David Thomas – Baltimore Magazine

The Tastemakers: Movers and Shakers on Charm City’s Hospitality Scene

Aaron Hope — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:00:38 +0000

By Jane Marion with Amy Scattergood

Photography by Scott Suchman

Illustrations by JORDAN AMY LEE

The Tastemakers

The Tastemakers: Movers and Shakers on Charm City's Hospitality Scene

Our salute to the restaurant and bar industry pros who’ve defined the culinary landscape, not only breaking the mold but blazing new trails to tantalize our tastebuds.

By Jane Marion with Amy Scattergood

Photography by SCOTT SUCHMAN

Illustrations by JORDAN AMY LEE

October 2023

Every city has its tastemakers, the people who dictate the trends, set the standards, and stir up the scene. In this feature, we celebrate Baltimore’s literal tastemakers: the restaurant and bar industry pros who’ve defined the culinary landscape, not only breaking the mold but blazing new trails to tantalize our tastebuds. They are the innovators, the movers, the cocktail shakers. They’re the players who give us sustenance, who drive what we eat, how we eat—and even where, when, and why we eat. Simply put: Their craft—and leadership—has shaped our eating and drinking habits for the better.

Our town has its fair share of tastemakers—and while we highlight only a handful of them in this package, from living legends to hip newcomers, there are scores of others we’d like to acknowledge, too. So, let’s take a moment to salute the local tastemakers who have taken us on a gastronomic globe-trot, providing new culinary experiences. Those include the Singh brothers of Peerce’s and Ananda, who introduced us to the richly spiced flavors of Punjabi cuisine; the Lefenfeld brothers, who exposed us to Basque country cooking at La Cuchara; and Irena Stein and Mark Demshak, who have brought us Venezuelan fine dining at Alma Cocina Latina in Station North.

And let’s praise those who have bolstered Baltimore beyond their own dining rooms. That’s people like Aisha Pew and her partner, Cole, owners of Dovecote Café, who bring a community-first credo to their Reservoir Hill cafe, where the work of Black artists is always on display; Jesse Sandlin, who brought back the neighborhood restaurant with her elevated comfort-food fare at Sally O’s, The Dive, and Bunny’s; and Baltimore-born-and- raised John Shields, one of the first local chefs to sing the praises of our great state’s foodways at Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen inside the Baltimore Museum of Art and now with his new nonprofit, Our Common Table. There’s also Kimberly Johnson, who founded Philosophy Winery, the first Black women-owned winery in Maryland, and only the second one in the Mid-Atlantic, breaking the (wine) glass ceiling in an overwhelmingly white field.

We tip a toque to iconic husband-and-wife teams, too. There’s master bakers Russell Trimmer and Maya Muñoz, reviving old artisan techniques in a region once known as “the breadbasket of the American Revolution,” and turning out some of the best loaves around at Motzi Bread in Charles Village. And Karin and Bud Tiffany, whose Peter’s Inn lives on as the last bastion of old school Charm City, with its loaded garlic bread and massive martinis at their rowhome restaurant in Fells Point. There’s also Dylan and Irene Salmon of Dylan’s Oyster Cellar in Hampden, who revitalized the oyster bar. And Qayum and Pat Karzai, who brought small plates to the city 20 years ago at Tapas Teatro in Station North.

Of course, it helps that our small, scrappy—and food-forward—city has an adventurous spirit. Anything goes here, making it easier to experiment and stand out than it might be in more attention-getting sister cities like D.C. and Philadelphia or culinary hubs like New York, Chicago, or L.A. Baltimore has always been a city that has forged its own path, with restaurateurs such as owner-chef Morris Martick, whose Mulberry Street restaurant, Martick’s Restaurant Francais, was a haven for the LGBTQ+ community and, at the time, one of the few places to get bouillabaisse and pâté in Charm City; or Paris-trained Michael Gettier, who, in 1992, as executive chef at the Conservatory atop The Peabody Hotel in the Inner Harbor, helped give gravitas to Baltimore’s food scene after being named one of the best hotel chefs in the U.S. by the James Beard Foundation. Donna Crivello (now the chef at Cosima) deserves a nod, too, for bringing sophistication to the coffee house scene with her roasted veggie sandwiches and Sicilian tuna on focaccia at her eponymous Donna’s cafes.

