Podcasts about finding asheville

This Episode Contains Explicit Content Not Suitable For Children   For well over a year now you've listened to Benny and Emily interview lots of different people around Asheville. In this episode you find out why the lovely and talented Emily is taking a step back from Finding Asheville and how Benny recruited new co-host Chris. Get to know Chris and his other podcasting experience, listen to Emily say goodbye, and find out how everybody on the show feels about flat earthers. All that and more on this weeks Finding Asheville. Don't forget to share your thoughts with us on FaceBook!

It's been close to a year but finally Finding Asheville has a brand new episode! This week Jon Truitt and Michael Ciavaglia sit down with us to talk about the Asheville Lyric Opera and their upcoming show Elixer of Love. What's a good opera for beginners? What's the connection between opera and Darth Vader? And who the heck is that guy co-hosting with Benny? Find out all that and more on this week's Finding Asheville!

Malachi Brings together the Great Podcasters of our generation. Benny from FINDING ASHEVILLE, Blain from APPALACHIAN PI, and Chris from FRAUDULENTLY SPONSORED RADIO!

This week on Finding Asheville, we spend a little time with one of the busiest women in Buncombe County. NuAnna Horn talks to us about the many different hats she wears as she juggles multiple jobs and charities. NuAnna is founder of The People's Interactive network, a local not for profit whose goal is "To bridge the gap between waste and want" -or, one man's junk= another man's livelihood. In doing so we also reduce waste, decreasing the impact on our landfills, and create sustainability for those who are in need and lack resources or funding." Learn about NuAnna's other roles at Earth Guild Ministries. NuAnna explains - "I offer personal counceling & provide spiritual support to others. I also perform handfasts, weddings, and marriage of any denomination or non-denominational selection. I am an ordained Minister, Pastor, Reverend, and Priestess. I am ordained through three separate Ministries and a Monestary. I also perform baptisms, funerals, and service Celebration of Life ceremonies." All of this and more on this latest episode of Finding Asheville.   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

We're back! We took a mini summer vacation, but Finding Asheville is back with a fascinating new episode. While Benny plays at the beach, Emily and guest co-host Janet sit down with our guests for the week. Elizabeth McGuire and Lina Eriksson are a couple living in Sweden. Liz is a writer - formerly of the Mountain Xpress - and expat who now calls Sweden home.  Listen in as Janet and Emily learn about life in Sweden, and how the social life differs from here in the United States. Gain knowledge about how a socialist country cares for their citizens, and how people overseas view our current presidential race. All of this and much much more on this special edition of Finding Asheville. Follow Liz here: http://belovelive.com Follow Lina here: http://lier.se Read Liz's Asheville based coffee series, called 40 days of Fika here: http://ashevilleblog.com/40-cups-40-cafes-40-days-a-girl-and-her-fika/   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

On the latest episode of Finding Asheville, our hosts sit down with guest Brian Bullman. Brian is co owner of Carolina Hemp Company, a wholesaler of premium hemp goods. The focus of Carolina Hemp Company is on "building a business that helps bring hemp to the mainstream market. While changing the stereotype and stigma associated with the Leaf." Listen in as we discuss industrial and commercial hemp. The uses of industrial hemp is endless, and Brian explains the difference between commercial hemp and cannabis. Learn about CBD oil, the difference between hemp and marijuana, and how industrial hemp can positively impact Asheville and all of WNC.  Visit Carolina Hemp Company: https://carolinahempcompany.com Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

For over a year, Western North Carolina Advocacy League (WNCAL) has been helping people in need; with anything from repairing a wheelchair ramp to mediating court cases. This week's guest on Finding Asheville is Robin Vabolis, founder of WNCAL. Robin tells us about how this grassroots not-for-profit originated, what the future holds for WNCAL, and what you can do to help the cause. We hope you enjoy this philanthropic episode of Finding Asheville!   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

Poles aren't just for strippers, hoops are made for more than hulas, and "curtain climbing" can be a beautiful form of dance. This week we spoke to Waverly Jones, owner of the training studio Empyrean Arts. Waverly teaches others about these new forms of dance and exercise that are becoming increasingly popular. She tells us about how she became an instructor, what it's like "wearing booty shorts to work," how aerial arts have helped her self confidence, and how it just might help yours as well. Don't miss this week's high flying episode of Finding Asheville! Empyrean Arts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpyreanArtsAsheville/   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

