Every time Andy Hoyle posts photos of the dinner parties he hosts with his wife, Noelle Sharbaugh, on the Northern Virginia Foodies Facebook page, the 126,000-member group goes wild.
“Any leftovers? I can be in Reston in 15 minutes, lol.” “Wow, your tablescape is nicer than most weddings.” “Once again, I think my invite was lost in the mail … lol.” Hundreds of similar comments appear, many of which Hoyle likes or responds to.
It’s easy to see why people love gawking at the Reston couple’s food and décor, and why they can’t wait for big holidays like Thanksgiving to come around so Hoyle can make their day on Facebook. The tablescapes, designed by Sharbaugh, are luscious and Pinterest-y; Hoyle jokes that Sharbaugh is “Martha Stewart incarnate.” Hoyle is the chef, and his elaborate, multicourse menus look professionally plated.
Did the couple ever expect for their intimate dinner parties — typically 12 people at most, although they hosted 150-strong Christmas parties before the pandemic — to blow up on social media? Or for NoVA Foodies members to make memes about them? (One featured a “distracted boyfriend” checking out Hoyle’s Thanksgiving while “parents’ Thanksgiving” looks on jealously.)
“No,” they both say emphatically in an interview at their house, where they hosted a five-course Mother’s Day brunch. (More on that later.) They did not intend to become NoVA Foodies legends; they are simply passionate about delicious food (Hoyle), beautiful décor (Sharbaugh), and making good memories with family and friends (both).
The hosts’ social media popularity took off in the early days of the pandemic. Hoyle found himself with the time to start cooking a different menu every day for the couple’s “social distancing dinners.” Hoyle, who is also a photographer, posted the photos for fun. Housebound and starved for meal inspiration, NoVA Foodies ate it up.
“Honestly, it is amazing now,” Sharbaugh says. “Even before we post anything, they’re asking us, ‘Where’s your menu?’ ‘Can’t wait to see your tablescape!’ ‘I’ve been waiting for this.’” People have asked if Hoyle will come to their homes to cook for them or if Sharbaugh will set their tables. They’ve even been recognized in public.
The momentum continued as the pair started hosting events for family and friends again: A spooky Murder on the Orient Express–themed party. A Thanksgiving dinner that included stuffed mussels with chorizo and manchego, grilled octopus ceviche, and Maryland lump crabmeat croquettes with a smoked paprika rémoulade sauce. A Christmas Eve dinner with caviar-and-chive-topped deviled eggs, herb-crusted prime rib, and raspberry lemon meringue trifle. All meticulously documented for NoVA’s foodie crowd to react, comment, and share.
A Passion Project
Hoyle and Sharbaugh have two rules for guests: Put your cell phone away — unless you’re taking pictures of the food — and no talking about work or politics. (Those might sound like tall orders in the DC area, but stick with us here.) After that, they just want everyone to have a good time. “We want our guests relaxed and focused on each other,” says Sharbaugh.
The parties are about delighting guests’ five senses: There is food (taste) and décor (sight), of course, but there’s also always a curated playlist (hearing), and every room has its own signature scent (smell). (For touch, guests can pet Sakura, one of the couple’s Pomeranians. The other, Roxy, is a tad shy and more likely to hide.)
Sharbaugh says that being from a large Italian family helps explain her love of hosting. “We’re extremely passionate about Sunday family dinners, and being together and really celebrating life’s special moments. I think that is something that is lost in our society today,” she says. “People aren’t really spending time around the table: time to celebrate, time to laugh, time to cry.”
When Sharbaugh’s mom, who died in May 2022, couldn’t easily cook six courses anymore, Hoyle ended up taking over. “I would take her family traditions, which is, of course, an Italian meal with multiple courses — including a pasta course, no matter the holiday or celebration — and then I would incorporate my Southern side, which is more traditional and often a buffet, and it would turn into a seven- or eight-hour meal,” says Hoyle, who grew up cooking biscuits with his grandmother in Shelby, North Carolina. “It is always elaborate and a bit chaotic, and allows us to not only remember the traditions of the past, but to celebrate our future by creating wonderful memories.”
Hosting has proved therapeutic to both of them as they mourned the loss of the matriarch over the past year.
