BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL

When Phil Meyer first got online during the COVID lockdowns, he found people trashing New Hampshire food. His response? Prove them wrong. That mission -- plus a conversation that happened right here at Cask and Vine in Derry -- turned into New Hampshire Eats, a Facebook group now 200,000 members strong.Carol sits down with Phil at Cask and Vine for one of our At the Plate episodes -- out of the studio and right inside one of NH's favorite spots. In this episode:• How NH Eats grew from 4,000 to 200,000 members and why the no-negativity rule was everything• The full circle moment: the original founder handed Phil the group right here at Cask & Vine• How Nourish New England was born from COVID conversations and what it is doing for food insecurity in NH• The NH World Christmas Market -- 80 vendors, 12,000 people, all volunteers• "NH Eats is not just for reviews" -- Phil on what it is really for• And yes -- Phil is a HUGE Red Arrow Diner fan 🍳Find Nourish New England: nourishne.orgFind NH Eats: search "New Hampshire Eats" on FacebookCask & Vine: caskandvine.com | 1 East Broadway, Derry NHNOTE: Carol misstated the website as "nourishnh.org" during the outro. The correct website is nourishne.org -- see pinned comment below.Subscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube 🔔Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @beyondtheplatenhNew episodes every Tuesday -- find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHThis episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerABOUT 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 @carolsew24TIMESTAMPS -0:00 -- Intro + Carol at Cask & Vine0:57 -- Phil intro + NH Eats hits 200,000 members1:17 -- The full Eats network (New England Eats, RI Eats, Maine Eats, Vermont Eats)2:33 -- COVID lockdowns origin story3:41 -- "I set out to prove people wrong about NH food"3:58 -- The Cask & Vine handover story -- it happened right here4:30 -- Why Phil chose this place + Cask & Vine history5:14 -- Winery, distillery, brewery -- Cask & Vine does it all5:50 -- Server Zoe + drink orders 😄6:02 -- Phil's old-fashioned has a story behind it12:02 -- The no-negativity rule -- why it matters for NH restaurants15:31 -- Why NH Eats goes hard for small businesses33:11 -- "This is just volunteers" -- the Nourish New England team38:02 -- Phil reveals he is a HUGE Red Arrow Diner fan 🍳38:14 -- How Nourish New England got started39:17 -- What food insecurity actually looks like in New Hampshire42:49 -- The NH World Christmas Market origin story1:07:08 -- Poutine Fest and what's coming up for NNE1:17:57 -- Lightning round ⚡1:35:03 -- Phil is a super taster -- the maple syrup story 😄1:35:34 -- Anything we didn't cover?1:36:53 -- "NH Eats is not just for reviews" -- what it's really for1:37:24 -- "You get more with honey than you do with salt"1:37:40 -- Phil thanks the Beyond the Plate community1:38:22 -- Phil wants to come back for more episodes

He built three of Manchester's most talked-about spots from scratch -- and now he's opening a fourth. Dan Haggerty, co-owner of Industry East, Stashbox, and Moka Pot, sits down with Carol Erickson to talk about how a dishwasher at 14 ended up building one of the most creative small business empires in downtown Manchester.In this episode:• The traveling mixology business that became Industry East -- and how it almost looked completely different• The hot dog that saved the liquor license (and became their most iconic menu item)• Why a cocktail guy decided to open Manchester's first dry bar -- and what the sober-curious movement actually looks like from inside the industry• The Moka Pot expansion and what Dan says makes Manchester's small business community unlike anywhere else• Running multiple concepts within 2,000 square feet -- and what it takes to hold it all togetherFIND DAN & HIS SPOTS:Industry East -- 28 Hanover St, Manchester NH | industryeastbar.com | @industry.east.barStashbox -- 866 Elm St, Manchester NH | stashboxnh.com | @stashboxnhWithout -- coming soon to 8 Hanover St, Manchester NH (Manchester's first dry bar)Moka Pot -- 8 Hanover St, Manchester NHSubscribe to Beyond the Plate on YouTube so you never miss a conversation like this one. New episodes every Tuesday.