When you think of storytelling, you probably picture people sitting around a campfire trading tall tales of action, adventure, horror, or even comedy. That type of entertainment is as old as mankind itself, and continues to this day. This week we spoke to professional storyteller David Joe Miller. David tell us what it's like to be a storyteller, where he got his start, how he can make a living at it, and what you can do to get started telling tales. We were also lucky enough to have him share one of his stories with us. Stoke the fire and get the smores ready for this episode of Finding Asheville. More about David Joe Miller: https://www.facebook.com/David-Joe-Miller-Storyteller-131101940223/?fref=ts Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

On this episode of Finding Asheville, hosts Benny and Emily sit down with Pushy and Sailor of the Blue Ridge Rollergirls. The Blue Ridge Rollergirls are an all female, flat track roller derby league in Asheville. Don't know a lot about roller derby? Neither do our hosts, who get a sound education on the particulars of the roller derby sport.  Dating back to the 1930's, roller derby recently experienced a resurgence of popularity, seemingly due in part to the 2009 movie Whip It starring Ellen Page. Roller Derby is a contact sport played by two teams consisting of five members skating around a track. Game play consists of a series of 'jams', in which both teams have a player referred to as a jammer that scores points for their team by lapping players of the opposing team. Jams last two minutes on average.  Blue Ridge Rollergirls Sailor and Pushy explain the finer details of the sport, outlining the rules - no elbows to the face - and display their derby scars - Pushy shows us her broken nose from the last bout. Listen to the episode carefully, as you have a chance to win a small ice cream from our friends at Frostbite! You can learn more about the Blue Ridge Rollergirls by visiting their website: http://www.blueridgerollergirls.com and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeRollergirls/ If you are interested in watching the Rollergirls live, their first bout takes place April 16, 2016 at the US Cellular Center Downtown Asheville.   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

Over two years ago Nathan Miller started the Finding Asheville podcast. Unfortunately Nathan had to move away, but Benny and Emily have tried to keep this wonderful program alive. Today is Finding Asheville's landmark one hundredth episode. We got a bit more serious than usual for our hundredth and spoke to Mohammad Taha, the Imam (spiritual leader) of the Islamic Center of Asheville. Mohammad spoke to us about many aspects of Islam, what it means to be a Muslim, and the positive experiences he's has as a Muslim in Asheville. The Islamic Center of Asheville is a small mosque with about 80 families in attendance. We hear first hand from Mohammad about his faith, the Muslim view and recognition of Jesus, and more about the religion that 1.5 billion people follow. Despite what the media may portray, Islam is a peaceful religion, and those who make the news for terrorist acts are extremists, in the same way we deal with Christian extremists in the United States - KKK, anyone?  If you want to learn more about the Islamic faith, the Islamic center of Asheville has educational materials available. The mosque can be located at 941 Old Fairview Road.  You can also visit their website here: http://www.ashevillemasjid.com   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

On this belated episode of Finding Asheville, hosts Benny Whitaker and Emily Trimnal sit down with Curtis Sluder. Curtis, a longtime smoker, had to suddenly give up his habit for health reasons a few years ago. Quitting smoking is hard, and replacing old habits with new ones is half the battle. Curtis got into the vaping scene before it was cool, and as soon as he saw how easy the transition was, and his doctor praised the health benefits of replacing a cigarette with an e-cig, he decided to open up his own storefront. Blue Ridge Vapor was born, and was one of only a handful in the area at the time.  We talk with Curtis about the pros and cons of vaping, the sudden and wild upswing in popularity, and how vaping can help quit a nicotine addiction. We segway into traffic laws and common ticket questions as our hosts talk with Curtis about his job as a lawyer who specializes in criminal defense, primarily traffic law.  Can you tell us how many ways there are to lose your drivers license in Buncombe County?

Holy shit! The men of 248 got it all together and finally podded with Finding Asheville!!! Emily and Benny join the crew of 248 for some seriously good times. Hopefully they wiil hve us back on their show as well! This is one you cant miss!

This episode of Finding Asheville got a little crowded. We spoke to Tommy Green and Chris Power, two Asheville locals who are heavily involved everything beer. Tommy started the app "Brewpon" and both Tommy and Chris were both very early members of the Asheville Beer Club. We were also joined by Chuck Franklin who, although mostly silent, will be helping us with our audio issues. Tommy and Chris talked to us about how the Asheville Beer Club got started, what they do at meetings, and how they originally got into beer. We also talk about Tommy and Chris's playful rivalry between the Asheville and Hendersonville beer scene, and how the two of them are planning on creating their own podcast called Drink Local Now, to promote craft breweries and educate individuals on the pitfalls of big beer companies and how big breweries like Anheuser Busch In-Bev negatively affect small craft brewers. Benny, Emily, Tommy and Chris muse about Asheville's beer bubble: with the rapid rate at which breweries are moving into the area, what is the saturation point? Do we need to be concerned about the feasibility of so many breweries popping up in a city this size?  Listen to the episode below, and give us your feedback:  

The men of 248 announce their upcoming interview with prominent local podcast: Finding Asheville! Also we discuss more Pokemon Go and D&D adventures and gaffs. Have fun listening!

