BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL

Throwback -- this is Episode 1, originally recorded in spring 2025 and first aired June 19, 2025. Hap's Roast Beef closed in July 2025.Seventy episodes ago, before Beyond the Plate with Carol had a studio, a logo, or a single subscriber, it had two chairs at a table, a camera Carol Erickson's son set up for her, and that same son sitting across from her. This is Episode 1 -- Carol's very first podcast -- recorded with Tyler Isabelle of Hap's Roast Beef in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, eight days after Tyler and his partner Amanda Long brought home Carol's first grandbaby.Tyler grew up inside the Red Arrow Diner. He jokes that he was born in the basement, and he worked every job across all four New Hampshire Red Arrow locations -- dishwashing, prep, the line, front of house, manager. In January 2023 he and Amanda took over Hap's, a forgotten sub shop on Lafayette Road with missing ceiling tiles and a lot of history, and spent two and a half years turning it into one of the most talked-about roast beef sandwich spots on the New Hampshire Seacoast.In this episode Tyler walks Carol through perfecting North Shore style roast beef -- pink and rare, never gray -- and the 1986 Berkel slicer that finally made it right after oven cooking, convection and sous vide all failed. He explains the New England beefer world, a Facebook community roughly 50,000 members deep that will absolutely tell you when your beef is off, right down to napkin count and beef-to-bun ratio. He tells the story of the Hap's bathroom -- the black toilet, the gold fixtures, the murals and fine art, its own scent machine and its own one-song playlist -- and why he thinks every restaurant owner in New England should invest in their bathroom. And he opens up about closing Hap's, becoming a dad, and personally hand-picking Tostimo's Pizza Kitchen out of Seabrook, New Hampshire, to take over the Portsmouth space so the community would be in good hands instead of watching the lease go on the open market.Hap's closed for good in July 2025, which makes this one a time capsule. Watch it for the story of how a shuttered roast beef shack got its shine back, for a mother and son talking shop as equals, and for the first time Carol Erickson ever hit record.📍 Hap's Roast Beef -- 2222 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH (the location is now Tostimo's Pizza Kitchen)🔗 hapsportsmouth.comCarol Erickson has spent nearly 40 years in the hospitality industry as the owner of the Red Arrow Diner -- four New Hampshire locations, all open 24/7 -- and hosts Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. Every episode, Carol sits down with the chefs, entrepreneurs, content creators, and everyday people with an interesting New England story to tell -- from family-owned restaurants and food trucks to second-generation operators like Tyler Isabelle. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!Find Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH0:00 - Intro0:23 - Carol's very first guest1:06 - Where Carol finds new places1:47 - Born into the Red Arrow2:32 - Maine, Amanda, and Hap's3:16 - Who Hap's was named after4:32 - The year he changed nothing5:02 - The 1986 slicer5:47 - Pink and rare, never gray6:19 - Inside the beefer world7:34 - Every job at the diner7:54 - Diner doodles become Hap's doodles9:01 - You have to see this bathroom 😂11:12 - Its own scent and its own playlist 😂12:07 - Invest in your bathroom13:23 - Becoming a dad14:52 - Why Hap's is closing15:54 - Sauces and spice packets17:22 - Finding the right successor18:46 - Tostimo's takes Portsmouth19:38 - You have to start somewhere20:21 - Carol's first radio show22:06 - Closing

