“Eats + Beats” is a show where chefs and music producers break bread and chop it up—literally. Featured guests find connection and commonality in how they move from inspiration to execution to final product.

KaTisha J. Smittick is a proud D.C. area native whose remarkable journey began with eleven years of service as a decorated staff sergeant in the U.S. Army. Today, she channels her passion and discipline into the culinary world as the founder of Mental Meals, and into the creative arts as the CEO of Mental Mayhem Photography, a vibrant creative agency based in D.C.

Nick “tha 1da” Hernandez is a DJ, producer, and sound designer from Baltimore. He has been scoring soundtracks for local and international artists for over twenty-five years.

This event will happen in-person, live on the National Mall, during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on July 2-7, 2025. It will be livestreamed for online audiences and remain archived on our YouTube channel and website.