Guests at Umami Amora on Friday, June 19, will have dishes inspired by emotion from seven Black Memphis chefs. 

Groovy Gratitude owner Alicia Dixon and Shroomlicious owner Daishu McGriff joined me on “Sound Bites” to talk about their businesses and what they’ve learned hosting food events in Memphis. They also discuss the Juneteenth Umami Amora dinner, which was sold out as of press time.

Listen to the full episode at the bottom of this article.

Meet Alicia and Daishu

Dixon’s background in pharmaceutical startups and the experience of opening a smoothie shop in Jamaica with her father led her to open Groovy Gratitude at 605 N. Second St. in Uptown.

The cafe, which offers juices, smoothies, wraps and sandwiches, has just marked its second anniversary in the North Memphis neighborhood.

“Corporate America, I thought that was my thing, … but Memphis brings out the creativity in you,” Dixon said about her transition to running a restaurant.

True to the name, music and vibes are an important part of the experience. “We just want to have fun and be a part of a peaceful day for you,” she said.

McGriff returns to the podcast for a second time this year; listen to her first episode here.

She is still searching for a perfect brick-and-mortar location for her Shroomlicious plant-focused restaurant concept but is keeping busy in the meantime. She’s running a traveling Shroomtopia pop-up in different cities and co-hosting events with Cxffeeblack.

Umami Amora 2016 Juneteenth dinner

McGriff and Dixon will come together along with a host of other Memphis chefs and business owners to host the second annual Umami Amora dinner Friday, June 19, from 7 to 9 p.m.

This year’s theme is the Harlem Renaissance, and guests are encouraged to wear shades of brown for the outdoor seated dinner.

“I want … Juneteenth to be a celebration of Black chefs where people can see the love through food, … but I also want to expose chefs that people have not heard of or they need to know about,” McGriff said in the interview.

McGriff shared what she made last year for the Umami Amora 2025 dinner, a dish inspired by the “bliss” of cookouts with her cousins growing up.

Dixon talked about a dream of hers that’s coming true soon — and about the Summer Soulstice event at Grind City Brewing on June 27.

Also on the podcast, I make an awkward confession to McGriff (she forgives me), and we talk about each of their successes — and “learning experiences” — they’ve had hosting many different kinds of food events. What makes a food event successful? Is there a formula? We discuss.