Deb McCluskey bought one small cafe in Kittery, Maine in 2021. Five years later, she and her son Michael McCluskey run seven restaurants across Maine and New Hampshire -- and she signed the lease on the seventh one without telling him.Carol Erickson sat down with Deb inside Salty Spirits, the 500-square-foot oyster and cocktail bar in Kittery Foreside with just 14 seats at the bar, to walk through all seven concepts one by one: Lil's Cafe and its famous crullers in Kittery, the Islander Cafe on the water in New Castle, New Hampshire, Stella's Cafe in Dover, June's Cafe in Newmarket, Henry's Bagel and Deli on Route 1, Salty Spirits, and Dudley Street Pizza.Deb talks about frying donuts alongside her grandmother, washing dishes at 14, the fifteen years she spent working for Michael Landgarten before buying Lil's from him in the middle of COVID, why Henry's has no espresso machine, how an entire raw bar menu gets made in one toaster oven, and the year her son got seriously ill while three brand new restaurants were opening. Carol brings nearly 40 years of her own diner experience to the table, and the two of them land somewhere real about what regulars actually mean to a family-owned restaurant.📍 Salty Spirits -- 76 Wallingford Square, Kittery, ME🔗 saltyspiritskittery.com | lilscafe.com | junescafenh.comLil's Cafe (Kittery, ME) | Henry's Bagel and Deli (Kittery, ME) | Dudley Street Pizza (Kittery, ME) | Islander Cafe (New Castle, NH) | Stella's Cafe (Dover, NH) | June's Cafe (Newmarket, NH)Carol Erickson has spent nearly 40 years in the hospitality industry as the longtime owner of the Red Arrow Diner and its four New Hampshire locations, open 24 hours a day. Alongside the diners, she hosts Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. Every episode, Carol sits down with the chefs, entrepreneurs, content creators, and everyday people with an interesting New England story to tell -- from family-owned restaurants and food trucks to multi-concept operators like Deb McCluskey. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!Find Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH0:00 - Intro0:12 - Live from Salty Spirits0:54 - Frying donuts with her grandmother1:21 - Dishwasher at 142:52 - The six months she regretted3:32 - Buying Lil's during COVID6:47 - How the Foreside grew up8:58 - The Islander Cafe in New Castle12:33 - The cruller recipe that never changed14:36 - Through the kitchen to the bathroom16:42 - A record store in a bank vault20:46 - Stella's Cafe and Lilian's middle name26:34 - June's and the 130-year-old building31:41 - Belmont Hall & Restaurant32:30 - Henry's Bagel and Deli37:37 - Michael's ten-year oyster bar dream42:28 - One toaster oven, whole menu43:34 - "No new businesses" 😂48:04 - Signing the lease in secret 😂50:29 - Andrew takes over at Lil's52:05 - Regulars who become family53:33 - "Do you know my name?" 😂54:54 - Lightning Round1:00:25 - The triple vegetable guy1:04:20 - Closing thoughts

Nick Carnes and Dan Haggerty have close to 40 years in restaurants between them, and they just opened a bar that will not pour you a single drop of alcohol. Without is Manchester, New Hampshire's first fully alcohol-free bar and restaurant, on the corner of Elm Street and Hanover Street across from City Hall -- and Carol Erickson recorded this entire episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol inside it, before the doors officially opened.Nick Carnes runs Shoppers Pub & Eatery in Manchester and co-owns the Moka Pot and City Club Golf. Dan Haggerty co-owns Industry East and Stashbox with Jeremy Hart, and co-owns the Moka Pot alongside Nick. Without is the first thing the two of them have built together from the ground up, in a small triangular room with one wall of windows -- and it started with a conversation over dinner about a corner spot that went up for sale ten minutes later.In this episode: why they are trying to retire the word "mocktail," the 99-page training guide behind an 11-drink menu, Hawaiian chef Josh's spam and pineapple arancini and scallion pancake tacos, the tuna poke bombs wrapped in tofu, the 780 tarot cards wallpapered across a five-by-five bathroom, what they say to the people online telling them it will never last, and why both of them believe hospitality is the only thing keeping restaurants alive right now.📍 Without -- corner of Elm Street and Hanover Street, Manchester, NH (across from City Hall)🕒 Opening hours: Wednesday and Thursday 5 to 10, Friday and Saturday 5 to 11🔗 Instagram: @without_nh🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!👇 Follow Beyond the Plate everywhere:YouTube: youtube.com/@beyondtheplatewithcarolInstagram: @beyondtheplatenhFacebook: Beyond the Plate NHTikTok: @nhbeyondtheplateSpotify: Search "Beyond the Plate with Carol"Carol Erickson spent nearly 40 years in the hospitality industry as the longtime owner of the Red Arrow Diner before turning her attention to Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England.This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcateringABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate:Instagram: @beyondtheplatenhTikTok: @nhbeyondtheplateFacebook: Beyond the Plate NHYouTube: @beyondtheplatewithcarolLinktree: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol:Instagram: @carolsew240:00 -- Intro0:11 -- Welcome inside Without0:59 -- Two guests, two past episodes1:39 -- Sitting inside the finished vision3:20 -- 27 seats, and Dan's Union Leader line 😂4:18 -- Where the concept came from4:49 -- Manchester's 1980s sober bar6:25 -- "You're insane for doing this"7:00 -- Answering the internet9:18 -- Not just juice10:51 -- 99 pages, 11 drinks12:43 -- Why they hate "mocktail"14:19 -- Nowhere to hide the flavor15:49 -- Running a liquid kitchen16:49 -- Minimalist vs. eccentric17:36 -- The food menu19:38 -- Spam and pineapple arancini20:44 -- Nobody asked about the food22:36 -- What you feel walking in24:45 -- Hospitality is what survives29:13 -- 780 tarot cards30:02 -- Carol's son Tyler and Hap's32:54 -- Shoppers gets a refresh35:27 -- Industry East and Stashbox40:37 -- How Nick and Dan met44:54 -- "It's for sale"47:06 -- Comedy, music, chess night51:19 -- Six restaurant guys, one photo57:15 -- Lightning Round58:59 -- Guilty pleasure meals 😂1:06:19 -- Hospitality stories1:11:31 -- The bathroom tour

