In addition to her duties as an account coordinator with The Dalton Agency, Kassi Hite, a self-described “food chick,” is the newest host of Ch. 4’s monthly segment, “The Dish.”
THE DISH?
“It’s a live segment where we’re not really critiquing food as much as we’re getting publicity for restaurants in Jacksonville.” She signed on to host the segment for free until October. “A lot of times word-of-mouth advertising isn’t enough to guarantee a restaurant’s success, so you need to get together and execute an advertising and marketing plan. A lot of restaurant owners are hesitant to do it, but it definitely helps.”
WHY FOOD?
“I have a huge interest in food and restaurants. I worked in restaurants for years and even paid my way through college working as a bartender. I also think it’s amazing how food in Jacksonville is changing. It’s getting sexier, if you know what I mean. More and more people are demanding a higher quality of food so we’re seeing the kinds of restaurants that you didn’t see here for a long time. Restaurants like Bistro Aix and Mathews are setting a new standard where it’s more than just sitting down and eating. It’s an experience.”
CAN SHE COOK?
“I love to cook. My speciality is bruschetta with goat cheese and whenever I get together with friends or people from the office, they tell me to make it. Finger foods are my favorite”
FAVORITE BOOK?
“Believe it or not, it’s ‘The Joy of Cooking.’ That book is the food bible, if you ask me. I use it all the time in the kitchen.”
FAMILY IN JACKSONVILLE?
“Just me and my fiance. He’s a sous chef at Roy’s.” They plan to marry in May and will reside in Ponte Vedra Beach. “I was never really into living near the water until I came to Jacksonville. Now I love it. I like to think as Jacksonville as a bigger city with a small town feel to it.”
HER ROOTS?
Hite, the oldest of three girls, is from Gainesville and is an alumnus of the University of Florida. She graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations.
HOBBIES.
“I obviously love to eat out, but I also enjoy entertaining and traveling.”
HER TRAVELS?
“Nowhere sexy, mostly places in the Southeast.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
“One day I’d like to have my own show on The Food Network. I’ve always wanted to be a food critic and I think I’d a have a lot of fun hosting a show in front of an audience.”
— by J. Brooks Terry