On this episode of Jeff & Jamie Feed, we sit down with visionary Charlotte leader Tim Belk to talk about building a stronger local food system. Tim shares the story behind his family’s Wild Hope Farm located in Chester, SC—and why having farms near fast-growing cities like Charlotte is essential to the future of food. We dig into how restaurants and farms can work together more effectively, the realities of scaling sustainable agriculture, and his work with the Carolina Farm Fund to invest in the next generation of regional farms in a sustainable, thoughtful way. This is the unique farming infrastructure being planted now that will impact chefs and locals alike in generations to come in Charlotte. It’s a conversation about land, leadership, and what it really takes to feed a city well.

What’s it mean to close a business—and how do you know it’s the right call? In this episode, get the honest scoop about what it’s like to consider closing something you’ve poured yourself into. We share our story of closing Crepe Cellar to make space for something new, and why we’re now in the process of closing our doughnut shop, Reigning Doughnuts. Are there ways to see these moves not as failure but as figuring out another way? We walk through the questions we ask ourselves, the emotions that come up, and the practical realities behind the decision. If you’re an entrepreneur wondering whether to push through, pause, or pivot—gain leadership insights to make your next move.

Jeff and Jamie sit down with architect Don Peadon to talk about what really makes a restaurant work—long before the doors open. From the importance of a strong architect–restaurateur relationship to designing spaces that support both front and back of house, this conversation explores how thoughtful planning sets restaurants up for long-term success. Don, Jeff, and Jamie dig into the challenges they’ve worked through together, the lessons learned along the way, and several of the projects they’ve collaborated on over the years—and why the best restaurants are built on trust, communication, and shared problem-solving.