MJ's Pizzeria- Miles James

In this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk with Chef Miles James- he of Ella’s at Inn at Carnal Hall, Inn at the Mill, James at the Mill, 28 Springs, and currently? MJ’s Pizzeria. We’ll hear from him shortly, but first?!?! FOOD NEWS! Not the night that we wanted here locally at the James Beard Awards. Chef Matthew Cooper’s new restaurant Ryn will officially open tomorrow! Archie’s Sandwichery opens soon. We’ll hear from the owner! Bloom Cheese Collective has started their soft opening week. We’ll hear when they open for good! Sicaru Coffee Roasters opened last week. We now have a Peruvian restaurant in Rogers. Queen Donuts should open soon in Fayetteville. Taqueria Guanajuato just opened in a new location. A new tea shop is opening soon in Fayetteville. Miles James grew up in Northwest Arkansas and went to the U of A. He got his first job in a legendary Fayetteville restaurant when he was 14, and from there, he was hooked. After college, he decided on culinary school and then learned from some of the top chefs in the northeast and around the world. Chef James has some great stories about that. Why did he come back to NWA? Opportunity, both professionally and personally. At the tender age of 26, he came home to open James at the Mill and Inn at the Mill in Johnson. His trajectory and life changed immensely because of 3 guests just having lunch one day. That’s when things truly took off. What a great story that is, and you’ll hear it from him. And finally, his current baby, MJ’s Pizzeria. He’ll tell the story about how it started, and how they survived Covid. Also, I couldn’t believe it when he said it, but next month will be a decade for MJ’s- 10 years! And something’s on the horizon for the place. Chef James will tell us that and much more, and that’s next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!