We’re giving you the main course of what the food industry means to this Chattanooga chef. | Photo by Sarah Unger via Food as a Verb
Local publication Food as a Verb recently set the place mats for its Farm-to-Table Speaker Series. City Editor Haley here. I attended the “A Conversation with Erik Niel” — who owns Easy Bistro & Bar, Main Street Meats + Little Coyote with his wife Amanda Niel — last week at the St. Elmo spot and I’m here to dish out the highlights from the Q+A.
The beginning of a food journey
Chef Niel spoke about his upbringing in South Louisiana. “I tell people all the time that growing up there, you have a relationship with food that you just assume is the way that everybody has a relationship with food,” he said.
He added that it only dawned on him how formative his relationship with food was until he left and realized the connection wasn’t the same everywhere.
Resident Shannon Stewart commended the Niels for their work + said the meal at Main Street Meats is what convinced her family to move to the area.
Photo by NOOGAtoday
What hospitality means to the Niels
According to Chef Niel, one of the most powerful possessions humans have is to be hospitable and to accept hospitality. A key moment in his life was when a convenience store worker once wrapped his beers in paper towel “koozies” without thought.
Beginner Crochet | 6-8:30 p.m. | The Chattery (Broad Street) | $45 | Learn about yarn and hook sizes, essential crochet stitches, and how to read a basic crochet pattern to create a flower.
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? | 7-9 p.m. | The Dragon Lounge | $5 | Put your knowledge (and your vibe) to the test at this hilarious, brain-teasing trivia night, hosted by Gemini Silverwolf.
The Play Reading Workshop | 7-9 p.m. | Barking Legs Theater | Free | Come out to this event as a reader or a listener, where actors will read the work from local writers.
Wednesday, Feb. 26
Ahren Belisle | 7 p.m. | The Comedy Catch | $20 | This comedian, who has cerebral palsy, has been in the spotlight on “America’s Got Talent” + is known for delivering jokes with the help of his phone.
Thursday, Feb. 27
Winter Workshop | 6-8 p.m. | Outdoor Chattanooga | Free | Hear about Tennessee’s newly opened State Office of Outdoor Recreation + what it means for parks in your local communities and across the state.
Emo Night Nashville | 8-11:55 p.m. | Barrelhouse Ballroom | $15+ | For the first time ever, this show is coming all the way from Nashville, bringing over five DJs to spin your favorite emo + pop punk hits.
Friday, Feb. 28
Black History Month Night Market | 6-9 p.m. | The Chattery (Broad Street) | Free+ | Shop this evening market to find anything from artwork to home goods while enjoying music spun by DJMCPRO.
Get ready to say, “What a burger,” Chattanooga. Hamilton County’s first-ever Whataburger is planned for the East Ridge area — at the former site of Wally’s Restaurant. Awaiting final approval, construction is planned to start soon, with anticipation of opening by the end of the year.
Traffic
Today through Thursday, Feb. 27, TDOT will reduce Signal Mountain Boulevard to one lane — between Sunset Drive + Shoal Creek Road. Crews will be conducting geotechnical drilling work to prepare the area for a future improvement project. Pro tip: Use SmartWay for updates.
Festival
Remember when we announced the World of Bluegrass festival would be coming to Chattanooga? Submissions are now open for service providers (think: food vendors, printing, production, etc.), Bluegrass Ramble performers + conference topics and sessions. Submit ideas or talent by Friday, Feb. 28.
Talk
Learn about NASA’s “Drive to Digital” approach that increases intranet traffic + provides actionable strategies for communication with the PRSA Lookout Chapter. On Wednesday, March 5, attendees will hear from NASA’s Research and Analytics Lead Janel Kasper-Wolfe — join the conversation.
Community
Creative Discovery Museum will host two ticketed events on Saturday, March 1, exploring galactic fun. The kiddos can enjoy AmuseUM Jr. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., while the adults can enjoy a 21+ themed party from 7 to 10 p.m. — take a cosmic leap.
Theater
Auditions are open for Ishmael Reed’s “The Haunting of Lin-Manuel Miranda” on Thursday, Feb. 27 + Friday, Feb. 28. This production is a direct commentary of the Broadway show “Hamilton,” offering another side of the conversation and showing those who were left out of the screenplay. Sign up for a slot.
Plan Ahead
The return of the corgis is almost here. The annual Hello, St. Elmo! neighborhood street festival is set for Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Folks will enjoy a makers market, live music + a parade of the cutest corgis in the Scenic City.
Edu
Did you know? You don’t have to wait until fall to start college classes: ChattState’s second session begins Monday, March 17. Apply today to begin working towards your future.*
Finance
Top firms like SoftBank already invested in Pacaso, the startup disrupting the $1.3 trillion vacation home market with co-ownership. By handing keys to 1,500+ homeowners, Pacaso earned over $100 million in gross profits. Now, they’re going global. Invest for $2.70 per share by Thursday, Feb. 27.†*
†This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com.
Category
Travel
✈️ PSAs for TSA
Get ready to take flight with these need-to-knows. | Photo by @chattairport
Traveling via plane is fun — jet-setting over beautiful blue waters or rolling hills + taking in the cloud formations.
The whole navigating the airport part? Less exciting, and sometimes pretty stressful. To help make your time at the Chattanooga Airport as smooth as possible, we’ve created a guide that covers everything from gates and parking to details on the airport’s 11 nonstop flights.
If you ask us where we’re heading first, we’d love to book a flight to:
A chic new outfit from Rent the Runway. Always have something new to wear, whether you’re turning heads at brunch, nailing the office vibe, or all dressed up for a wedding — renting 10 new designer items a month starts at $89. Bonus:Rentals include fast delivery, dry-cleaning, and returns picked up directly from your home.*
I absolutely loved hearing from Chef Niel and getting insight on some of my favorites restaurants in Chattanooga. If I could hear from another local chef, it would definitely be Kenyatta Ashford of Neutral Ground — good thing he’s hosting a Mardi Gras Gumbo Pop-Up on Tuesday, March 4 at the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga.
}})
