In this episode of 2 BMore, Erica speaks with Executive Chef Chris Amendola and Steve Chu about being named finalists for the James Beard Award finalists.
Erica Kane began honing her radio and television interests while still a scholarship student at Howard University in Washington, DC.
Her internships while at Howard included NBC 4 News New York, HOT97/Emmis Broadcasting and an on-air stint with DJ Flexx and Rane of 'The Home Team' on WPGC-FM in Washington, DC.
Her professional on-air debut was with 92Q Jams-FM in Baltimore. In Charm City, the popularity of her Primetime show with Konan and Jay Claxton grew rapidly and topped market ratings.
Erica is also known for her stint in Philadelphia with POWER 99 FM's Morning Show with radio veterans Sam Sylk and Quincy Harris.
She has fifteen-plus years of voiceover experience, and her work has been featured on numerous flagship radio stations across the country for clients including MTV, VH1, BET, McDonald's, Access Hollywood, and AT&T.
Her television production credits include FOX's Hell's Kitchen starring Gordon Ramsay, ABC's Dancing with the Stars and CBS's The Amazing Race.
Erica joined the WMAR team in 2023 as the host of the 2BMore Podcast, created by T.J. Smith. She was asked by Smith to join the podcast upon his departure from the show.
Erica can also be heard every weekday morning on 'Good Morning Baltimore' on Baltimore's flagship NPR station WEAA 88.9 FM.
Contact Erica Kane on social media @EricaKaneRadio or via email at EricaKaneRadio@gmail.com
Steve Chu was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, and eventually settled in Montgomery County with his Taiwanese parents. Although his father is a chef, he discouraged Chu from following the same path. As he studied economics at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Chu realized that his dream was to open his own restaurant. While volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, he met his future business partner Ephrem Abebe. After graduation, Chu learned on the job in the kitchen and on the floor at Petit Louis Bistro working for Chef Ben Lefenfeld. He also worked for Harold Dieterle at Kin Shop as a line cook and spent summers helping out at his family’s restaurant, Jumbo Seafood.
In 2014, Yesupriya, Abebe, and Chu opened Ekiben, an Asian fusion fast-casual stand in a farmers market. In 2016, Ekiben moved into a brick-and-mortar space in the Fell’s Point neighborhood of Baltimore City. Chu’s goal with the cuisine of Ekiben is to create a space for anyone, from any demographic, to try something different. In Baltimore, a city deeply divided along economic and racial lines, Chu aims to make everyone feel welcome “one bun at a time.” In 2017, Travel & Leisure named Ekiben the best place to get a sandwich in Maryland. In 2018, Eater nominated Chu as a semifinalist for their Young Gun Awards. Chu is also involved in Youth Works, a summer program for teens in Baltimore that provides job training and mentorship. He has more concepts in the pipeline for the Charm City—with different food but the same community-oriented ethos.
Executive Chef Chris Amendola received his formal training at the Southeast Institute of Culinary Arts in St. Augustine where he graduated at the top of his class. After refining his craft under Chef Todd English at BlueZoo in Orlando and with Chef Sean Brock at McCrady’s in Charleston, Chef Chris headed north and worked in the kitchens of Café Dupont in Washington, D.C., Allium in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and the renowned Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York. He also staged in the kitchens of Mini Bar in Washington D.C. and Eleven Madison Park in NYC. Locally, Chef Chris held positions at Fleet Street Kitchen and Waterfront Kitchen.
Chef Chris brings not only experience in the kitchen, but also a passion for seasonal ingredients to Foraged [foragedeatery.com]. Additionally, Chef Chris is a highly experienced farmer and forager - having worked at Thackeray Farms on Wadmalaw Island in S.C., and in close connection with the team at Blue Hill farm in West Virginia. When Chef Chris is not behind the stove at Foraged. he is out in the woods looking for new ingredients to cook with. The agricultural and woodsman knowledge Chef Chris has gained throughout the years allows him to elevate the dining experience for this guests. His modern American style of cooking gives diners a unique culinary experience.
