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For the Love of Here is a podcast about Dalton, Georgia and life across Northwest Georgia—from local businesses and entrepreneurship to community leadership and hometown pride.
Hosts Erika Mosteller and Lauren Sneary sit down with founders, civic leaders, creatives, and neighbors from Dalton, Chatsworth, Ringgold, and Calhoun to talk about the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping our region.
If you care about small-town business, local culture, economic growth, and building a life where you live, this podcast is for you.
Because you don’t need a bigger city. You just need a better lens.
Produced by Here Local Media.
Ep06
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Sausage Balls Banter
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[00:00:00]
Lauren Sneary: Well, hello, and welcome to another episode of the "Love of Here" podcast. Erica, how's it going today?
Erika Mosteller: It's great, and I'm excited to tell you, Lauren, that I finally tried the sausage balls at Table 43
Lauren Sneary: Let's
Erika Mosteller: you raved about them so much, and they were worth the hype. I have to-
Lauren Sneary: I just, I was hoping that that was the case.
great intro and segue, by the way, because we are gonna be talking about food today. Because here with us we
Erika Mosteller: We
Lauren Sneary: our first,
remote call-in guest somebody who is from Dalton but is no longer in Dalton, but I'm sure has a [00:01:00] great Dalton story to share with us.
We have Josh
Taylor on the podcast. So he was born and raised in Dalton,
stayed in Dalton all through high school, and in fact, if I can say it, Josh was a coffee house legend. Everybody knew how good this guy was at guitar and music. And he took that on into his later life, which hopefully we'll, we'll get into. He spent some time in Park City, Utah, but is now based out of Charleston, South Carolina, at his restaurant, Lost Isle. So we're gonna get into his Dalton story about, you know, where he came from and how he got to where he is today.
So Josh, welcome to the podcast. Thank you for being here.
Josh Taylor: excited to be here. Thanks for having me.
Lauren Sneary: I should disclose to the podcast listeners that I know Josh pretty well because he is, in fact, my brother-in-law. So I have a lot of questions that, you know, I know based on your history, but I'll let Erika kind of get us started with some questions she has maybe about your background with Dalton.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. So Josh, I Googled you 'cause I don't know you. It's nice to officially meet
Josh Taylor: to meet
Erika Mosteller: you. [00:02:00] And yeah, you're kind of a big deal. Thanks for being on our podcast today. This is really cool.
Josh Taylor: you're
Lauren Sneary: Yeah,
Josh Taylor: might be a little bit of nepotism, but maybe not.
Lauren Sneary: no
Erika Mosteller: Hey, that's okay. We'll take it. We're just thankful for the connection 'cause now I'm actually coming to Charleston this summer, and I'm hopeful that that means I get to eat at your restaurant, which is pretty exciting.
Josh Taylor: know.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah, so I was, you know, reading about you on, you know, some small-time publications, The New York Times, Southern Living.
Lauren Sneary: deal,
Erika Mosteller: Yeah, no so it's really cool.
Dalton Kitchen Roots
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Erika Mosteller: I didn't realize your story started at a restaurant with your mom. So I would love for you to talk about when you first fell in love with the kitchen, and it sounds like that started in Dalton, so I think that'd be a fun place to, to get off.
Josh Taylor: my mom actually had a little restaurant downtown, a little cafe. I think I was probably maybe eight years old and she had me washing dishes, bussing tables, cleaning floors, doing whatever. It's Kinda where the whole thing started. Kinda gotta-- got into the business early and then worked at a [00:03:00] few different places around town after that. Shout out to the West Walnut Café. yeah.
Yeah, yeah, So that was kinda my second job. But yeah, it got started with my mom and got started early and kinda got the bug and just kept it going from there.
Lauren Sneary: I
Erika Mosteller: What was the name of her restaurant?
Josh Taylor: the Sweet Basil Café. I can still remember the name.
Erika Mosteller: Okay. Was it Asian food?
Josh Taylor: No, no, no. It was a little, just a little like homey café. She did like chicken salad sandwiches and stuff to go and, yeah, it was a cool little spot though.
Erika Mosteller: Okay. A little Dalton nostalgia there. That was before my time. Lauren, do you remember eating
Lauren Sneary: really don't, but
Erika Mosteller: there?
Lauren Sneary: Walnut Cafe, absolutely. That place was
Josh Taylor: Yeah,
Lauren Sneary: excellent.
Josh Taylor: was across the street from I think where the parking lot is downtown, the big multi-story parking lot. It was like on the other side of that street.
