John Haddad

John Haddad has written about food and travel for nearly 20 years. He founded Slow Food RVA in Richmond and is the Slow Food Councilor of Virginia. [email protected]

All Posts

Desserts

21 Spoons Is Culinary Art with a Mission

Ann Butler keeps busy teaching the next generation about food—how to have a healthy relationship with what goes on their table and into their communities, but also important life skills rooted in food.

Food

Food From the Heart

Chef Travis Milton’s Appalachian love song. A standard-bearer of Appalachian cuisine, Travis Milton has finally come home to roost. At his new restaurant Hickory, at Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards in Bristol, he takes a reverent, sophisticated, often playful approach to the Appalachian food of his childhood. “We are committed to the […]

Cocktails

Elfin’ Fun Holiday Cocktails

Like Santa, you’ll spot this Christmas “Miracle” all over this season The Christmas-themed cocktail bar Miracle will be stirring up liquid cheer this holiday season at two Virginia locations: Sense of Thai in Ashburn’s One Loudoun, and The Jasper in Richmond’s Carytown neighborhood. Known for their kitschy décor and irreverent libations—Jingle Balls […]

Appetizers

Riviera Dreaming

Anina Belle of Le Chef’s Wife makes French cuisine accessible for home cooks. McLean, VA (Photography by Scott Suchman) Sometimes, fairytales do come true. When she left her home in British Columbia for a semester in the South of France, Anina Belle couldn’t foresee the life-changing impact that decision would have on […]

Food

Authentic Appalachian Flavors

For Chef Travis Milton, his newest restaurant is a passion project. KIRK CHAMBERS Travis Milton has been a standard-bearer of Appalachian cuisine for the past decade. He’s already pouring his passion for the region’s flavors into Nicewonder’s inaugural restaurant, Taste: Wood-Fired Kitchen, which serves small plates and casual fare. Born and raised […]

Food

Road to Food Stardom

Hatch Kitchen stirs up next-level tastemakers. Tyler Darden (Photography by Tyler Darden) We’ve all known that friend: The one whose homemade salad dressing tastes so good, you wish she’d bottle it. The grill master whose rib sauce beats anything you’ve found in stores (you know, you’ve searched). Or the weekend baker whose […]

Desserts

A Taste of Paris in Charlottesville

With Cou Cou Rachou, Rachel De Jong brings authentic French baking to the Blue Ridge. (Photo of Rachel De Jong by Fred+Elliot) Long before we met in person, I met Rachel De Jong’s lovely sourdough bread at Charlottesville’s Broadcloth restaurant. The loaf left a lasting impression. So when I heard that she […]

Food

Local Flavors Shine

Close ties to purveyors elevate Chef Tucker Yoder’s ever-changing menus at Broadcloth. (Photo courtesy of Broadcloth) As we pulled up to the Wool Factory, just a mile from downtown Charlottesville, the skies opened. We scurried through the deluge down a series of cascading steps, across a courtyard, and into the dry embrace […]

Food

Small But Mighty

Packed with flavor and nutrients, microgreens can power up your diet. Wissing, Michael StockFood 13238680 Various microgreens You’ve probably noticed microgreens at farmers markets or natural food stores. But do you know what these nutrient-dense flavor bombs can do for your diet? While they emerged on the culinary landscape back in the […]

Food

Happy Farmers, Healthy Chickens

Farmer Focus brings better birds to your table. (Photography courtesy of Farmer Focus) Do you know where your chicken crossed the road? Unless you’re buying from a local farmer or specialty market, it’s hard to know where your chicken comes from. Farmer Focus is changing that. Founded in 2012 with 300 birds […]

Cocktails

Charlottesville’s Waterbird Takes Flight

Canned cocktails make a splash. This bird is about to leave the nest. A few short years ago, canned cocktails weren’t a viable offering in Virginia. But in 2019, Waterbird founder Wilson Craig testified before the Virginia House and Senate in support of legislation that puts ready-to-drink cocktails in the same category as wine […]

Drink

Barrel Fever

As bourbon demand rises, Virginia is bringing the barrels. Back in 1964, when Congress officially recognized bourbon as a “distinctive product of the United States,” it created a handful of rules to govern its making. In addition to US provenance, corn content, and distillation proof limits; the law dictates aging bourbon for […]

HOME

Going Native

Create a gorgeous, low-maintenance yard full of birds and butterflies by landscaping with local plants. Imagine opening your door to a yard of beautiful flower beds teeming with butterflies and birds. You still have a lawn, but it takes much less time to mow, and you don’t have to bother with bagging […]

Pages: 12

Best Oyster and Crab Festivals in Virginia This Fall

Fresh crabs and oysters from Virginia’s rivers and the Chesapeake Bay are plentiful as always at traditional seafood festivals this fall. Pull on a sweater and make a day of seasonal food, drink, and fun. Read on for a few of our favorites. Crabtown Seafood Shellabration Festival Hampton • Sept. 5 On the waterfront at […]

by Elizabeth Cogar

Gel vs. Acrylic Nails: What’s the Difference?

If a manicure is in your future, nail salon menu options can get overwhelming. Vogue Lashes & Spa in Virginia Beach explains two of the most popular options: Acrylic—Made from a mix of liquid monomer and powder polymer, it turns into a paste when applied to your nails. They harden, becoming stronger, more rigid, and […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Richmond’s Goldwing Serves Jazz Luxury in A Cocktail Glass

Richmond’s Arthur Ashe Boulevard looks unassuming at night—just cars passing by and the buzz of neon lights. But step inside Goldwing, and it’s like a jewelry box snapping open. Spirited conversations flow, mingling with intricate cocktails and aperitifs as a lively jazz band sets the tempo. “Goldwing is an intimate setting where guests can dress […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

John Haddad

All Posts

21 Spoons Is Culinary Art with a Mission

Current Issue

Most Popular

Best Oyster and Crab Festivals in Virginia This Fall

Gel vs. Acrylic Nails: What’s the Difference?

Richmond’s Goldwing Serves Jazz Luxury in A Cocktail Glass

John Haddad

All Posts

21 Spoons Is Culinary Art with a Mission

Current Issue

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

Best Oyster and Crab Festivals in Virginia This Fall

Gel vs. Acrylic Nails: What’s the Difference?

Richmond’s Goldwing Serves Jazz Luxury in A Cocktail Glass

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today