The list of 53 participating restaurants and caterers (included later in this post) contains more than a dozen who are new to the event, which is in its third year, along with returning favorites such as Acacia Mid-town, Café Rustica, Comfort, Q Barbecue, Sensi and Six Burner.
Each will offer $3 samples that showcase their cuisine. Health-conscious consumers can take heart in the fact that this year’s chef competition includes “Healthy Dish” among the awards categories. The others are “To Dine For,” “To Diet For” “Ambience/Décor” and “People’s Choice.”
Among the newcomers are Balliceaux, Chez Foushee, Croaker’s Spot, Mezzanine, Old Original Bookbinder’s and Stronghill Dining Co. Avenue 805, which is participating for the first time, plans to serve grilled pork and vegetable kebabs with the restaurant’s signature New York State Fair Spiedie Sauce.
Also new to the event are The Empress and its sister business, Imperial Catering and Events. Owner Melissa Barlow says the Empress will serve individual-size crab quiches, with vegetarian and gluten-free options available. Imperial Catering will also offer dessert: a spiced-chocolate pâte with a bacon-wrapped date. Barlow says it’s a combination of two popular items. “We figure you can’t really go wrong where chocolate and bacon are concerned,” she says.
Among the chefs returning this year is Michael Hall of the Bull and Bear Club. He’s planning to offer what he’s calling “a crab cake and oyster po’ boy spoon-bread slider,” along with an avocado, cantaloupe and crab salad on zucchini slaw, plus a dessert of bourbon bread pudding.
In addition to the restaurants, vendors include farmers, bakeries, wineries and specialty food providers. Tents will be set up in the 100, 200 and 300 blocks of West Broad Street downtown from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no admission fee.
The event also features two music stages and a cooking-demonstration stage hosted by Ashland-based KOR Food Innovation, which is providing a commercial-grade kitchen for the day. The company works with restaurants and other food-related businesses on food, beverage and concept development. Jared Dalby, kitchen manager for KOR’s test-kitchen studio, will lead a session at noon called “Locavores: What Are They?”
“I’m really big into local produce, and having grown up here, it’s fun to come back and see what’s available at farms that are within arm’s reach,” says Dalby, who plans to use some blueberries from a farm in Charles City County to make blueberry ice cream and a blueberry compote.
Also participating in the cooking demonstrations are John L. Csukor Jr., founder and CEO of KOR Food Innovation, who will lead a session on "What Is Flat Bread?"; Jesse Miller of J. Sargeant Reynolds Communty College’s Center for Culinary Arts, Tourism and Hospitality, who will talk about "Re-igniting the Backyard Grill;" and Jason Alley, chef and owner of Comfort restaurant, who will discuss "Real Comfort Food."
Tracey Leverty of Echelon Event Management says she expects about 25,000 people at Broad Appétit this year. It doesn’t hurt that the event received a mention in Washingtonian magazine’s May issue, which noted that The Jefferson Hotel is offering reduced rates for festival-goers. Leverty adds that a children’s area will feature composting and planting demonstrations, as well as other activities provided by Martin’s Food Markets, Union First Market Bank and Slow Food RVA.
Broad Appétit is hosted by the Downtown Neighborhood Association; net proceeds from the event will benefit the Central Virginia Foodbank and Meals on Wheels.
Here, then, is the list of restaurants and caterers:
Acacia
Africanne on Main
Avenue 805
Bacchus
Bakers Crust
Balliceaux
Bistro 27
Bistro 1047
Bull and Bear Club
Café Gutenberg
Café Rustica
Carena's Jamaican Grille
Caribbean Mingles
Catering by Jill
Chez Foushee
Comfort
Community Kitchen
Cous Cous
The Empress
Gibson's Grill
Ginger Thai Taste
Grapevine
Halligan Bar and Grill
Imperial Catering and Events
India K'Raja
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Julep's New Southern Cuisine
Kitchen 64
Kuba Kuba
Lavenders Café and Specialty Shop/Umami Coffee and Ten Company
Louisiana Flair
Mezzanine
Mosaic Café and Catering
Nile Ethiopian Restaurant
Old Original Bookbinder’s
Olio
Personal Chef to Go
Popkin Tavern
Positive Vibe Café
Q Barbeque
Rowland Fine Dining
Seafire Grill
Sensi Restaurant
Siné Irish Pub
Six Burner
Sticks Kebob Shop
Stronghill Dining Co.
Tarrant's Café
Tastebuds American Bistro
The Urban Farmhouse
University of Richmond Center of Culinary Arts
Weezie's Kitchen
