The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our January 2026 issue.
Jason Muckle has held roles at ChildSavers, AmeriCorps, the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton and Tricycle Gardens, and he most recently served as Shalom Farms’ community health manager. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Food has long been an important component in Jason Muckle’s life, from the sweet potato pie his father used to bake to the banana-nut bread he would make himself and gift to friends. But when his father fell ill nearly a decade ago, that connection with food deepened. The Northern Virginia native now channels his passion for nutrition and culinary expertise into CHEW, or Culture for Health, Education and Wellness, a local initiative that aims to make food accessible and cooking approachable through pop-ups at churches, farms and community spaces.
Richmond magazine: Looking back, when did your connection with food start?
Jason Muckle: My work has always gravitated toward service or taking care of people. In Northern Virginia, I worked in before- and after-school programs with kids, and at Whole Foods, I was the customer service guy. I also just love food, and I tell myself I’d be doing this work whether I get paid or not.
I had an epiphany in 2015; after I got fired and my dad wasn’t doing well, I looked after him as he navigated a new diet. I saw how people often come to food in a reactionary way, and that even with access to good food, if you don’t understand that language, it’s a disconnect. Everyone talks about food access, but I realized there are two sides of the coin — access and education — and I wanted to mix those together.
RM: What is your mindset like with the classes you offer?
Muckle: We talk about affordability and accessibility. I get most groceries from Food Lion or Aldi, and many of my partners are health care programs offering alternatives for people navigating health or lifestyle changes. I see myself as the middle person, the translator between the community receiving the program and health care folks who often come up with a more rigid understanding of health. None of us come into this world knowing this stuff; we all learn from someone. It’s a vulnerable position for people, so I open myself up as well, making it an equal exchange, not a one-way transaction.
One thing I had to get over early on was being idealistic, thinking I could change people’s lives by telling them to eat kale and quinoa. I quickly learned that you can’t change people like that. You can only give them information, be a resource and let them know that, whenever they decide to make a change, you’re here.
Everyone talks about food access, but I realized there are two sides of the coin — access and education — and I wanted to mix those together.
—Jason Muckle, CHEW
RM: Where did you learn to cook and develop these skills?
Muckle: I pick up a lot just from observation, like how I learned to make the perfect scrambled eggs by sitting at the bar at Waffle House. I’m always pulling from multiple sources and always adjusting. I even learned how to crack an egg with one hand from a participant in my class, which was a game changer.
I really looked at [chef] Roy Choi as an inspiration because he made food approachable and hired people from the community, giving real skills while feeding folks. He’s super humble, never raises his voice, and that’s how I am, too. [Choi is] someone I try to emulate as a cultural guiding light.
RM: Where do you think your genuine, down-to-earth approach comes from?
Muckle: It really comes from the idea that 99% of problems can be solved if you treat people the way you want to be treated, especially when they’re in a vulnerable position. I try to stay open, receptive and humble. I really love the relationships I’ve built and the community that forms. My work is all based on trust — if people don’t trust me, or I violate that trust, the work goes out the door.
RM: How did you take your background and merge it into a calling?
Muckle: I care about serving people — that’s the common thread — using food as a vehicle to communicate and take care of others. I really appreciate that, because I wasn’t classically trained; I’m self-taught, and that’s the power I bring to my cooking classes. People don’t feel intimidated. I feel like I can learn, and you can learn. Most people, especially in the communities I work with, are looking for ways to feed themselves self-sufficiently, make health changes in their daily lives, and learn fundamental skills for themselves and the people they care about.
RM: Do you have any rewarding moments that stand out from your career?
Muckle: I get that feeling all the time. I have a lot of long days, and I’ll be on my third wind, but then I get with the people, and they energize me. My cooking classes at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in North Side, those quarterly classes I’ve been doing for years, really pick me up. It truly feels like a community. People are checking in on each other, sharing what they made at home, bringing dishes to their families. I love seeing someone come in reserved and hesitant, and by the end of class, they’re one of the main people, rubbing elbows with everybody like they’ve been there for weeks.
RM: What is a goal you have for the future?
Muckle: My dream of dreams is to work with the public school system and do this thing that I want to do called Chef’s KISS, which is an acronym for “kitchen integrated self-sufficiency skills.” It’s really important to teach kids how to navigate themselves through the kitchen in elementary and middle school.
RM: What do you like to do in your free time?
Muckle: Watch bad movies. I’m a popcorn fiend. People are like, “Chef, you must cook the most amazing things,” and I’m like, “I do popcorn four times a week.” I cook it on the stovetop, and I like to brown my butter so it’s a little extra salty. I also love sneakers, but I love shopping at outlets, probably more. It’s the discount [laughs].
RM: Do you have a signature dish you’re known for?
Muckle: I do love soups; I love how simple and how complex they are at the same time. I’m about to make my potato leek soup. I get a lot of requests for that one. I love my sweet potato pie, because my dad used to be the one that made sweet potato pie, and I now think I make it better than him.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