That same spirit of invention has inspired this current crop of hospitality veterans, many of whom are making waves beyond Baltimore, reminding everyone that Charm City is the coolest and most creative city in America. In a proud hometown moment, in 2020, Saveur dubbed Lane Harlan (of Clavel, W.C. Harlan, Fadensonnen, and The Coral Wig) “the most interesting woman in the restaurant business.” Meanwhile, Ekiben’s Steve Chu and Ephrem Abebe have not only wowed us with their fusion bao buns but shown that a random act of kindness shines a positive light on our entire tight-knit culinary community.

To the tastemakers in this story and all those currently striving to make their mark, we salute you—not only for keeping us well-fed, but for paving a pivotal path sure to inspire others.

THE MUSES

Rosemary Liss &
Will Mester

The Cool Kids

Carlos Raba &
Lane Harlan

The Locavore

Spike Gjerde

The Fine-Diners

Cindy Wolf &
Tony Foreman

The Torchbearers

David & Tonya
Thomas

The Showmen

Alex & Eric Smith

The Sober Ambassador

Ashish Alfred

The Community Activists

Mera Kitchen
Collective

The Crab Queen

Nancy Devine

The Team Players

Steve Chu &
Ephrem Abebe

Source

The Tastemakers: David & Tonya Thomas

Aaron Hope — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 01:03:52 +0000

The Torchbearers

By Jane Marion

Photography by Scott Suchman

Illustrations by JORDAN AMY LEE

The Tastemakers

The Tastemakers: David & Tonya Thomas

The most influential movers and shakers on Charm City's Hospitality scene.

By Jane Marion

Photography by SCOTT SUCHMAN

Illustrations by JORDAN AMY LEE

October 2023

o say that David and Tonya Thomas are two of the busiest people in Baltimore’s culinary scene is hardly hyperbole. As co-owners of the Bel Air-based H3irloom Food Group, which highlights the foods of the African diaspora, David, 55 and Tonya, 58, cater weddings and parties in their massive event space, host educational dinner series, and manufacture a line of hot sauces inspired by their trip to Africa in 2020.

As owners of the now-closed Ida B’s Table, the city’s first modern soul food restaurant, they were also the first to uplift and pay homage to the African-American food roots of the Chesapeake Bay region and the broader diaspora—and that ethos infuses everything they do. H3irloom, emphasizes David, a former Chopped champion, is an umbrella term meant to encapsulate all of what he likes to call their “righteous work.” “We envision this business to once again reclaim the narrative,” he says of the contributions of Black cooks to American cuisine. “We are trying to make good food but also do good work.”

All the aforementioned ventures are just the beginning. Other projects in the pipeline include tending to their farm in Upperco (named Gabriel Fields to honor an enslaved Marylander once promised land in exchange for helping the British during the War of 1812), where they plan to grow produce for H3irloom, and hosting more cultural collaboration pop-ups, like the one they did last spring honoring West African and Mexican cultures at Clavel taquería in Remington. As if that’s not enough, the longtime restaurateurs are working on a soon-to-be-published cookbook about Maryland’s foodways and are planning a special dinner for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

At a time when Black chefs and their critical contributions to American cooking are finally getting their due, the Thomases are laser-focused on amplifying the stories of enslaved people. That trickles down to the ingredients they source, like Carolina Gold rice, a gold-standard grain in the industry. “Carolina Gold rice wouldn’t exist in this country if it wasn’t for the skilled labor of Senegalese Africans who were picked up from the Ivory Coast and dropped in the Low Country because of their skills,” says David, whose paternal great-grandmother was an enslaved person. “That’s how you got Carolina Gold rice, one of the most prized rices to come out of this country to this day. Once you understand that, you know we are more than fried chicken and collard greens. It changes the whole narrative.”