Lauren Sneary: Oh, yeah.
Music First Then Culinary
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Lauren Sneary: So I guess my question for you following that is, did you always know that you wanted to go into food? Like, were you going through high school like, "I don't need to worry about college 'cause I'm definitely going to a culinary program"? Like, how did that come about?
Josh Taylor: no [00:04:00] sense. No, I didn't go to college because I thought I was gonna be a musician. Yeah, cooking food and working in restaurants and bars just kinda afforded me a lifestyle to be able to make some money to pay my bills, but also be able to play music and kinda tour around a little bit and, the food thing never really-- I never really thought it was gonna be a, a, career for me. And then I ended up dating a girl in Athens when I moved to Athens, Georgia, and she convinced me to go to culinary school in Athens, and that's where it kinda took off a little bit more and, and started getting a little bit more serious about it.
Erika Mosteller: So when you-- Well,
Lauren Sneary: ahead,
Erika Mosteller: I was just thinking when you were growing up in Dalton, they probably didn't have like the culinary arts programs here that we have now. Was that a thing?
Josh Taylor: not at
Erika Mosteller: Okay.
Josh Taylor: No.
Lauren Sneary: Well,
Josh Taylor: Yeah,
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: I feel like this is...
Josh Taylor: Hold
Lauren Sneary: Sorry, we're not used to the remote process yet. over each other is a
Erika Mosteller: You're
Lauren Sneary: that
Erika Mosteller: our guinea pig, Josh.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah, you are guinea pig.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: even know what I was gonna say. It wasn't important.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah, honestly, me neither. So I'm just gonna
Erika Mosteller: There
Lauren Sneary: into my next question.
Erika Mosteller: we [00:05:00] go.
Leaving Dalton For Athens
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Lauren Sneary: I know that you, you landed in Charleston, but you went a, a couple other places first. So you left Dalton,
Josh Taylor: Mm-hmm.
Lauren Sneary: And then come back have, is that we couldn't wait to get out. You know, it felt like we were meant for bigger or better things maybe, or that Dalton didn't have, you know, what we wanted to, to pursue next steps with. So do you remember what you were kind of thinking about as you left Dalton and, and what that meant to you, what your next steps were gonna be?
Josh Taylor: kinda goes back to music again, funny enough. My drummer in Dalton had moved, to Athens, and so I was like the next- Jack
Lauren Sneary: Shout out Jack
Josh Taylor: Jack Hitchens. So yeah, we both ended up in Athens after that, kinda wanting to play some music, and that's how I ended up there. then, of course, did the culinary thing and ended up working at a French restau-restaurant there as well. So yeah, the, the music and the, and the food always kinda tied together. But yeah, definitely moved to Athens kinda trying to pursue a little bit bigger stage as far as music goes, and then kinda went [00:06:00] from there.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah, and I think you c- you probably can't say this because you are a humble person, but so that our listeners know Josh is one of the most
Erika Mosteller: What was the
Lauren Sneary: in and out of Dalton.
Park City Band Era
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Lauren Sneary: So I actually think you have-- You can still probably find on Spotify and iTunes the band that you put together in Park City, Utah, right?
Josh Taylor: Yeah, the records are still out there.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Erika Mosteller: band? What's the band called?
Josh Taylor: The Sideshow Ramblers. We put out a couple of records. The last one I'm really proud of. It was a great one.
Erika Mosteller: Cool.
Lauren Sneary: I have it
Erika Mosteller: So
Lauren Sneary: CD.
Erika Mosteller: what-- Out on CD. That's awesome. So what made you shift away from music more towards the culinary arts and, and being a chef?
Josh Taylor: Honestly, I didn't really get super far away from music until I moved to Charleston. From Athens I moved to Park City, Utah, and I, I did get deeper into food out there. I worked at a few places. But again, I did it to play music and I, I [00:07:00] put a really cool band-- excuse me, really cool band together out there. Did a little touring with them, put out the two records. But then at that point in time I met a really cool chef who kinda like mentored me and kinda like talked me into getting a little bit more serious about it. And then at that same time I ended up getting my first exec chef job when I was 28 out there. and then that's when it really kinda-- the food thing kinda started taking off more seriously for me when I decided, oh, it is gonna be a career, so here we go.
Lauren Sneary: So here we go.
Back South To Charleston
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Lauren Sneary: did you come back to Charleston or did you go to Charleston because you were kinda drawn back to the South or that's where the opportunities were? Like, what, what took you to Charleston?
