05/09/2026
Happy Spring y'all,
We had two very special guests yesterday and we feel compelled to share their journey, the incredible young man who inspired their trek to Lot 12 and the documentary that we are honored to play a small part in.
Back in 2018, we were contacted by a team representing a young man who had been diagnosed with a serious cancer on the eve of his 17th birthday. Ali had a passion for food and his mother devised a plan to create a journey across the United States to inspire hope, look forward to the future and literally *eat* his way across the country. We were honored to be his first stop across his multi-year journey.
He arrived on a beautiful spring day, enjoyed the Berkeley Springs Farmers Market, and dined outside during a perfect spring evening. We were so lucky that year to have a bountiful harvest of elusive morel mushrooms; his mom can be seen *licking the plate* during the appetizer course in the video/trailer 😁, Ali's expression is priceless.
Fast forward a few years, we were contacted by the production company to sign release forms, etc. and were so happy to hear that Ali was continuing his journey. He had also made an impression with famous chefs along the way. Jose Andreas, Wolfgang Puck and Ali's favorite inspiration, the late Anthony Bourdain, had all helped this young man realize his dream of experiencing the best of America.
Last Sunday, we received a call requesting dinner reservations for Friday, May 8th by a woman named Mary. Mary went on to explain that she had just attended a showing of "Ali Eats America" at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in
Dubuque, Iowa and was coming to West Virginia... for dinner...with us.
She shared her experience of attending the film festival and that Ali had completed his cancer treatment successfully. At the conclusion of the showing, the host surprised the attendees with the announcement that Ali was there that night. He came out onto the stage to an overwhelming standing ovation and the audience was in tears. Ali is now a thriving 26 year old, in remission, and the film is being shown at film festivals across the country and internationally.
Mary and her lovely husband, Seiji, arrived last evening and we were so honored to welcome them. Truly two of the kindest individuals we've encountered 🥰
We hope that Ali continues to have a healthy future and that his story continues to inspire. And we thank his mom, the production team and his doctors for helping this young man realize his dreams! 💕
Cheers Ali! 🍷
Ali Eats America: Documentary
