Industry Night with Nycci Nellis

Two chefs on what this business cost them, and the one they built instead.

Women belong in the kitchen. Also the front of the house, the wine list, and the ownership papers. That is where this one starts, on the water in Southwest DC, and about twenty minutes in it stops being a feel-good conversation and turns into an honest one.

If you have ever worked a line, run one, or wondered why so many good women leave this business right around the time they have kids, stay with this one. Kat and Rochelle...

She decides which restaurants the world calls the best. Here is how that actually works.

Over 30,000 restaurants and bars. More than 600 a year, still. I have met plenty of people in this business who call themselves obsessed, then I met Virginia Miller, who keeps spreadsheets on all of it and finds that unremarkable. We sat down at Bar Betsie because when this team heard who was coming, they did not say yes, they said Bar Betsie, obviously.

If you have ever looked at a best restaurants list and wondered who picks it and whether...

The man who taught this city to care about beer is watching a generation drink less of it.

I have been doing this long enough to remember when you could not get a decent beer in this town, and Greg Engert is a big reason that changed. So when I sat down with him at Modan, our newest partner for the series, I did not want the victory lap. I wanted to know what it actually feels like to run twenty concepts right now, when happy hour is dead, labor costs what it costs, and there...

Four million people ask her what’s for dinner. She never planned any of it.

Everybody knows her as the gnocchi lady. One video, three million views in three days, and the whole trajectory changed. But here is the thing about Ereka Vetrini that most people scrolling past her reels have no idea about: she had already had an entire career before that. Boston College, GE finance, Estee Lauder, and yes, the first season of The Apprentice. Then she walked away from television because she was tired of telling everybody else’s story.

This one...

A California steakhouse veteran heads home to Utah right as Michelin comes calling.

I love it when a chef gives me the honest version of a big accolade instead of the polished one, and that is exactly what happened this week. My guest got the email that every chef dreams about, and his first thought was not pride, it was suspicion. Is this spam. That is the real reaction, and I am obsessed with it.

This episode is about what happens after two decades of cooking in some of the best kitchens in the...

Inside the empire behind Rasika, Bombay Club, and now Malabar.

He told me he gets high without taking any drugs, just from walking into his own restaurants every night. After 35 years and ten restaurants, he still means it, and that is the whole story in one sentence.

This week I sat down with two people who basically invented modern Indian dining in America, on location at their newest restaurant, Malabar. If you have ever wondered how one person builds a ten restaurant empire, survives a pandemic downtown, and still shows up in person every...

Gus Constantellis lost his mother, Julia, and four days later he posted a video making the first thing she ever taught him to cook. That video is the reason a cookbook exists.

Industry Night is Heartcast Media's DC food podcast, hosted by Washington DC restaurant insider Nycci Nellis, and once in a while the guest isn't a chef at all. Gus Constantellis, the Greek Mom cookbook comedian, is the Greek American stand up comic and writer behind the viral videos where he becomes his mother on camera with more love than most tributes manage. His new...

Tacos, steak, and the reviews chefs never want to read out loud.

I made a grown man put on his readers and get roasted, live, at his own restaurant. That is where we start today, back at Taco Bamba in City Ridge with my old friend Victor Albisu.

This is exactly the kind of DC food podcast conversation I live for. Victor Albisu has been feeding this city for twenty years, from fine dining to fast casual to his brand new anti-steakhouse, and today he finally reads the internet's harshest reviews of his own...

Twenty women, one labyrinth, and the DC insider secrets in between.

I mean, I think I need to hire Jade. That was my honest reaction sitting across from her at Tony and Joe's, oysters on the table, the Potomac right there, talking about power, fear, and the rooms women still have to fight to get into.

This is exactly why I wanted her on this DC food podcast. Most leadership books are written by people who never had to read a room, calm an investor, or figure out how to ask for what they...

Three siblings, one rocky hill in Clarksburg, and the boldest bet in Maryland wine.

