Among the Richmond-area food and beverage industry professionals participating in the inaugural Positively Delicious event in support of The Positive Vibe Foundation are (clockwise from top left) Jason Alley, Mike Lindsey, Beth Dixon, Sunny Baweja, Mike Epps, James Kohler and Alex Vazquez.
One of Richmond’s most iconic feel-good duos is getting the gang back together, and it’s for a good cause.
Although Positive Vibe Foundation Executive Director Michele Jones and board member Jason Alley may be wearing different hats (and going to bed a bit earlier) than in years past, when they operated the bygone restaurants Comfort and Pasture, the pair’s mission to create a bit of positivity in the world and throw fundraising affairs that bring together top names in food and beverage has remained consistent.
On Saturday, July 15, The Positive Vibe Foundation will introduce its inaugural signature event, Positively Delicious. Held at The Faison Center’s Flo and Tony Guzman Community Center, the tasting celebration will benefit the local nonprofit that mentors, trains and helps young adults with physical and cognitive disabilities find employment and lead more independent lives.
“I wanted to do something that felt new for The Positive Vibe, but familiar for me, and bring those together — my current and past career,” says Jones, who took the helm of the foundation from retiring founder Garth Larcen last year.
Positive Vibe Foundation Executive Director Michele Jones
With decades of experience in the restaurant industry, from waiting tables to becoming an owner, after settling into her new role with the nonprofit, Jones began to toy with the idea of how to showcase the mission of the nearly 20-year-old organization — so she phoned a friend.
“What they’re doing for these kids is incredible, and the potential for them to do more is theoretically infinite,” Alley says. “We were knocking around ideas, … and it was like, ‘Why don’t we just do a sort of Off Broad?’ [an after-party for tasting event Broad Appetit that raised funds for local hunger relief organization Feed More]. They’re fun, and what a great excuse to get a bunch of people together, have a great time, eat a bunch of amazing food and [benefit] a well-deserved charity.”
Tickets to Positively Delicious — there are 300 available — will include craft cocktails, wine pours, selections from Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery, and small plates from chefs near and far, with proceeds benefiting The Positive Vibe Foundation. The get-together marks one of the larger ticketed dining events in recent years.
“Since the pandemic, everything has changed, so a lot of these people aren’t really traveling like they used to do for events and dinners and festivals,” Alley says. “I think there’s some excitement with [Positively Delicious], too, a gentle and fun taste of the good ole days.”
The event will bring together a few familiar faces. Enter vino expert Andrew Mack, a celebrated winemaker, author and sommelier whose last foray into Richmond was for Comfort’s farewell event in 2020. “I felt like bringing his wine and his energy is so fun,” Jones says.
There’s also Beth Dixon, mixologist and founder of beverage consulting business Salt and Acid, who formerly worked behind the bar at Pasture and Comfort and will be crafting drinks for the evening. And Mike Lindsey and his wife, Kimberly Love-Lindsey, who opened their Southern- and West African-inspired Lillie Pearl in the former Pasture space downtown in a series of very fortunate Richmond restaurant events, will also be on the bill.
One of The Positive Vibe Foundation’s most well-known alumni out of its nearly 2,000 graduates, Natalie Schwartz — whose namesake restaurant, Natalie’s Taste of Lebanon, took over the former Positive Vibe Cafe space, relocating from Innsbrook to Stratford Hills — will be a speaker at the event.
Other participants include chef-owner Sunny Baweja of Indian mainstay Lehja in Short Pump, Mike Epps and James Kohler of hoagie shop Stanley’s in the Fan, and Executive Chef Alex Vazquez of Natalie’s Taste of Lebanon. Heading in from out of town is Orchard Point Oyster Company owner Stephen Gerike, Denver-based River Bear American Meats founder Justin Brunson, New Orleans-born chef and TV personality David Guas of Arlington’s Bayou Bakery, and Chicago pastry chef Celeste “Cece” Campise.
“This [event] ties in with our mission because we’re training and offering a glimpse into the restaurant industry with our students. It just made sense,” Jones says. “I want it to be fun, I want it to be a celebration of these students and the wonderful things they do.”
Positively Delicious ticket holders can look forward to sampling a series of dishes from the culinary cast of characters in attendance, and yes, Alley’s famed pimento cheese — with plenty of sleeves of Ritz nearby — will make an appearance. Emcees for the evening are Robey Martin and Scott Wise, hosts of the “Eat It, Virginia!” podcast.
Much like the already established connections among the people behind the event, Jones hopes to thread a similar bond with the community.
“It just feels like a great opportunity for people to come out and have a great time at the same time that they’re doing some good. It doesn’t have to be hard to do something fun and impactful; that $125 will cover a class for a student.”
Tickets for Positively Delicious are currently on sale and start at $125. The evening will also include a brief live auction.
