United States
Southern food writer focusing on African-American culinary history.
Chef Mark Bedzik has spent 27 years in the culinary field, from starting on the ground level in kitchens in high school to owning his own restaurant. These days he spends much of his time digging in the dirt at the Culinary Institute of Virginia's Chef's Garden greenhouse as an instructor and greenhouse manager.
On a wall inside the Tarnished Truth Distilling Company in the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, the following words are painted: "There are so many things that are good and right about bourbon that it pains us to have to correct an historical inaccuracy, but bourbon whiskey was born right here, in Virginia."
At Supper Southern Morsels in Norfolk, diners are able to experience the juxtaposition of elevating cuisine mixed with the familiarity of eating in the home of a relative who lives below the Mason-Dixon Line. The culinary nod to the heritage of Southern food motivated Chef Josh Gregory to consider what it means to be a southern restaurant in 2018.
Article by Debra Freeman Thomas Jefferson's Monticello sits on top of a 850 foot Virginian mountain peak just outside Charlottesville, and the 11,000 square foot stately manor is built in a lavish neo-classical Italian renaissance style, with parquet floors, elaborate architectural details, and artwork throughout the residence.
If you've spent any time in Phoebus, you probably have noticed the bright orange awnings of Mango Mangeaux. The French, Creole, Neo-soul bistro has become a staple in the area and has expanded to include Simply Panache Nail Bar & Pedi Spa, Simply Panache (a boutique hotel), and soon will add an event space across the street from Mango Mangeaux that will be able to hold 150-200 people.
Boat commander. Abolitionist. Former slave. This is the story of Moses Grandy. Article by Debra Freeman | Graphic illustration by Kyle Melendez and Elena Bundy Born in Camden County, North Carolina around 1786, Moses Grandy was born into some of the most inhumane conditions possible.
Article by Debra Freeman The Hampton Roads area has a rich legacy in melding a variety of cultures, and perhaps the most prominent example is through food. Barbecue expert and author John Shelton Reed once said, "I don't think you can really understand the South if you don't understand barbecue as a food, process, and event."