Mother’s Day Feast
For a Mother’s Day–themed brunch, Sharbaugh set an ornate table typical for the couple. Stunning Versace china. Gold chargers. An entire garden crowned with tulips as a centerpiece. Tall, dramatic candles. On top of that, the dining room smelled like a high-end boutique hotel lobby.
Sharbaugh says: “I usually find one thing to inspire the setting, whether it’s a candelabra, a flower, or a really great runner. For this Mother’s Day brunch, these vibrant Versace plates — which were mine and Andy’s wedding china — are my inspiration because they’re floral, they’re bold, they’re beautiful. I just think they’re spectacular.” Sharbaugh has built up an extensive china collection with items that have been inherited, purchased, and received as gifts. She loves to mix and match. Underneath the designer dinnerware, she placed fancy-looking chargers she found on Amazon.
The hosts kicked off brunch in the only correct way to do so, which is with a four-flavor mimosa bar. They put out a pretty board of cheese, berries, honey, and more, inspired by one the Kardashians had last Mother’s Day. The menu featured five courses (with an amuse-bouche and an intermezzo of sorbet), the most memorable of which was the entrée: crispy, tender buttermilk fried chicken and waffles with a creamy pumpkin-cinnamon mousse and Sriracha maple syrup, plus cheese grits with garlic confit.
As part of the “afternoon tea with sweet and savory bites,” they served an unforgettable garlic, cheddar, and chive biscuit, which they had first tasted at José Andrés’ restaurant Fish at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. For dessert, they served banana pudding cheesecake. Bottom line: Sharbaugh’s mom would have been proud.
Many NoVA Foodies members have asked how the couple creates such professional-looking events — surely they have help. Who does all the cleanup? But, as Hoyle wrote on Facebook, they tackle it all themselves. It all comes down to being extremely organized and doing tons of prep work. Hoyle says that once they decide on a theme or cuisine for a party, he goes to Pinterest and his cookbook collection and develops the menu and concept. From there, he puts together a shopping list and a detailed to-do list and, when necessary, draws pictures of how he will plate the food. He tries to make as many of the courses ahead of time as he can. For the Mother’s Day brunch, the work started at 7 a.m.
Influencer Status
When someone draws the kind of attention Hoyle and Sharbaugh have on social media, people often start asking whether they plan to turn their passion into a professional venture. At least for now, the two say they just want to host parties for the enjoyment of it.
Hoyle currently works in commercial sales for a security company, but he previously worked in the restaurant business as a manager running fine-dining establishments and as a wine sales representative. For a couple of years, he worked for José Andrés as general manager of Oyamel, the celebrity chef’s upscale Mexican restaurant in DC’s Penn Quarter. But when it comes to cooking, it’s strictly a recreational pursuit for him.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that I didn’t want to cook for a living, but I like to cook for my family and friends,” says Hoyle. “This is not a job. This is for the love of food and wine, and about creating a memorable experience for my friends and family.”
“I don’t think we ever thought we would monetize this,” echoes Sharbaugh, who grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and works as an executive for a large real estate firm where she oversees its mid-Atlantic regional property management business. She adds, “Although, you never know what the future will hold.” For example, she says she would love to create a coffee-table book full of recipes and photos of their events. In other hopes and dreams, they’d love to host some celebrity guests, too: Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg are on the top of Sharbaugh’s list.
One person who would happily clear his schedule for dinner at the couple’s home? Paul Tomaselli, the food blogger and moderator of Northern Virginia Foodies. He’s one of Hoyle and Sharbaugh’s most vocal fans, and has been known to lightly troll the group for laughs with posts like, “Andy Hoyle just invited me to his house for Thanksgiving dinner!!!”
“I believe people like their photos so much because they set the bar high on what an extravagant home foodie-type dinner should look like and be,” Tomaselli says. “The silverware, tablecloth, plates, napkins, the entire table setup, everything is placed and set perfectly, and even the lighting is amazing. … More importantly, when Andy posts and shares with the group, he seems like a great, humble person. He doesn’t post to boast but posts to show everyone how much he loves what he and his wife do. We are all jealous, but in a foodie, happy kind of way.”
Tomaselli adds, jokingly, “Andy and Noelle, please invite me. I will do your dishes and vacuum your carpets.” The couple says they would love to host him. Who knows? Maybe other lucky NoVA Foodies are soon to follow.
This story originally ran in our May issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