An old farmer drove his beat up pickup to the top of the hill and told Drew Baker the only thing that land ever grew was rocks. Drew bought the farm anyway, because rocks were exactly what he was looking for. I have been waiting to tell this story since I first made the drive out to Burnt Hill, and this episode of my DC food podcast finally gets to do it justice.

Maryland wine has been fighting for respect...

A scheduling mistake, a lightning strike, and twenty years of chasing the bliss point on a plate.

I mean, one class. That is all it took. A scheduling mix up landed Chef Adrianne Calvo in a cooking class her junior year of high school, and by the end of one culinary demo she went home and told her parents she wanted to be a chef. Twenty plus years, six cookbooks, and over a million Instagram followers later, she is still chasing that same bliss point on every single plate.

This is exactly why I wanted her...

From a Louisiana fishing rodeo to Hudson Yards. How a first-generation Peruvian kid became one of New York's most important culinary voices.

There is a moment in every chef's story where the food stops being background noise and becomes the whole point. For Erik Ramirez, that moment happened in Grand Isle, Louisiana, of all places. Sent to live with his uncle one summer because, as he puts it, he was getting into a little too much trouble, he watched someone cook not out of necessity but out of pure joy. Gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée. Fresh shrimp fr...

Three chefs. One ancient process. And a tortilla that could change how you think about Mexican food.

3,500 years ago, someone in Mesoamerica figured out that soaking dried corn in an alkaline solution unlocks nutrients and transforms the starch into something workable. That process, nixtamalization, sustained entire civilizations. And most people eating corn tortillas today have no idea it exists. That is the conversation your girl Nycci Nellis is having on this episode of Industry Night, the DC food podcast that goes deep on the hospitality industry and the people driving it.

This episode matters...

Bungalow is the hardest reservation in New York. Here is why it feels like going home.

There are restaurants, and then there is Bungalow. Your girl Nycci Nellis sat down with Chef Vikas Khanna, and within the first five minutes she understood why lines form down the block and why 10,000 people are on the wait list. This is not a story about a hot restaurant. It is a story about a man born with club feet in Amritsar, told he would never walk properly, who later arrived in the United States homeless, and built one of...

What does it actually take to run one of the most decorated restaurant groups in America and still have abs?

Your girl Nycci Nellis is in sneakers today. No cocktail dress, no six-inch heels. We taped this one at Equinox Wisconsin Avenue at City Ridge, and honestly, it made perfect sense. Because this conversation with Michelin star chef Ryan Ratino started off about his new Georgetown restaurant Oxen Olive and ended up somewhere way more interesting: the discipline, the bloodwork, the cortisol spikes, the Bulgarian split squats he hates, and the moment he looked in the...

A fifth-generation mead maker carries a Holocaust survivor's legacy forward, one bottle at a time.

Some stories start in a vineyard. This one starts in 19th-century Poland, survives a concentration camp and a death march, and lands in a tasting room in Mount Airy, Maryland. Rachel Loew Lipman didn't just inherit a winery. She inherited a reason. And if you've ever wondered whether a bottle of wine can hold memory, grief, and joy all at once, this episode of Industry Night, the DC food and hospitality podcast, is your answer.

Maryland wine gets overlooked...

From the Road to the Restaurant: The Catbird Seat's Next Chapter

Intro / About the Episode

Host Nycci Nellis sits down with Chefs Tiffani Ortiz and Andy Doubrava — the husband-and-wife duo leading the newest era of Nashville's acclaimed tasting-menu restaurant, The Catbird Seat — to talk about life on the road, zero-waste cooking, regenerative agriculture, and what it really means to build a restaurant around your values.

About the Guests

Chefs Tiffani Ortiz and Andy Doubrava met at the French Culinary Institute in New York before eventually reconnecting on a Mali...