Corey Fletcher started out washing dishes at a family-style restaurant in Milford, New Hampshire -- and almost 30 years later, he owns one of the busiest kitchens in downtown Concord. Revival Kitchen and Bar opened on Depot Street in 2016, taking over the space of the shuttered Sunny's Table, and it has been a farm-to-table anchor of the Concord, NH restaurant scene ever since.In this episode, Corey Fletcher tells Carol about the seared sea scallop dish that has been on the Revival Kitchen and Bar menu since day one, the lobster poutine he put on the menu with total confidence and then didn't taste for a month and a half, and the nine-year run of house-made French macarons that now go out 250 at a time in flavors like blueberry chamomile with Concord Bee Company honey. He also breaks down what black garlic actually is, how he sears a scallop, and why he refuses to charge $44 for swordfish over plain rice.They get into the hard parts too -- surviving COVID with a takeout deal and Burger and Beer Fridays that families ordered eight and ten at a time, keeping a kitchen team together for five-plus years, and building a beverage program around New England distillers like Tamworth Distilling. Plus Corey's life outside the kitchen: bird hunting, deer hunting, foraging for chanterelles and black trumpets, and an 11-year-old daughter who already helps him portion burgers and pipe macarons.📍 Revival Kitchen and Bar -- 11 Depot Street, Concord, NH🔗 revivalkitchennh.comCarol Erickson has spent nearly 40 years in the hospitality industry as the longtime owner of the Red Arrow Diner before turning her attention to Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. Every episode, Carol sits down with the chefs, entrepreneurs, content creators, and everyday people with an interesting New England story to tell -- from family-owned restaurants and food trucks to chef-owners like Corey Fletcher. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!Find Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH0:00 - Intro0:12 - Welcome to Corey Fletcher0:27 - Two dishwashers walk into a studio1:35 - Elijah's in Milford, NH1:54 - The culinary vacuum 😂2:18 - Baldwin's on Elm, Manchester2:47 - Nantucket, then Concord for good5:31 - How Revival Kitchen was born6:01 - Concord's Main Street comeback6:42 - Building a farm-to-table menu9:21 - Hunting, foraging, and mushrooms10:00 - Carol walks in with no reservation12:36 - Doing the rain dance 😂13:42 - The copper table problem14:36 - The scallop dish since day one16:01 - The lobster poutine confession 😂17:04 - Value on the plate18:29 - When COVID hit Revival19:26 - Burger and Beer Fridays20:45 - Picnic tables and DoorDash eggs 😂23:57 - Nine years of French macarons24:04 - It is not a macaroon 😂26:16 - Building the late summer menu30:15 - Black garlic, explained31:57 - Life outside the kitchen32:50 - Carol's archery adventure 😂35:51 - His daughter in the kitchen36:47 - How he met his wife37:04 - Private events at Revival38:16 - The beverage program41:24 - Lightning Round44:06 - Best New England classic47:23 - A hospitality story49:12 - Closing thoughts

He wanted to be a Disney animator. Instead, Chef Evan Hennessey became the first chef in New Hampshire history to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast -- and this year, he opened his fourth venture in Dover.Carol sits down with Evan right at Stages at One Washington to talk about the whole arc -- from a dishwashing job with no career plan, to staging in some of the country's best kitchens, to building three completely different restaurant concepts and a culinary travel company, all without leaving his hometown.In this episode:• What it actually felt like to hear his name called on that James Beard stage• How he discovered his own foraged ingredient -- a rare "sea truffle" red algae• The full, very sweet story behind his daughter's cookies, served at the end of every tasting menu at Stages• A walkthrough of Stages, The Living Room, and his brand-new Mediterranean spot, Topolino• Why he started "Staging At Stages," a hands-on apprenticeship program for young chefsStages at One Washington | 1 Washington St, Dover, NH | stages-dining.comSubscribe on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and like, comment, and share this episode. New episodes of Beyond the Plate with Carol drop every Tuesday.This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcateringABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson brings nearly 40 years of hospitality experience as the longtime owner of the Red Arrow Diner to Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24