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @beyondtheplatenhFind us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH---This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner---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 @carolsew240:00 -- Intro0:20 -- From dishwasher to front of house at 151:44 -- What kept pulling him back to the industry2:57 -- Guest plug: Industry East, Stashbox, Without, Moka Pot3:32 -- The traveling mixology business origin5:28 -- When the traveling business became a real place6:15 -- Meeting Jeremy Hart and building Birch on Elm7:22 -- The decision to become an owner9:10 -- Building Industry East during COVID10:38 -- The 18-seat design and what makes it work11:09 -- Mixologist vs. bartender (Dan has thoughts) 😄12:24 -- Dan and Jeremy's roles: "He's the cocktail guru, I'm the loud one"13:03 -- How the Industry East menu came together15:45 -- The hot dog that saved the liquor license16:49 -- Carol's eggs benedict hot dog visit19:03 -- Over 300 wieners of the week23:25 -- The charcuterie board and the quality philosophy28:03 -- Why Stashbox happened29:01 -- Finding the "cursed" Elm Street building31:38 -- Red Arrow sponsorship32:07 -- The Without dry bar -- how it started32:29 -- Is Dan alcohol-free himself? 😄33:07 -- Why the NA movement is real and not a trend37:38 -- "It's cool to be sober now"38:04 -- The real reason Without will work38:34 -- How close is Without to opening?39:07 -- The Without menu: Hawaiian chef, Polynesian fusion41:50 -- Moka Pot: the expansion and the vision45:07 -- Running multiple concepts across 2,000 square feet47:26 -- Baby Penelope and balancing family with the industry49:29 -- The wiener of the week right now (Banh Mi)50:26 -- Supporting local restaurants right now51:01 -- Lightning Round54:54 -- Closing: what Dan is most proud of56:34 -- Outro

Jakob Norris built Wicked Tasty from a single food truck into a multi-divisional hospitality company -- food truck, corporate café, full-service catering, a licensed bar program called Wicked Thirsty, and a seasonal mountain kitchen at Dartmouth Skiway. He did it in four years. And he did it with almost ten years clean and sober.This is one of the most honest conversations we've had on Beyond the Plate. Jakob opens up about losing his dad at 12, how kitchens became his anchor, what it felt like the day he chose recovery, and why second chances are at the core of everything he builds. In this episode:• How a real estate agent with a truck and a dream launched Wicked Tasty• What "New England Classics with a twist" actually means -- and the food behind it• The Dartmouth Skiway partnership and what it takes to run food and beverage on a mountain• Building Northman F&B Co. as a parent company -- and what comes next• Why Jakob hires the way he does, and the 19-year-old who became his full operations manager• The NHLRA Roaming Kitchen of the Year nomination -- and the moment with Dante from Dead Proof PizzaFIND WICKED TASTY & NORTHMAN F&B CO.Wicked Tasty Food Truck -- wickedtastytrucks.comNorthman F&B Co. -- northmanhospitality.comFollow on Facebook: WickedTastyTruck for their weekly scheduleInstagram: @wickedtastytruckIf this conversation hit you -- subscribe to Beyond the Plate on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook @beyondtheplatenh, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. New episodes drop every Tuesday at 7am. 🔔--This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner--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 @carolsew24Timestamps:• 0:00 -- Intro• 0:18 -- Carol's food truck visit -- the fluffernutter story• 1:21 -- What is Northman Food and Beverage Co.?• 2:34 -- Growing up in Plymouth, MA and Salem, NH• 3:10 -- Clam digging with dad, foraging, and the kitchen that raised him• 4:25 -- Losing his dad at 12 and how food became the anchor• 5:05 -- First kitchen job at Murphy's Tap Room, Manchester• 6:15 -- How Wicked Tasty started -- a real estate agent with a truck• 7:03 -- "Just something in me told me to say yes"• 8:36 -- Carol weave-in: 39 years, 4 locations, what consistency really means• 9:14 -- "New England Classics with a twist" -- the Wicked Tasty philosophy• 10:09 -- The Dartmouth Skiway partnership -- how it came together• 13:26 -- The NHLRA Roaming Kitchen of the Year nomination• 14:35 -- "Real recognize real" -- the Dante moment 😄• 15:12 -- What "Northman" really means• 16:04 -- Choosing recovery -- almost 10 years clean and sober• 16:15 -- "Everybody's worth something" -- second chances philosophy• 