Josh Taylor: I mean, obviously living, living out west was amazing. I loved it out there. But yeah, I d- definitely missed the South and missed being a little closer to family and you guys and, so trying to figure out a happy spot to land where I'd be really close to family but still be pretty independent on my own was Charleston, 'cause most of our family lives in Savannah now. so that's only a couple hours away. And [00:08:00] then Dalton's not super far either. It's a quick flight from Charleston, which is nice. Straight to Chattanooga.
Lauren Sneary: Love Chattanooga.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Thai Flavors Meet Southern
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Erika Mosteller: So it sounds like from what I've read online and just from looking at your menu of your restaurant, which kind of made me drool a little bit, I'll just be honest, like the cauliflower steak and like all the different spices that you use. I'd love to hear more about the Asian influence that you-- really inspired you and that you kind of fused with Southern cuisine.
Josh Taylor: Yeah, yeah, I grew up with a bunch of Asian friends, honestly, in my neighborhood. And I ended up working at one of my friend's dad's Chinese restaurant was in high school. So that was kinda my first introduction to, to working in a, a Asian restaurant. And then I-- honestly, I grew up doing martial arts, and then I was trained in Muay Thai, so I got really into Thai food. Did that for a few years and then ended up getting the chance to go to Thailand, and then went to Thailand and tried food for, for two weeks straight in Thailand and, and just got really into it. and then worked for some chefs that had a lot of world cuisine influence in their food. and that's, [00:09:00] that's kinda where that came from.
But yeah, I, I love those flavors and it's, it's really easy to make nice, almost healthy food with all those flavors and not have to, to fry everything and, make everything super crunchy. But yeah, that's where all that came from
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. Did I see something about some sort of Thai boxing or something that you did? Did I see this online as well?
Josh Taylor: I used to train Muay Thai, yeah, Thai boxing. So that's where I got that, that's
Erika Mosteller: Okay, I didn't know that.
Josh Taylor: food, and I've all kinds of Thai
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: I just love that, that area. Southeast Asia's really amazing. Those flavors just really speak to me for some reason.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: one of the coolest combos I think on the menu, or at least one of the most popular of that kind of Southern and then Thai infusion, I would say are the collard greens,
Josh Taylor: Mm-hmm.
Erika Mosteller: Mm.
Lauren Sneary: unbelievable, those collard
Erika Mosteller: I read about those. That is on the
Lauren Sneary: Google reviews, people are like, "Collard greens,
Erika Mosteller: Yes.
Josh Taylor: it's, it's wild. Well, they were on the menu day one, and I didn't really know what people were gonna think about them, and, I can't take them off. They're gonna [00:10:00] be on the menu for as long as we're open.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: greens."
Erika Mosteller: So I would love to know about your creative process. Like, when you get inspiration for a dish how do you take it from the inspiration to, "Oh, this is worth being on the menu"?
Josh Taylor: Yeah, it's a lot of... I got, I got lucky to have a lot of good cooks around me and a lot of people that, that taste food with me. I usually, I read a lot of cookbooks. I read a lot about food and where it comes from. cause I grew up eating Southern food with my grandma, for sure. So I like to put those two together. But yeah, the whole inspiration usually is, is seeing something or reading about it, and then trying to find our spin for it.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. That's cool.
Dalton Food Throwbacks
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Erika Mosteller: So are there any favorite dishes in Dalton that you remember growing up that are still around, the restaurants still here? Oh,
Josh Taylor: I can't remember the name of the place. It was on the corner where the old Kroger used to be, but the chicken tenders there, the chicken fingers with the honey mustard were awesome.
Erika Mosteller: wait.
Lauren Sneary: what-- Is it Kelly's? Lizzy's, Lizzy's. It was Lizzy's. Oh my God, their
Erika Mosteller: Lizzy's Deli?
Josh Taylor: I think it was
Lauren Sneary: I, I think so.
Josh Taylor: But it [00:11:00] was, like, right there on the
Erika Mosteller: Okay. 'Cause there...
Josh Taylor: yeah, their chicken tenders with honey mustard were awesome.
Lauren Sneary: Absolutely. Great call. Great throwback.
Josh Taylor: it back.
Erika Mosteller: I love it. Well, I feel like isn't somebody reopening a restaurant called Lizzy's maybe that was around when y'all were younger and now they're trying to bring it back and, like, use the
Lauren Sneary: I
Erika Mosteller: old menu?