Andy Day built way more than a bar -- he's the owner and chef behind Cask & Vine in Derry, NH, and the founder of both Doire Distilling and Daydreaming Brewing Company, all under one roof.This week's episode is mixed up a little bit -- we're on location at Cask & Vine in Derry, New Hampshire! Carol sits down with Andy to talk through how a 2010 beer festival turned into an entire craft beverage empire -- and how Andy Day became Chef Andy Day, now in the finals for the Favorite Chef competition hosted by Chef Carla HallIn this episode:How a barrel-aged beer at a film festival changed Andy's whole pathBuilding three completely different concepts under one roofAndy's entry into the Favorite Chef competition presented by Chef Carla Hall, benefiting the James Beard FoundationThe story behind the Super Duck Three Way sandwichKeeping his whole team employed through the pandemicCask & Vine1 East Broadway, Derry, NH 03038caskandvine.comfacebook.com/CaskandVineIf you loved this episode, subscribe to Beyond the Plate on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and like, comment, and share with someone who needs to see it. New episodes every Tuesday, with on-location specials like this one along the way!This episode is brought to you by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcateringABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24

John Milliard ran the toaster at Pappy's Pizza & Subs when he was just 12 years old. Over three decades later, he owns the place -- and he's carrying forward the legacy of the man who mentored him, founder Ron Pappas.In this episode, Carol sits down with John at Pappy's on Elm Street in Manchester to talk about buying back his mentor's restaurant, the three-month renovation that brought it into a new era, and what it means to honor someone who changed the course of his life.They cover:● The story behind the "Toast Boy" nickname and how it led to ownership● Ron Pappas's legacy running Pappy's from a wheelchair -- and what it taught John about giving back● The 2022 purchase and the full-scale renovation that followed● Pappy's most iconic menu staples, plus the 20-inch pizza eating challenge● What John thinks Ron would say if he walked through the door todayPappy's Pizza & Subs1531 Elm St, Manchester, NH 03101ilovepappys.comSubscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube, follow along on Instagram and Facebook, and like, comment, and share this one. New episodes drop every Tuesday!This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant -- Carol's family restaurant, now owned by her sister.[Belmont Hall address / website / social -- confirm exact details before publishing]ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROLCarol Erickson, owner of Red Arrow Diner since 1987, sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.Follow Beyond the Plate -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: Instagram @carolsew24

What's it really like to be 8 years old and growing up outside the walled city of Lucca, Italy -- with a go-kart, a backyard full of chickens, and grandparents who make their own tomato sauce every summer? On this special episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol, Carol sits down with her great-nephew Oliviero -- Oli, as the family calls him -- for a conversation that has nothing to do with restaurants and everything to do with what makes a childhood in Tuscany so special.Oli walks Carol through a day in his world -- go-kart racing (red, obviously), taking care of his chickens, the treehouse he plays in with his brothers Leonardo and Ludo, and Nonna's homemade tomato sauce that gets them through the winter. He explains the history of Lucca's walled city like a local tour guide, shares what he loves most about visiting Popsy and Nonna in New Hampshire, and answers a full round of rapid-fire questions -- pizza or pasta, racetrack or playground, gelato or cake.This one is pure family, pure fun, and a reminder of what "beyond the plate" really means -- the people, the traditions, and the everyday moments that make a place home.🌍 Lucca, Tuscany, Italy -- just outside the historic walled cityThis episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!Find Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHCarol Erickson ran the Red Arrow Diner for nearly 40 years before turning her attention to Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. Every episode, Carol sits down with the chefs, entrepreneurs, content creators, and everyday people with an interesting story to tell -- and once in a while, that means bringing family into the studio too. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.