This week we spoke with Laura LaVoie about the tiny house movement. Owning one herself, she was able to give us a rundown on exactly what a tiny house is; the many of the advantages and disadvantages of owning one, and the unique struggle it is to downsize from a "normal" size household to life in 120 square feet. Laura also talks with us about why some cities seem to be much more opposed to tiny houses than Asheville; how Asheville might learn from tiny house friendly cities; and what the future may hold for tiny house hopefuls in both Asheville as well as all of Buncombe county. While there is no concrete definition of a 'tiny' home, a house built to be less than 500 square feet is considered to be a tiny house. Many tiny homes are often built on trailers so that they can easily be transported. Each tiny home is built exactly like a traditional stick built home, just on a much smaller scale. Learn all of this and more in this episode of Finding Asheville.  Visit Laura's blog, Life In 120 Square Feet: http://www.120squarefeet.com Learn more about the Asheville Small Home Advocacy Committee: https://www.facebook.com/AshevilleSHAC/ Wishbone Tiny Homes, a tiny house builder in West Asheville: http://www.wishbonetinyhomes.com   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

For this New Year's edition of Finding Asheville, we sit down with prominent local figure Rich Lee. Rich is an active figure in Asheville, having moved to Western North Carolina in 1997. Rich is a member of the City of Asheville Greenway Committee; the Buncombe County Triad; WNC Group Homes for Autistic Persons; 1-26 ConnectUs Project; and the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods just to name a few. In 2015 Rich ran for a seat on City Council, landing in 4th place during the election. A gentle, laid back individual Rich is on top of current Asheville news and has a good idea of what 2016 will look like for our fair city and townsfolk.  What about the 1-26 connector project? Will we see hundreds of home destroyed this year? Is New Belgium for sale? How will that impact the River Arts District where they are currently building a $175 million brewing facility? Politically what is in store for Asheville, as new seats and positions within the local government become available? We talk with Rich about all of these issues, and more, and discuss exactly what locals will see happen this year. 

Finding Asheville was originally created and curated by Nathan Miller. Over a course of two years Nathan interviewed, cataloged, and took painstaking efforts to create a high quality podcast that spoke to the hearts of Asheville, and Western North Carolina. When Nathan took a job that required him to move, Emily Trimnal and Benny Whitaker stepped up to take over Finding Asheville and carry on the amazing work that Nathan started.  In this weeks episode, instead of sitting down with a featured guest, Emily and Benny sit down and tell you about themselves. With Benny a Western North Carolina native and Emily a transplant from the West Coast, they offer an array of unique and interesting insights on Asheville, and tell listeners what brought them to the city. Learn about their recording studio - Great Escape Asheville - the sketchy semi automatic elevator, Benny's aversion to cats, and what the future of Finding Asheville holds.  Listen below, and be sure to pay attention for your chance to win a free small ice cream from Frostbite Ice Cream! Details inside. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

Long time friends Jason Istvan and Caleb Autrey have one goal in mind with their new local business: to make people happy. Although their new ice cream shop has only been open three weeks, their dreams have come true while serving delicious, freshly made soft service ice cream to happy customers. "Ice cream is such a happy food, and we just want to make people smile," the friends told us right before they opened up shop on Patton Avenue.  We sat down with co-owner Jason this week and talked about Asheville, ice cream, delicious food, and much more. Opening up a new business is always a frightening and exhilarating endeavor, but a frozen treat shop in November is quite the leap of faith. Despite the chilly fall season, Frostbite and their employees have remained steadily busy. In addition to ice cream, freshly made beignets, funnel cakes, and coffee can be procured from the store. Customers can even stay in the comfort of their own car and take advantage of the convenient drive through.  Learn how one of Frostbite's most popular menu item, the salted caramel coffee float, came to be. Listen in to hear what exactly makes Frostbite's soft serve ice cream different than traditional soft serve from chain restaurants. Pull up a chair and get ready to become hungry while listening to this week's Finding Asheville.    Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

Chris Neumann is a local filmmaker who displays a variety of popular and quirky interests. From hosting the Asheville Hiking Group, to producing television show Stashers and Cachers, Chris is a busy and interesting local flavor. Stashers and Cashers is a reality television show concept dreamed up by Neumann, who enjoys geocaching as a hobby. Geocaching is likened to a high tech treasure hunt chase, where cachers are given coordinates to clues and hidden objects. There are various levels of geocachers, and some like Chris enjoy setting up elaborate stages that challenge an individuals smarts and stamina while embarking on their challenging quest. While he is not staging elaborate geocaching missions, and leading hikes, Chris enjoys doing film work. One of his most recent projects was participating in the Doritos Crash The Superbowl Challenge. Chris led a small team to film their 30 second commercial in the waters of Lake Lure. Check out their hilarious entry here, and take a moment to rate it.  Learn more about Chris, geocaching, filmmaking, doritos, and more by listening to the most recent episode of Finding Asheville now.