Lauren Sneary: one
Erika Mosteller: Yeah, right.
Josh Taylor: They better
Lauren Sneary: that, that ha-
Erika Mosteller: Right?
Lauren Sneary: the high schoolers at least loved those chicken tendies, that is for sure.
Erika Mosteller: That's great.
Dalton Dining Boom
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Lauren Sneary: Josh, we talk a lot about with our guests and in general about the food scene in Dalton now. And I know it's, it's been a while maybe since you've been back, but it's really crazy.
Like when you and I were growing up, actually you're way older than me, so when, you know, you were growing up, but also when I was growing up in Dalton, there just wasn't as much, right? There were a lot of chains. And we still have that, but we have so many local places now and so many different types of cuisine.
So I wondered if you'd, you know, been back recently and had, you know, a view at how much has changed in our food scene in Dalton.
Josh Taylor: the [00:12:00] last few times I've been back it's been amazing. I mean, TJ opened in Cyrus, that place was really cool. I had dinner with there with you guys. I think that, that's the name of it,
Lauren Sneary: Mm-hmm.
Josh Taylor: Cyrus?
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: that place
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: There was another... forget what it was. Arepa place or something. to see all the different
Lauren Sneary: Oh, yeah. They ac- they've actually closed.
Erika Mosteller: I know.
Lauren Sneary: they
Erika Mosteller: placed.
Lauren Sneary: I know. But there are so many different Latin American cuisine restaurants. So it used to be like, "Oh yeah, go to Dalton for like Mexican food," and of course we have amazing Mexican food, but there's so many other regional cuisines now.
Erika Mosteller: Mm-hmm.
Lauren Sneary: just, love it.
Josh Taylor: It's amazing to see it, and then the breweries opening up and, and I mean, yeah, downtown
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: concerts and
Lauren Sneary: we're doing it.
Josh Taylor: it's really cool to see it.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Pop Up Dreams And Music
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Lauren Sneary: So I know you love Charleston, but we're gonna keep pitching you on Dalton 'cause,
Josh Taylor: Yes.
Erika Mosteller: plan, Josh, is to get you to come back and do like a secret dinner for [00:13:00] us and other Daltons at some point, you know, in all your time. Wouldn't that be so fun?
Josh Taylor: be sweet. Somebody let me in their kitchen for a
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: a pop-up, like secret chef.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. Yeah. Super fun.
Lauren Sneary: music too. I mean, we should keep tying these two passions together.
Josh Taylor: That used to be the thing, coming back and playing for Christmas at the Depot every year when we were in college,
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: was always a fun one.
Lauren Sneary: I was just telling Erica before we started recording the podcast that one of my favorite
Erika Mosteller: Big
Lauren Sneary: over the Christmas holidays was you, you got the band back together with Jack put on a little two-man show at Dalton Brewing Company and asked me to come, you know, do some vocals on
Erika Mosteller: time.
Lauren Sneary: like, "Oh, I'm, I've made it.
I'm now part of an actual band.
Erika Mosteller: Mm-hmm.
Josh Taylor: you have your,
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: band. You guys are recording stuff, and doing cool stuff, and playing
Lauren Sneary: I know. And actually my brother and I wrote the little jingle at the top of this podcast. So when you listen to it Emerson Snary and I put that together. Mostly Emerson, but I was there too.
Josh Taylor: Very cool. That's awesome.[00:14:00]
Building Lost Isle
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Lauren Sneary: Yea so let's tie it back to your restaurant in Charleston because another thing that we talk to our guests a lot about is building a business, right?
Like becoming an entrepreneur, really putting yourself out there, yourself, your brand, your ideas and investing in them and hoping that the community invests in them back. So could you tell us a little bit about the experience of building Lost Isle and, and, and how that went for you and maybe what you recommend to other business owners?
Josh Taylor: restaurants are,
Lauren Sneary: Yeah. Yeah.
Josh Taylor: are a different animal. Isle specifically was, was a lot. There's just a lot of development in Charleston right now, so there's a lot of loops and hurdles and stuff you gotta get around and go through. So it, it took us almost two years to even get the doors open. so that was huge. So you kinda... I mean, you have to plan on everything and anything that can possibly happen. 'Cause we thought we were gonna walk in and, and, and build a few things and, and that was gonna be it. We were gonna open within six months, and it took two years. so really just, just being-- You have to be fluid and, and ready for anything and, and just have a open mind about what is actually [00:15:00] gonna happen versus your, your thought process of what is gonna happen. But yeah, I mean, building a business is great. It's amazing. It's the most rewarding thing you can ever do, but it is terrifying as well.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: terrifying
Erika Mosteller: Mm-hmm.
