The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on everyone's lives. Despite the hardships, for Ashley and Dustin Hendel, something positive was born of it: Foodies of Franklin. According to Ashley, "It all started during the pandemic in quarantine. We were always posting about the food we cook at home. We have a lot of friends in the restaurant industry and were hearing their stories, so we then decided to encourage people and let them know that you could go out and eat safely. One of our favorite places was on the verge of shutting down. But you can still go out and you can still support local businesses. We just started the page from there."
The couple, married for nine years with two children, also addressed the need of people continually seeking restaurant recommendations. "We go out and try different places all the time. I follow a lot of foodies in Nashville, but there wasn't really anyone doing this in Franklin." Their audience is a combination of people traveling to the area as well as locals. Ashley continues, "It's not a job. It's a hobby we just enjoy. We weren't trying to make this a big money maker or anything. We're open to seeing where this goes. We'd love to connect with more local restaurants and get more business for them."
While they don't claim to be professional chefs, they love sharing all things food and drink including what they cook at home. "We've done cooking classes - cooking with bacon - cooking with beer. My husband is an amazing cook. He loves to smoke meat and cure bacon. I love to cook too. We have a whole family recipe cookbook that I love to use. My mom's margarita recipe is in there. It's super simple and so good."
For local and inspiring food and beverage ideas, follow Ashley and Dustin on Instagram at @foodiesoffranklintn.