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¶ Meet the Host and Guest
Welcome to operations. the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of influencer and talent management. I'm your host, Zarina, and today we have an amazing episode. I'll be chatting with an award winning content creator and influencer, Simone Phillips, better known as Charm City Table. We had a great conversation about her journey to content creation, the people who make up her team, some challenges and some accomplishments, and so much more.
So without further ado, let's get into this week's episode of Operations Unfiltered. Welcome to Operations Unfiltered, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of influencer and talent management. I am fangirling today because I'm joined by, an award winning social media influencer and content creator, Simone Phillips, aka Charm City Table. Welcome Thank you.
That was such a nice intro.
Thanks for having me. I'm so excited because you have been a crucial part to some of my date nights. You are a contributing factor to why I cannot unbake my back this summer because I cannot stop trying out these restaurants that you
¶ Simone Phillips' Journey to Content Creation
recommend. So how did you start this journey? Where did, where did it begin? Take us on a, on a journey. Yeah.
So I, it was really just started as a hobby and as a, you know, personal interest is like most platforms and. Content creators start out. I love food. I used to, I don't cook as much anymore. Cause like my whole life is about visiting restaurants and, trying all these different places, but I love to cook and try new recipes.
and I remember we always me and my friends, we will always want to try a new spot around the city, outside of the city, even in, DC DMV, but especially in Baltimore, we love trying new foods. As I kept doing that. I just wanted to take pictures and show people and talk about them. So it kind of became a little personal diary. for me to record, you know, some of my favorite bites. And you know, I just like the idea of eating out.
So when I started, I wanted, I was thinking I wanted to create a platform Specifically for restaurants. And then I wanted it to be very centered in the city. I want it to be very Baltimore centered because I felt like, even though I went to DC, even though I was like in Laurel or wherever, I really felt like our food scene had something to say. And people weren't talking about it enough.
They were always, yeah, they were always talking about DC and they were always talking about, you know, places in Northern Virginia. And so when I started, that was the place to go to eat. And I was like, ah. I'm not driving all the way to Northern Virginia. I think Baltimore has the edge. I kept going and I was like, you know, fine dining and stuff like that.
We're still, we were building that up at the time that I started, but I felt like everything else, like price point range, types of food, types of cuisines. The city had it. So I wanted to celebrate that. What year did you start? 2017. I started in spring of 2017. Oh my goodness. So seven years. I think seven years is the math. But yeah, so that was the thing.
And so my whole thing was like pushing the Baltimore food scene, showing some of my favorite bites and celebrating uplifting the city, specifically. Now are you born and raised here? Born and raised.
Yes. Baltimore native. Yeah. Yeah. Born and raised. What's that? What's that for all my listeners? What's that?
I'm from over west. I'm from West Baltimore. I was, I was born and raised, uh, well, not raised, I was born in the city, lived on, over on Park Heights in like Falstaff area, up until elementary school, and then we moved to Woodlawn, Baltimore County.
Okay, let me act like I know over west, over east. I don't know none of that. I rely heavily on apple maps. I am a county girly. I was, I'm born and raised in Houston, Texas. I'm a transplant, so don't let, don't get me to lie and act like I know over west. You sound
like you knew what you was talking about. I'm
trying, I'm trying.
¶ Defining Influencer vs. Content Creator
Yes. But to your point, you started right when the industry started to shift and now we're in this crazy. Space where it's, there's so many people, so many content creators, so many influencers, and there's this age old debate. Are you a content creator? Are you an influencer? What do you consider yourself? Or are you both? Yeah, I think I'm both. I would say
that I feel like, depending on what circle you and I think about this a lot, cause it's always a discussion. I feel like depending on what circle you're in, it feels appropriate to use them. You know, like interchangeably over here, right? I'm over here. I'm saying content creator over here. I'm saying influencer, but I think if you have a platform, if you have a platform that people are listening to, even if it's smaller, even if it's big, like you are influencing people, so by.
You know, you don't always have, I feel like people think an influencer is this person who sells themselves and sells their lifestyle and then pushes these products on people, but, if you're into movies and you're talking about all the movies that come out and giving your personal review, you're influencing people to get into movies and to watch movies. So therefore you're, you know, you're a film influencer. So, you know what I mean? Absolutely. And you've,
you've influenced me to get some poppies tacos. You've influenced me to get some empanada ladies, so I definitely, yeah, I consider you that for sure. Yeah. So yeah.