Josh Taylor: with a restaurant. You never, you never know. I mean, people could just stop showing up whatever reason. I don't know.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah, nothing's guaranteed, right?
Josh Taylor: it's not guaranteed. You just have to be ready for it and, have a thick skin and let it ride.
Lauren Sneary: And your business actually kind of has a unique element that you're subject to, which is weather
Josh Taylor: mean,
Lauren Sneary: because for
Josh Taylor: was
Weather Or Not
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Lauren Sneary: listening, Lost Isle... Yeah, Lo- Lost Isle is an entirely outdoor restaurant, so all the seating is outdoor, the kitchen is outdoor. You guys cook over an open flame outdoors, so it's pouring rain, you guys have to make the decision, right?
To say, "We probably can't serve tonight."
Josh Taylor: that's, that's what all this gray is from. Trying to, trying, trying to make the right call. Should we close? Should we stay open? What's worth it, what's not? Or are people gonna... If we [00:16:00] keep closing 'cause of rain, are people just gonna forget we're here? but yeah, that's definitely pro- It's one of the most interesting aspects of this restaurant, is the fact that it's all outdoor. And so we, we had to plan on that. It was kinda in the business model as well, 'cause we're open seven days a week, knowing that we're gonna lose
Erika Mosteller: So
Josh Taylor: here and there due to weather. So,
Erika Mosteller: I kinda go
Josh Taylor: kinda where the seven days a week came from. 'Cause most restaurants these days close a couple of days a week just to give everybody a break, we get our breaks when it rains.
So it is what it is.
Bugs And Fire
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Erika Mosteller: back to this open flame concept, 'cause I read about that too. Um, talk to me about what does that bring to the food? What does that bring to what you can prepare and how you can create your menu with cooking over open flame?
Lauren Sneary: Oh. And Erica wants to know if there's bugs.
Erika Mosteller: It's true. I do wanna know if there's bugs, but I wasn't gonna ask.
Josh Taylor: it's a... that's always a question we get. We have a whole system. We do sprays every day. We have two things called Skeeter Vacs. is supposed to cover four acres, and we have two of them. we hammer it back there- we do as much as we can. We are still outdoors. They're still [00:17:00] around sometimes, but we really, we really try and, and keep the bug issue under control as much as possible. And they're not that bad to be outside in Charleston. They're not that bad.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah
Live Fire Learning
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Josh Taylor: but going back to the, the fire thing, yeah, it, it was something we wanted to do 'cause everywhere we've kinda traveled, cooks over a fire, whether it's, like, a 50-gallon drum in South America or Central America, and they're grilling lobsters or shrimp or chicken over it, or in Thailand everybody's grilling sausages and whatnot on live fire open grills. We kinda wanted to bring that concept here and do something that not really anybody else was doing here or maybe anywhere the way we do it. but it's just a-- It's just such a cool way to cook. It's-- There's not as much control in it, so you have to be very fluid with how you cook and really knowing kind of what you're doing and learning the fire while it's going.
Is it flaming up too much? Is it getting too down? Do you need to throw more wood on it? Are the embers right? Weather plays a wild part in it. When it gets [00:18:00] cold in the winter, you have to have more fire. When it's hot in the summer, you can use less wood. but yeah, it's been, it's been a learning process for me as well.
I, I've never really done open flame cooking. I did have a concept where I did
Erika Mosteller: Mm-hmm.
Josh Taylor: yeah, it's been a really cool process to figure out, and we're almost two and a half years in now and still kind of learning it and figuring out our vibe with it.
But yeah, it's been great. It's a super cool way to cook. And we put on a show every night for people too. We have people taking videos and taking pictures constantly of the flame going. So it's been, it's
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. And did I read y'all, y'all just opened in 2023, is that correct?
Josh Taylor: Yeah. Yeah, we're coming up on two years, two and a half years, something like that.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Awards Shockwave
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Erika Mosteller: So what did it feel like to be winning these pretty major awards very shortly after you opened? I mean, like, walk us through the emotions of when you first found out you were Southern Living's Restaurant of the Year, and then also when you found out, "Oh, we also made the top 50 restaurants in the country on The New York [00:19:00] Times."
