Carlos Ordaz-Nunez went from working on his parents' Virginia farm, to managing a series of successful pop-up events, to opening his dream restaurant TBT El Gallo in Richmond in one year. A pandemic year in which he learned a lot about his food and himself. "What I've learned [during the last year] is to love who I am and what I cook and to really embrace that and not pigeonhole myself or put myself in a box and not be like, 'yo, this is Mexican cuisine, you have to do this, or this is Southern cuisine and you have to do this.' For me to accept my perspective of my culinary influences and to do food the way I want to do it," Ordaz-Nunez said about his new venture. " We encourage you to try his food -- but order ahead of time  -- to ensure you get what you want. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eat It, Virginia!

Carlos Ordaz-Nunez: TBT El Gallo

David Dunlap was at the top of his game in March 2020. The executive chef, who gained experience in notable restaurants like The Inn at Little Washington and The Ashby, was running Maple and Pine at the Quirk Hotel in downtown Richmond and had just opened a second location in Charlottesville when the pandemic closed restaurants statewide. "Fifteen days of 'slow spread' turned into four months," Dunlap told Scott and Robey on the Eat It, Virginia podcast. "Then I got a call saying they weren't bringing back my position." The husband and father was now faced with a life-changing decision. Move the family to a place where restaurants were hiring during the pandemic or figure out a new plan. Fortunately for David, his wife Brittany took over. "My wife is a hustler. Her background is in marketing. She made a website and started to promote private dinners," he said. "I reached out to a bunch of wineries and breweries and started wine dinners and beer dinners for small groups of people and then kept myself really busy throughout the summer." And it was Brittany who found the space that would be the family's next adventure -- Midlothian Chef's Kitchen. "I needed a commercial kitchen. Where my daughter goes to cheer, that's where Midlothian Chef's Kitchen is now, and my wife kept passing by it. It used to be Shane's Rib Shack. They, unfortunately, didn't make it and this restaurant was open has had an awesome patio," Dunlap said. "And so in October, we signed a lease and got to work. We built the whole thing out ourselves. We didn't take on any investors so kind of just poured our life savings into this restaurant." Opened in early 2021, Midlothian Chef's Kitchen offers indoor/outdoor dining, curbside pickup, and prepared meals that can be reheated later.  Midlothian Chef's Kitchen 11501 Busy Street North Chesterfield, Virginia 23236 804-893-3562 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Dunlap: Midlothian Chef's Kitchen

When Sequoia Ross enters the room, everyone knows she has arrived. Ross, known to viewers of Virginia This Morning as Chef Coco, is the force behind Favour Cookie Company. She credited divine intervention for her vegan cookies business that is now expanding across Central Virginia. "Jesus. I have to tell you that it was Jesus. I started really at Unbound RVA and they were trying to help me figure out what kind of business I wanted to start. And I was always having to bring my own treats to the meetings because there was nothing ever there for me to eat. I would bring my cookies with me. And I'm coming to them with all types of business ideas, and they're like, but what about those cookies? Cookies, what are you talking like I didn't I was like cookies, I'm just bringing this and other people would buy those cookies, they would not believe that they're vegan," she said. Ross shared her life story with Scott and Robey on the March 15 episode of Eat It, Virginia! Subscribe to the podcast and listen today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesus helps Chef Coco bring vegan cookies to Richmond

When it comes to sandwiches, bigger is often better. Now some of Richmond's biggest sandwiches are being created at Hatch Kitchen in South Richmond. Fat Kid Sandwiches launched last year during the pandemic as a to-go concept. Later this year, Fat Kid will be one of the restaurants opening in the now-under-construction Hatch Local food hall. Liz Clifford and Jon Martin, the couple behind the concept, said when it came to naming their business -- the choices came down to naming it after Jon's grandmother or Fat Kid.   "Well, we were sort of trying to explain to people what kind of business we wanted to run, what kind of sandwiches we were gonna make. The easiest way to explain it to people is we're gonna make real fat kids sandwiches," Liz Clifford said. "Our plan is to put mozzarella sticks on a chicken parm and have a club that's so tall you have a hard time eating it. These are really big, serious sandwiches. And we could never come up with a better name you know? I mean, it really got the point across this is what we're trying to do." Neither Clifford nor Martin are strangers to Richmond kitchens. They shared their story along with the birth of Fat Kid Sandwiches on the most recent episode of Eat It, Virginia! They're also offering a giveaway to Eat It, Virginia! listeners. Click here for details on how to enter.  Scott and Robey also discussed the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience which runs March 7 - 14. You can also get more information about Robey and Chef Mike Lindsey's virtual dinner to benefit Greater Richmond SCAN when it is posted here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Couple raises Fat Kid in Richmond