Host Nycci Nellis talks with Chef David Nayfield — James Beard semifinalist, founder of Che Fico, and author of Dad, What's for Dinner? — about fatherhood, kitchen intensity, Jewish-Italian cuisine, and the family meals that turn dinner into a team effort.

About the Guest

Chef David Nayfield trained at Aqua, Joel Robuchon, and Eleven Madison Park before returning to San Francisco to build Back Home Hospitality — home to Che Fico, Bubola, and Via Aurelia.

"Don't be a martyr. Don't be the one dying at the stove washing everything, cooking everything yourself. Get everyone involved. Make i...

On this episode of Industry Night, host Nycci Nellis sits down with Ari Sussman — 2024 Whiskey Maker of the Year — for a wide-ranging conversation about the science, culture, and future of distilled spirits. From winemaking in France to founding Michigan State's artisan distilling program, Ari brings a rare blend of academic rigor and bartender instincts to one of the most fascinating conversations in the drinks world right now. The result is a show notes episode that moves from grain to glass, from tradition to experimentation, and from old assumptions to a very different future for whiskey.

"I've interviewed a lot...

When Ben Lieppman, Beverage Director at RPM Italian, is in town from Chicago, you sit down, grab a cocktail, and start asking questions. That's exactly what host Nycci Nellis did — pulling up a stool at one of DC's most buzzed-about bars to talk aperitivo culture, the martini renaissance, and what truly great hospitality looks like from behind the stick.

"How you want to drink it is how I'm going to serve it. If you want a really expensive American whiskey with Coke — I'm going to give it to you. However you want to enjoy it is how we'd like...

Welcome to Industry Night with Nycci Nellis, and we are back at City Ridge, this time in the absolutely gorgeous, amphitheater-style setting at The Botanica.

I love being here. Last time I was in the neighborhood, I was over at Equinox in Wisconsin chatting with powerhouse pastry chef Susan Bae, and today, I’m sitting down with another true force in the industry: Award-winning chef and restaurateur Amy Brandwein.

Amy and I go way back, like, way back. I first met her in Roberto Donna’s kitchen at Galileo, in the Laboratorio days, when http://TheListAreYouOnIt.com...

Welcome to Industry Night with Nycci Nellis, where we go deep with the people shaping hospitality right now.

This episode comes at a moment when the industry is taking a hard look at itself. From conversations around René Redzepi and Noma to Pete Wells examining the brigade system, the question is clear: what does the future of restaurant culture look like?

My guest, Jon Murray of Noko Hospitality, is building a real answer.

Behind Noko and Kase x Noko, Jon is redefining hospitality with a people-first model—four-day workweeks, healthcare, therapy, and real work-life bal...

In this episode of Industry Night, host Nycci Nellis sits down with Robb Duncan and Violeta Edelman, the founders of Dolcezza Gelato, one of Washington DC’s most beloved culinary brands.

Recorded at the Washington Harbor favorite,Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place, the conversation explores how Dolcezza grew from a single gelato shop in Georgetown to a regional favorite known for its farm-driven flavors and commitment to sourcing from Mid-Atlantic producers.

Since launching in 2004, Dolcezza has expanded to seven locations across the DMV and produces its gelato daily at the Union Market Gelato Factory & Coffee Lab. And...

For the first time ever, Industry Night goes international. Host Nycci Nellis travels to Montréal for Montréal en Lumière, one of the world’s most celebrated winter festivals, a city-wide celebration of food, art, music, and culture that transforms the Quartier des Spectacles into a glowing playground in the heart of winter.

During the festival, more than 80 restaurants participate in the Air France Finest Tables program, chefs take to the streets in the Village Gourmand, and the legendary Nuit Blanche keeps the city buzzing until sunrise with hundreds of cultural events.

While exploring Montr...

On this episode of Industry Night, Nycci Nellis sits down with two of the most influential leaders in the global cocktail community, Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero, the powerhouse duo behind Speed Rack, the groundbreaking all-female bartending competition that has helped reshape the bar industry.

