BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL

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"

For 35 years, Ray Duhaime has been quietly helping New Hampshire restaurants stop advertising for other people's brands -- and start owning their own. As founder of Private Label Specialties in Goffstown, NH, Ray created the Arrow Root Beer you order at the Red Arrow Diner, the Moe Java mug sitting on your counter, and the T-shirt with the dictionary definition of "diner" on the back. Most people have no idea who he is. That changes today.
In this episode, Carol and Ray go back 35+ years -- from the early days of delivering cases of root beer out of his ex-wife's car, to beating Coke and Pepsi in blind taste tests, to the moment a Red Arrow regular named Moe Couturier grabbed a Sharpie and drew a face on a plain diner mug -- and Ray figured out how to put it into production. They also get into what it actually means to private label your beverages (the FedEx van analogy alone is worth watching), how his daughter Caitlyn now designs all the labels, why his general manager Paul's secret sauce is doing things customers never even see, and Ray's advice from a mentor that stopped him in his tracks: "You can work 24 hours a day if you want to. I don't want to."
Oh -- and Carol goes off script at the end to talk restaurants, and they both end up planning a trip to Moo in Boston. You'll want to stay for that.
Private Label Specialties -- plspecialties.com | 11 Lance Lane, Goffstown, NH | (603) 669-6632
Follow Ray: Instagram @privatelabelspecialties | Facebook: facebook.com/PLspecialties
🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one!
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linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH? 
YouTube: youtube.com/@beyondtheplatewithcarolInstagram: @beyondtheplatenhFacebook: Beyond the Plate NHTikTok: @nhbeyondtheplateSpotify: Search "Beyond the Plate with Carol"
---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 | Linktree: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH
Proudly sponsored by:Red Arrow Diner -- 4 NH locations, open 24/7 | redarrowdiner.comFollow Red Arrow Diner: Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner

Rick Broussard spent nearly 30 years as the editor of New Hampshire Magazine. Ask him how he wants to be introduced these days and he'll tell you: Grandfather of Eight.
In this episode, Carol sits down with one of the most quietly influential people in New Hampshire media and culture. They cover the night a teenage Taylor Swift played the Best of NH Party because Rick said yes (her guitar was bigger than she was), what it actually took to build NH Magazine from scratch, and Granite Orpheus -- a no-budget feature film 10 years in the making that finally premiered in January 2026.
They also get into: the garlic cheese grits recipe people ask Rick to bring to things, what a food renaissance in Concord actually looks like, Dead Proof Pizza's Drama Queen (spicy vodka sauce, ricotta, hot honey, cup-and-char pepperoni), why 603 BBQ has people waiting in line for two hours outside, and what Rick thinks outsiders never understand about New Hampshire.
Carol shares a story in this episode about Daniel, a student at Perkins School for the Blind, who made a film about his best friend, Carol's son Jesse. If you'd like to watch it, click here:⁠vimeo.com/23440370?
Granite Orpheus is entering the Mill City Film Festival in Manchester NH this spring. Keep your fingers crossed -- and your eyes open.
📍 Granite Orpheus / Resurrection Films🔗 resurrectionfilms.org
📍 Mill City Film Festival -- Manchester, NH🔗 filmfreeway.com/MillCityFilmFestival
📍 Dead Proof Pizza -- Clam Shack Derry, NH (Thu-Sun)📍 603 BBQ -- Concord, NH (moving to Pit Road -- check their Facebook for hours)
🔔 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 on Instagram: @carolsew24
📍 Red Arrow Diner -- 4 NH locations, open 24/7🔗 redarrowdiner.comFollow Red Arrow Diner: Instagram: @redarrow24diner | Facebook: Red Arrow Diner
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro0:12 - Welcome to the Beacon -- Rick's back0:43 - "Grandfather of Eight" -- how he wants to be introduced now0:54 - Grandfather Rick -- tricking the grandkids into using all the syllables 😂1:35 - The Bow Times & how Rick got into journalism2:21 - Building NH Magazine from New Hampshire Editions3:57 - The Best of NH Party -- dueling Elvises and the early wild years 😂5:10 - The Taylor Swift story7:18 - "You never know" -- Carol and Rick's shared NH orbit7:40 - What retirement actually looks like with 8 grandkids8:51 - Carol's own experience stepping back from the sewing store9:24 - Pizza Wednesdays and the new baby in Mississippi10:15 - Age range: one month to nine years old10:15 - Let's talk about this movie10:32 - Granite Orpheus -- how a 3-day experiment became a 10-year film13:31 - John's parents, COVID, corrupted files -- life got in the way14:20 - Fiber optic cable finally saves the movie 😂14:47 - The Orpheus myth explained16:09 - Penuche's dive bar, Market Days, and chasing Eurydice through Concord17:41 - Premiering the film -- 107 tickets, the nerves, the payoff19:44 - Film festivals and what it actually takes to get in21:57 - The Kevin Bright / Perkins School for the Blind story26:47 - Kevin Bright texts Carol for Red Arrow desserts 😂27:15 - What's next for Granite Orpheus27:31 - Rocking Horse Studio, Alex Preston (American Idol runner-up), and the music video30:04 - Becoming the house cook: garlic cheese grits & the famous roast33:18 - Southern roots -- born in Kentucky, raised in northwest Florida34:16 - Eating out in retirement -- why Rick mostly stays home now35:33 - Red Arrow Diner sponsorship35:57 - The NH restaurant renaissance -- a brave industry37:05 - Dead Proof Pizza -- the Drama Queen and Carol's chicken tender revelation39:03 - 603 BBQ, the Pit Road move, and the next Granite Orpheus movie location 😂41:11 - Open till they sell out -- the new restaurant model42:58 - The Johnny Cupcakes line story -- waited for a t-shirt not food 😂43:33 - Why making a local film with local talent is enough45:38 - AI, film, and Rick's alien conspiracy theory 😂48:44 - Lightning Round54:04 - Booth or counter at the Red Arrow?54:17 - Proudest moment: writing his first editor's note for his mom56:17 - Carol thanks Rick for the NH Magazine editor's pick on the sewing store58:25 - Best thing about being a grandparent59:25 - Coconut cream pie at the Red Arrow1:00:47 - Closing -- watch for Granite Orpheus at Mill City Film Festival