Nashville Restaurant Radio

This is a podcast made for and about the people of the Nashville Restaurant community. Our goal is to gain others perspectives and learn from their experiences. Listen for interviews with Chefs, Restauranteurs, authors, industry leaders, and much more! This is not a podcast where we talk about food, we talk about food people.

Nashville Restaurant Radio is a arts podcast hosted by New Light Hospitality, with 438 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

New Light Hospitality hosts Nashville Restaurant Radio, a arts show with 438 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #27

  Jonathan Butler (JB)- Owner- Gold Drop Vodka

  Sep 27, 20261h 32mS10

  Today I sit down with Jonathan “JB” Butler, owner of Gold Drop Vodka. Gold Drop is a premium vodka made in France — but the brand itself is based right here in Nashville, Tennessee. And this episode goes way beyond vodka. JB tells the whole story. Coming up in the nightclub industry. Building businesses. Making mistakes. Learning some lessons the hard way. And ultimately taking those experiences and using them to build the person — and the brand owner — he is today. What I appreciated most about this conversation is that JB doesn’t hide from the mistakes. He owns them. This is a vulnerable, wide-open conversation with an entrepreneur willing to talk about what went wrong, what it cost him, what he learned, and how he grew from it. Today, he’s the owner of Gold Drop, one of the most premium vodka brands on the market, with its roots planted right here in Nashville. Great story. Great conversation.

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  Episode #26

  Kimberly Wolff- Owner- 312 Pizza

  Sep 4, 202623 minS10

  Kimberly Wolff, owner of 312 Pizza Company, texted me last night with news I wasn’t ready to hear: they were planning to close the restaurant on Monday. My response was simple: Not if I can help it. Today, I went to 312 Pizza Company and sat down with Kimberly so she could tell the story in her own words—what’s happening, how they got here, and what it really looks like when an independent restaurant is fighting to keep its doors open. This episode isn’t about pointing fingers or assigning blame. It’s about giving Kimberly a platform, letting people hear the reality behind the restaurant, and seeing whether this community can rally around a local business before it’s too late. If 312 Pizza Company has ever meant something to you—or if you simply believe Nashville is better when locally owned restaurants have a fighting chance—this is the time to show up. Listen to the episode. Share it. Go eat at 312. And if you’re able to help financially, the GoFundMe link can be found on the NARA Nashville Instagram page and the Nashville Restaurant Radio Instagram page. Independent restaurants don’t survive without their communities. Support local.

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  Episode #26

  Merlina Rodas- @fohology

  Aug 29, 20261h 23mS10

  In this episode, Merlina Rodas shares her philosophy and framework for delivering exceptional service. She breaks down the process into clear, actionable steps, emphasizing mindset, preparation, execution, and follow-up. The conversation blends personal experience, industry insights, and practical tools to help you understand how to create service that resonates with clients and builds lasting relationships

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  Episode #25

  Freddie O' Connell- Mayor of Nashville

  Aug 22, 20261h 7mS10

  Mayor Freddie O’Connell: Property Taxes, Nashville’s Growth & the Future of Independent Restaurants Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell returns to Nashville Restaurant Radio for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the challenges facing Nashville and the independent businesses that help define the city. We begin with Freddie the person rather than Freddie the politician. He talks about what he inherited when he became mayor following an unusually turbulent period in Nashville leadership, what surprised him during his first months in office, how much of the job involves responding to unexpected crises, and why he still wants a job where somebody is almost always unhappy with you. Then we get into the issues restaurant owners have been talking about. Brandon asks Mayor O’Connell directly about Nashville’s property tax burden, rising property assessments, triple-net leases, the continued pressure on longtime Nashville businesses, and Carey Bringle’s 2020 warning that increasing costs could eventually push some of Nashville’s iconic independent restaurants out of the city. The Mayor explains how Tennessee’s property appraisal and tax-rate system works, why the tax rate can technically decline while individual property owners still see dramatically higher bills, and why Nashville’s rapid growth makes the issue especially complicated. They also discuss: The growing cost of operating an independent restaurant in Nashville Why some local restaurants are thriving while others are struggling Property tax appeals and the limitations of the Mayor’s office in that process Potential relief for legacy businesses and triple-net leaseholders Incentive programs already available to Nashville small businesses The changing economics of Lower Broadway Nashville’s relationship with state government Traffic, bike lanes and the Choose How You Move initiative Whether Nashville can grow without losing the independent businesses that created its identity One of the most important moments comes near the end of the conversation when Mayor O’Connell commits to continuing the conversation with the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance and its members. His message to Nashville’s independent restaurant community: the city doesn’t simply want to speak to restaurant owners — it wants to listen. Mayor O’Connell will continue that conversation in person at the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance Independent Restaurant Show on September 1 at Fat Bottom Brewery. This is a conversation about growth, taxes and government — but ultimately it is about a much bigger question: As Nashville continues to grow, how do we make sure the people and businesses that made Nashville special can still afford to be here?

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  Episode #24

  Jessica Hazard-Owner- NY PIE

  Aug 13, 20261h 6mS10

  Jessica Hazard, owner of NY Pie, joins us on Nashville Restaurant Radio to talk about the opening of her newest location in Capitol View and what she’s learned through the process of growing her business. Jessica is also a NARA member, and we talk about how that relationship has helped NY Pie identify opportunities to improve profitability, make stronger vendor connections, and build relationships with other people throughout Nashville’s restaurant community. We also get into Jessica’s roots in New Jersey, the inspiration behind NY Pie, and the realities of opening another restaurant location—the challenges, the excitement, and everything that comes with expansion. As always, the conversation goes beyond just one restaurant. We talk about the Nashville restaurant industry, ownership, relationships, growth, and plenty of the random restaurant stuff we love talking about. If you’re a restaurant owner, operator, or just someone who loves the business, this is a great conversation with one of Nashville’s independent restaurant owners.

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