The couple is also eager to spotlight the Baltimore region, where they were both born and raised. “We love Baltimore and the industry so much—we are trying to inspire the next generation,” says Tonya. “In a business where there’s so much negativity, we are trying to be a positive light.” Adds David, “At the end of the day—at the very end of the day—I want to improve the condition of our people and make sure Baltimore gets its due as a culturally food-rich city. I want to make sure that Baltimore becomes a culinary destination.”

THE MUSES

Rosemary Liss &
Will Mester

The Cool Kids

Carlos Raba &
Lane Harlan

The Locavore

Spike Gjerde

The Fine-Diners

Cindy Wolf &
Tony Foreman

The Torchbearers

David & Tonya
Thomas

The Showmen

Alex & Eric Smith

The Sober Ambassador

Ashish Alfred

The Community Activists

Mera Kitchen
Collective

The Crab Queen

Nancy Devine

The Team Players

Steve Chu &
Ephrem Abebe

Source

H3irloom’s David and Tonya Thomas Create a Line of Hot Sauces

Jane Marion — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:14:26 +0000

—Photography by Justin Tsucalas

Through the years, David and Tonya Thomas have made their mark, from owning the first fine-dining modern soul food restaurant in Baltimore to founding their food business, H3irloom Food Group. Now, the couple has launched a trio of hot sauces.

“Hot sauce is a very African thing,” says David, whose great-grandmother was enslaved. “We like spice, we like heat, and because of the vinegar and peppers, it’s a way to preserve things. When we decided to design a line of products we said, ‘We have to start with hot sauce.’”

The sauces, available online, as well as at Eddie’s, Bird in Hand, and The Wine Source, ship nationwide, and come in three flavors.

“I like sauces that create flavor, not just heat,” says David. Sweat is an American take on an African vinegar-style pepper sauce with preserved heirloom tomatoes. Smok’d, aromatic and earthy, is one of the first black-hued hot sauces on the market. The color is derived from the vegetable ash of the West African Mbongo tree and is spiced with alligator pepper, which is also indigenous to that area.

Sosu, which means “hot” in some African dialects, is a West African “peppa” sauce whose inspiration is drawn from the couple’s culinary travels to West Africa in 2020.

“We tasted a number of pepper sauces while we were there,” says David. “We were able to go to this woman’s home, we called her Auntie Bouimi, and she prepared a pepper sauce. This is an homage to that.”

The sauce is hot stuff in more ways than one: Sosu was a runner-up at Garden & Gun’s 2021 Made in the South Awards and got a recent shout out in Martha Stewart Living.

“It’s just about always trying to represent ourselves in the best light,” sums up David.

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Open & Shut: The Brewer’s Art Tavern; Saffron Grill; Serenity Wine Bar

Lauren Cohen — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 13:30:00 +0000

OPEN

The Brewer’s Art Tavern: A few months ago, we told you about the Howard County spinoff of Mt. Vernon’s beloved brewpub, The Brewer’s Art. Now, Howard County locals can finally enjoy the craft drafts and upscale pub grub that diners have come to know and love in Charm City. The tavern officially opened last week, offering eats like massive charcuterie boards, soft pretzels, grilled cheese with bacon-onion jam, local bratwurst with Resurrection beer mustard, and the classic Brewer’s Art rosemary-garlic fries. Of course, there’s also 13 taps (including the likes of Beazly and Birdhouse), and a lengthy wine and cocktail list. Boasting more of a rustic feel than the dimly lit flagship, the Highland hangout features stained woods, exposed stone, colorful paintings, and its own outdoor patio. 13380 Clarksville Pike, Highland. 301-854-1000

Ceremony Coffee Roasters: Revelers in Federal Hill will be happy to hear that the ultimate hangover cure has landed inside Cross Street Market. The newest Ceremony location (others are stationed in Mt. Vernon and Harbor Point) is now officially up and running inside the newly renovated property. Stop by to grab an espresso, cortado, mocha, or seasonal sip like the Tokyo Spring matcha latte with elderflower and almond milk. There’s also spicy avocado toast and plenty of pastries to quell morning cravings. The next vendor on deck to open inside Cross Street this week is Vietnamese soup-and-sub shop, Phubs. 1065 S. Charles St. 443-708-5284

