1 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
2 of 24
Photo by Justin Chesney
3 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
4 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
5 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
6 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
7 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
8 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
9 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
10 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
11 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
12 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
13 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
14 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
15 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
16 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
17 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
18 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
19 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
20 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
21 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
22 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
23 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
24 of 24
Justin Chesney
Photo by Justin Chesney
The night before thousands of Richmonders descended on Broad Street to gobble up $3 small plates, a few blocks away on Grace, Pasture opened its doors to a group of visiting chefs. Each year at Off Broad Appétit, the annual kickoff dinner before Sunday's big Broad Appétit show, the limited-ticket evening raises funds for both events' beneficiary, FeedMore.
Pork Board Foodservice Marketing Director Stephen Gerike served up an homage to South Jersey: a Del Buono's Bakery roll stuffed with Bagliani Italian sausage, 16-hour red gravy, and fried peppers, then paired it with a cheek-puckering red from Velanzano Winery in Shamong Township. As hometown hero and Pasture/Comfort chef-owner Jason Alley pointed out, visiting chef Justin Brunson is known for his way with cured meats, but last Saturday night, the Colorado chef of Old Major prepared a creamy, amply dressed tartare that married tender raw beef and remoulade — a perfect companion for the fried oyster rested atop the meaty plateau.
Portland’s Adam Sappington of The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar presented a short rib terrine over a light, summery cucumber salad, while Alley, repping Pasture, offered a Vietnamese lettuce wrap and chef de cuisine Darryl Boyd shared a pork-and-shrimp potsticker with a black vinegar and soy dipping sauce. Joining Alley for the fifth straight year, Brooklyn’s Rob Newton combined noodles with shrimp and snow peas.
Though the chefs were visiting, the beverages were all home-brewed. Rosemont Winery of Virginia provided a selection of vintages, including its 2015 rosé, which Tasting Room Manager Melanie Winter assured me goes with “everything.” (She was right.) Reservoir Distillery provided the bourbon for The Tappahannock, a mix of Reservoir’s Hunter & Scott bourbon and a house-made, fermented and spicy pineapple drink called tepache. A lighter floral cocktail came in the form of the Belle Haven, made of Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit moonshine, a berry shrub, orange blossom, and sparkling water. Champion Brewing Co. provided two beers for the occasion: the easy-drinking Shower Beer and the Missile IPA.
In an address to the crowd, Richmond magazine Editorial Director Susan Winiecki shared that FeedMore, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding those in need, was able to provide 1,704 children with more than 130,000 breakfasts and lunches last summer, a time when children face heightened food insecurity due to the lack of school meals. FeedMore CEO Doug Pick echoed the sentiment, explaining that this food bank alone is responsible for serving 34 cities and counties, as far east as Virginia Beach, west to Charlottesville, and as far south as North Carolina.
