Eric Scheffer is a chef and restaurateur who has been a pioneering figure in Asheville’s food scene for more than 25 years.

Eric is the founder of the restaurant group behind Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, Gan Shan, and The Majestic, his newest restaurant, which opened this summer. He also helped establish the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, an organization dedicated to supporting the city's locally owned restaurants.

Along the way, Eric has navigated some of the restaurant industry’s biggest challenges, including the Covid pandemic and Hurricane Helene.

In this episode, Eric reflects on Asheville’s evolution into a nationally recognized food destination, the importance of tourism to the local economy, and what it takes to build and sustain a restaurant business through changing times.

We also discuss the memories that inspire his restaurants, what makes the oysters at Jettie Rae’s so special, and some of his favorite dishes across the restaurant group.

The Scheffer Group
thescheffergroup.com

The Majestic
themajesticavl.com
Follow The Majestic on Facebook and Instagram

Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian
vinniesitalian.com
Follow Vinnie’s on Facebook and Instagram

Jettie Rae’s Oyster House
jettieraes.com
Follow Jettie Rae’s on Facebook and Instagram

Gan Shan
ganshanavl.com
Follow Gan Shan on Facebook and Instagram

Theme Music
The song "Goa" was written by Lyndsay Pruett and performed by the Jon Stickley Trio.

Learn more about On the Blue Ridge and sign up for updates at ontheblueridgepod.com.

Jessica Tomasin is the owner of Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville.

Housed in a former church in downtown Asheville, Echo Mountain has been a fixture of the region's music scene for 20 years, welcoming everyone from local musicians to internationally known artists.

Jessica has been part of Echo Mountain since the beginning, serving as its longtime studio manager. But in April 2025, Echo Mountain announced that it was closing. For a while, it looked like the end of an era.

Then, last December, Jessica announced that she had acquired the studio and would reopen it.

In this episode, Jessica shares her journey from longtime studio manager to owner of Echo Mountain Recording, what it took to bring the studio back after its announced closure, and why she felt it was worth saving. We also talk about memorable recording sessions, the importance of community in music, and her work with the Connect Beyond Festival.

Echo Mountain Recording
echomountain.net
Follow Echo Mountain on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

Connect Beyond Festival
connectbeyondfestival.com

Impractical Instruments
impracticalinstruments.com

Heartbeat Sessions
artsforlifenc.org/heartbeat-sessions/

Oakland Rising
youtube.com/watch?v=HUx_nPaa-Vk

Theme Music
The song "Goa" was written by Lyndsay Pruett and performed by the Jon Stickley Trio.

Learn more about On the Blue Ridge and sign up for updates at ontheblueridgepod.com.

For the first time in more than 80 years, the PGA Tour returned to the Asheville area for the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove.

Host Jon Page spends tournament week behind the scenes, exploring what it takes to bring a PGA Tour event to Western North Carolina, and what it means for a region still recovering from Hurricane Helene to have an international spotlight.

Along the way, Jon rides along with the golf course superintendent, meets some of the more than 1,100 volunteers helping make the tournament run, and sees how organizers prepare for everything from thousands of spectators to unpredictable mountain weather. He also talks with PGA Tour players, tournament organizers, local business owners, nonprofit leaders, and visitors from across the country.

This episode also explores the tournament’s impact beyond the course, from an expected multimillion-dollar boost to the local economy to more than $625,000 raised for charities across Western North Carolina.

And, there’s a little golf. Western Carolina University graduate J.T. Poston makes a Sunday charge up the leaderboard, while Jacob Bridgeman, who grew up just across the state line in Upstate South Carolina, closes with a career-low round to become the tournament’s inaugural champion.

It’s a story about golf, tourism, community, recovery, and the enormous amount of work happening behind the scenes when the PGA Tour comes to Asheville.

Biltmore Championship Asheville
biltmorechampionship.com

The Cliffs
cliffsliving.com

Biltmore Estate
biltmore.com

Explore Asheville
exploreasheville.com

Theme Music
The song "Goa" was written by Lyndsay Pruett and performed by the Jon Stickley Trio.

Learn more about On the Blue Ridge and sign up for updates at ontheblueridgepod.com.