Yeah. So I think it's a little bit of both.
¶ Tools and Techniques for Content Creation
Okay. So here on operations unfiltered, we like to get into the nitty gritty of the industry. We like to know who are the people, the processes, the tools and technology that push influencers forward. I want people to, to listen to this and be like, I want to be an influencer, or I want to work in the backend of influencing all of that. I want to get in the team. So what tools do you use when you are creating content? Is that a ring light? Do you use just your phone? Give us the tea.
Yeah, I use a couple
of tools. I have, of course, on my iPhone, I shoot with my iPhone, most of my content for photos. If I'm doing photos, sometimes I have a Canon that I shoot with like a, a camera. but that's usually pictures of myself or like group pictures of people. but it's mostly like 95, 99 percent my iPhone. And then I have an led light that I use. I prefer to shoot with natural light.
So that's why I always tell people, I like to go to restaurants, In their off hours, so go during, right when it opens for dinner time or during lunch so I can get that natural light from the sun in, but I do bring an LED light in case I'm in a moody restaurant or a restaurant that's like dimly lit so you can still see the food. what else do I use? I use CapCut to edit. So, uh, once I shoot all of my content, yeah, in CapCut, I put all my clips in there and then edit.
I have a simple, headphones, like the iPhone headphones that are, that are the core, not the AirPods for my microphone and that's what I do for my voiceovers. You're keeping it simplistic. I keep it very simple because, you Like my whole thing is, you know, I wanted to, like I said, I love food.
I wanted to share my favorites when I started, I wanted to highlight the Baltimore food scene as I grew, you know, it kind of does turn into like, everybody's going to these restaurants, you giving your own take. So I just wanted to come across as very natural and my kind of. Authentic style. Like I don't want it to be smoke and mirrors, because they're talking about food. You're kind of talking about people's money, you know, the decision to spend.
So that's kind of my angle to, you know, intentionally keep it pretty simple. Yeah. But my phone, my light cap cut, you know, a little headphones to do the microphone. And then for organization, I use a lot of Google suite stuff. Some Excel, when I do the black on restaurants, I have the biggest Excel sheet that I use.
Yeah. No
calendar. That's what are you,
are you an automated type of person or are you good with just basic, just give me the sheets, the Google sheets and I'm good.
Yeah, I'm pretty, I'm somewhere in the middle. I feel like, yeah, I do use some of the filters and some of the automated stuff, but, but only if I have to, I'm not, some people are Bosses with smart sheets and excelling, writing the codes like that is not me. Yeah.
I'm just trying to get it off my to do list. I hear you. Like if I could,
if I could, if I took the time, maybe, but yeah, no. Very suggestive.
And so are you the same way with your content? Posting wise? Do you write all your content at once? And same with filming. Are you more of a batch creation type of girl or are you reactive? I'm reactive. Um,
I think more batch creation, I would say like, uh, you know, this part of, you know, my, I'm a, so I'm a full time content creator or full time. I do full time things around my brand. Like I'm not, you know, this is, this is like my full time gig. So I'm doing some consulting, I'm visiting a lot of restaurants a day, you know, some days I'm visiting 4 or 5 restaurants, but all of those, you know, some of those are for consulting or some of those are to do tasting and not necessarily.
To create content, but sometimes I have this really good experience that I think I should share. Yeah. So, you know, think about in a week I'm visiting like 10 to 15 different restaurants. So stop. And you
are booked and busy. I know. Yes. Yeah,
it gets busy. Oh my goodness. And so, yeah, I'll sit down on a. Usually on Sunday or Monday and put a couple videos together for the week. I never get to finish as many videos as I want to because they Age old story. Yes. I do try to do like seriously two to three videos. In one, you know sitting down like at least Edit the clips and do the transitions and then I'll go back in and do the voiceovers and like add the text later. So I think I do batch not, oh my,
yeah. That sounds like a Yeah. And it seems like honestly every creator is different, but if you're efficient that way, I love to see it. We love efficiency. Yes.
