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Velma "Mama J" Johnson, namesake of one of Richmond's favorite soul food restaurants.
Sweet Tooth: Johnson’s favorite foods at Mama J’s have changed over the years, but her favorite dessert will always be the pineapple-coconut cake.
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Local Accolades: In 2013, Mama J’s classic trio of catfish, collard greens and sweet potatoes won the “To Dine For” main dish award at Broad Appétit.
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The Parlor: “There is an old conversation room in the back of Mama J’s that I call mama and daddy’s parlor,” she says. “Everything I have in there is around 75 to 100 years old.” A black-and-white portrait of Johnson's parents presides over the room. “I feel like they’re here, watching over me.”
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Wall of Fame: Johnson loves looking at this collection of photos and memorabilia from the restaurant’s celebrity visitors, ranging from pro athletes to Grammy Award-winning artists and elected officials.
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Guardian Angels: Johnson's beloved collection of angel figurines is grouped with religious icons and candlesticks on the mantel.
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Proud Grandma: Johnson displays countless photos of her children and grandchildren in her bedroom.
She may be the namesake of one of Richmond’s most popular soul food restaurants, but Velma “Mama J” Johnson never anticipated such notoriety. “It’s always been about food for me — I love food and how I feel when I’m around it, and I love sharing it with others,” she says.
A native of historic Jackson Ward, Johnson grew up learning to cook traditional Southern recipes from her grandmother. “Back then, everyone hung out in the kitchen, not in the living room,” she says. Knowing Johnson’s talent for cooking, a friend asked her to prepare the food for her wedding. “I thought, ‘There’s no way I can cook for 300 people,’ ” Johnson says. “But the reception ended up going really well, so I thought, ‘Maybe I can do this.’ That was about 35 years ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Johnson’s journey in the food industry began with a small catering business she ran out of her home. As the business grew, she eventually enlisted the help of her son, Lester Johnson, to find her a larger facility. They came across a historic building on North First Street near Johnson’s childhood home. That’s when the mother-son duo saw an opportunity to help the redevelopment of Jackson Ward by opening their own soul food restaurant. Mama J’s (a nickname given to Johnson by her daughters-in-law) opened in 2009, and it has been praised by local and international food critics alike.
Since then, the Johnson family has continued its revitalization efforts in Jackson Ward through the opening of Vagabond, a speakeasy-style restaurant and entertainment venue, in 2015, as well as Mama J’s 2017 expansion into a two-story building next door to its main restaurant to accommodate its growing catering business and to-go operations.
Johnson says she is committed to using her success to give back to the local community. “I was taught from a young age to help others in need,” she says. “When we won [a Best Dish award at] Broad Appétit in 2013, we gave part of the winnings back to help [event sponsor] Feed More.” Mama J’s has also partnered with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond.
Johnson recently married and currently lives with her husband in Yorktown, but she comes home to Richmond often. “I am so proud to see what we’ve accomplished and watch it grow,” she says.