It did not take Ja'Mia Brooks long to make a big impact on TikTok. While relatively new to the app, the Virginia State University graduate uses the app to create TikTok tours of can't miss Richmond-area restaurants and small businesses. One of her recent videos went super viral, increasing business for the restaurant and Ja'Mia 's fan base.  Ja'Mia took some time to Zoom with Robey and Scott to talk about what makes TikTok tick. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making TikTok tick for Richmond restaurants

If you've seen their viral Instagram posts, you might think Coco + Hazel is just an over-the-top dessert spot known for putting cakes, cookies, and candy atop their over-sized milkshakes. But it is so much more than meets the eye. Owner Chelle Bravo shares her story about the friends, family, and the Mexican coffee beans that make the West End spot (and soon-to-open Bon Air location) a success even during the COVID-19 pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coco + Hazel is more than cakes on cakes on milkshakes

In an effort to start 2021 on a sunny note, Eat It, Virginia! asked listeners to nominate the chefs, restaurant owners, and food industry people who seem to remain positive, even during the darkest days. Chef Evan Campbell was one name that appeared over and over again in the nominations. As chef at both The Stables and The Franklin Inn, Campbell has had to navigate a most difficult time in the restaurant industry as COVID has changed the way everything worked. So how does he stay positive amid this chaotic time? “I just woke up like this,” Campbell joked with Scott and Robey before he dove into the real reason behind his seemingly permanent smile. “Life's too short to not approach every day with at least some semblance of positivity. I tell every person that I hire in any place that I work, we all have to be here every day. And for a lot of us, we spend more time in the restaurant than we do in our own homes. So let's make it a fun place to be. I've never been a leave-your-problems-at-the-door kind of guy because certainly, you have problems. But if you understand that your workplace, especially in this industry, is for a lot of folks more like home, especially now where we can't see anybody else really get to see each other. It's best to keep it positive.” With stops in Boston and New Orleans, the Virginia native returned to the Commonwealth to leave his mark at the Stables and later the Franklin Inn. Now he’s had to transform the restaurants for the times, coming up with foods that worked well in a to-go format.  “We have not stopped. I mean, the minute that everything shut down, I created a new menu strictly for take-out food that was budget-friendly, because I knew everybody was afraid about what's going to happen with their own jobs,” he said. “Once that settled for a bit, we were losing money at quite a fast rate. I pivoted again and I created a menu that was more stylistically what we've always done here at the Stables but could be put in plastic containers and sent out without majorly impacting the food." Campbell said restrictions, plus rising prices, have put most restaurants in a perilous position. “Most weeks we aren't making money and we're booked almost every night. With restrictions where they're at half capacity with limited takeout and delivery, most of the restaurants in town are just losing money really slowly. If you're doing well, you're losing money slowly. If you're not, then you're losing money really quickly, “ he said. “If one more person in Richmond says, ‘well think of all the new places that are going to open,’  I'm going to smack somebody across the face. For us to be working so hard and for people to not understand that. It's going to majorly change the food culture in Richmond.” Despite the hardships, Campbell wanted to put a positive spin on the situation. “We're looking at end of January, beginning of February, for vaccines to start coming to restaurant workers. And I can't speak for everybody but I could not be more excited just to get the ball rolling to make sure that we're continuing to be as safe as we can so that we can keep doing what we're doing,” he said. “My hope is that in conjunction with these vaccine rollouts, we can start seeing some lifting of restrictions, at least to the degree that you know, we are able to serve more people in a safer and reasonable fashion.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chef Evan Campbell starts 2021 with a smile

After years of working together as part of Richmond's powerful EAT Restaurant Partners group, the husband and wife duo of Mike Lindsey and Kimberly Love-Lindsey decided it was their time to open up a new restaurant of their own.  The opening of Lillie Pearl on Grace Street in downtown Richmond coincided with the birth of the couple's son and during a time when restaurants face strict COVID-19 regulations.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life, Love, and Lindsey

Jason Alley has had a notable career in Richmond restaurants. When it opened, his restaurant comfort was credited with breathing new life into downtown Richmond and helping put the city on the country's culinary map. So when Richmond went looking for a person to help map a road to recovery for Richmond restaurants, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Alley answered the call. On this week's episode of Eat It, Virginia!, Jason Alley talks about his new role at City Hall and what Richmond is doing to help restaurants and other small businesses survive the pandemic. He also opens up about his personal recovery from alcohol addiction and how he is helping others find a path to sobriety, one day at a time. Click here to learn more about Ben's Friends. This episode of Eat It, Virginia! is sponsored by #SmallUnites. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Alley on the roads to recovery

