One Adventures Issue 08

APRIL 2024 | ISSUE NO. 8

one adventures

Under The Hood The makings of America’s most popular car talk radio show.

On the Road (to the World’s Best Restaurants) How the MICHELIN Guide got its start in giving stars.

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Off to the Races The Kentucky Derby celebrates 150 years. p20

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Life is beautiful if you are on the road to somewhere.

— Orhan Pamuk

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Editor-in-chief: Stacey Silipo Managing Editor: Imani Josey Lead designer: Tatjana Jovancevic Writer: Nicole Schnitzler Cover photo: Nordstroms Automotive, Inc.; Under The Hood Social media: Christi Bohnsack Imani Josey Photos and information courtesy of: Nordtroms Automotive, Inc. Under The Hood; Lucas van Oort; Eddie O’Garrio; MICHELIN Guide Restaurant and Hotels; C2 Photography, Lorenzo Franco; ATLAS; Casey Wilson; Frasca Food & Wine; The Bastion Collection; Kentucky Derby Museum; Kentucky Department of Tourism

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What does insurance have to do with adventure? At Berkley One, everything. One Adventures is a celebration of the things that keep you moving forward, with stories from entrepreneurs, foodies, designers, travelers, artists, athletes and more. At home or abroad, at work or at play—there’s adventure to be found, everywhere.

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Under The Hood The makings of America’s most popular car talk radio show.

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On the Road (to the World’s Best Restaurants) How the MICHELIN Guide got its start in giving stars.

Off to the Races

The Kentucky Derby celebrates 150 years.

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Photos: Nordstroms Automotive inc. DBA Under The Hood radio show

UNDER THE HOOD

The makings of America’s most popular car talk radio show. berkley one | one adventures | april 2024

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Russ Evans was working as an automotive electrical specialist in Sioux Falls, South Dakota when he first met Shannon Nordstrom, who was helping to run his family’s auto recycling business. “Shannon was talking with our mutual friend Ron Sabers and asked him if he knew anyone who could help one of his customers fix up a Lexus that had been in a flood—and Ron connected us,” Evans recalls. After that repair, Evans stayed in touch with Nordstrom, helping him with client projects before going on to work at Nordstrom’s shop. Shortly thereafter, Nordstrom asked Evans if he’d like to join his efforts around a different venture—Under The Hood, the weekly car talk radio show he had been hosting. berkley one | one adventures | april 2024

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Photo: Eddie O’Garrio; stylist @lysetteart

“Shannon said that the calls were getting more technical lately and asked if I’d want to come down one week and give it a go,” says Evans. After that one time, Evans made a mark—when he wasn’t there the following week, a listener called in asking where the “supertech” guy was. From that point on, Russ “Supertech” Evans joined Nordstrom for the show every week, and five years later, broadcasting veteran Chris Carter completed the team. “Chris loves cars and loves hearing about them, but he’s not a mechanic— so he keeps us from getting too technical,” says Evans. “If we have a week where one of us isn’t there, it’s just not the same— we all have a lot of fun together.”

The group’s lively dynamic and thoughtful tips have helped to grow the show exponentially over the years, today airing on its own podcast and more than two hundred fifty AM and FM stations across the country (with many of those affiliate stations facilitated by the late Vic Jacquot, longtime listener and friend). When the trio gathers and opens the call lines, they receive upwards of 20 inquiries spanning the automotive realm, covering everything from best practices in insuring cars, how to care for new drivers in the family, and what to consider regarding warranties, used car inspections, safety recalls, and beyond.

“We’ll get a call about one thing, which will prompt more people to call in,” says Evans, noting the example of someone calling with a question about their Mustang following someone’s call about their 60s Pontiac GTO. And those types of classic car inquiries, Evans notes, have been increasingly on the rise—a trend he partially attributes to the pandemic.

“We’ve been taking more calls the past three years on collector and muscle cars than ever before. To us, it seems that the pandemic sparked automotive hobbies for many, including parents and their children,” says Evans. When it comes to the shop, the team has also noticed an increase in parts requests for engine swap conversions and other restoration jobs—and a younger demographic behind them. “We’re seeing a number of individuals in their twenties and thirties getting into these street rod, muscle car, and four-door classic projects—older Impalas and Chevys; a new fuel injected engine for their 70s

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Camaro. Classic cars are becoming iconic to younger people. We’re really seeing the market take off.

