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Amanda Long

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Articles

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Teaching Columbia’s Future Chefs

In 2014, Ashley Nichols used her self-taught kitchen expertise and founded Back 2 Basics Cooking, a program that offers beginning-level cooking classes for ages 3 and up. “I didn’t...

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Cookin’ With Hoss

In one way or another, Jim “Hoss” Koetting and his wife, Trish, have been serving the Columbia community for nearly 40 years. Even though Hoss (a nickname he...

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Endless Pasta-bilities at Pasta La Fata

The Pasta La Fata story is filled with twists, turns, and authentic, made-from-scratch kinds of pasta — and that’s only the beginning. Michelle “Shelly” La Fata says she...

Amy and Mike Atkinson stand inside their shop|A baker lays fresh Carmel into a tray of chocolate in a kitchen at the Candy Factory|Valentines day themed box of assorted chocolate produced by the candy factory|behind the scenes of the candy factory where a tray of caramels is being coated with a layer of chocolate by a automated machine|Owners of the Candy Factory

A sweet legacy in downtown Columbia

An iconic, family-owned business and cornerstone of downtown Columbia for nearly 50 years, The Candy Factory continues to produce gourmet, handmade confections that delight the senses.  To step...

founder and owner of Main Squeeze in Columbia Missouri|Stocked shelves filled with product at Main Squeeze storefront|Leigh Lockhart behind the bakery counter at Main Squeeze|Close up of bakery item and smoothie offered at Main Squeeze|A close up of products in the fridge at Main Squeeze|Interior of Main Squeeze stocked storefront filled with goods|exterior view of Main Squeeze storefront|view of stocked shelves with pantry items at the Main Squeeze|view of decorated shelves with plant propagation jars

Find Dining: Plants for the People

Entrepreneur, environmentalist, philanthropist, and vegetarian are just a few words that describe Leigh Lockhart, founder and owner of the recently revamped Main Squeeze Juice Bar & Market. “We’re...

Amanda Rainey standing behind the counter|Owner of Goldie's Bagels

Everything and the New York-style bagel

Earlier this year, Goldie’s Bagels transformed from pop-up shop located inside local restaurant Pizza Tree, owned by Amanda Rainey and John Gilbreth, to an expanded eatery with a...

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Lifting Up Others

Missionary Larry Mills was changed by what he saw during a trip to Africa in 1994: A woman crawling through the grass carrying her child on her back...

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A Time to Give Thanks

A Columbia tradition for 23 years, “Everybody Eats” was founded by the late Columbia City Councilmember and community advocate Almeta Crayton who began the event in 1997 with...

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Community is the New Currency 

Originally from Shady Grove, Louisiana, Lester Woods Jr. moved to Missouri in 1993 to pursue a master’s degree in public administration from MU.  But it was Lester’s dissertation...

looking at the menu. Lush green grass and trees surround the area

Rolling in With Baja-Midwest Fusion

Originally from Baja, California, George Nickols, the proprietor and chef de cuisine for Lilly’s Cantina, grew up in a big family with a distinct heritage — Mexican American...