Restaurateur, chef, and experience-architect Rose Previte doesn’t just run restaurants—she builds worlds. The creative force behind Compass Rose, Maydān, and the new Maydān Market in LA joins Spike to talk about crafting spaces that connect people through fire, flavor, and story.
From convincing Georgian ambassadors she wasn’t a spy to fighting neighborhood boards for her liquor license, Rose shares how she turned her Sicilian-Lebanese heritage and global travels into one of DC’s most distinctive culinary voices. This episode dives into identity, hospitality, and the art of creating places that feel like home—filled with the warmth of oak smoke and za’atar.
On The Menu This Episode:
– The small Sicilian village where everyone shares Rose’s last name
– Growing up Lebanese and Sicilian in small-town Ohio with homemade sausage in the basement
– Convincing a Georgian ambassador she wasn’t a spy while trying to import cheese
– Why Compass Rose was born on a Trans-Siberian train ride
– The fight to open her first restaurant (and win a liquor license battle with angry neighbors)
– Building Maydān around live fire and learning to let the flames lead
– Why she’s reclaiming the word “chef” for the women who taught her to cook
– The origin of “No White Plates” and designing experiences instead of perfect plating
– Opening Maydān Market in LA and bringing her gathering-place philosophy west
– Finding connection, identity, and purpose through food, travel, and story
Listen & Connect With Us Here: https://linktr.ee/intheweeds.pod
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Events DC is the official convention and sports authority for the District and a key player in making some of DC’s most exciting events and experiences happen. From world-class sports to cultural festivals and everything in between, they help power the energy of the city. Visit eventsdc.com to see what they are cooking up!
DC Central Kitchen is an iconic nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. The organization provides hands-on culinary job training for individuals facing high barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed. To learn more, please visit dccentralkitchen.org
