Richmond has always had a strong culinary scene. Acclaimed restaurants such as Lemaire and Comfort have been open for over a decade and are staples of Richmond dining. Over the past few years, however, several others have been added to the roster to develop Richmond into a top culinary destination. Restaurants driven by chefs with a focus on high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients are opening regularly. There’s a growing culture around the dining experience. Is Richmond a foodie town? It sure seems like it. There might be an opportunity perched on the horizon to confirm.
Fire, Flour & Fork is a four-day festival centered on all things food. If there are foodies in town, they are going to be there.
Fire, Flour & Fork is more than a festival. It’s a celebration of Richmond’s diverse culinary landscape. It’s a natural extension of our city’s emerging culinary scene and the first event of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic region. Over the course of the event, there will be 13 dinners, 6 lunches, 18 book signings, and 48 cooking demonstrations and talks from locally and nationally renowned experts within the culinary industry featuring chefs, TV personalities, craft spirit makers, culinary historians and cookbook authors. Each session takes on the theme of Fire, Flour or Fork. Fire events involve cooking and searing, as well as drink. Flour events involve baking, desserts or decoration. Lastly, the Fork events relate to different ways to prepare and cook meat.
One event that looks particularly promising is the Chefs & Speakers series. It reads like a “Who’s Who” within the industry. Our friend, Jason Alley, chef and owner of Comfort and Pasture, and his partner, Sam Edwards of Edwards of Surry, Va, will demonstrate the process of breaking down a pig. Christina Tosi, James beard finalist and co-owner and chef of the acclaimed Momofuku Milk Bar, will conduct a pie-making demonstration. Our good friend T Leggett, the master behind the cocktail menu at The Roosevelt, will enlighten the audience on cocktail making techniques. Furthermore, Justin Carlisle, who just landed a spot on the
30 Chefs to Watch list by Plate Magazine, will be hosting a dinner featuring influences from the South and Midwest. Expect a four course meal featuring dishes such as beef tartare, salt roasted celeriac and pickled herring.
This event is a gathering for the food curious that will appeal to a diverse audience. The four-day event takes place between October 30th and November 2nd. Although some events have already sold out, there are still plenty tickets available. Purchase your tickets
here, and hopefully we’ll see you there.