17:14 -- Carol's halfway house story at the Red Arrow• 20:08 -- "I knew that if I didn't, I was going to die"• 20:59 -- Sponsorship: Red Arrow Diner• 21:06 -- Building a team that grows -- transparency, patience, investing in people• 23:38 -- The 19-year-old who became full operations manager• 24:31 -- Walking up to the truck -- what to expect• 25:18 -- The menu: 603 Burger, spicy chicken, short rib poutine, specialty grilled cheeses• 29:15 -- The deep-fried fluffernutter -- how it's made• 29:54 -- What success looks like for Northman F&B• 31:36 -- The stabilization phase -- building slow and smart• 31:40 -- Why New Hampshire• 32:41 -- Wicked Thirsty -- the bar company with a caterer's liquor license• 34:01 -- Running multiple concepts -- staffing, strategy, and the on-call team• 36:03 -- How the commissary kitchen happened• 37:30 -- The ice machine moment 😄• 38:00 -- What keeps him going when it's hard• 39:26 -- "If you don't quit, that's how things change"• 40:27 -- The Passport Giveaway -- Black Friday prizes• 41:14 -- Lightning Round• 43:38 -- You're at the Red Arrow -- what are you ordering? 😄• 43:46 -- Closing question -- what are you most proud of?• 44:22 -- Outro -- go find Wicked Tasty and Northman F&B

She produced an Emmy-nominated food show, visited hundreds of restaurants across New England, and then -- at 65 -- did something nobody saw coming.Helen Ryba is the founder of Green Envy Wellness on Elm Street in Manchester, NH -- part art shop, part craft classroom, part community gathering space. Carol sat down with her right inside the shop for one of the most fun, warm, and surprising conversations Beyond the Plate has ever had.In this episode:• How a gnome tree class went viral -- 512 people, 32 sold-out classes in two months• The $10,000 American Express grant that built the Green Room• Why Helen charges local artists only 20% commission -- and what that means for Manchester's creative community• The bracelet that says "I love me" on one wrist and something else entirely on the other• What Helen and Carol have in common -- two women who built community spaces and never slowed downFind Green Envy Wellness:• 377 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101• greenenvywellness.com• Instagram: @greenenvywellness• Facebook: @greenenvymanchesterNew episodes of Beyond the Plate with Carol drop every Tuesday -- subscribe on YouTube so you never miss one. 🔔Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @beyondtheplatenh and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.Find everything at linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH--This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner--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 @carolsew24TIMESTAMPS• 0:00 -- Intro• 0:22 -- Starting fresh at 65• 1:21 -- The Chef's Plate years• 3:10 -- Helen was Carol's very first guest• 3:53 -- Red Brick Publishing and Ryographics• 4:11 -- How Green Envy was born• 5:16 -- Why women need this space• 5:37 -- The shy ones make the best art• 6:18 -- Cheerleader for older women• 7:08 -- Carol's Angels Sewing store 😄• 8:05 -- Walk me through the front door• 8:32 -- Voted best of the best by the Hippo• 10:47 -- Art Institute of Boston grad• 11:03 -- What surprises her most• 12:31 -- The gnome tree class goes viral• 13:03 -- The $10,000 grant and the Green Room• 14:37 -- The bracelet reveal 😄• 19:47 -- How she finds local artists• 26:24 -- Is everyone creative?• 27:08 -- The Moth Man dragonfly 😂• 29:14 -- Two rules of every class• 29:38 -- The ice breaker question 😂• 31:35 -- Classes that surprised her• 33:02 -- Candle pouring and the bead bar• 34:09 -- The intention spell jar• 34:54 -- The love spell that worked too well 😂• 36:27 -- Censy Box origin story• 41:43 -- Lightning Round• 51:47 -- Closing

