Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Eternal Optimist Hospitality opened its first concept, Feast BBQ, landing on Eater’s list of Hottest BBQ Restaurants. Royals Hot Chicken, an ode to Kentucky fried chicken and Nashville hot chicken featuring potluck sides, opened in 2015. In the fall of 2017, founder, Ryan Rogers, along with executive chef and partner, Andrew McCabe, opened bar Vetti, a regional Italian restaurant featuring fresh housemade pasta, brick oven pizza, and seasonal shared plates in a lively communal space. Eternal Optimist Hospitality's brands have been featured in Eater, The Chicago Tribune, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times, USA Today, and Garden & Gun.