Restaurant Whisperer, Owners with a niche who love support and inspiration.

Chris Amendola of  Foraged Eatery  is the mind behind an incredible restaurant. Think ramps, mushrooms, and wineberries. Add a farm, the Eastern Shore and a small 28 seat restaurant you have Foraged, a hyper-seasonal restaurant. The interior is so inviting: gorgeous brick wall with a mini edible flower wall. Chef Chris has seriously unique experiences. Sean Brock at McCrady's Restaurant. Stages at...

Marissa and her husband Mark wanted tortillas. The tortillas of her childhood in Mexico. Marissa grew up in a home with a curious American mother and proud Mexican father. The best way to make that happen (as they say) is to do it yourself. That's why these two talented people started Yoli Tortilleria. Every detail had to be right. They found farms with the right flour, the correct blue, red, yell...

Stewarding their land and serving gorgeous meals in Albuquerque's North Valley. What you'll notice when you arrive is a working farm, a restaurant, outdoor spaces purposed into picnic areas, and a team of professionals. This is the brainchild of a father and daughter team. David Montoya purchased the farm forty years ago, rather than seeing it turned into a housing development. Daughter Cherie Mon...

Dave and Martha share wonderful stories with husband and wife duo, Chef David and Tonya. A power couple who are making a mark in Baltimore and far beyond. This year saw them release their first product line: SOSU and SWEAT hot sauces. These sauces are available for nationwide shipping today at 10am EST (visit h3irloomshop.com to purchase). There is a third coming very soon, and it's truly a secret...

Lauren Ziemski has created a creative culinary life that has been able to exist and evolve in the pandemic. You'll hear how she is working solo as a private chef from LA to NY, and in service with chefs BOH and at popups. In fact this weekend she's doing a 4 course dinner service at her hotel and restaurant The Firefly with Nick Tran (of Gramercy). There is still room to join the online cooking cl...

Chef Rey Eunegio has opened a restaurant during the pandemic. He's had a following here for years, and there is widespread support for adding a new cuisine to Baltimore, and actually in the US. Philippino food is one of the lesser known cuisines, and as Chef Rey shares in this episode, it's less about the wild and new cuisine, it's much more about coming together around the table.  Special thanks...

If you have been dealing with finances, and staying focused on how to keep your businesses head above water, excellent!  If not, have a listen, to remind yourself of some basics. 

Keiller tried making sourdough started in his Baltimore home, and thankfully we have a terrific bread because so many love what he and his team are doing. In this honest and open conversation you'll hear how their team is solid and it's a great space for collaboration and creativity.  He opened in July, 2020, right in the middle of a pandemic. That didn't hold back any one. Lines, socially distanc...

Inacio, owner of Kitchen Table in Tulum Mexico, takes us on a wonderful journey of life, the way to embrace business, and the way of life. It's not about his journey, as much as it about the team that has come together to orbit around each of Inacio's locations. Kitchen Table serves a contemporary local sourced menu in Tulum's Maya Jungle on the Yucatan peninsula. Opening in 2015, Kitchen Table is...

This episode shares the story of two smart women business owners determined to have equal footing in the community of Baltimore businesses. Kiah Gibian and Cat Smith are taking the best steps to set themselves up for lasting success. Right now the biggest mountain is buying a building. So support them in their fundraising. Then they will be renting out commercial kitchen space, extending their con...

While pondering what owners and staff need right now, we came up with this Crystal Ball Edition! Let's look down the road of 2021. What are our clients saying, what are guests talking about, what do guests want, and what are to best practices to set yourself up in the year 2021. We love your feedback. Let us know what's happening in your neck of the woods.     

Our guests Naijah Brown of Land of Kush and Sam Claasen of Golden West are the two main organizers of Maryland Vegan Week, and they share the history and the essence of the vegan movement. What do restaurants do to market to customers in February? One effective way is to join the Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week. Sign up here . It's the best way to get your vegan - message out and to share what's ha...

Dave and Martha do their year end episode sharing what they know is going on with restaurants closing, due to local protocols. Have a listen, and support your local restaurants now and in January by picking up dinner, and keeping them going while we wait for federal aid discussions to wrap up and help the restaurant industry.   