Those kinds of inquiries have been so popular that the team started “Berkley One Classics: Guess the Color of the Car,” a part of the show when Evans, Nordstrom, and Carter all take their best guess on the hue of a caller’s collector vehicle.

“For a while, Shannon was winning all of them, but now we’re pretty evenly matched,” laughs Evans, who notes that the game has also invited opportunities for special audience feedback. “We’ve had a lot of our listeners say things like, ‘When you all were guessing the color of that caller’s 1967 GTO, I remembered the red 1967 GTO I had when I was younger—the one I just knew had to be red. It brought me back to those times.’”

It’s those moments of connection and nostalgia that continue to drive Evans and team to produce and grow the weekly show.

“Shannon, Chris and I are very different people, but we all love cars, and we try to share that love of cars with people,” he says. “It’s important to us that others take an interest in the classic car market and the hobby of cars— to get them asking questions and involved in the community.

Cars are more than transportation —they become a canvas as we become artists who customize them. They’re a way of connecting us all.”

Here, Evans shares key learnings from the show’s decades-long success, from those rooted in resilience to relationship.

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Never give up

Be kind

Today, Under The Hood is the largest car talk radio show in the nation, but getting there wasn’t always an easy journey. “We like to say that it only took us 30 years to become an overnight success,” says Evans, who references previous roadblocks the team faced—including syndication deals that fell through and the need to switch stations to keep their Thursday time slot. “You’ll fail 100 percent of the time if you give up—but if you don’t give up, you’re going to have wins, one at a time,” he says. “We’re still working at it, and we’ll keep going as long as we can.”

More than anything, Evans emphasizes the importance of kindness—in customer service and beyond. “At one point, Shannon connected me with someone in California who wanted to start his own car talk radio show with a couple of guys and wanted to know how to do it,” says Evans. “They had success for a few years, and when the show wrapped up, he called me saying, ‘Hey Russ, I told you I’d pay you back someday—there are more than 140 stations now looking to fill our spot, and I’d like to connect you with them.’” That assist led to more than 100 stations for Under The Hood, contributing significantly to the show’s growth—and helping Evans to remember the power of relationship. “Always treat the people you encounter well, and pay attention to what their needs are, even if it turns out to be a non-profitable situation,” he says. “They’ll remember you, and they’ll come back to you.”

Listen to everyone Evans credits much of the team’s success to their willingness to factor in everyone’s take.

Photo by Lucas van Oort on Unsplash

“Everyone out there is important, and everyone’s ideas are important,” he says, referencing the times he has thought about passing up the ideas of others on the show.

“When I have taken their advice, it’s almost always a success in some small or huge way—just because I listened to them.”

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“Shannon, Chris and I are very different people, but we all love cars, and we try to share that love of cars with people.”

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“You’ll fail 100 percent of the time if you give up. But if you don’t give up, you’re going to have wins, one at a time.”

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Photo: The Bastion Collection

On the Road

(to the World’s Best Restaurants)

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How the MICHELIN Guide got its start in giving stars. berkley one | one adventures | april 2024

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When brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their tire company in 1889 in the small town of Clermont-Ferrand, France, there were less than 3,000 cars in the country. To help encourage road tourism—and, therefore, tire sales—they developed a small red guidebook featuring useful, on-the-road information (including maps, tire-changing instructions, and locations to refuel and recharge).

Photos: Disney Parks

The company launched the MICHELIN Guide in 1900 with 35,000 copies. Upon growing demand, they debuted Guides in other European countries (beginning with Belgium in 1904). It wasn’t until the 1920s that the Guides began to include a list of restaurants by category to visit—a section that became so popular, the company began hiring anonymous diners to vet establishments. In 1926 the Guide began awarding stars to dining venues, using a single star distinction for them all—and in the decade that followed, the team determined their one-, two-, and three-star ranking system for which they are known today.

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The United States welcomed the MICHELIN Guide in 2006 with its New York City Guide, helping to bring even more recognition to the Big Apple’s thriving dining scene. In the years that followed, Michelin established its presence in other U.S. culinary capitals, such as San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington D.C.

