Eat It, Virginia!

Chef Kyle Perkins has found his culinary home at Salt & Meadow inside The Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia, where the breathtaking waterfront views and local seafood inspire his cooking.  "I came and I walked through the front door at the Tides Inn. I saw the view, and I said, 'Yep, sign me up,'" Perkins said. Before joining The Tides Inn as executive chef, Perkins worked at Twin Farms, a boutique resort in Vermont that he describes as "a true definition of escaping reality" with no phone service and a secluded woodland setting. The Vermont native's journey to The Tides Inn came after a stint in San Francisco during 2020, when the pandemic made city living unaffordable and limited opportunities. He returned to Vermont, briefly worked in landscaping, then joined Twin Farms under chef Nathan Rich, who provided "an excellent platform for me to excel and grow." When the opportunity at The Tides Inn presented itself through Tanzerra Resorts, the property's parent company, Perkins was immediately drawn to the unique coastal setting. The transition from Vermont to Virginia's Northern Neck brought significant changes to his culinary approach. At Twin Farms, Perkins served about 28 guests and could change menus at will. At The Tides Inn, he feeds up to 300 people daily and focuses on consistency. "Making sure that recipes are extremely consistent, because I don't have the ability every single day to change the menu," Perkins said. Being on the water has also influenced his menu, with seafood playing a prominent role. Perkins has even worked on an oyster farm to better understand the local industry. "I've worked out on an oyster farm for a couple of days, and they were 12-hour back-breaking days. It's no joke. I have a lot more respect for what they're doing out there on the water," Perkins said. To source local ingredients, Perkins explores the area and builds relationships with producers like Young Overholt in Gloucester, which raises cattle on seventh-generation family land. "He's pushing for quality. He's not pushing for quantity. And that's something that we want to promote," Perkins said. "As we kind of reverse back in time, and we go back to this farm to table, which used to be the norm, and we go back to buying things from your neighbor and not buying it from a supermarket." The Tides Inn offers guests a unique experience on a peninsula that feels secluded yet welcoming. The property features a boardwalk showcasing their living shoreline, a marina, croquet lawn, bocce court, and the more casual Fish Hawk bar. While the restaurant is "a little more upscale" with a dress code, Perkins aims to create an inviting atmosphere with elevated home-style cooking. "We want them to feel welcome. We want them to feel at home, but like whoa. This tastes like home-cooked food, but it doesn't look like it. It's a level up," Perkins said. The Tides Inn continues to add unique experiences for guests, including crab feasts on boat rides and, most recently, seaplane tours that depart directly from the property. Watch Chef Kyle prepare oysters on Virginia This Morning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Cabaniss, owner of Revel Market and Bar in Lakeside and Julep's in downtown Richmond, discusses her Richmond restaurant journey which began in 1998. She highlights the unique features of Revel, including a secret patio and how a trip to New Orleans inspired the venture. She also addresses some of the challenges of running restaurants during inflation, owning a restaurant in downtown Richmond, plans for future events, and some of the celebrities she's served over the years. Send your food and restaurants questions to Eat It, Virginia on Instagram or over email.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join hosts Robey Martin and Scott Wise as they embark on a delicious journey through Charlottesville, Virginia. In this episode of Eat It, Virginia, they’re joined by food writer Simon Davidson, who unveils the coveted Charlottesville 29 — his list of the ideal 29 Charlottesville restaurants. Whether you’re a local foodie or planning a visit, this episode is a feast for the ears that will leave you eager to explore the flavors of Charlottesville.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Ferguson spends his workdays making Virginia real estate deals. But when work is done and it's time to play, Ferguson becomes TheBlackSommRVA, a role that allows him to share the wine knowledge he's learned while becoming a WSET Level 3 certified sommelier. "The more I jumped into this business [commercial real estate], I started being around wine more, and I wanted to be a better agent and understand what my clients want. So I'm like, let me learn about it. I've just kept progressing. And here we are now," he said about the bridging of his real estate and wine careers. "During COVID, it was great when the world was shutting down, and you didn't want to talk to anyone about real estate. I would call people and say, 'Hey, let's drink