Industry Night with Nycci Nellis
by Nycci Nellis
Industry Night is the long-talk format radio show and podcast that brings you up close and personal with the trends and trendsetters across today’s diverse food, wine, spirits, brews and hospitality landscape. For in-depth insights and insider tips, join your host, Nycci Nellis, cohost of Foodie and the Beast, the DC area’s one and only food and wine variety show, and all the locally, nationally and globally renowned chefs, restaurateurs, cookbook authors, mixologists, somms, distillers, brewmasters, pit-masters and more that you’ll hear from on Industry Night.
Episodes
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Pizza Passion: How a Food Cart Built Pupatella's VPN-Certified Empire
There is a wood fired oven at Pupatella in the Mosaic District built with bricks that came straight from Mount Vesuvius, and a pizza comes out of it in about 90 seconds. What took almost twenty years is everything around it. I went out to Merrifield to sit with the two men who built that, and…
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Industry Night at Central: 20 Years of Central, Remembering Michel Richard
Four people who knew him best, one table, and the stories that never made print. Twenty years ago a general manager named Brian saw four starving women walk into a restaurant that was already closed, sat them at the bar, and asked if they would like a glass of champagne. That is the whole story…
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Women Belong in the Kitchen: Chef Kat Petonito & Pastry Chef Rochelle Cooper Talk Harassment, Burnout & Building a Better Restaurant Industr
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...
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What's Shaking? Tastemaker Virginia Miller of World's 50 Best at Bar Betsie with JP Sabatier
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...
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A Deep Dive with Neighborhood Restaurant Group's Greg Engert & Aged Fish with Chef Chico Dator, Recorded at Modan
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…
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Ereka Vetrini Breaks Down the Business of Food Content & Being Well Fed on Industry Night
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...
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Chef Steven Fretz on Leaving Big Cities for Michelin's New Southwest Frontier
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...
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Ashok Bajaj x Chef Vikram Sunderam x Me: Passion Built the Empire, This Chef Brought It to Life
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…
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Comedian & Cook Book Author, Gus Constantellis, His Mon Died, So He Wrote a Cookbook
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…
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Victor Albisu: It’s Electric, Industry Night at City Ridge
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...
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Jade Floyd on The Leadership Labyrinth
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...
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Is This the Best Winery in Maryland? The Burnt Hill Farm Family is With Nycci Nellis at RPM Italian
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…
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Chef Adrianne Calvo, Competitive By Nature
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…
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How Chef Erik Ramirez Found His Way Back to His Peruvian Roots
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...
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Conversación del Maíz, The Art of Nixtamalization
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,...
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Why Everyone Wants a Table at Bungalow with Chef Vikas Khanna
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…
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Chef Ryan Ratino on Michelin Stars, Muscle, and Leading with Grace
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...
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Loew Vineyards: Holocaust Survivor Legacy, Maryland Wine & Historic Meadmaking with Rachel Loew Lipman
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...
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From 45,000 Miles on the Road to a Michelin Star: The Catbird Seat’s Tiffani Ortiz & Andy Doubrava
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…
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DAVID NAYFELD HAS THE ANSWER TO, DAD? WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
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...
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Whiskey, Wellness & the Future of Drinking With Ari Sussman on Industry Night
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...
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Cocktails, Caviar & the Perfect Martini at RPM Italian
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…
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Amy Brandwein on Leadership, Kitchen Culture & Running Restaurants Today
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,...
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Can Restaurants Put People First? Jon Murray of Noko Hospitality Thinks So
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…
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Free Your Mind With Robb & Violeta of Dolcezza - at Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place
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...
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Why Montréal Is One of the World’s Great Food Cities - Industry Night International Edition
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...
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The Women Who Changed the Bar World: Ivy Mix & Lynnette Marrero of Speed Rack
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....
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RPM Italian DC: How Great Wine, Pasta & Hospitality Come Together with Richard Hanauer, Massimo Vicidomini & Boo Kim
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...
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Susan Bae x Me: Working It Out at Equinox Sports Club
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...
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Creating Restaurants Where We Want To Eat - Industry Night with Nycci Nellis: Matt Conroy & Isabel Coss
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....
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Breaking the Restaurant Mold & Putting It Back Together
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...