New Hampshire's hospitality industry sends $340 million to state coffers every year -- and most legislators still don't give it enough credit. Mike Somers has spent 17 years making sure that changes.In this episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol, Carol Erickson sits down with Mike Somers, President & CEO of the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association (NHLRA) -- the 106-year-old organization that fights for every restaurant, hotel, bar, and hospitality business in the state.Mike started as a busboy in Central Florida, worked his way up through every job in a restaurant except owning one, spent years as General Manager at the iconic CR Sparks in Bedford, and walked into the NHLRA CEO role in November 2008 -- right into the Great Recession. He's been fighting for the industry ever since.In this conversation, Carol and Mike cover:• The cocktails-to-go bill that just passed -- and what it actually means for NH restaurants• The quiet battle that saved NH restaurant owners millions of dollars (most don't even know it happened)• Why restaurant margins are only 3-5% -- and what the public still doesn't get• ProStart: high school students cooking three-course menus on two butane burners -- and NH's team at nationals right now• The workforce shortage, AI, automation, and what NH hospitality looks like in 10 yearsNEW HAMPSHIRE LODGING & RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION16 Centre Street, Concord, NH | nhlra.com | (603) 228-9585Subscribe to Beyond the Plate with Carol on YouTube so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Tuesday. 🔔Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @beyondtheplatenhLike, comment, and share -- every single one helps us keep bringing you conversations like this one.This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow DinerABOUT 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 @carolsew248. TIMESTAMPS• 0:00 - Intro• 0:46 - Welcome Mike Somers• 1:52 - From busboy in Florida to NH restaurant GM• 3:10 - CR Sparks Bedford -- and the Craig Anderson connection 😂• 3:53 - Joining NHLRA in 2008 -- straight into the Great Recession• 4:18 - For-profit to nonprofit: selling a concept vs. a meal• 5:06 - NHLRA founded 1919: "A little older than the Red Arrow"• 5:47 - What the NHLRA actually does day to day• 7:31 - 1,000+ members, staff of four -- how do you hold that together?• 8:21 - Mid-show guest plug: find them at nhlra.com• 9:04 - Cocktails to go: what just passed and what it means• 12:00 - COVID and the NH hospitality industry survival story• 14:31 - Carol: "We had to close our third shift"• 15:00 - The Rally for NH Restaurants campaign• 16:20 - What drives Mike after 17+ years• 18:58 - Red Arrow Diner sponsorship• 19:02 - Is there real camaraderie among NH competitors?• 19:45 - Stars of the Industry -- Carol's favorite NHLRA event• 21:02 - "There's no money in it" -- the 3-5% margin reality• 22:09 - ProStart: building the next generation of NH hospitality• 24:06 - Pinkerton Academy at nationals in Baltimore right now• 25:32 - The workforce trajectory: housing, culture, messaging• 27:11 - What surprised Mike most: working with 27 board members and legislators• 29:06 - AI, automation, and the future of NH hospitality• 29:53 - The best restaurant/hotel in NH right now (Crown Tavern shoutout)• 30:36 - Carol weave-in: 39 years, 4 locations, NHLRA membership value• 31:04 - "I'm available 24/7" -- Mike's cell is open to every NH operator• 32:39 - Before the lightning round: anything else people should know?• 33:52 - ⚡ Lightning Round• 39:12 - Outro + where to find the NHLRA

Tom Boucher turned down a full scholarship to Villanova to wait tables. He never looked back. In this episode, Carol Erickson sits down with Tom Boucher -- CEO and majority owner of Great NH Restaurants, the family behind T-BONES, Copper Door, and Cactus Jack's. Forty years. Nine restaurants. Over $1.5 million donated back to New Hampshire communities through FEEDNH.org. And on this episode -- a brand new concept he's never talked about publicly. We get into:• The Villanova scholarship he turned down to stay in restaurants• How the Copper Door got its name -- drawn on a cocktail napkin at Shorties in Bedford• March 13, 2020 -- the day Governor Sununu called and Tom furloughed 600 people• Losing his business partner Mark Fenske after 40 years together• FEEDNH.org -- $1.5 million given back to NH nonprofits and counting• The I-95 Granite Counter bid and the Plump Tomato -- a concept revealed here first CONNECT WITH TOM & GREAT NH RESTAURANTSWebsite: GreatNHRestaurants.comFEEDNH: feednh.orgInstagram: @tbonesnh | @copperdoornh | @cactusjacksnhTom personal: @tombouchernh SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW BEYOND THE PLATESubscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@beyondtheplatewithcarolFollow on Instagram: @beyondtheplatenhFollow on Facebook: beyondtheplatenhFind us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol: @carolsew24 New episodes every Tuesday. Like, comment, share -- every one helps us keep bringing you conversations like this. 