Beyond the Plate RVA

🎙️ Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast | Season 7, Episode 1: Kahja Elliott — Food, Migration, Culture & Storytelling 💜Food is more than what we eat. It's our history, our heritage, and the stories that connect us across generations and communities! 🌎🍽️We're kicking off Season 7 of Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast with the dynamic Kahja Elliott, creator of Kay in the Bay and producer and host of The As Told By Podcast.From growing up in the Bronx to living in Atlanta and eventually making Oakland, California, her home, Kahja shares how migration shaped her food lens and deepened her appreciation for culinary traditions, cultural identity, and community.In this engaging conversation, we explore her journey into food media, the power of authentic storytelling, and why the people behind the plate matter just as much as the food itself.✨ Because every plate has a story, and every story deserves to be heard!💜 Connect with Kahja Elliott:📸 Instagram: @heykayinthebay🌐 Website: www.kayinthebay.com🎙️ Podcast: The As Told By Podcast — Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify📝 Substack: Life-Sized Bites🔗 More from Kahja: https://linktr.ee/heykayinthebay💜 Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to our podcast and YouTube channels for more inspiring interviews with Black and Brown women in food, beverages, and spirits, restaurant highlights, chef interviews, sweet treats, and RVA foodie adventures!📲 Follow Beyond the Plate RVA:📸 Instagram: @beyondtheplatervatvshow📘 Facebook: @beyondtheplatervatvshow🎥 YouTube: RLP Productions🎙️ Know a Black or Brown woman making an impact in the food, beverage, or spirits industry? We'd love to share her story!📧 Guest recommendations: [email protected]🌐 Learn more about RLP Productions at www.rlpproductions.com.Until next time, foodie besties, keep exploring, keep supporting, and remember: There's always more to the story beyond the plate! 💜#BeyondThePlateRVA #KayInTheBay #BlackWomenInFood #FoodStorytelling #FoodiePodcast

Hey there, foodie besties! 🎙️✨ Welcome to Episode 3 of Season 6 of Beyond the Plate RVA:The Podcast! In this special catch-up episode, we reconnect with theincredibly talented Chef Shaye Verde to hear all about her latest culinary journey, creative inspirations, and exciting new role as Head Pastry Chef at Coco + Hazel (https://www.coconutandhazel.com) in Bon Air, VA. From stunning pastries to unforgettable flavors, Chef Verde continues to serve excellence one sweet treatat a time. 🍰💫 We’re talking desserts, growth, passion, and what it means to keep evolving in the food industry. If you love pastry artistry, foodie conversations, and celebrating creative Black chefs, this episode is for you! ✨ Follow Chef Verde on Instagram:[@whatyoumakinchefverde](https://www.instagram.com/whatyoumakinchefverde)[@eatsSNXS](https://www.instagram.com/eatssnxs)💜 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our podcast & YouTube channels for more restaurant highlights, chef interviews, sweet treats, and RVA foodie adventures. Follow us on social media:IG - @beyondtheplatervatvshowFB - @beyondtheplatervatvshowAnd remember, if you know of a Black or Brown woman in food, beverages, & spirits industry, send her our way: [email protected]. To learn more about RLP Productions, visit www.rlpproductions.com today. #BeyondThePlateRVA #ChefShayeVerde #RVAFoodie#BlackFoodCreators #FoodiePodcast

Happening Now: Season 6 of Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast! 🎙️🍿 We are so excited to be back with yet another inspiring episode of Season 6 of the Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast! Join us for an engaging and flavorful conversation with Natalie Eltahir, the visionary founder of Popcorn Concierge. In this dynamic chat, Natalie shares the story behind her luxury gourmet popcorn brand, offering insights into her entrepreneurial journey, the inspiration behind her business, and her impact as a trailblazing Black woman in the culinary industry. This episode celebrates creativity, resilience, and the power of turning passion intopurpose. ✨ Tune in now and be inspired! 🍿 Connect with PopcornConcierge: 🌐 Website: https://www.popcornconcierge.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/popcornconcierge📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/popcornconcierge💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/popcornconcierge🎧 Join the Conversation If you enjoyed this episode: 👍 Like the video 💬 Leave a positive comment for Natalie and our team 🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more inspiring culinary stories 📤 Share this podcast with fellow food lovers and entrepreneurs Let’s continue to uplift and support Black and Brown women in food. 🤎 Know someone with a great foodie story who would be an amazing guest? We’d love to hear from you! 📧 Email us at: [email protected] you for tuning in to Beyond the Plate RVA, where everystory is served with purpose.#BeyondThePlateRVA #PopcornConcierge #BlackWomenInFood#WomenInFood #CulinaryPodcast #SupportBlackOwnedBusinesses #FoodEntrepreneurs#RVAFoodies