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It’s a Family Affair: The Popal Group at a.kitchen + bar
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…
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It’s the Little Things With Chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel & Chef Arjav Ezekiel of Birdie’s, Austin
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...
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Wanderlust Intentions: Chefs Juliana Thorpe and Ignacio Nacho Zuzulich of The Lodge at Dawn Ranch
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,...
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Chef David Utterback Says Buy That Ticket
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...
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Industry Night at City Ridge: Builders, Risk-Takers & 20 Years of Changing the Game with Erik Bruner-Yang & Richard Lake
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...
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The Journey Of Chef Eric Adjepong - Recorded at Yume Sushi
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...
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The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Chef Rock Harper - An Industry Night Exclusive at Rimtang
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...
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Wealth of Whiskey Knowledge With Noah Rothbaum
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…
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Fresh off the Grill, Sustainable Seafood
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...
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Allow Us To Introduce, Tom Sietsema - An Industry Night Exclusive at Kyojin
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...
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How We Work Live & Play in Today’s Small Towns
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...
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Hot Seat & Happy Pours: Industry Night × When You Just Want a Glass of Wine
It’s hard when the mic turns on me—I’m wired to ask the questions. But today I’m in the hot seat for a special crossover: Industry Night × When You Just Want a Glass of Wine with Zena Polin & Renee Gentry. We’re recording on Historic 23rd Street at Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique, presented by...
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The Intersection of The Community, Contemporary Art & Culinary
Welcome back to Industry Night with me, Nycci Nellis. I’m here today at Capital One Center in Tysons, Virginia, a 35-acre mixed-use development that has completely redefined this part of Fairfax County. It’s not just office towers and retail; it’s a cultural hub with Capital One Hall, The…
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Michael x Me
Welcome back to Industry Night, the podcast where we dig deep into what’s cooking, literally and figuratively—across the culinary, hospitality, and creative industries. I’m your host, Nycci Nellis, and today I’m once again coming to you from City Ridge, a dynamic new development that has…
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Getting Nourished
Welcome back to Industry Night, the podcast where we dig deep into what’s cooking, literally and figuratively, across the culinary and hospitality industries. I’m your host, Nycci Nellis, and I’m thrilled to kick off my new residency at City Ridge! City Ridge isn’t just another development, it’s…
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History & Cocktails at Annex on 12th
This week’s Industry Night has it all, historic preservation, stunning design & rum-soaked nostalgia. We recorded on-site at Annex on 12th, a posh new residential community that brings serious Art Deco glamour to what was once the USDA Cotton Annex. First up is Stephen Johnson, Senior Community...
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The Cocktail Culture with Glendon Hartley & Chad Spangler
Hey there, Nycci Nellis here, and welcome to another episode of Industry Night! Today’s show is a special one. I’m coming to you from the gorgeous, sun-dappled patio of a.kitchen+bar in the West End of DC. Seriously, it’s a little oasis right in the middle of the city, so chic. Later in the show…
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Wolfgang & Me
Hey there, it’s me—Nycci Nellis—and welcome back to Industry Night! Today’s show is a big one. We’re talking steak, style, and serious star power. That’s right, I’m coming to you from the stunning CUT DC, the sleek, modern steakhouse tucked inside Rosewood Washington, D.C., right in the heart of...
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A Bubbly Conversation With Paula Kornell
Well, hello bubbles! It’s me, Nycci Nellis, and welcome to Industry Night, where we sip, swirl, and spill the sparkling tea on all things delicious. Today’s episode comes to you from Apéro—the utterly charming Champagne and caviar bar tucked right at the entrance of Georgetown. It’s the kind of...
About this show
Industry Night is the long-talk format radio show and podcast that brings you up close and personal with the trends and trendsetters across today’s diverse food, wine, spirits, brews and hospitality landscape. For in-depth insights and insider tips, join your host, Nycci Nellis, cohost of Foodie and the Beast, the DC area’s one and only food and wine variety show, and all the locally, nationally and globally renowned chefs, restaurateurs, cookbook authors, mixologists, somms, distillers, brewmasters, pit-masters and more that you’ll hear from on Industry Night.
Hosted by
Nycci Nellis