🔔 --- SPONSORED BY ---This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner --- ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL ---Carol 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 @carolsew24TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Intro0:41 - "Did you say Boucher?" 😂1:07 - Great NH Restaurants overview1:31 - Turned down Villanova for restaurants2:58 - Server to GM -- how fast it happened4:05 - Getting bit by the hospitality bug4:38 - "Everything is figureoutable"4:58 - Been on Carol's old radio show -- why come back6:38 - Buying out the founders New Year's Eve 20077:32 - Borrowed $3M, economy tanked in 20087:54 - The Copper Door concept is born9:09 - New Hudson T-Bones up 75% year-over-year9:33 - The formula: big restaurants on highway exits11:32 - The cocktail napkin that became Copper Door12:59 - "Pull with passion" and the original napkin13:33 - Building Copper Door -- the design story15:56 - Opening T-Bones Concord during COVID16:04 - March 13, 2020 -- the call from the governor17:45 - Testifying before the state legislature19:10 - Building T-Bones Concord with the steel up20:18 - Ribbon cutting with photoshopped politicians 😂21:15 - Losing Mark Fenske22:24 - Buy-sell agreements -- a lesson for small business owners23:26 - Introducing FEEDNH.org24:53 - $1.5 million given back to NH nonprofits25:26 - How FEEDNH vets nonprofits26:23 - What drives the commitment to give back27:18 - Carol: proud as a fellow NH business owner28:35 - Emma Fraser: hostess to running FEEDNH29:22 - "Made from scratch" -- the people too30:29 - Chef Nicole: made from scratch30:53 - Inside the Great NH Restaurants home office32:42 - How decisions flow across three different brands33:17 - The three-legged stool (borrowed from Disney)34:32 - Closing for holidays -- giving managers their lives back37:23 - "I'm 61... your dad is 85 and ain't going nowhere" 😂38:38 - The Granite Counter -- the I-95 bid reveal40:06 - Copper Door Nashua: LOI in the pipeline40:33 - Reinvesting in mature brands41:48 - Lightning Round42:17 - The CBC: $4.95 since 1986 😂44:28 - Best advice: tell the harsh truth, not harshly45:17 - At the Red Arrow -- what are you ordering?45:36 - One word: made from scratch47:44 - Unreasonable Hospitality book recommendation48:00 - "The people of NH have trusted T-Bones for 40 years"48:27 - Outro

He took over a neighborhood dive bar on Wilson Street in Manchester just a few months ago -- and he's running the whole thing solo. One man, one kitchen, and food that's stopping people in their tracks. Mike Ivas grew up in Salem, NH, learned to cook from his grandfather who handed him a chef's knife before first grade, and spent seven years in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory in San Diego before coming home to New Hampshire. When he took over The Alibi Aftermath, he had one goal: prove that a neighborhood bar could serve food worth driving across town for. In this episode we talk about what it actually looks like to run a bar completely solo -- Detroit-style pizza, a French onion pizza that already has a cult following, smoked chicken chili that won a competition at Pat's Peak, hand-cut fries he takes very seriously, and the off-menu burrito moment that says everything about how Mike runs this place. We also get into where he learned to cook, why he came home to New Hampshire after years in California, and what he hopes The Alibi Aftermath becomes for the Wilson Street neighborhood. 📍 The Alibi Aftermath137 Wilson Street (corner of Wilson & Somerville), Manchester, NHFind them on Facebook and Instagram -- search: The Alibi Aftermath 🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one! If this episode hit different, share it with a friend and leave us a comment below. ---This episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.4 NH locations: Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, and Nashua -- open 24/7.redarrowdiner.com | Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner ---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---0:00 - Intro0:26 - How Mike ended up at The Alibi1:31 - "I had to pull the trigger" 😂2:07 - Running the kitchen solo3:59 - What ownership means to him5:32 - Peeking out the window for new faces6:39 - Turning the page on the Alibi's past7:11 - Karaoke, music bingo, Patriots