wine and talk about something other than real estate. We'll sit six feet apart and just be humans.' Real estate is transactional, but it gets too transactional. So, like, hey, Justin is here to provide wine value to me as well." But Ferguson doesn't just use wine to help his real estate career. He's been able to launch a second career as the wine director at The Underground Kitchen in Richmond, Virginia. "It is an experiential dining kitchen. So we're not open every day, which is great," he said. "The Kitchen pays respect and creativity to the LGBTQ community but also to chefs of color with flavors. We like seasoning. Chef Steve Glenn likes Creole and Southern cooking. So that's good portion sizes, but really well-seasoned food. It's fun pairing different cultures with wine." Initially inspired by Dlynn Proctor and the movie SOMM, Ferguson said he hopes his efforts expose more people to the beauty and wonder of wine. "There was a guy, his name was Dlynn Proctor, and he was, like, the only Black guy. There aren't many Black Master Somms. So seeing him in that role sparked the idea — representation matters," Ferguson said about his initial push toward earning his sommelier certification. "Because my family still, to this day, doesn't drink wine; they aren't wine people. They are beer and other alcohol drinkers. I think [wine] wasn't introduced throughout my culture the same way other spirits were." When asked to recommend a bottle of wine for Eat It, Virginia listeners to try, Ferguson did not hesitate. "The thing on top of my mind right now is, honestly, Black winemakers," he said. "One that I've been enjoying is O.P.P wine (Other People's Pinot Noir) by André Mack." Other stuff on this episode: The opening of Ripple Ray's, a Grateful Dead themed bar in Richmond (2:10) The new Mardi Gras menu at Get Tight Lounge (2:45) The Sunday Bagel phenomenon (4:40) The opening of the Ugly Dumpling (6:45) Robey's new column in Style Weekly (7:50) Robey's recent visits to Brave Captain and Susie's (9:00) The Mailbag wants to know about James Beard Awards snubbing Richmond restaurants once again (12:00) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Antonio Owen, the chef-owner of Sweet P’s in Richmond, Virginia, recently shared his culinary journey and life philosophies on the “Eat It, Virginia” podcast with Scott Wise and Robey Martin. The veteran’s guiding philosophies in the kitchen is that no job is beneath him. "If you think you’re too good to take out the trash, your whole mindset is wrong," he said. This hands-on mentality has been crucial in establishing a strong, supportive team. The restaurant also embraces fun, with the introduction of “Whitney Wednesdays,” a weekly event celebrating Whitney Houston’s music and food inspired by her favorite dishes. In this episode, Robey also discusses  an extensive list of Richmond-area Christmas bars that she helped compile for Style Weekly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Whitby, owner of Shoreline Seafood Market, discussed his journey from his parents starting Yellow Umbrella to his new venture Shoreline -- a seafood market and a 10-seat restaurant for special dinners. Whitby emphasized the importance of sourcing high-quality seafood globally and shared tips for new seafood cooks who might be intimidated to prepare seafood at home. Robey and Scott also discussed the state of service at Richmond-area restaurants. Slide into their DMs to tell them which restaurants always deliver the goods. Shoreline Seafood Market 10614 Patterson Avenue Henrico, Va. 23238See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Restaurant owner, entrepreneur, media personality, and community cheerleader Kelli Lemon wears many hats in Richmond, Virginia. On this episode of "Eat It, Virginia," Kelli shared why she decided to open Urban Hang Suite in downtown Richmond and what that experience has taught her about life, business, and the city she calls home. "Kendra [Feather] is the reason Hang Suite is open," Lemon said. "Creative Mornings, I think it was January 2017. My topic was a question mark, it was like a mystery. I was like, I'm looking for this thing, that's kind of a hangout, where people could talk to each other, but it's not a restaurant, it could be a cafe. And I think it was Anne Marie that yelled out, "Do it!" It was either Kendra or Anne Marie. And then the next day, Kendra called me. It was like, I want to show you this space." In addition to Urban Hang Suite, Kelli talked about her roles at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Virginia Black Restaurant Experience, the Art of Noise, and the birth of her podcast Coffee with Strangers. Here are some links to other things mentioned in this episode: Learn more about RVA Wing Wars here. Learn more about the Art of Noise here. This episode is sponsored by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and its new exhibit Julia Child: A Recipe For Life. This episode is sponsored by Project Birdie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.