No, that's the only way I could do it. 'cause I used to do one video at a time and like I'm gonna sit down and do it. I'm gonna sit down and do it, and then I get the week goes bottom, I'm at all the restaurants and get on all the meetings. It gets backed up. I didn't make one. video this week. Oh my gosh. And sometimes that still does happen, but I think that batching really helps. Cause it's like, even if, you know, something will pop up that I'm really excited about.
And then I do feel inspired to create and put it up that same day or the next day. But if I don't, I still have those videos that I created on Sunday or Monday and I can put those up instead.
Oh, see, that is good advice. Now, if you guys are listening, I hope you have your pen and pad out. I hope you have your notes out. Uh, app open, take the notes from a goat. Okay.
¶ Team and Project Management
And now you mentioned that you do a lot of this work on your own, but part of project management is learning all about the people that help you run your business. Yeah. Um, so are there any key people on your team? Are you a solo?
I have a lot of help. Um, I don't, you know, I don't have a lot of full time people. But I have, I had, she just went to college literally like last week.
It is that season.
She was with me since sophomore year of her, of her high school experience. And she was like, her name was Haley. She was amazing. She helped with website updates, you know, help me keep track of my email.
My calendar like we used to have meetings where we bounce off creation ideas and transition to my platform because the landscape for food content creation food blogging is always changing And she you know, she has an eye that's a little that's different from mine of course naturally because she's a couple, generations younger and she just you know, she just She just has a different angle general because everybody's a different person.
So it was so great To have those conversations with her and see her perspective Especially to think like not everybody thinks like me, not everybody processes things the same way. So she, she was such a big help. So I am in the market for like a new intern or a new assistant. Uh oh, after this your
DMs are going
to
be blown up,
uh oh. I know, I'm scared to like post it because
I don't want to. No, you don't want to go through that. Yeah.
I have all the resumes and now I'm telling people I don't know, that's, that's been my hesitation, but no, I really do need one. Cause this, this week has been truly excruciating not having that extra help.
Um, yes. Outsourcing has been key. So yeah, I totally get it.
Yeah. I do have a lot of freelance people that I'll bring in for different projects that I'm working on. Like right now it's still definitely in the works, but I'm working on like hosting dinners and like activities for like people to come out. And so I have hired an event planner. I had another content creator to come help when I launched my newsletters. I had a freelance person, Lisa, who worked with me for a couple of months until I get those newsletters out.
My husband, my husband's a big help. He helps if I'm ever in front of the camera, he's usually the one shooting the content. He's the one that kind of handles the photography. We love husband and
wife. Yes, come on husbands. Listen, the husbands will catch those angles. I love that.
He's so good now. Mine too.
All my friends are jealous. They're like, uh uh, your husband's squatting to catch the angle. I'm like, he absolutely is. Yup, that's him. You have quite a few hundred thousand followers. And usually people feel like at that point you need a manager. You need an agent. Yeah. Do you have that? If so,
why
are we,
Oh, why not? I don't, you know, I've been in, I've been searching. I feel like. You know, this is, this is like not a brand new search. I've been looking for a year and I will say I technically do. I have a management company who will send me, I can't remember what the agreement that we have, but basically they'll send me, businesses who are in the market, for a content creator for certain things. But I don't have someone who helps me manage my content. Like what I've, I've been in the search.
For a talent manager, someone that can help me strategize with my content, someone who can bring in, help me bring in brand deals. just because the consulting side of my business and assisting small businesses with marketing has kind of really revved up in these last, in this past year, in 2024, and so it's kind of hard for me to look for those opportunities on my own.
I'm very grateful, very blessed to say, People, most of the brand deals that I get, they reach out to me, but I don't do a whole lot of pitching these days. I just literally do not have the time. so I was working with a team like that would just send me stuff. But the things that they're sending me are just, they blast them out to everyone. So they're not very catered,
customized,
catered to me at all. I'm like, I'm not. Doing a medicine ad, I'm not doing, you know, that's not my, that's my, my niche. So like, I don't have a management team who can, you know, help me strategize and think about, you know, and keep up,, with trends and just things that are, just things that are happening. So I'm still doing very much a lot of that on my own, which means some sleepless nights, but it's okay.