Saffron Grill: Fells Point is really becoming a choose-your-own-dining-adventure destination. On the heels of Broadway Market’s debut, the waterfront locale has also welcomed this new American-Pakistani kitchen. Neighboring yet-to-open boutique Mint + Major on South Broadway, the yellow storefront is home to authentic samosas, kebabs, gyros, and tikka dishes. But there is also a bountiful burger menu that lists options like the Strogonoff Burger (sour cream, grilled onions, and Swiss cheese) and the “Cowboy” topped with grilled mushrooms and bacon. The 2,300-square-foot space is decorated with neutral tones, comfy booth seating, spiral-shaped light fixtures, and a semi-open kitchen. 616 S. Broadway. 410-558-1234

Serenity Wine Bar and Cafe: In keeping with its name, this new Locust Point cafe is ready to help neighbors feel relaxed with glasses of self-serve wine. Now open in the former home of Our House on Hull Street, the spot is equipped with 16 pour-yourself taps that guests can access using a prepaid swipe card. To pair with the vino, owner Nneka Bilial has rolled out a menu of thin-crust pizzas (think veggie, grilled chicken, and BBQ toppings), baked pastas, subs, salads, and desserts. The casual spot features exposed brick and artsy wine-bottle decor. “I wanted to highlight the city, but also make it feel really cozy,” she told us in April. “I want it to feel like a home away from home.” 1211 Hull St. 443-708-0392

COMING SOON

Landshark Bar & Grill: Get pumped, Parrotheads. Soon, locals strolling past the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace will be enticed by a local iteration of Jimmy Buffet’s famed restaurant, which will most likely have “Margaritaville” perpetually blaring through the speakers on its outdoor patio. Landshark Bar & Grill operates locations everywhere from New Jersey to Florida, and it’s slated to open in the Inner Harbor later this year. Locals are hoping that the spot—which features island-inspired fare, tropical drinks, and plenty of hearty nods to “Cheeseburger in Paradise”—will be the first of many new tenants that help to revitalize Harborplace, which was plagued with closures last year. The development was officially put into receivership last week after its former owner defaulted on a $76 million loan. 301 Light St., Ste. 1645

NEWS

Chef David Thomas Heads to the Beard House: Our own David Thomas of Ida B’s Table is one of seven African-American chefs from across the country who have been invited to prepare a special Juneteenth celebration dinner at the hallowed James Beard House in New York City next week. “This has been a dream of mine for quite some time,” Thomas posted to Instagram. “To be doing it for an event like this is a gift that I will cherish for the rest of my life.” Alongside chefs including Chris Williams of Lucille’s in Houston and Shannon Mustipher of Glady’s in Brooklyn, Thomas will assist in cooking soul food dishes like catfish with grits and shrimp gravy, barbecued quail with smoked watermelon, and butter beans with crispy okra and pork cracklings.

Chef Jay Rohlfing Competing on Chopped: Another local chef making us proud this week is Jay Rohlfing of Cunningham’s in Towson, who announced that he will appear on an episode of Food Network’s Chopped this Tuesday, June 18 at 9 p.m. For fans who want to cheer on the chef at the restaurant, Cunningham’s will host a viewing party at its bar starting at 8 p.m. We’re feeling hopeful that we will add Rohlfing to our list of local Chopped champions, which also includes Thomas of Ida B’s and chef Johntay Bedingfield of La Food Marketa. 1 Olympic Pl., Towson. 410-339-7730

SHUT

DuClaw Brewing Co.: Earlier this week, DuClaw Brewing’s longtime restaurant inside Arundel Mills Mall announced that it would pour its final pints—and serve its last crab pretzels—on Wednesday, June 12. “Unfortunately, the mall is no longer a place we can call home,” reads a message posted to Facebook. “For a variety of circumstances, most outside of our control, this will be our last week.” Mall officials recently confirmed to the Baltimore Business Journal that the spot will be replaced by another beer bar, Yard House, later this year. 7000 Arundel Mills Circle. 410-799-1166

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