Eat It, Virginia!

What makes someone leave a career in accounting to sell fish? Eat It, Virginia! hosts Robey Martin and Scott Wise sit down with East End Fish Co. founder Forrest Spaits to talk about the unlikely path that led him into the seafood business and his mission to connect Richmond with Virginia seafood. Spaits shares how his lifelong fascination with fish eventually became a business, what he's learned about sourcing seafood and why he wants customers to ask more questions about where their fish comes from.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month, Eat It, Virginia sits down with Taylor Antonelli of Superstars Pizza and baker/musician Giustino Riccio to get the full story behind their new restaurant, Antonelli's Deli. They share how a partnership forged in a 1951 Ford pizza truck evolved into opening a brick-and-mortar sandwich shop in Richmond's Museum District neighborhood. We dive into the philosophy behind their focused menu, the art of creating the perfect sandwich bread, and how their winding careers, from a dry cleaner to the Latin rhythms of Bio Ritmo, unexpectedly led them to this moment. Plus, stick around for their insightful "Richmond Hot Takes" on the future of the city's hospitality industry and the incredible musical talent hidden within RVA's kitchens.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chef Ryan Diaz joins Scott Wise and Robey Martin on “Eat It, Virginia!” to talk about his journey from Miami to Charleston, Los Angeles and ultimately Richmond, Virginia, where he now leads the seasonal kitchen concept Mañana inside Cahoots in the Fan District. Diaz shares stories from working in elite kitchens including McCrady’s, Animal, Vern’s and The Brooklyn, discusses balancing military life in the Air Force with late-night cooking shifts, and explains how burnout nearly pushed him out of the restaurant industry altogether. The conversation also dives into Richmond’s evolving food scene, seasonal cooking, restaurant culture, skateboarding, local farms and what Diaz hopes to build at Cahoots. If you love Richmond restaurants, chef interviews, food culture and behind-the-scenes kitchen stories, this episode is for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does someone leave a successful insurance career at 50 to open one of Richmond’s most beloved wine bars? On this episode of Eat It, Virginia, Scott Wise and Robey Martin sit down with Melissa Stallard, proprietor of Chez Nous in Richmond’s Monroe Ward neighborhood, to talk about food, reinvention, French culture, hospitality and building community through wine and conversation. Melissa shares how growing up in her father’s Doswell butcher shop helped shape her love of food, why she left the insurance industry after decades in business, and how a lifelong fascination with France inspired Chez Nous. Her intimate French wine bar near The Jefferson Hotel has quickly become one of Richmond’s hottest dining destinations. Whether you love Richmond restaurants, French food, wine bars, hospitality culture or stories about personal reinvention, this episode offers a thoughtful look inside one of RVA’s most talked-about culinary concepts. Subscribe to Eat It, Virginia for conversations with the chefs, restaurateurs and food personalities shaping Richmond’s dining scene.Chez Nous 4 W Cary St. Richmond, VA 23220See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richmond pizza legend Billy Fallen is back with a new Billy Pie restaurant in Henrico’s West End. In this episode of Eat It, Virginia, Scott Wise and Robey Martin sit down with the longtime baker, restaurateur and entrepreneur behind Billy Bread, Aziza’s on Main, Billy Pasta and Billy Pie to talk about his decades in Richmond’s food scene, his family’s restaurant roots, and why he’s opening another pizza shop. Fallen shares stories about: Starting Billy Bread in Richmond in 1999 after baking in Vermont Learning from legendary French baker Gerard Rubaud Building Aziza’s on Main with his mother Rusty The cult following behind Rusty’s famous cream puffs Launching pizza concepts inside Virginia breweries Growing Billy Pie frozen pizzas into a six-state wholesale business Opening the newest Billy Pie location near Ridge Road Shopping Center in Richmond The conversation also covers artisan bread baking, Neapolitan-style pizza, restaurant life, balancing business and family, Richmond restaurant culture, and the future of Billy Pie. If you love Richmond restaurants, pizza, bread baking, local food stories, brewery culture, and behind-the-scenes conversations with chefs and restaurateurs, this episode is for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years after his pandemic-era appearance, Chef Evan Campbell returns to Eat It, Virginia with an update on his culinary journey. Robey Martin and Scott Wise catch up on Evan’s move from running The Stables and Franklin Inn in Richmond to a serene apple orchard resort in Sedona, Arizona. Back home in Virginia, Evan now leads food and beverage at Westminster Canterbury, manages seven dining programs, and curates creative rotating menus for residents. He also shares how his private chef business — complete with his drag persona “Rita Recipe” — keeps him connected to Richmond’s dining scene, and outlines plans for a grassroots advocacy group to support local restaurants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we explore the unique partnership behind Richmond's Get Tight Lounge with co-owner Drew Schlegel and Chef Dalisa Campbell. Schlegel, a Baltimore native who worked his way through the restaurant scene starting at the Lily Pad, brings authentic Baltimore-style pit beef to Richmond alongside business partner Randy O'Dell. Campbell, whose culinary journey spans from her grandmother's country bar Boot Scooters to international resort consulting in Jamaica, has transformed the kitchen and what she boldly calls "the best cheesecake in the city." Get Tight Lounge is a neighborhood gathering spot that serves elevated bar food while offering a variety of live music and Baltimore sports on TV. Schlegel shares how he books all entertainment in-house, while Campbell operates a freezer-free kitchen that can push out Altria Theater rush orders in 30 minutes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Scott Wise and Robey Martin as they sit down with Fred Enriquez, co-owner of Auntie Ning's Filipino restaurant in Richmond, Virginia. Fred shares how his childhood and family's Filipino restaurant in Virginia Beach inspired him to bring authentic Filipino cuisine to Richmond. Once in Richmond, Fred and his business partner Kristin Hobday combined their shared faith with their passion for hospitality to create a restaurant  that serves traditional dishes like adobo, lumpia, and pancit while also feeding those in need.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this month's episode of Eat It, Virginia, hosts Scott Wise and Robey Martin sit down with Herbie Abernethy and Josh Novicki, the Richmond duo behind three of the city's most celebrated restaurants: Cobra Cabana, Hot For Pizza, and Brave Captain. Herbie and Josh share the story of how two art school kids from East Carolina University, connected through a thriving North Carolina music scene, found their way to Richmond and built a restaurant empire rooted in community. From the origins of Cobra Cabana's legendary $5 beer and shot deal, to the 40-year-old sourdough starter powering Hot For Pizza's pies, to the newly opened Brave Captain, this conversation is packed with great stories, colorful opinions, and plenty of Richmond restaurant recommendations. You can read the full article at WTVR.com. Eat It, Virginia is available on WTVR.com, the CBS 6 YouTube page, and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baltik’s Bagel founder Yero Rudzinskas shares his journey from Michelin-starred kitchens and high finance to building one of Richmond’s most buzzed-about bagel shops. In this Eat It, Virginia! podcast episode, he reveals his bagel-making secrets, business philosophy, and why community connection drives his success. You'll Learn: How Yero went from chef to banker to bagel maker. The process behind Baltik’s Bagel’s signature chewy, glossy crust. Why Richmond’s South Side was the perfect location for his Baltik’s Bagel. Tips for perfect bagels at home — fermentation, boiling, baking. His plans for expanding in Richmond’s growing food scene. Stories from New York City Bagel Fest People’s Choice win. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.