Yes, that is a part of the daily grind, but we are putting that out since you've said what you're looking for. Hopefully it will come to you. I've
met with quite a few management companies, but feel like my style, a lot of it is off camera, you know, I'm presenting the restaurant I'm presenting. So I think a lot of people get, get like, they're thinking, you know, what is a food blog or food content creator? That's not a reviewer. And that's also not necessarily lifestyle.
I think that's kind of a hard, a difficult niche for some, not everybody, but for some, uh, management companies to kind of realize, cause I think they want people to know. I don't know what they're looking for, per se, you know, I don't want to
assume, but. Yeah, you're a unicorn and you need a, you need someone who can help you with the unicorn. Yeah, help the unicorn. Yes,
yes, with the, yeah, exactly. With the, like, the thoughtfulness behind the platform. Cause it's, it's supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be informative, but I feel like a lot more thought goes into it. So, like. Yeah. A random Pepsoday C ad just wouldn't work for me.
No,
for sure. For
sure. Well, listen, y'all, moral of the story, she is looking, but you have to be intentional. She is looking. Yes. That's it. That's it. And a little
intentionality
goes a long way with me. Yeah, for
¶ Bragging Rights: Major Accomplishments
sure. And while you were mentioning what you were looking for in a manager. You were doing a little bit of cloth talk, a little bit of brag talk. You were saying I'm a consultant and I have all of these things. So let's get into brag on yourself. This is the segment where I need you to run it down. You were recently given an award by Mayor Brandon Scott's office. We need to get into that. Oh my gosh. Your bio says. says you were on the Drew Barrymore show. You've been on NPR.
Let's, let's, let's run it down. What are some of your greatest accomplishments? Let's go.
When I started, it was. Such a hobby. And I remember thinking back, I've said this before that one day, you know, restaurant might have me come in and eat for free. And like that, that was like the dream. So everything that has happened after food, yes. It's like completely like surpassed anything that I ever dreamt this
¶ Community Impact and Recognition
up to be. So it's just, sometimes it's mind blowing when I look back, but yeah, I was recently, given a certificate of recognition by. Mayor Brandon Scott in his office for community impacts and congratulations, so deserving, because like I said, you are an influencer. Yes, thank you so much. Yeah, I want to influence the community, you know, things with restaurants and things where events, you know, this is economic impact for the city, you know, see how it's fun.
You know, yeah, people get great ideas. Yeah. People are more connected, which is great, but it also puts money in people's pockets and keeps the city thriving and, a place for people to come and they feel comfortable living and eating and celebrating here. So I think that's just a beautiful thing that's just, that's been, one of the benefits of having this platform. I was on the Drew Barrymore show a couple of years ago. It was a hometown hero series. So I got to talk about.
Some of my favorite spots in the Baltimore and, um, did have a little, it was fun. We did like a ride on the water taxi. We visited some of my favorite food spots. Yeah. It was really, really cool.
¶ Collaborations and Dream Partnerships
I've gotten to work with so many huge brands, including the Ravens, the Orioles. I've gotten to work with, Verizon, Comcast, helping small businesses. With Comcast, get grant money and grant opportunities. Oh, that is amazing. Yeah. So a lot of small businesses, that's their issue is like it's money. They're self funding. They're not a big corporation. So, you know, any opportunities to do that with any big companies or just feel so good because that's the whole point,, it's.
It's the whole point to make sure everybody feels like they're a part of it and they can like, And then they
have a seat at the table and And so many times money is the barrier so that's amazing money is the barrier, you
know People have a good product a great idea and it's like well if I had just had ten thousand dollars I'd be able to bring this idea to life. So things as simple as
like Startup fees are crazy. So you, you are doing, doing the work. I love to see it. And you mentioned all these wonderful collaborations. You've been on Drew Barrymore show, which is amazing. Are there any dream collaborations that you have? Anyone, any brands you want to work with that you haven't yet? Um,
I don't know. I don't know if there's because like I said earlier, I think a lot of this, it's just amazing in and of itself, I just, yeah. Just seems surreal at times that we're able like that. I'm able to work with all these major brands and work with all these amazing people, but I think, you know, as my platform continues to grow, I just want to make sure, is stays Baltimore centric. So any opportunities to work with, Baltimore organizations and a really impactful way.
