? Here's why; We learned the difference between quick service casual/ fast food and fast casual. Why it's important to 'lead with sincerity." The craft of an Arby's roast beef sandwich. Understanding that whether you work in a Michelin 4 starred restaurant or a "fast food chain," taking pride in your work and bettering y...

V Pizza Cary's Anthony Rapillo sat down with the Max and Matt to discuss how authentic Neapolitan pizza literally guides his life. Here is what we learned: What is O and OO flour? Why Stefano Ferrara is the godfather of pizza ovens. The meaning of real buffalo mozzarella? How a San Marzano tomato sauce can be sweet without adding a gram of sugar. Learn how to drive stick shift?     Follow the show...