What started as a bold idea to create visibility for women behind the bar has grown into a global movement. Now in its 14th season, Speed Rack has hosted more than 120 competitions around the world, launched countless bartending careers, and raised over $1.85 million for breast cancer research and prevention.

Nycci has...

In this episode of Industry Night, Nycci Nellis kicks off her new residency at RPM Italian in Washington, DC, going behind the scenes of one of the city’s most dynamic dining rooms.

Filmed inside RPM Italian in Mount Vernon Triangle, this conversation brings together the people who make the experience sing:
– Richard Hanauer, Operational Beverage Partner, on building RPM’s award-winning wine program and bespoke single-vineyard “house wines”
– Chef Massimo Vicidomini, Executive Chef, on handmade pastas, and seasonal sourcing
– Boo Kim, General Manager, on hospitality and creating a room guests want to return to

Tog...

Hey everyone, I’m Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night, where we go behind the scenes with the people shaping how and why we eat and drink the way we do.

I’m so happy to be back here at City Ridge. This has become such a wonderful partnership and one of my favorite places in D.C. to tell real-time stories about food and the people building our hospitality scene.

Today’s show is coming to you from, Equinox Sports Club. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big believer in taking care of...

On this episode of Industry Night, I’m back at a.kitchen + bar for our final show in this space and I want to start with gratitude. Huge thanks to Ellen Yin and Eli Collins for welcoming us in and for being such generous partners. This room has been a wonderful home for thoughtful conversations.

Joining me today are Chef Matt Conroy and Chef Isabel Coss, partners in life and in the kitchen, and two of the most exciting voices shaping dining in Washington, D.C. right now. From Lutèce to Pascual to the just-opened Maison Bar à Vins...

What does it really take to build a restaurant that lasts—creatively, financially, and emotionally? On this episode of Industry Night, I’m recording from Rim Tang and sitting down with some of the most thoughtful voices in hospitality to talk about breaking the restaurant mold and putting it back together in a way that works for today.

First, I’m joined by Jon Sybert and Jill Tyler, the husband-and-wife team behind the Michelin-starred, and recently shuttered Tail Up Goat AND the creators of Rye Bunny, opening this spring. We reflect on the last decade, what it took to bui...

Hey everyone, it’s Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night, where we go behind the scenes with the people shaping the hospitality industry, not just through food and drink, but through culture and community. Today’s show is a special one. I’m coming to you from one of my favorite rooms in the city, a.kitchen + bar at Hotel AKA,  a place that's the perfect backdrop for conversations about leadership and vision (and a killer burger!).

This episode is about family and what it really takes to build something lasting in hospitality, especially at a moment...

I’m especially excited about today’s conversation. If you care about the future of restaurants — how they nourish communities and sustain themselves — this is an episode you’ll want to spend time with.

Joining me are Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and Arjav Ezekiel, the chef, beverage director, and co-owners of Birdie’s in Austin, Texas, a restaurant that has quietly become one of the most important case studies in modern hospitality.

Before we dive in, a quick detour. I was recently in Negril, Jamaica, staying at Syd’s on the Rocks, a stunning cliffside destination where food and culture ar...

Hey everyone, it’s Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night.

Yes, this is show number two today, and honestly? I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sit down with today’s guests.

If wanderlust is one of your intentions for 2026, it is certainly mine! Who isn’t craving travel, connection, nature, and food that tells a story? If you are like me? Then this episode is absolutely for you. Because today, we’re heading to Northern California, to a place that feels both deeply grounded and quietly magical.

Joining me are Chefs Juli...

Hey everyone, it’s Nycci Nellis, and welcome back to Industry Night — my love letter to the people who feed us, pour for us, and keep this industry moving.

And first of all… Happy New Year!

Whoo hoo — this is our first episode of 2026, and I am very happy to be back behind the mic.