And connect with people in a really impactful way, that people could actually see and feel those are sort of my dream collaboration. So I can't say that I have a brand, but I also, you know, I always want the impact to be bigger and better. So any collaborations that kind of fit that mold always feels good to me.
I love that feel good collaborations are always the ones that
are
always the ones that yield the best, that have the best engagement because it's authentic.
And you want to, I want it to be felt. I never wanted to feel like, it is just another food blog. of course you can't, not everyone's going to see that way. But for me, you know, I have to feel like it's something. something special is something that connects with people in a very authentic way. So that's what I'm always looking for. No, sure.
And I feel like from here on out this year, the past couple of years, authenticity has been reigning Supreme. So people can tell when you're being faked. So we love to see that.
¶ Advice for Aspiring Content Creators
And what advice would you give to someone who is interested in content creation as a career? I know it's not all glitz and glamor. So what would you tell someone? Started this as a hobby. So
I would say, yeah, my advice is always to, just really get started. What do you like, how do you want to deliver it and figure that out? Just start posting and don't get too caught up in just trying to go viral. I feel like that happens a lot. You know, in this, in this viral, sort of attention economy, people are just obsessed with getting likes and shares. And they haven't really developed their style.
And sometimes I feel like When you're quick to go viral, your style starts leaning into what you think is going to get clicks and likes and what you, and not necessarily what you think is going, like what makes you happy or what makes you feel a little fulfilled. So I would say my advice would be to create the content, post it, look at your style, see what you like, see what you don't like and figure out what you want to do. And also.
For, for the type of content creation that I do, a lot of the behind the scenes stuff like networking and, um, relationship building is a thousand percent necessary. Oh, I don't ever want people to speak on it. No, sure. I don't want anybody to ever think that it's like you alone in your room or you at a restaurant with one of your buddies. And that's all that it takes. So, you know, if you want these local.
collaborations and you want to be a part of a network, you have to network and you have to build relationships in order to get those opportunities because nobody's going to know you. And they want to know that the people that they're working with are sane. First of all, they want to know the brand that they work for. Those are things that people are thinking about. You know, this is people's jobs. These are people's livelihoods. So I think networking is, is very important.
Very much an important part in building a solid relationship for sure. Companies and stuff.
Networking is key. And I think a lot of people think of content creation. They're in it for just the money.
¶ The Reality of Content Creation
Can you talk about that piece of content creation and have you been profitable as a content creator or employer? Yeah,
I think so. I think there are, you know, It's an industry in and of itself now. It's a new form of media. So yes, of course there are some people who are in it strictly to make money. I don't want to pretend like those people don't exist because they 100 percent do. But I feel like most people who are, able to continue this and to keep a thriving, genuinely have a passion for it.
For what they're doing, because specifically with food and restaurants, it's not that you're not getting that much money off of visiting a restaurant, even the restaurants that are these small local restaurants, they simply don't have a big marketing budget. And that's, you know, we talked about earlier, these restaurants not having, The income to even get their ideas, some of their ideas off the ground. So
yeah,
they definitely don't have 10 grand to, you know, pay you and several creators pockets to come to their restaurant. So it's just not a lucrative, uh, Please
say it louder for the creators in the back. And I try to tell people that I managed, please set your expectations.
You know, I've made quite a bit of money off of brand deals, but they're not specifically with those small restaurants Pepsi and Verizon and cotton, but some of the ones that I mentioned earlier, those larger, Brands, some of a lot of the brands, specifically Pepsi, will have me, you know, cause my whole thing is supporting local, so I'll get paid from them to either to advertise their product and then promote a small black owned business or a small Latino owned business.
So that money isn't coming directly from that restaurant. It's coming from that bigger company. So that's, yeah, that's how I'm able to secure larger brand deals is working with. Bigger companies to still do the same thing that I'm doing. Um, so that's where a lot of that comes from, but I never want people to do this for the money cause you'll get burnt out.
Hello, really quickly. This is not a get rich quick scheme. You have to put in some hours. Okay. Yeah.
