A lobster roll from the first Field to Fire pop-up
“The pop-up idea really came about as a direct response to the pandemic,” says Seth Goulston, founder of Field to Fire. The classically trained local chef says he gained inspiration for his recently debuted sellout pop-up series after participating in Hatch Helps, an initiative introduced by Hatch Cafe RVA this past April that donates soup to a food pantry at Richmond's Mount Olive Baptist Church.
“I’ve known Austin [Green, Hatch Cafe co-founder,] for a while, and I got on board with Hatch Helps in the first week,” he says. The partnership continued, and Green helped facilitate Goulston’s pop-up idea. “I wasn’t working, and he had a big kitchen," Goulston says.
For his inaugural pop-up at the end of September, Goulston put lobster rolls on the menu. Getting back in touch with his New England roots, Goulston traveled to Massachusetts to pick up fresh lobster, in addition to buns from his favorite hometown grocer, Market Basket. With Route 11 Potato Chips adding a touch of Virginia to the menu, all orders were placed online for pickup at Hatch Kitchen.
Seth Goulston, founder of Field to Fire
As the leaves begin to change, Goulston looks forward to being able to focus on flavors that complement the cooler temperatures, with a forthcoming pop-up featuring dishes such as apple pie and Brussels sprout hash. “It’s really about highlighting the seasons and what it tastes like to be in fall," he says.
Goulston is currently brainstorming an Oktoberfest-themed event and hopes to develop a yearly pop-up schedule that pays close attention to holidays. He also plans to start a delivery service with the goal of providing families with easy access to high-quality food during a time when restaurant operations are limited. Currently, a sample menu features a bone-in blackened pork chop, pesto-seared cauliflower and cannolis.
While navigating the food world during the pandemic has proven challenging for Goulston, who was furloughed in mid-March, he says Field to Fire has invigorated him. “It’s a really different time right now, but I think everyone has done a really great job pivoting and doing what we have to do to get through it,” he says.
“The one thing that I hope is that people can now see how restaurants and hospitality bring people to a city," Goulston adds. "I don’t know if anybody ever really thought about how much it draws people in, so I’m hopeful that this time sheds a new light on what the hospitality field brings to a city.”