✨ Season 6 Premiere — Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast ✨🥕🍊Season 6 of Beyond the Plate RVA is here and we are honored to kick off Women’s History Month with a phenomenal Black woman in food and wellness: Frances Odoi.Born of Ghanian descent but raised in Richmond, Frances is the Founder + Owner of CoCoGin LLC — a wellness brand that began with juicing ginger during the height of the pandemic and blossomed into a movement rooted in culture, community, and care. What started as intentional self-care became a thriving business built on alignment, purpose, and faith.In this powerful Season 6 opener, we go beyond the bottle. We talk about:• Building a business in uncertain times • Honoring heritage and healing traditions • Reclaiming our health as a community • Choosing wellness as a lifestyle — not a trendFrances’ story reminds us that when you listen to that inner nudge, trust your gifts, and serve with integrity, impact follows. CoCoGin is more than juice — it’s ritual, reset, and remembrance.🗓 Episode Premieres: Thursday, March 5th at 6:30 PM EST 📺 Watch & Subscribe:👉🏽 Follow Frances & CoCoGin Instagram: @cocogin_juice Facebook: @CoCoGinJuiceFavorite motto: “Taste and See That Wellness is Good!”Richmond family and beyond, join us for a conversation that nourishes body, mind, and spirit. Season 6 is pouring up something good.

SEASON 5 FINALE | Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast 🎙️Foodie family, we’re closing out Season 5 with a conversation that is powerful, honest, and deeply transformative and you don’t want to miss this one. We are honored to welcome Michelle Petties — TEDx speaker, Food Story Coach, and award-winning author of Leaving Large: The Stories of a Food Addict.Michelle reminds us that food is rarely just about hunger. Our choices are often shaped by emotional wounds, cultural expectations, and the stories we’ve been carrying for years. After gaining and losing more than 700 pounds, she discovered that lasting change didn’t come from another diet — it came from rewriting the story behind her relationship with food. That breakthrough became her life’s work.This Season 5 finale is heartfelt, healing, and soul-stretching. It invites us to look beyond what’s on our plates and reflect on what’s living in our hearts.▶️ Watch right here on YouTube🎧 Also available on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts📣 Spread the word and show some love to our guest:👉🏽 Follow @iambrandnewnow🔗 leavinglarge.comThank you for rocking with us all season long. This finale has purpose. 💫Follow us —📸 Instagram: @beyondtheplaterva💌 Know a Black or Brown woman making waves in the food, beverage, or spirits industry? We’d love to feature her story! DM us or email [email protected] in, subscribe, and see what’s Beyond the Plate!

Welcome to Beyond the Plate RVA — Season 5, Episode 5! 🎥This week, we’re serving up something extra sweet with none other than Debbie Church, the powerhouse CEO & Founder of Delicate Creations Cakes. 👑Debbie is a Celebrity Cake Artist whose edible masterpieces have graced Food Network’s Cake Wars, HolidayWars, The Big Bake, Food Network Canada, and Hulu’s Cookies, Cupcakes & Cake with Buddy Valastro. Now, she’s joining us to share her journey — from humble beginnings to creating 7-foot sugar showstoppers for celebrities and major brands. 💫If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to turn passion into a thriving business, this episode is your inspiration!🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, Google & more 📺 Watch now on YouTube: Subscribe to Beyond the Plate RVA for new episodes!✨ Produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats.📲 Stay connected & inspired:Follow Debbie — 📘 Facebook: @mydelicatecreations📸 Instagram: @delicatecreationscakes🎵 TikTok: @delicatecreationsFollow us — 📸 Instagram: @beyondtheplaterva💌 Know a Black or Brown woman making waves in the food, beverage, or spirits industry?We’d love to feature her story! DM us or email [email protected].🍿 Tune in, subscribe, and see what’s Beyond the Plate!