Josh Taylor: Times thing was the first one, and I think I sent a screenshot to our family text group when I got the email from
Lauren Sneary: I was gonna say our family group chat went off.
Josh Taylor: I was
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: know what this is about," 'cause they don't tell you what it's about when they first email you. They just ask for pictures, and
Erika Mosteller: But
Josh Taylor: then a
Erika Mosteller: you don't say
Josh Taylor: later they were like, "Hey, can we set up a call with you?"
And blah, blah, blah, and then even on the call they don't tell you what it is. And then
Erika Mosteller: no to
Josh Taylor: yeah, and then...
Erika Mosteller: The New York Times, so you're like, "Yes, we'll be there." Right?
Josh Taylor: whatever you want."
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. Right.
Josh Taylor: I just started sending them whatever, and then the actual food
Erika Mosteller: Yeah,
Josh Taylor: called me, and we did a little interview and, and, like, a fact check with him. It turned out he
Erika Mosteller: I was gonna say, like, secret
Josh Taylor: think
Erika Mosteller: diner style?
Josh Taylor: probably
Erika Mosteller: Like,
Josh Taylor: months
Erika Mosteller: like that's
Josh Taylor: they called me. So that was terrifying. No--
Erika Mosteller: a real thing
Josh Taylor: know
Erika Mosteller: where they just show up and they-
Josh Taylor: Yeah, I had no
Erika Mosteller: Wow.
Josh Taylor: they were
Lauren Sneary: Oh.
Josh Taylor: Yeah, as soon as he told me he had been to the restaurant, I was like, "Oh my God."
and
Erika Mosteller: clearly we're critic proof, so...
Josh Taylor: yeah, it was wild. We didn't, we didn't really set out for that kind of stuff. That's [00:20:00] not the kind of chef I am. It's not really the restaurant we were trying to be. We just wanted to have a really cool neighborhood spot for everybody. and then to get that recognition just organically out of nowhere was pretty wild. and then the
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: Living thing. They told us they were doing an article, and we were gonna be in it, and I thought they were gonna do, like, a up-and-coming John's Island whatever article in Southern Living. And then they called us the night before it came out, and we missed the call. And then I think somebody-- I think Maggie, my wife's sister texted us, and she was like, "Oh my God." And we were like, "What?" And they're like, "You guys are Southern Living Restaurant of the Year." And I was like, "That's insane." Yeah, we had no idea, again.
Erika Mosteller: Just saw it online? Like, they didn't call and officially let you know, or you missed the call?
Josh Taylor: No we missed the call, It came out the next day.
Erika Mosteller: I guess they don't leave a voicemail about that, right? That would probably be kinda random.
Josh Taylor: she was just like, "Can you guys call me back when you get a chance?" We're like, "Yeah, we'll get back to
Lauren Sneary: You're
Josh Taylor: you."
Lauren Sneary: like, "I'll get that later."
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: The same thing happened with the New York Times I was actually at home I had left work and one of the cooks
called me, and he was [00:21:00] like, "Dude, you didn't tell us." And I was like, "I don't know what you're talking about." And he was like, "Go to The New York Times website." And I was like, "Okay." So that was
wild
Lauren Sneary: Oh my gosh.
Josh Taylor: Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: I didn't know it went down like that. I love that.
Erika Mosteller: That's really cool.
Josh Taylor: like, drove over to the restaurant at, like, ten o'clock at night. I was like, popped a bottle of champagne. It was, it
Lauren Sneary: Right.
Josh Taylor: sweet.
Erika Mosteller: Did everybody meet you there? Did the staff meet you there?
Josh Taylor: they were all here still. We close at ten, so they were all here still
Erika Mosteller: Oh,
Josh Taylor: I just gone. I had
Erika Mosteller: yeah. Yeah.
Josh Taylor: Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: Guess what, guys? That's
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: That
Erika Mosteller: Wow.
Josh Taylor: one.
Erika Mosteller: That's really cool.
Maggie And Marketing
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Lauren Sneary: you brought up Maggie, and so I wanna give Maggie, Maggie, Josh's wife a shout-out 'cause just awesome partner, incredibly supportive partner with the business and all of that. Also, like a genius marketer and does a lot for, or all of, you know, Lost Isles social media so for our listeners, if you wanna follow Lost Isle on social media, that's Maggie's work, and they're out there making cool content and telling
Erika Mosteller: Mm-hmm.
Lauren Sneary: the restaurant.
So that's definitely a good place to find Lost Isle and, and see if the menu is right for you the next time you're visiting Charleston.