Photos: Casey Wilson

Today, the MICHELIN Guide rates more than 15,000 establishments across more than 40 destinations.

America continues to see the Guide grow from coast to coast, each one’s arrival revealing expert restaurant picks across several categories—those that have earned a star (or multiple), the Bib Gourmand accolade (for venues featuring “good quality, good value cooking”), or a MICHELIN Recommendation (for venues using “quality ingredients that are well cooked”). Those thoughtful selections continue to spur on the hospitality industry like none other, all while carrying out much of the Michelin brothers’ original mission—to inspire adventure seekers everywhere to make restaurant bookings and pack their bags.

Colorado, Atlanta, and Miami are some of the newest parts of the United States being explored by the MICHELIN Guide’s team of anonymous inspectors.

Read on for a taste of each region’s restaurants, from once-in-a-lifetime experiences to everyday favorites.

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Photos: Lorenzo Franco.

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The Atlanta Guide features more than 40 restaurants, with nearly a dozen of them Bib Gourmand recipients (including seafood favorite Fishmonger and Southern-Korean BBQ staple Heirloom Market). Five restaurants here have received one star—visit sushi destination Hayakawa for pristine nigiri; Midtown’s Lazy Betty for refined, contemporary fare that pays familial homage, or New American mainstay Bacchanalia, where menus are rooted in seasonal, organic finds (many of which are sourced from the team’s farm). And at Atlas (pictured), experience chef Freddy Money’s tasting menu, an eight-course spectacle that changes with the seasons (available options for vegetarians and vegans, as well).

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Photos: Atlas

Photos: LindleyRust, JayNel McIntosh

Atlanta

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Photos: The Bastion Collection

Miami The MICHELIN Guide Ceremony revealing the 2024 selection for Miami, Tampa and Orlando takes place this month, but currently, Miami boasts 75 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants (including 18 Bib Gourmand recipients and a dozen starred spots). Of the former, try the house-made pastas at Michael’s Genuine, delectable pastries from Zak the Baker, and a few of the East Coast-famous pies from Lucali (an outpost of the beloved Brooklyn fixture).

Two-star restaurant L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Miami ensures a memorable experience akin to that of its global counterparts, and 11 restaurants hold a one-star designation—including El Cielo (with its Colombian-inspired cooking), sushi must The Den at Azabu, and The Four Seasons’ Surf Club Restaurant (chef Thomas Keller’s Florida debut). At Le Jardinier (pictured), culinary director Alain Verzeroli and chef de cuisine Christian Pasco Diaz serve a four-course menu reflecting their produce-driven philosophies.

Those seeking a more relaxed dining experience can find it at the restaurant’s bar, where a medley of impressive bites await (think petite lobster rolls and gruyere cheese gougeres). berkley one | one adventures | april 2024

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Photos: Frasca Food & Wine

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Colorado When the Colorado Guide launched in 2023, it brought with it 44 restaurants across the state.

Nine of them are of Bib Gourmand status, including Denver’s Hop Alley (frequented for its bold, contemporary Chinese cuisine) and Boulder’s Basta (well-praised for its innovative takes on pizzas and small plates). Five Colorado restaurants have earned a star—Denver’s Bruto, The Wolf’s Tailor, and tasting menu parlor Beckon; popular New American spot Bosq in Aspen, and in Boulder, Frasca Food & Wine (pictured), where the menu serves as love letter to Colorado and Northeast Italy. Don’t miss a chance to visit their sister spots in Denver—the musically inclined wine bar Sunday Vinyl and, for more epic Italian fare, the Bib Gourmand-clad Tavernetta.

Source: Michelin Guide USA

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Photo: Kentucky Department of Tourism, Kentucky Derby Museum

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On May 4, thousands will gather at Louisville’s Churchill Downs for the 150th Kentucky Derby. And though the event’s excitement has earned it recognition as “the fastest two minutes in sports,” America’s premier horse race has a much longer history. “The Civil War devasted the breeding and racing industries, and Kentucky horsemen needed a new venue and prominent series of races to revive it,” says Chris Goodlett, Senior Director of Curatorial and Educational Affairs with The Kentucky Derby Museum. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. (grandson of William Clark, of American explorer team Lewis and Clark) was the person for the job. Though Clark had no previous racetrack experience, he had important family connections. These led to his introduction to thoroughbreds and acquisition of land—as well as a trip to England to study racing at just 26 years old. When these factors combined, a vision took form.

the Races The Kentucky Derby celebrates 150 years.

