This week, Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown sit down with their own marketing director, Allie Papajohn—the woman behind @eatdrinkclt. What started as a personal passion project back in 2014 has evolved into one of Charlotte’s most trusted food Instagram accounts, giving Allie a unique perspective on both sides of the influencer world.

She shares how she built her platform organically, what makes content resonate in 2026, and how she approaches authenticity in a saturated space. The conversation also pulls back the curtain on how she manages influencer partnerships for the Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group—what works, what doesn’t, and how restaurants can build meaningful relationships with creators.

Whether you’re a restaurateur, content creator, or just curious about the business behind the posts, this episode offers an honest look at the intersection of hospitality, marketing, and modern influence.

In this episode, Jeff turns the mic on Jamie to talk about her new book, Eleven Tables. What begins as a conversation about writing quickly opens into something bigger—an honest look at what it really takes to bring an idea to life and turn it into something real.

They dig into the small, often invisible steps behind big projects, the role of resilience in building a business, and how Jamie carved out time to write in the middle of a full restaurant life. At the center of it all is belief—the willingness to trust an idea before it fully exists, and the discipline to see it through.

This is a conversation about starting, continuing, and finishing—held together by the power of taking even the tiniest steps forward.

This week on Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with Colleen Hughes—James Beard–nominated mixologist and recent recipient of Michelin’s “Exceptional Cocktails” award for the Southeast.

Colleen gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how she builds standout cocktail programs, from her creative process to the systems that keep her nimble in a constantly evolving industry. We dive into the rise of spirit-free cocktails, the growing role of THC beverages, and what it really takes to stay ahead of the curve in today’s bar scene.

Whether you’re a bartender, server, restaurant owner, or just someone who loves a great drink, this conversation is packed with insight, perspective, and a glimpse into where the future of beverages is headed.