Josh Taylor: We'd love to see all the [00:22:00] Dalton folk out here.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Beach Versus Mountains
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Erika Mosteller: Okay, so I do have a question that brings us a little bit back to Dawson, but, you know, a lot of times people are like, "Oh, I'm more of a mountain person than a beach person."
Lauren Sneary: Traffic is
Erika Mosteller: Well, obviously you were raised around mountains, but you chose to be at the beach. So does that, that you're more of a beach person than a mountain person?
Josh Taylor: think I'm split down the middle. I lived in Park City, Utah for six years too. Yeah, so I had, I had a ton of mountain out there. I actually had a cabin that was like 8,000 feet elevation. I, I love
Erika Mosteller: Wow.
Josh Taylor: but yeah, I love the beach too. I love fishing. I love being on a boat.
Luckily Charleston's not too far. We go up to Western North Carolina a good bit. It's only like four and a half
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: so it's nice to be kinda not too far away and still have my beach. But yeah, I'm, I think I'm split down the middle. I usually get a few years in and then I want the other one, and then I'm there and then I want the other one.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. You gotta split your time. Yeah. Yeah.
Small Town Longing
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Erika Mosteller: Well, so I am curious, like moving from Dalton, that's a smaller town, and then it looks like you [00:23:00] moved more to bigger cities. Not that Athens is necessarily bigger, but there's more going on there just because their influx of population, and then Park City and then Charleston.
But is there anything about small town life that you're kinda like, "Oh, that was nice. I miss that"?
Josh Taylor: Oh, yeah, I miss it all the time. Charleston's nuts. This is the biggest place I've ever lived. It's crazy. The traffic's wild. I love it,
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: Yeah, the traffic, it's nuts. That's why I'm, I'm, I'm super lucky it- I work weird hours, so I don't usually have to get stuck in it.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah.
Josh Taylor: We went, we just got back from North Carolina. We were staying outside of Brevard and just being up there and not having all the traffic and all the people and just getting to slow the vibe down and the vibrations, bringing those down as well. It's just, yeah. I do miss small towns for sure. Yep.
Lauren Sneary: So
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. Do we have
Lauren Sneary: Yeah. Well, actually it's, it's it's a combo, right? Because we certainly wanna tell our Dalton listeners to hit up Lost Isle when they go to Charleston. So is there anything else that you wanna [00:24:00] kind of call out about your restaurant or about
Erika Mosteller: more Dalton
Lauren Sneary: or, or if they're coming to Charleston, they're going to Lost Isle, what else should
Erika Mosteller: questions
Lauren Sneary: in Charleston?
Just any
Erika Mosteller: for
Josh Taylor: here, so I should be around. We've, we've hon- honestly had a lot of Dalton people come through already, which has been sweet. I get, I get calls from people all the time and texts and Facebook messages about people wanting to drop by. Sydney Moon just came by the other day, like
Lauren Sneary: Oh, I love that.
Josh Taylor: I don't even think she knew I was here. I was just sitting there and she walked in.
Lauren Sneary: Oh, that's crazy.
Josh Taylor: It was wild.
Folly Beach Bar Plans
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Josh Taylor: Like come see the restaurant, then definitely go check out Folly Beach. Folly Beach is awesome. I'm actually opening a bar down there hopefully in the next few weeks.
Lauren Sneary: Over the next few weeks?
Josh Taylor: Knock on wood.
Lauren Sneary: Okay, sorry.
Josh Taylor: be, hopefully
Erika Mosteller: know
Lauren Sneary: well,
Erika Mosteller: it called? That's right
Lauren Sneary: 'Cause we need to shout that one out. By the time people are listening to this, you may be open.
Josh Taylor: it's actually at a marina, so it's called the Sunset Cay Ship Store. But it's really cool. It's right on the [00:25:00] water, overlooks the marina. It's amazing views, and it's gonna be chill, like beach food and drinks. But it's a really cool spot. played music there for a long time, and I've been going there for the last 11 years, and we were lucky enough to just pick it up I don't know, probably four months ago, five months ago. So yeah, I'm really excited about that. Hopefully it'll be open soon. Yeah, different vibe, and then people can hit the beach and go to that one, and then come out here and have some grilled tomahawk pork chops.
Lauren Sneary: Maybe do some deep sea fishing. Are you still doing any boat captaining?
Josh Taylor: not right now. I do have... I still have the boat.
Erika Mosteller: Spare
Josh Taylor: I still
Erika Mosteller: time?