Food and drinks blogger, Arli, of Arli's Appetite, has made a name for herself highlighting restaurants for their food, and/or their cocktail program. She's a discerning cocktail afficiando, generous to chefs and cooks, and responsible in her role to her followers. It's our pleasure to have her thoughts and opinions. She helps us see what consumers respond to, and how that informs a restaurants' d...

Dave and Martha Hour puts us in Tulum, Mexico! Dave said he'd be heading to Tulum for his honeymoon, and Martha and Dave said in unison, "Holy Guacamole! We gotta do an episode!". Enjoy getting out of your head. Escape to Tulum through Dave's eyes.    Dave references this travel book, To Shake the Sleeping Self .  Dave and Martha serve up travel, food and wonderful cultural moments. Dave mentions...

Eric Cacciatore is a longtime podcaster who focuses on capturing the lessons and guiding force behind the owners of restaurants. This episode allows him a moment to tell a bit of his own story, and how he is finding a new avenue to build community among restaurant owne with RUN. Listen to hear details.   We at Holy Guacamole applaud him, and the community of owners and hospitalitians who eagerly w...

Alex Perez, chef, owner and creator of Papi's Cuisine has a knack for making exactly what is a stunning preparation for any dish. And that is just it Why not create a cuisine? Clearly more clever than a restaurant. It's one leap past signature dishes, and it has drawn people from across the country to show up and eat up.  We take a journey with Alex Perez. He honestly shares his not-so-perfect ori...

In spite of the pandemic, hiring can happen. If your business needs a reboot in the method you use to rehire, this Biz Tip is the nuts and bolts of what you need to do to hire well, and build good culture into your team.   The outline is shared inside the episode. Need more direction, here is the hiring toolkit . Need more guidance, reach out to Martha Lucius for a consultation . 

Kris Fulton opened Sophomore Coffee nine months before the pandemic. Today he shares how he has stays true to his goal--keep it simple, and keep it delicious. Quality doesn't lie.  When we are all grappling with how to manage the winter nothing seems to be more crystal clear to all owners, is to simplify and give people only the best of what they know and love about your place. Kris reeled it back...

At the top of the show we have a quick how-to on handling COVID testing among your staff. But the bulk of our show is always highlighting courageous, bold teams and owners, doing their level best in the pandemic...so here we go... Our guest, Enrique, co-owner of The Wine Collective, with his brother Phillipe, and John Levenberg, their talented wine maker. They enter Baltimore city in spite for the...

Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ Media and Digital Hospitality, learned years ago what so many are facing right now—your restaurant cannot survive or sustain without fully embracing digital platforms that expanding your reach. His journey started when he opened his BBQ business in a poor location, in an era when BBQ was an unknown in California. Using the internet and evolving technology of an i...

Curiousity, creativity and community coalesce literally into a delicious cocktail. That alliteration is convenient, and will serve our listeners! Each one of their mixers is tested and tweaked until it's ready for release! CAnE Collective's story started well before the pandemic. Good things do take time. Two friends, popping up at events, over the last couple years, step into March 2020 with no i...

Running a business ain't easy in any economic climate. Right now, many owners appreciate committed staff more than ever!  In this episode you'll hear from Alee at Artful Tea in Santa Fe.  She's been with them for about two years, and is often the face of the business--working the front counter, and now talking on the phone. Being able to connect with tea lovers is no different than servers and bar...

Three Culinary Institute of America grads walk into a cafe space, and say, "let's do this". Opening in July 2020 has not held them back, in fact they are growing!   What makes them unique?   Cafe Dear Leon has a vision. Cafe Dear Leon knows there is no shortcut; planning and testing means happy customers. Cafe Dear Leon owners definition of hospitality is not a written statement on a pedestal. It'...

Chyno, the Boy with the Blue Beard, has been on our food scene for years now. He shares his journey as well as his recent new role at Pinch, a dumpling company in Baltimore and Philadelphia. Restaurants have been an integral part of influencers, and visa/versa. It's had to shift and change during the pandemic, but now, in Aug/Sept of 2020, we are seeing a new normal with our influencers.