And I think people do see it as an opportunity for a side hustle. Which, you know, if you're good at it, that can be helpful. But I don't think, I don't think being a food blogger or whatever would support someone's livelihood. Not going to pay the
rent in this kind of economy. Is that what you're saying? Yes, yeah,
that's exactly what I'm saying. And I feel like you can when you have your brand, when your brand is strong, when your name is strong. Then it brings on other opportunities. Like I talked about consulting, I talked about hosting different events and things like that for other, businesses and organizations. doing like a lot of the behind the scenes stuff that has helped me to having those different streams of income as people like to say through my brand.
Has been, you know, has helped me support my livelihood, but definitely not visiting restaurants, eating there and sharing them alone.
And then let's get real. At what point in your career were you able to get those brand deals? 10K, 50K? I
don't even know what number that I was at. But it was in, when I went full time, it was, it was two years ago. So. I had already been doing it for about four and a half, five years before I was able to go full time. I'm not saying that's everybody's experience because people can grow pretty quickly and create a strong brand and a strong name for themselves. But I think when it, when I started making like consistent income, it wasn't enough for me to quit.
My job was probably like three and a half years ago, like 2020, 2021. Yeah.
So you really put in some time. And if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing in addition to creating content while you were, working? I worked, yeah,
I've always worked in ed tech, so education technology, usually on the people focused. And so the last job that I worked, I was a customer success manager for a tech company that, so I would have to travel, to universities and just, it was a relationship building role, which is good because I am, I feel like it has helped me with this, with this role specifically, just knowing how to build a relationship.
A business partnership, a business relationship and how to make sure it's working, conflicts arise, how to be very solution oriented without blowing things up. This is a personal sometimes this is a business. So that's what I was doing before. I was a customer success manager before that I worked with doctoral students and students who would get a master in education. Yeah. And I just, all I did was help with retention.
If they were struggling with some things on the university and again, problem solving that sort of thing.
Wow. And look how those skills transferred over and now you're a business owner. So we love that for you. And so these are some burning questions that I have as someone who is a consumer of the contract. I love
¶ Navigating Restaurant Reviews
it. So When you go to a restaurant and you taste the food and it's nasty, do you continue with the review? How does that work?
No, I think, now it's become a little easier, because people know my brand and I swear, some people online, because it's to uplift the city. So people think that it's just everything's so nice. And I'm just like, Oh my God, I love it. But I will tell the restaurant, I will tell a chef, chef, chefs are very sensitive. So I am kind about my critique, but I will tell them, even if I know that I've known them for years.
Yeah. Cause they are artists and they are super
sensitive. And it's funny to be like. Well, I thought, this needed a little bit more spice. Well, yeah, it's not supposed to have spice like that. Clap back a little bit. Awkward. But yeah, these are just real conversations that I feel like I have to have for myself to remain authentic or to even get, have their respect because it's like, it's not just about it coming off to the people as positive or, you know, try for yourself. Like, I really wanted to feel like something that I enjoyed.
And I really want the chefs in the restaurant to feel like this is a product that they could sell to people. And that people would enjoy. So if that's not being delivered, I think they should know that's all I can offer at this point, you know, that's, that's literally the point of doing what I do to be able to share that feedback. So, no, I'm a big, I'm a big feedback person. If it's great, you know, I'll sing your praise.
If I think it's missing something, if I think it needs something, like I will 100 percent say that. Yeah.
Honesty is key. And that just adds to your authenticity. So that was just, that was my burning question because I work with some talent that will eat the food. They tell it, they like a lot
of times I'm invited to places, but a lot of times I'll go on my own as well to just, I've been meaning to check this place out, I don't feel like messaging the people and coordinating the setting it up and cause not everybody get how the process works and sometimes I genuinely don't feel like explaining it to them and sometimes I just wanted it to be A review that wasn't, super set up and, the people. Authentic. Genuine. Yeah, again. Yeah, right. I want it to be genuine.
So sometimes I'll go in and just not have a good experience. And be like, okay, well, I tried it, I'm going to put that in the vault. We're going to put that in the vault. Sometimes I'll share my stories, especially if it's a, if it's a restaurant or a place that people have been like, y'all get a lot of DMs, people to ask me to try places. I'll be like, Oh, I finally tried this place. And I, you know, I didn't like it. I thought it was missing this, this and that.