Josh Taylor: the boat, but yeah, I haven't fished too much lately yet. Hopefully soon, though.
Lauren Sneary: I want our audience to just be clear on just how many hobbies that Josh has and how good he is at all of them.
Josh Taylor: They... You can ask Maggie. I have a whole giant room in the house just of all my junk. Fishing stuff, music stuff, everything else. It's, it's wild. I have too much stuff. Skis.
Erika Mosteller: So you strike, you strike me,[00:26:00]
Lauren Sneary: He's
Erika Mosteller: strike me as the type of person who
Lauren Sneary: cooking
Erika Mosteller: enjoys excitement and high-pressure situations.
Josh Taylor: Yeah, you have to to do this.
Erika Mosteller: Yeah. That's great.
Lauren Sneary: a literal flame every
Erika Mosteller: Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Josh Taylor: Yeah, I
Erika Mosteller: Aw,
Josh Taylor: the
Erika Mosteller: that's cool.
Josh Taylor: or else I get bored.
Dalton Memories
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Lauren Sneary: Well, I guess I just wanna kind of close it out to, and, and ask if you have any other kind of memories from Dalton, any other shout-outs to, to Dalton or Dalton establishments that come to mind for you when you think about maybe with nostalgia or, or, or any kind of fond memories about, about growing up in Dalton
Josh Taylor: Yeah, I, I mean, when I was a kid, even... This is probably before Austin and Caleb even remember doing stuff. It kind of ties into the food thing. My grandparents had a huge plot that they grew corn, okra, peas, green beans. Like, growing up picking veggies with them and their, their little... I called it a farm 'cause it was so big.
But I still remember that [00:27:00] to this day and having a... Like hanging out with my granddad and, and doing stuff like that. And then moving forward a few years, playing music at the depot, all that stuff was amazing. Coffee houses were sick. Those were always a great time. You could be wild at school. But yeah, football games were awesome.
Like, Dalton was a great town, even back then without all the cool stuff that it has now. I look back and, and don't realize how cool it was. Obviously I didn't then, but now I look back, I'm like, man, so rad. Like the mountains are right there. Could've done anything. But yeah, it's a great little town. Always love it, always have a big piece of me there and a big place in my heart for sure.
Lauren Sneary: Yeah. Yeah, that's a fair point, 'cause I do think we kind of talk a lot about, oh, things have improved so much in the past few years. But really, I mean, Dalton has always been a really great and unique place to grow up, to raise a family, to start a business. And like you said, the geography of it is so nice, you know, in between Chattanooga and Atlanta, and then the mountains.
Coming home, you [00:28:00] just like, you crest that hill and you see the mountains and you're like, "Oh, yeah, I'm here. I'm here."
Josh Taylor: Yeah, my grandparents had a, had a cabin in Ellijay, which was-- took like half an hour to get to probably, and that was amazing. Yeah, it was a rad spot. Tons of great memories for sure.
Lauren Sneary: Well, again, one day we may get you back here.
Josh Taylor: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I got plans. Let me get the bar open and then I'll be
Erika Mosteller: You got planned. All right, we'll take that. We like that.
Wrap Up And Thanks
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Lauren Sneary: Well, Erica, any el- anything else for Josh before we let him go?
Erika Mosteller: Just that I really hope I get to come eat at Thistle this summer when I come to the beach in Charleston. It's on, it's on my list.
Josh Taylor: Yeah, definitely,
Erika Mosteller: Yeah, I'm excited. I'm super excited. I love Asian food and I love Southern food, so it's like
Josh Taylor: It's
Erika Mosteller: a-- I, I think it's a really cool combination. Yeah,
Lauren Sneary: If you visit Lost Isle, tell, tell Josh the podcast sent you.
Erika Mosteller: Right.
Josh Taylor: you go.
Erika Mosteller: There we go. Great. Yeah. Yeah.
Lauren Sneary: All right, Josh. Well, thank you so much for joining us and telling us all about growing up in Dalton and then going on to do such big and cool things. I think we're really proud, not just to feature [00:29:00] people who are still here doing cool things, but
Erika Mosteller: Thanks
Lauren Sneary: can, who have called Dal- Dalton home and are out there in the wider world.
So you're our, you're our first outside of Dalton person, and we just appreciate you sharing that story with us.
Josh Taylor: was super excited to get to do this. I appreciate you guys having me on.
Erika Mosteller: being here.
Josh Taylor: Yeah. Thank y'all.