games8:00 - Mid-show intro8:31 - Keeping Mark's onion rings on the menu10:14 - Potato skins and what makes them different11:18 - Carol's Alibi dinner story13:13 - The French onion pizza explained17:21 - "People come for the food or the vibe -- they come back for both"17:47 - The off-menu burrito moment 😂19:17 - What it means to be a neighborhood bar on Wilson Street20:27 - Earning the regulars' trust21:26 - Full menu breakdown22:41 - The chili that won at Pat's Peak 🏆23:51 - Red Arrow Diner sponsor read24:11 - Where Mike's cooking really started24:53 - His grandfather, a chef's knife, and why food stuck26:22 - First job at Canoby Lake Park27:15 - Seven years at Cheesecake Factory in San Diego30:03 - What brought him back to New Hampshire31:37 - Manchester Country Club and the road to The Alibi32:01 - Where he sees The Alibi in 2-3 years36:13 - What he wants people to know about him37:03 - Building a team, making people feel seen40:01 - What surprised him most about owning a bar 😂43:12 - Lightning Round46:00 - Last meal on earth: pizza 🍕46:51 - Closing

She grew up along the Mexican border, learned to cook by watching her mom, and has been feeding her New Hampshire community for over 30 years. In this special Cinco de Mayo episode, Carol invites her friend of 15+ years, Silvia Boissonneault, into her personal kitchen to cook together -- and the result is one of the most real, warm, and delicious episodes of Beyond the Plate yet.Silvia walks Carol through making pastel -- a layered Mexican lasagna made with corn tortillas, chile verde chicken, homemade salsa verde, poblano peppers, and Oaxacan cheese. Along the way, they talk about what Cinco de Mayo actually means (hint: most of Mexico doesn't celebrate it the way we do), the foods Silvia grew up with along the Texas border, what it was like finding Mexican ingredients in New Hampshire 34 years ago, and the beautiful, unexpected life she has built here with her husband John, her three daughters, and her grandchildren -- including her daughter Sarah, who keeps her heart full every single day.This is a new format for Beyond the Plate -- and Carol's kitchen has never smelled better.In this episode:• Silvia's journey from the Mexican border to Manchester, NH• How she learned to cook -- calling her mom for every recipe after she got married• What pastel (Mexican lasagna) is and how to make it from scratch• The real history of Cinco de Mayo -- and why most of Mexico doesn't celebrate it• The truth about birria, menudo, and the foods Americans are just now discovering• Her daughter Sarah, Special Olympics, and the family that fills her kitchen with love📍 Beyond the Plate with Carol -- Carol's Kitchen, Manchester, NH🔗 Find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!👇 Follow Beyond the Plate everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH---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.📍 Red Arrow Diner -- 4 NH locations, open 24/7🔗 redarrowdiner.comFollow Carol:Instagram: @carolsew24Follow Red Arrow Diner:Instagram: @redarrow24dinerFacebook: Red Arrow DinerTIMESTAMPS0:00 - Intro & welcome to Carol's kitchen0:38 - What are we making? Pastel -- Mexican lasagna0:56 - Silvia's story: growing up along the Mexican border2:09 - Who taught Silvia to cook?2:49 - "When I got married, I didn't even know how to cook eggs" 😂3:05 - Making the salsa verde from scratch5:39 - Charleston the dog crashes the episode 😂9:11 - Finding Mexican ingredients in NH 34 years ago11:22 - How Carol and Silvia met16:56 - Mexican food traditions by season -- Christmas, Cinco de Mayo, September 16th20:33 - The birria conversation -- why it's suddenly everywhere24:48 - Assembling the pastel layer by layer28:22 - Meet the family -- three daughters, three grandkids30:51 - Sarah and the Special Olympics37:46 - The REAL history of Cinco de Mayo46:00 - What Silvia wants people to know about Mexican culture49:56 - Lightning Round54:45 - Cutting into the pastel -- the reveal55:19 - "Provecho!" -- Carol takes her first bite54:45 - Cutting into the pastel -- the reveal55:12 - "Provecho" -- the Mexican word for enjoy55:34 - Carol tastes it -- "That is delicious"