I am really excited about our show today because I am going to be talking to a chef who has really changed the conversation on Japanese dining in the Midwest = Chef David Utterback.

I’ve been a little bit...

Today’s Industry Night comes to you from one of my favorite spaces in the City Ridge development, the light-filled Anna’s House greenhouse. Huge thanks to the City Ridge team for hosting and for creating a place where design and community truly intersect.

This episode brings together two builders working in very different (but deeply connected) lanes.

First, Chef Erik Bruner-Yang, a chef who helped change the conversation in DC hospitality 20 years ago with Toki Underground on H Street NE. From Maketto and ABC Pony to Bar Providencia and now Manifest, Erik has continuously pushed food...

This was an amazing show. I had a whole list of questions ready for my guest, but the second we sat down, we dug in deep and went off-script. We followed some fantastic rabbit holes: Michelin stars, hustle vs. flow, culinary storytelling, leadership, and the future of dining both here in D.C. and across the country.

On this episode of Industry Night, I’m coming to you from Yume Sushi, the flagship of the Yume Hospitality Group and the place where their “dream” first began. I’ve had the absolute pleasure of taking this show on the road wit...

Hey, it’s Nycci! Welcome to Industry Night: my pod/vod love letter to the people who feed us, pour for us, and keep the DMV delicious. We’re posted up in Georgetown at Rimtang —huge thanks to Cici Yang, Chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute, and Chef Prapit “Mama” La Femina — for hosting this shiny new residency.

Today’s guest! My friend Chef Rock Harper. You know him, Hell’s Kitchen winner, community builder, Queen Mother’s fried-chicken maestro, and now the mind behind Hush Harbor, DC’s first phone-free bar on H Street NE. We talk about presence over doomscrolling, Sout...

Get ready for a wealth … I mean a WEALTH …  of Whiskey knowledge.

Today I am not at one of my Industry Night residencies. No City Ridge, no restaurant, no bar. I am actually home, surrounded by my plants… and, believe it or not, a frankly ridiculous amount of whiskey.

I went to my own bar and pulled a little selection for today because I am very honored to be joined by someone who has probably forgotten more about whiskey than most of us will ever know: Noah Rothbaum.

Noah is the spirits editor at Men’s J...

Hey all,  it’s Industry Night with me, Nycci Nellis. And yes, today I am coming to you from home. Don’t panic! I still have all my residencies — a.kitchen + bar in the West End, Fauquier County’s “Fauquier Fabulous,” City Ridge, and of course my ongoing work with the Yume Hospitality Group — but today’s guest is traveling, and after having him on Foodie & The Beast, I knew we needed more time to go deep. Because here’s the thing: everybody talks sustainability. Everybody puts “responsibly sourced” on a sign or a menu. But today’s guest? He’s actually doing it, on a m...

Hey, it’s Industry Night, and I’m kicking off a brand-new residency with the YUME Group, coming to you from their stunning spot tucked into Cady’s Alley in Georgetown — and trust me, if you know, you know. I’ve known Chef Peter Kannasute and his partner-in-life-and-operations Cici Kannasute for years, and I couldn’t be more excited to spend the next few months exploring their evolving culinary world and the creative force that fuels it.

First up, I sit down with the trio behind YUME: Jeff King — Co-Founder and Managing Partner, the visionary builder who turns dreams into ta...

Hey everyone, welcome to Industry Night. Today we’re taking a day trip to Warrenton, Virginia, and we’re filming from the beloved Claire’s. Huge thanks to Laura Torpy and the team at Fabulous Fauquier—aka Fauquier Fabulous—for getting us here and showing us the lay of the land.

I launched this road-show series about a year ago, crisscrossing the region to spotlight communities that are rewriting what small town means. Over the last 30+ years, places like Warrenton have invested in people-first main streets, not just big-box corridors. We’re talking independent restaurants and retail, real work-live-pl...