Chung Do Kwan, created by Won Kuk Lee in 1944, is the first of nine schools or kwan teaching what came to be known as taekwondo. Porter Hughes is the co-founder of Jung Kwon Martial Arts Academy in West Asheville and a third degree black belt. His passion is in teaching people of all ages the true art of self defense. While his students compete and succeed in national and international competitions, for Hughes it is not about the awards or recognition. Instead, he takes satisfaction in knowing that his students cannot only perform the moves stoutly and reactively, but right handed, left handed, in the dark, from behind, and much more. Small class sizes with knowledgeable, dedicated instructors who do not upsell black belts, uniforms, or pressure students to compete is what Porter Hughes strives for with Jung Kwon Martial Arts Academy. Porter runs the successful academy with his wife. Learn more about Jung Kwon, karate, taekwondo, and how all the martial arts are connected by  listening to this week's episode of Finding Asheville.     Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

On September 19th, the Asheville community was set aback when misogynistic blogs, podcasts, and a tweets were discovered to belong to the owners of Waking Life Espresso. Waking Life has been a staple in the West Asheville community since the doors to the upper class coffee shop opened six years ago. We sat down with Mikki Fox, creator of the active online Facebook page West Asheville Exchange, lovingly referred to as WAX. Mikki was the first to organize an impromptu protest outside of the doors of Waking Life the day the story broke. Misti McCloud, a concerned Asheville transplant, was active during the protest, lending her expertise from her days in government and living in Washington DC to the cause. Your new hosts Emily Trimnal and Benny Whitaker talk to Misti and Mikki, discussing the feelings that surfaced when the community learned of the news. We also talk about how the city of Asheville handled the situation, the amazement when the story went national, and then international. How Asheville handled this scandal has impacted people globally - how do we continue to use this story for good, and bring education and awareness to not only our city, but beyond? All of this is covered and more in the latest episode of Finding Asheville. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes! Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.

No excuses just prove yourself...   Nathan sits down with Danny Reed owner of Hot Stuff Tattoo, for the 44th episode of the Finding Asheville podcast. They chat about growing up in Charleston, S.C., why art was always a part of his life, how he learned to tattoo, why success comes down to pursuing what you are good at and staying consistent, why despite financial constraints you really can do whatever you put your mind to as long as you prove yourself, why being versatile as a tattoo artist is the key to running a successful tattoo shop, and whether or not the recent growth of West Asheville has been truly great for the neighborhood.

Rationality amidst fear?   Nathan sits down with David Forbes, editor of The Asheville Blade, for the 43rd episode of the Finding Asheville podcast. They chat about growing up in rural Northeastern North Carolina, how class impacts political participation, why he started reading the newspaper as early as the second grade, whether or not writer’s block actually exists, why he fell in love with local journalism, why Asheville should be rather than to seem, why Asheville has to tackle its lack of diversity, defacto segregation, and low wages now, the future of The Asheville Blade, and the details on union drive efforts that ultimately lead to his dismissal at the Mountain Xpress. 

Chick-fil-A to James Beard Award winner, Elliot Moss will figure it out   Nathan sits down with Chef Elliot Moss of Punk Wok and Buxton Hall Barbecue for the 42nd episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in Florence, S.C., why art was a major part of Elliot’s life, how he went straight from a cook at Chick-fil-A to being a chef, why an Italian restaurant in Philadelphia played a key role in opening his culinary world view, how the Admiral went from a bar menu to what it’s known for now, the ins and outs of Buxton Hall Barbecue, and why he now calls Asheville home. 

He be like Napster doesn't scare me fool...   Nathan sits down with Mark Capon, co-owner of Harvest Records for the 41st episode of the Finding Asheville podcast. They chat about growing up in Jacksonville, Fla., why he decided to pick up a bass instead of the guitar or drums at the age of 13, why he knew he was always going to do something he enjoyed for a living, why naivety played a little role in Harvest Record’s success, what it is like to also manage bands on the side, why at the end of the day you should only compete with yourself and not compare yourself to others, and why managing bands full time may be his next gig.