Richmond is home to many craft breweries. So many, in fact, it can sometimes be overwhelming to not only decide where to go but also what to try when you get there. Fortunately, there are people like Eric Jackson around to help. Jackson is a beer experience curator. He uses his social platforms Uncap Everything and Capsoul to demystify Richmond's craft brew scene for anyone who wants to learn more. He is also working to bridge the gap between Richmond breweries and Richmond's Black community. "I think since we started Capsoul, I know there are more Black people in Richmond that are drinking beer. And not only drinking beer but going to the breweries because I think a lot of people are drinking beer but it's like I don't want to go there because I don't feel like I fit in or whatever the case may be. So our again, back to creating that experience around beer. That's what Capsol does, we do events at breweries and make that experience for people." So which Richmond beers sit atop Eric's list? And what led him to Richmond in the first place? Listen to this week's "Eat It, Virginia!" podcast for those answers and so much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uncap Everything in Richmond with Eric Jackson

Do you believe in love at first sight? Scott fell hard when Sarah Tocco, the head chef at Fine Creek Brewing Company, posted a photo of Peach Pizza on Instagram. He knew he had to know more about the pizza and its creator, so he and Robey drove out to the Powhatan brewery to meet Sarah, hear her story, and learn more about her fantastic looking food.  This episode of Eat It, Virginia is brought to you by Hungry Harvest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love at first sight with chef Sarah Tocco

To say that a lot has happened in 2020 would be an understatement. The arrival of COVID-19 put the restaurant industry on uncertain footing. That uncertainty is reflected in many recent "Eat It, Virginia!" podcast interviews. But this week, we take you back in time. All the way back to January 2020, when we sat down with Brenner Pass co-owner James Kohler to learn about his accession from Richmond dishwasher to partner at one of the city's top restaurants.  We also caught up with Southern Kitchen owner Shane Roberts-Thomas about her fight to stay open during COVID and her recent appearance in "Chopped." This week's episode is brought to you by Hungry Harvest. Subscribe to the new "Eat It, Virginia!" YouTube page for your chance to win free Hungry Harvest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in time with James Kohler

When Phish announced it had to reschedule its entire 2020 Summer Tour due to COVID-19, thousands of fans across the country adjusted their plans. Jim Hamilton adjusted his life. Phish hired the Richmond-based chef as touring chef after meeting him at the band's historic Baker's Dozen run at Madison Square Garden. No concerts in 2020 meant no need for a touring chef. But Hamilton decided to get back on the road. Not with bands but with burritos.  He launched Sous Casa, delivering frozen burritos to homes in and around Richmond. On this week's episode of Eat It, Virginia!, Hamilton talks about his new business, his time on the road with some of the world's biggest musical acts, and is extremely patient while Scott (a Phish fan) asks too many fanboy questions. **Hey Phish fans, the Phish talk gets going around the 29:30 mark.** Eat It, Virginia! is sponsored by Hungry Harvest. Subscribe to the new Eat It, Virginia! YouTube page for your chance to win a FREE Hungry Harvest box. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeding Phish: On the road with rock and roll chef Jim Hamilton

Most businesses (and people for that matter) have changed the way they do things since COVID arrived. For many in the food and hospitality industry, that change has been drastic.  Hardywood Craft Brewery co-founder and brew-master Patrick Murtaugh and vice president of operations and quality Kate Lee joined Scott and Robey for a special, socially-distant, live podcast event at Hardywood West Creek where they discussed their personal journeys that led them to Richmond and how COVID prompted Hardywood to get creative.  "Of course, people love Richmond Lager over and over again, and Singel, and Pils. But we were finding that people were really seeking innovation, and creativity during the quarantine," Lee said. "And so we responded to that. And we really started brewing a lot of what we call one-off beers, really just trying to keep people interested and coming back week to week give them something new to look forward to." The live podcast was recorded at a Real Local RVA event. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hardywood gets creative during COVID quarantine

Life is full of what-if questions. What if Circuit City had not fired Keya Wingfield for her role in a forbidden relationship? The answer is easy. Richmond may have lost out on a creative cake pop artist and Indian chef. Keya shared both her love story and the details behind the creation of her delicious businesses on Eat It, Virginia! with Scott and Robey. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Forbidden love and the art of cake pops

Eat It, Virginia! is a deep dive into the food, restaurants, and dining trends of Richmond, Virginia and spots around the Commonwealth. 

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