Taste Carolina

This is Donna Rama, lovin' life. Donna has Jersey roots and spent most of her life living and working in and around New York City. After making her way south to Wilmington, NC in 2019, it did not take long for her to fall into step with the coastal lifestyle and the charm and spirit of Wilmington’s historic downtown. With a background in building envelope restoration engineering (that's right!) she has a deep appreciation for the architecture and character that give downtown Wilmington its unique personality.

Now as a Taste Carolina tour guide there, Donna shows off her new hometown as the welcoming, lively, and fun place she has come to know so well. The tours combine all of her favorite things: eating, drinking, walking, laughing, exploring, and meeting new people. As she likes to say after a tour ends, her “feet did not hit the ground for the entire three hours.”

When she's not leading tours, Donna loves to try new restaurants and experience fun adventures. She often plans vacations around where she wants to eat and drink - plus any food tours or bar crawls being offered. Donna also works part time with Aphasia Recovery Connection, an award winning non-profit dedicated to supporting individuals impacted by aphasia, a language disorder that affects millions of Americans. Being part of that work is incredibly meaningful to her.

Other tidbits you'll learn about Donna when you take her tour:

Choosing a favorite food is nearly impossible, but mezcal cocktails almost always get her attention.

Donna loves pointing out other great places that are not on the tour. She has so many favorites, and her effusive personality and interest in and care for others makes her well-known in the hospitality community.

Donna frequents many of Wilmington’s other neighborhoods (often referred to as districts) to eat, drink, and hear live music. She is always happy to make area-wide recommendations, and she knows all the best weekly specials.

Meet Genevieve. She has Western North Carolina roots and a strong belief that most things in life can be improved with delicious food and a little something to drink. We agree!

Originally from beautiful Sylva, NC, Genevieve grew up around the restaurant world thanks to her dad, who ran a spot in nearby Cashiers. That is where magic of hospitality started for her.

These days, you can find Genevieve leading tours in Asheville, where she brings that same love of food and people to every tour. Genevieve is also an amazing storyteller and so much fun! She has a knack for turning a group of strangers into friends between the first bite and the last sip - but closer to that first bite.

When she’s not out on tour, Genevieve spends plenty of her downtime with her husband, son, and their fur baby, Maizy, a lovable pit bull who's never met a stranger.

A few things you might learn about Genevieve on her tours:

• Coffee is king.

• She has a serious weakness for anything involving pastry cream.

• Her grandmother’s homemade pickles set the standard.