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Photo: Kentucky Department of Tourism, Kentucky Derby Museum

The Rose Garland

In 1875, Clark and team opened Churchill Downs (then called The Louisville Jockey Club).

Things looked a bit different than they do now: there were four races instead of 14, betting was done by auction pools instead of pari-mutuel wagering, and the race distance was 1.5 miles, a quarter mile longer than today’s. In the decades since, the Derby has continued to evolve in both stature and prestige, thanks much in part to businessman Matt Winn.

The Louisville native attended the inaugural Kentucky Derby when he was just 14 years old and was instantly drawn to the sport, attending every one thereafter. Soon, he joined the Churchill Downs team to spearhead social events, launch pari-mutuel wagering, and arrange media opportunities to ensure ongoing success for the race and the grounds.

His efforts paid off—today, Churchill Downs welcomes more than 150,000 visitors to its gates each year, keeping the spectacle alive for more than a century.

The winning Derby horse and jockey first received a wreath of roses and bouquet in 1896—but it wasn’t until several decades later that the iconic garland of roses became an official Derby tradition. In 1932, Louisville floral shop owner Grace Walker began making the masterpiece—a practice her daughter Betty Korfhage continued until 1984 when she sold the business.

A few years later Kroger won the right to recreate it, now featuring more than 400 Freedom Roses (including one for each Derby starter, with a back lining featuring the Churchill logo on one end, and the seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky on the other). The showpiece helped The Kentucky Derby to become known as the “Race for the Roses” thanks to sportswriter Bill Corum, who later became president of Churchill Downs in the 1950s.

Traditions along the way have helped, too. From ice-cold concoctions to Hot Browns, here are a few of the event’s most prominent ones—and what kicked them off and has kept them going.

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The Mint Julep

Fashion

Food and Drink

The mint julep—that Derby Day dram of bourbon, mint, and sugar—has a history longer than the Derby itself, dating back— some bourbon historians have determined— to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Many believe the cocktail made its debut at the track in 1875 and became a quick favorite—enough so that its loss was deeply felt during Prohibition times (as recorded in the Thoroughbred Record: “While the forty-fifth Kentucky Derby will long be remembered for many reasons, it will always be remembered as the last Derby when that most delectable of drinks, Kentucky’s own concoction, the famous Mint Julep, was available to take the sting from defeat and give edge to victory”). In 1938, Churchill Downs water glasses began disappearing from the dining areas, prompting management to charge an extra 25 cents for them and let guests keep them. Sales skyrocketed when the team began using them for mint juleps, and the glassware soon turned into a prized collector item. Since its 1938 inception, the Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass annual production has grown from less than 100,000 to today’s 700,000.

After witnessing the finesse and extravagance of European horse racing firsthand, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. was determined to bring a similar experience back to the States.

Clark’s vision for track customs, alongside his wife Mary’s input, helped to draw both men and women to the then Louisville Jockey Club over the years. At the inaugural 1875 Derby, Mary and friends donned their finest and rode through town in open carriages, inviting socialites to attend—efforts that drew more than 10,000 of Louisville’s bestdressed guests. Hats became an even bigger part of the picture during the 1960s, when televised events encouraged spectators to further hone their fashion choices for a chance to meet the big screen.

Pair up a julep with one of the track’s traditional Kentucky foods—burgoo, BBQ, country ham—or those that shine a light on the Louisville region, specifically: Benedictine, Derby Pie from Kern’s Kitchen, or a hot brown from the Brown Hotel, a beloved open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and Mornay sauce. And then, there are the sweets—Rebecca Ruth Candy is a Kentucky staple that has garnered praise over the years for their bourbonchocolate selection.

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Your classic drives you.

Insuring it drives us.

We get it—your classic is special. You drive it differently. It’s valued differently. And honestly, it needs to be insured differently. That’s where the expertise of Berkley One Classics makes all the difference. Like you, we’re a bit obsessed with collector vehicles, and equally committed to delivering the best coverage and the highest level of personal service.

Talk your your agent about insuring your collector vehicles with Berkley One and visit berkleyone.com/classics to request a quote.

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