Have you experienced the Keith Lee effect where you've said a not so good review and the restaurant has been like, no, or the positive side effect of that?
The only one I can think of, yeah, the positive side, it happens quite a bit. You know, some people will even joke, I'll have a restaurant, like a poster restaurant that performs really well and they'll sell out of stuff and they'll be like, Oh my gosh, you have the Keith Lee effect, the charm city table effect. Restaurants will definitely joke like that with me, quite a bit, but the only one I can think of that I've said something and it hasn't been flattering.
Well, it's, it's been two times, Black Swan and it was more so a critique of the service and the experience it was a chef specifically. I can't remember what restaurant he's at but I like critique that chefs. Specific style. And he was super mad awkward. I wasn't saying like, I wasn't saying that he was a bad chef. I was saying that he has a very niche style, a very specific style. And I think most people would like it if he was able to market it better. If, if people knew that his style.
Was that and not like some American traditional cuisine. Yeah, they would like it because then they could go for his French stuff. They could go for that. Special culinary experience, but if they're thinking they're going to have a burger steak pizza type thing, they're going to be
upset. They're going to be all
the mother sauces and everything going on. People are going to be like, what is this? I'm like, what is this, honey? Okay. That's very
consultancy of you. And some people just don't have the appetite for that. No pun intended. You
should let people know that in advance, you know, people have to remember, and I'll keep this in the back of my head. Okay. People are spending their real money. We're getting these free experiences. The chef is, of course, getting, you know, to create and do his thing, but, everybody isn't going to like everything, and I'm well aware of that. That's definitely a possibility, no matter how much, People praise a restaurant. I feel like that's how people use the term overrated.
I feel like that's how that becomes a thing Thousand people like the restaurant but you five over here that may not be your cup of tea and that's fine That's a little bit different from somebody Serving up a terrible product or not being able to market to their right audience and, all the people coming in expecting one thing and seeing and experiencing another. So, you kind of have to find that sweet spot. You gotta have to find that sweet spot where people understand what's going on.
And the majority of people are enjoying what's going on.
So no, for sure. You are giving some gems today. That's why I told people at the top of the episode, get your notes ready. Get your ass out.
¶ Future Plans for Charm City Table
Get ready. And so what's next for charm city table? What's next for Simone? You mentioned consulting what's on the horizon.
Yeah, I think my, my thing is always just strengthening my brain, like I said earlier, and, um, just trying to scale the impacts of what charm city table does for people and the community and small businesses and local restaurants and like, what does that mean? It means a couple things, but you know, everything's kind of still in the works. Like I said, I'm moving into like dinner hostings, which I think will be fun. Like I do that for like special events.
Like I did one with Hopkins where I was like facilitating a conversation. Oh, I love that. About like civic engagement and things like that. But I want my own, you know, Things to be like, okay, visit Baltimore,
visit Baltimore, where are you at?
That's what I want. I want it to be more of my own thing where I'm hosting these dinners and hosting these events and getting people into the culinary scene. And of course, you know, I want it to be a bit equitable. So having people who may not be able to afford that experience, but our foodies and want to enjoy the experience to enjoy it. And then people, of course, who have the resources and are just fluties and want to enjoy it.
So more of that, more connecting with people in person as opposed to offline, I think is more of my next step. So we're, we have lots of things in the works, so we'll see. I love
it. So downtown partnership. Bopa, hit her up, please.
¶ Follow Charm City Table
And then if you are, if you guys aren't following her, which I don't know how you're not, where can people follow you? What is your website? How can we keep up with all things Charm City Table?
Yes. So my main thing is Instagram. I'm on Instagram and TikTok. You can follow me at Charm City Table on Instagram. Twitter threads, but like that's X and threads, and then, uh, TikTok I'm Baltimore food blogger, and my website is charmcitytable. com. And there you can see my bio and the restaurants who I collaborate with and all those, all the fun stuff, podcasts like this will be on there eventually, all of my media opportunities and things like that. So
yeah. CharmCityTable. com. Well, you guys heard it here. We learned so much from you. Thank you so much for coming. Like I said, this is, I'm completely fangirling. You are responsible for some killer date nights. So thank you so much. Thank you. And, I hope everybody learned something. Thank you so much for joining Operations Unfiltered, everybody.