Sue Pappalardo came back -- and she came back with a lot to say.Sue is the owner of Aunty's Italian Kitchen, an Italian food truck based in Salem, NH, and she was first on Beyond the Plate back in Episode 19. A year later she's got a full season under her belt, a bigger event calendar, new menu items, and an idea so good Carol was ready to place an order on the spot -- a jar of her dad's slow-simmered sauce... with a meatball hiding inside.In this episode: the jarred sauce update and the secret meatball idea, what year two feels like vs. year one, how the team has grown (husband Paul, brother, nephews Luca and Domenic), what happened when she cooked for a room full of Italian women at the ladies lodge, new menu items including rice balls, chicken cutlet tenders, and meat pie as a permanent staple, why she started a food truck at 65 while everyone else was talking about retirement, and a detour through the North End, Modern Pastry, and the man who holds the Prince Spaghetti recipe.First time finding Sue? Start with Episode 19 -- that's where the story begins.📍 Aunty's Italian Kitchen -- Salem, NH & surrounding areas🔗 auntysitaliankitchen.comInstagram & Facebook: Aunty's Italian Kitchen | TikTok: @auntys_italian_kitchenThis episode is sponsored by Red Arrow Diner.All 4 locations open around the clock -- swing by Manchester, Nashua, Concord, or Londonderry whenever hunger hits. From pancakes at 2am to fries and gravy for breakfast, they've got your cravings covered. Red Arrow Diner -- New Hampshire's favorite 24-hour diner tradition.Follow Red Arrow Diner: Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner | redarrowdiner.com🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!👇 Follow Beyond the Plate everywhere:https://linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH---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 Carol: Instagram: @carolsew24 | linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH---0:00 - Intro0:11 - Sue is back -- the repeat guest welcome0:53 - Year one to year two: what changed1:29 - The first job that doesn't feel like a job2:07 - The family crew: nephews, husband, brother2:44 - Luca: Those women are just like you, auntie3:10 - The season starts -- first event of year two3:42 - Cooking for the Italian ladies lodge4:01 - They all ordered the eggplant parm -- because who wants to make it5:44 - Peter's Farm update -- fill-in vs. mainstay6:06 - Booked out: bigger calendar, new events for year two6:56 - First weekend of May: VFW North Andover, Salem car show, youth soccer8:06 - Why food trucks are having a moment9:34 - THE JARRED SAUCE UPDATE -- and the secret meatball idea10:17 - I freaking love that -- Carol's reaction11:02 - New menu items: rice balls and meat pie as a staple12:26 - What is meat pie (sketcha) -- the full breakdown13:16 - Eggplant parm: Italian ladies approved, now permanent13:38 - Italian chop still the favorite? Almost15:33 - Walk me up to ordering at Aunty's truck16:52 - Where do you see Aunty's after year two?17:03 - The brick and mortar dream: catering and takeout, not a restaurant20:05 - Luca vs. Domenic: who does what and why it works21:25 - I'm auntie but I'm the boss right now22:54 - Red Arrow Diner sponsor break23:13 - Chicken cutlet tenders for kids and Thanksgiving catering story24:33 - How catering grew through the fall26:18 - Sunday dinners at Peter's Farm: the new plan28:44 - The hardest part: going from worker to owner29:37 - Starting a food truck at 65 while everyone else is retiring30:20 - Her dad visits a diner every single day at 8531:14 - Carol: selling the sewing store and finding her way back31:20 - Do you and Paul go out to eat? North End hidden gems32:41 - Modern Pastry -- the real answer33:16 - Pagluca's on Palmer Street -- the hidden gem33:56 - The friend who holds the Prince Spaghetti recipe35:35 - Lightning Round35:47 - Biggest mistake year one: overcooking -- cryovac is the answer36:04 - Booth or counter? Counter, always at the window36:39 - Most requested item: meatballs and chicken cutlets neck and neck39:06 - One word for year two: EXCITING39:54 - Add one thing tomorrow: broccoli sausage white pizza41:00 - Go-to Red Arrow order: chocolate cream pie with coconut41:43 - Food truck next to you smells amazing -- barbecue41:57 - Dead Proof Pizza shoutout42:31 - Closing: what do you want people to feel in year two?43:09 - Outro

She spent 25 years as a Director of Engineering in tech. Then chronic illness nearly took her out -- and a plant-based diet changed everything. Kelley-Sue LeBlanc didn't just get better. She built The Sleazy Vegan, one of New Hampshire's most recognized food businesses, four years running.
