Running a restaurant might seem like a dream come true — good food, great vibes, and the chance to serve up joy on a plate.

But what’s cooking behind the scenes? It’s a never-ending dance of balancing budgets, managing people, and surviving the pressure of every customer, every order, and every shift.

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about what it takes to start and manage a restaurant — and keep it open.

Guests:

• Stephanie Shimp is the president and founder of Blue Plate Restaurant Company, which owns nine restaurants including Highland Grill, The Lowry and The Blue Barn at the Minnesota State Fair.
• Joy Summers is a food and drink reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune.
• Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter officially recognized June as Black Music Month to honor the influence of Black musicians and artists in shaping American music.

It's a reminder that Black music has been at the heart of almost every sound we know and love, including jazz, blues, rock, R&B, gospel, hip hop and even country.

And in Minnesota, we’ve felt the impact — from the legacy of Prince to the Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Gary Hines, the founder of Sounds of Blackness, about the history and influence of Black artists across all musical genres.

Guests:

• Gary Hines is the founder, music director and producer of Sounds of Blackness, a Grammy Award-winning vocal and instrumental group from Minnesota that blends gospel, R&B, soul and jazz music.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.  

Most Americans are eating and drinking far more sugar than is good for us. It’s easy to do.

Sugar is added to everything from breakfast cereals and flavored coffee creamers to salad dressings and pasta sauces.

And all of that sugar can add up. Americans consume an average of 17 teaspoons of sugar a day with some estimates as high as 34 teaspoons a day. That's about three times the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently said, “Sugar is poison,” and recommends that Americans consume “zero” added sugar.

So how much is too much? MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a doctor and a dietitian about what sugar does to our bodies and ways to cut back to improve our health.

Guests:

• Dr. Allison Estrada is an endocrinologist at Hennepin HealthCare.
• Alex Larson is a registered dietitian nutritionist based near Duluth.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.