Don't be afraid to charge for your hard work...   Nathan sits down with Michele Scheve, founder of Asheville Disclaimer, co-owner of Slice of Life Comedy, and DJ at AshevilleFM.org for the 39th episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about what it is was like to be raised by two doctors, what it is like to participate in lucid dreaming, why the key to life is finding humor in tragedy, the birth and fall of the Asheville Disclaimer, and what may be next of one of Asheville’s original comedy writers. 

Revealing the grain of our soul?    Nathan sits down with Scott Meek owner of Scott Meek Woodworks for the 36th episode of the Finding Asheville podcast. They chat about growing up in Hastings, Mich., why a degree in Engineering isn’t the right answer for everybody that is good at math, how a door-to-door sales job opened up his world perspective, how he had the courage despite one business failing to be able to start another one, why consumers who are already starting to think about where their food comes from needs to have the same mindset when they buy furniture, and why being true to what you want to do is a successful business strategy.

Evolving into Stability?   Nathan sits down with Sean McNeal owner of Bar of Soap and Asheville Growler for the 34th episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in Nashville, TN, why he wanted to write the next great American novel, why he gave up a career as a scuba diving instructor, what it was like to be a wilderness firefighter, his time with the Asheville Global Report, why his multipronged approach at Bar of Soap provides a business failsafe, whether he may have opened Asheville Growler too early, and whether the beer economy has finally been tapped? 

Climbing your own ladder?   Nathan sits down with Charles Triber and Tanya Triber owners of The Junction for the 32nd episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in South Carolina and New Mexico, how they eventually found each other in Portland, Oregon, why Asheville became their final destination in a cross country road trip to find a new home, why hitting a financial ceiling lead to the adoption of The Junction and why taking risks will pay off. 

Learning to step back?   Nathan sits down with Brian Ross of Dough for the 31st episode of the Finding Asheville podcast. They chat about growing up in Miami, how Dough went from a market driven concept to more of a restaurant, the rewards of adapting to what your customers want, how to step back when your business is consuming your life, and what Brian thinks turning half a century means to him. 

The future Mike Tyson of art?   Nathan sits down with Asheville folk artist/outsider artist Gabriel Shaffer for the 30th episode of the Finding Asheville podcast. They chat about growing up in Parkersburg, WV, how a vision of Gabriel’s grandfather inspired him to write, traveling in bands, how painting saved his life, why Gabriel trains to paint like a boxer would train for a fight, and what may be next for Asheville’s most self critical artist. 

Delivering pizzas to riding two wheeled death machines?   Nathan sits down with Hugh Owings of Hugh’s HandBuilt for the 27th episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in the South, being raised by his grandfather at the age of 15, the romanticism of being a pizza delivery driver, how he had the courage to leave a dead end factory job to start his own his business, how failure is key to the creative process, and why he will continue to ride on his two wheeled death machine.

Political flamethrower to non controversial politician?   Nathan chats with City Council Member and Counselor Gordon Smith for the 25th episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in Lakeland, Fla., what Asheville was like in the early 90’s, doing volunteer work in Belfast, Ireland, opening his own therapy practice in Asheville, what exactly is involved with counseling, the two main factors impacting one’s happiness, the birth of Scrutiny Hooligans, his run for City Council, how to create jobs and affordable housing in Asheville, and why Gordon deserves two parody twitter accounts.  

Mise en place equals life success?    Nathan sits down with chef William Dissen of The Market Place for the 24th episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in Charleston, West Virginia, cooking in the Culinary Super Bowl, attending the Culinary Institute of America, cooking in South Carolina, living in Vietnam, the transition to buying the Marketplace, what does it mean to be a sustainable fisherman, what it is like to speak in front of Congress, and the next step for Asheville’s ‘most green minded’ chef. 

How do you go from working with rock stars to working with doctors? Nathan sits down with Adam Blumenthal owner of Curious Sense and Health Games Innovation Lab for the 22nd episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in Fairfax, VA, Adam’s short stint into journalism, history of virtual reality and gaming, stops with Kodak, R/GA, and McKinney, what it was like to develop video games for Phish, REO Speedwagon, Soulja Boy, and the Grateful Dead, what it means to be a dead head, and why video games may be the answer to America’s health problems. 

Police Officer to southern food afficianado?  Nathan sits down with Mike Moore, owner and chef at Seven Sows Bourbon and Larder for the 21st episode of Finding Asheville. They discuss growing up in Eastern North Carolina, why Mike gave up a career as a police officer to pursue the culinary world, what ultimately drove him back to North Carolina from San Francisco, why the Asheville food community gets along, the birth of Blind Pig, an underground dining club, and many other chef centric topics.