In this episode, Carol sits down with KSL -- as she's known -- to talk about the real origin story behind The Sleazy Vegan: the years of chronic pain, the desperation that led to a plant-based diet, and the moment she laughed herself to tears over a business name that made her daughter cringe. They get into what it means to run a vegan business that actually welcomes everyone (85% of customers aren't vegan), why "better is better" is the philosophy that drives everything, the $80k-to-$150k food truck disaster that led to a ghost kitchen pivot, the Pembroke City Limits chapter, and why she's now setting her sights on national events in 2026.
📍 The Sleazy Vegan Cafe -- 205 N. State Street, Concord, NHOpen: Thu-Sat 8am-8pm | Sun 9am-3pm🔗 thesleazyvegan.com
🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!
👇 Follow Beyond the Plate:Find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH
---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.
Find us everywhere: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNHFollow Carol on Instagram: @carolsew24 
This episode is powered by Red Arrow Diner. All four locations open around the clock -- Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Londonderry. Whether it's pancakes at 2am or fries and gravy for breakfast, Red Arrow has your cravings covered. New Hampshire's favorite 24-hour diner tradition. redarrowdiner.com📍 Red Arrow Diner -- 4 NH locations, open 24/7🔗 redarrowdiner.comFollow Red Arrow: @redarrow24diner | Red Arrow Diner on Facebook
TIMESTAMPS• 0:00 - Intro• 0:29 - 25 years in tech -- then what?• 1:53 - "Once you do something that makes you afraid for your life, you aren't afraid of anything anymore"• 3:04 - The chronic pain years -- reading the New England Medical Journal for answers• 3:26 - Going keto for 100 days (her Apple Watch said she might die)• 4:04 - The last resort: going fully plant-based• 6:42 - Learning to cook plant-based -- and why plants are never the same experience twice• 9:07 - The Happy Pear brothers from Ireland and the cooking classes that changed everything• 11:17 - The one grocery trip = five completely different meals system explained• 14:09 - "Diversity is strength. It is resilience."• 15:23 - Two weeks in and already feeling better 😂• 17:11 - The business name origin -- and why her daughter was mortified• 20:37 - Wearing Italian boots to an upscale vegan restaurant (and what happened)• 21:19 - Why "Sleazy" was the perfect response• 22:52 - "Having any kind of judgment or shame associated to it is just not happening on my watch"• 23:04 - "Better is better" -- the perfectly imperfect philosophy• 25:45 - Launching the LLC in 2021 -- and the ghost kitchen that wasn't on purpose• 26:19 - The food truck that went from $80k to $150k overnight (supply chain chaos)• 29:17 - Aggie hits the road -- and Pembroke City Limits comes into the picture• 31:49 - Conquering the skeptics at Pembroke: "On the third bite they're looking at you like you're a witch"• 33:22 - Losing the kitchen space and the bar partnership at the same time• 35:14 - Finding State Street Kitchen -- and opening the Concord Cafe• 37:01 - "I'd love to work myself out of the Concord spot so Traf and I can test drive this brand outside of New Hampshire"• 37:14 - They sold Aggie 😢• 38:04 - What drives the constant menu creation: "Give me the celery problem"• 38:29 - The six-course seated dinners -- "Vegans of 20 years eating something they'd never had"• 40:18 - Local sourcing: standing up against Big Agra, one seasonal ingredient at a time• 42:00 - "Food as Medicine: Secrets and Lies" -- the monthly wellness series• 44:44 - Four years of awards -- and why it still makes her blush• 45:38 - "Cooking is where you share your heart"• 47:05 - 85% of customers aren't vegan -- and that's by design• 50:36 - Walk us through the front door of The Sleazy Vegan• 52:30 - Secret vegan catering: "You don't have to tell anybody"• 53:50 - This Sunday's menu: berry berry French toast and eggplant steak• 54:39 - Lightning Round ⚡• 57:46 - "Relief. That's really all we're looking for."• 58:34 - Closing: "I'm doing the black diamond here in New Hampshire"