Sid Evans Shares Birmingham’s Heart of Hospitality with José Camacho, Kristen Hall, Qadeem Hassan & Rob McDaniel

Rotarian Brooke Battle and President Nancy Goedecke with Sid Evans, José Camacho, Kristen Hall, Qadeem Hassan, and Rob McDaniel

This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed Southern Living Editor-in-Chief Sid Evans for a discussion Birmingham’s identity as “The Heart of Hospitality” with José Camacho, Co-Founder & Beverage Director of Adiõs Bar and Salud Taqueria and Wine Director at Automatic Seafood & Oysters; Kristen Hall, Owner & Executive Chef of La Fête and Founder & Co-Owner of Bandit Patisserie; Qadeem Hassan, Co-Founder of Ralph’s Listening Room; and Rob McDaniel, Executive Chef & Owner of Helen and Bayonet. Southern Foodservice prepared mimosas and a special menu for the club’s return to weekly meetings in The Harbert Center’s newly refurbished Beeson Hall. Evans gave Chef Cherri Koester and her team a shoutout from the stage in appreciation for the delicious meal.

Evans highlighted the national recognition Birmingham’s food and beverage scene has received from the James Beard Foundation, Michelin Guide, Eater, Southern Living, The New York Times and Esquire. The panelists discussed the elements that contributed to the growth, with Hall emphasizing the importance of balancing national attention with local support and Camacho noting that hospitality begins with how businesses treat their employees.
The conversation addressed the challenges facing Birmingham’s hospitality industry, including staffing and changing customer spending habits. Panelists discussed the need to introduce younger people to hospitality as a career and suggested focused training to develop the local culinary workforce.
The panel discussed the importance of collaboration among local restaurants, bars, music venues and other businesses, noting that a strong hospitality community benefits the city as a whole. Hassan discussed the integral connection between Birmingham’s music and hospitality scenes. McDaniel described the growing interest from people outside Birmingham looking to start businesses here. The group emphasized the magic of Birmingham businesses working together and supporting one another as the city’s hospitality scene continues to grow.

Panelist Bios

As Editor-in-Chief of Southern Living, Sid Evans is responsible for the editorial vision, direction, and content for the iconic brand. He oversees a talented team of editors, writers, designers, photographers, and content producers who are passionate about all things Southern, and who deliver on the brand’s promise of inspiring readers with the best our region. His job is to connect with the Southern Living audience on a variety of print, digital, social, and event platforms, and to ensure the production of the highest quality content on Southern food, homes, places, and culture.

Born in Los Reyes, Michoacán, Mexico and raised in Birmingham, AL, José Medina Camacho is a proud product of both cultures. He began working in the restaurant industry at just 14 years old and quickly found his calling behind the bar. In 2016, he joined the Pihakis Restaurant Group and has since led and shaped beverage programs at some of Birmingham’s most well-known establishments, including Little Donkey, The Marble Ring, and Automatic Seafood & Oysters. José is the Co-Founder and Beverage Director of Adiõs Bar and Salud Taqueria, and serves as the Wine Director at Automatic Seafood & Oysters. His work has earned national recognition: he is a 2025 James Beard Award Finalist in Beverage Service and was named one of Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2024.

Qadeem Hassan is a hospitality professional, cocktail consultant, and co-founder of Ralph’s Listening Room. Originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Hassan has built his career across cocktail development, bar management, operations, and hospitality. His experience includes leadership roles at Session Cocktails, where he developed expertise in beverage programming, team management, service standards, and day-to-day operations. His work has also extended to cocktail development, consulting, and hospitality projects beyond a single concept. At Ralph’s, Hassan leads operations and the beverage program, bringing together his passion for creative cocktails and thoughtful hospitality. His approach emphasizes both technical excellence and approachability, with the goal of creating drinks and service experiences that are welcoming, memorable, and accessible to every guest. Together with co-founder Justin Speegle, Hassan has helped shape Ralph’s around three central elements: cocktails, music, and hospitality—creating a space where the experience of the guest is given as much consideration as what is poured in the glass or played through the speakers.

Chef Rob McDaniel is the Executive Chef & Owner of Helen, (opened in August 2020) and Executive Chef & Owner of Bayonet (opened in March 2025) in Birmingham, AL. McDaniel’s passion and respect for traditional Southern cuisine was first inspired by the foods his grandmothers prepared while he was growing up in Haleyville, Alabama. McDaniel graduated from Auburn University with a degree in hotel and restaurant management and went on to attend the New England Culinary Institute. Following culinary school, McDaniel worked under prestigious chefs such as Johnny Earles, Chris Hastings, and Drew Robinson, and eventually became the head chef at SpringHouse restaurant in Alexander City, AL, before opening Helen in 2020, where he utilizes his passion for Southern foods, foraging, and sustainability. In March 2025, McDaniel opened his second concept, Bayonet, a spirited raw bar and innovative seafood-forward restaurant. McDaniel is a six-time James Beard Foundation Best Chef: South semifinalist (2013-2017, 2024), Outstanding Chef semifinalist (2026), and was honored as Auburn University’s 2012 Outstanding Hotel and Restaurant Management Program Alumnus.