What's it really like to be 8 years old and growing up outside the walled city of Lucca, Italy -- with a go-kart, a backyard full of chickens, and grandparents who make their own tomato sauce every summer? On this special episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol, Carol sits down with her great-nephew Oliviero -- Oli, as the family calls him -- for a conversation that has nothing to do with restaurants and everything to do with what makes a childhood in Tuscany so special.Oli walks Carol through a day in his world -- go-kart racing (red, obviously), taking care of his chickens, the treehouse he plays in with his brothers Leonardo and Ludo, and Nonna's homemade tomato sauce that gets them through the winter. He explains the history of Lucca's walled city like a local tour guide, shares what he loves most about visiting Popsy and Nonna in New Hampshire, and answers a full round of rapid-fire questions -- pizza or pasta, racetrack or playground, gelato or cake.This one is pure family, pure fun, and a reminder of what "beyond the plate" really means -- the people, the traditions, and the everyday moments that make a place home.🌍 Lucca, Tuscany, Italy -- just outside the historic walled cityThis episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!Find Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHCarol Erickson ran the Red Arrow Diner for nearly 40 years before turning her attention to Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. Every episode, Carol sits down with the chefs, entrepreneurs, content creators, and everyday people with an interesting story to tell -- and once in a while, that means bringing family into the studio too. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.

Ryan of Crazy Dreamers never planned any of this. A random line his wife said years ago -- "keep dreaming, you crazy dreamer" -- became the name of the New Hampshire food content account that's now grown to roughly 20-26K followers on Facebook and more than 50,000 on TikTok. Ryan builds all of it around a full-time job at his family's concrete company in New Hampshire and raising his 4-year-old son, also named Ryan.In this episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol, Ryan of Crazy Dreamers sits down with Carol Erickson to talk about the England trip that made his food content explode overnight, his surprisingly strict food rating scale (he has never once given a 10), the real story behind his viral Free Money Fridays series where he hides cash across New Hampshire towns for followers to find, and his personal rule of always paying for his own food at every restaurant, food truck, and NH eatery he reviews so nothing skews his honest opinion.Ryan and Carol also swap notes on food content creation, local NH restaurant recommendations -- including Messy Mike's Barbecue, Sig's Kitchen, Buckley's Burgers and Steaks in Hampton, and Alibi Aftermath in Manchester -- his podcast Lonnie and Ryan, and what it actually takes to keep short-form video viewers hooked in an age of shrinking attention spans.📍 Crazy Dreamers -- based in New Hampshire, content filmed statewide (search "Crazy Dreamers" on TikTok and Facebook)🔗 Search "Crazy Dreamers" on TikTok and Facebook to follow along, including Free Money Fridays-- linktr.ee/crazy_dreamersCarol Erickson spent nearly 40 years in the hospitality industry as the longtime owner of the Red Arrow Diner before turning her attention to Beyond the Plate with Carol, a New Hampshire-based podcast covering food, restaurants, and hospitality all across New England. Every episode, Carol sits down with the chefs, entrepreneurs, content creators, and everyday people with an interesting New England story to tell -- from family-owned restaurants and food trucks to rising creators like Ryan of Crazy Dreamers. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond.This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!Find Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH0:00 - Intro0:10 - Welcome to Ryan of Crazy Dreamers0:38 - Follower count reveal -- 50K+ on TikTok, 20-26K on Facebook1:06 - Life before food content -- the Thrift Mind years2:32 - Becoming a dad changes everything2:47 - The England trip that changed it all3:33 - Posting British McDonald's reviews 😂4:33 - Is Crazy Dreamers still a family project?5:43 - When Ryan knew Crazy Dreamers was really taking off7:02 - Guessing Carol's age 😂9:00 - Strategic content or just having fun?10:52 - Guest plug -- find Ryan and Crazy Dreamers online11:04 - The psychology of hooking short-form video viewers early14:23 - Ryan's rating scale explained -- why nothing is a 1015:22 - Free Money Fridays -- how it works across New Hampshire17:12 - The "mhm" bio explainer22:47 - How Crazy Dreamers got its name22:54 - Ryan's podcast, Lonnie and Ryan25:56 - What Ryan loves about podcasting vs. short-form video28:02 - Why New Hampshire keeps showing up in Crazy Dreamers content32:38 - Balancing a full-time concrete company job, content, and family33:19 - Ryan's rule: always pays for his own food35:50 - Lightning Round -- NH food recommendations45:52 - Closing thoughts -- what's the dream for Crazy Dreamers?48:16 - Outro