🍿✨ Welcome to Beyond the Plate RVA Season 5, Episode 4! ✨🍿This week, we’re sitting down with the queen of salsa and pico de gallo — Kimberli Myrick, CEO & Founder of So Salsa. From her California roots where she fell in love with Mexican food, to creating salsa that quickly became the star of family cookouts, Kimberli’s story is all about flavor, resilience, and community. After navigating deep personal loss while raising two amazing kids, she transformed her passion into a business that’s now shaking up RVA's Black Farmer's market and beyond—one bold jar at a time.🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google, and more: [Link in bio]📺 Subscribe here on YouTube for new episodes every week!Produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats.✨ Stay connected:Follow Kimberli on IG: @SoSalsa21 + grab your jar at www.SoSalsa21.comFollow us on Instagram: @beyondtheplaterva💌 Do you know a Black or Brown woman in the food, beverage, or spirits industry whose story we should share? DM us or email: [email protected]

🍿✨ Beyond the Plate RVA is back with Season 5, Episode 3! ✨🍿This week we’re talking with the Popcorn Diva herself — Monique Jackson, CEO & Founder of On & Poppin Gourmet Confectionaries. Monique’s story is filled with courage, faith, and innovation. A widow and devoted mother, she stepped away from event planning during the pandemic to launch her very own gourmet popcorn brand, blending bold mocktail-inspired flavors that quickly became a Richmond favorite.From landing in local storefronts to making her way into the CareFirst Arena, Monique has turned her passion into a thriving business that’s rooted in community, strength, and resilience. In this episode, she opens up about her journey, the challenges she’s overcome, and her vision for the future of On & Poppin.Produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats.✨ Stay connected:Follow Monique on Instagram → @onandpoppin_popcornbarFollow us on Instagram → @beyondtheplaterva💌 Got someone we should feature? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]#BeyondThePlateRVA #OnAndPoppin #SupportBlackWomen #FoodAndSpirits #MoniqueJackson #BlackExcellence #BlackWomenInFood #RLPProductions #BeyondThePlateRVAPodcast #Podcasting

🎉 Welcome to Season 5 of Beyondthe Plate RVA! 🎉We’re kicking off episode 2 with a culinary trailblazer you won’t want to miss: Chef Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC!👩🏾‍🍳 About Our Guest:Chef Kimberly is a powerhouse in the culinary world, with a career spanning decades and a legacy of leadership, excellence, and advocacy. From her roots as a Chef’s Apprentice at El Centro College to becoming the first AfricanAmerican woman elected President of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) in 2021, her journey is both inspiring and groundbreaking.She’s held executive roles in Asheville and Charleston, taught baking and pastry as an adjunct instructor, co-owned aspecialty foods distributorship, and made her mark internationally in Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, and Abu Dhabi.🌍 Credentials & Recognition:Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC)Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA)ACF National & SE RegionalLeadershipHall of Fame Inductee – El CentroCollegePublished Author – Here I Am!International Judge, Mentor &Culinary AdvocateTV Appearances & Global CulinaryVoice📚Chef Kimberly’s mission? To champion visibility, diversity, and excellence in the kitchen—and beyond.🔥 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated on all our powerful conversationswith culinary leaders, changemakers, and storytellers.Watch the Premiere Saturday, August 9th at 6:30p EST.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~📌 Follow Chef Kimberly Brock Brown: www.linkedin.com/in/chef-kimberly-brock-brown-cepc-cca-aac-50497936www.facebook.com/1k.brock.brownIG @chefkimberlybrockbrownX/Twitter  @Chefkimberly100 Website: www.kimberlybrockbrown.com🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for moreamazing food stories, cultural conversations, and entrepreneurial journeys! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~📲 Follow Us On Social Media: IG: @beyondtheplatervatvshow Host: @piercerebekah FB: @rlpproductions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🎧 Listen to the Podcast On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts |iHeartRadio | YouTube & Google Podcasts Search: Beyond the Plate RVA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Want to be a guest on the show? Email us at: [email protected] Beyond the Plate RVA is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery

🎉 Welcome to Season 5 of Beyond the Plate RVA! 🎉 We’re kicking things off with a powerhouse guest: Cynthia Betterson, food scientist and CEO of Back Home Foods.In this season premiere, host Rebekah L. Pierce sits down with Cynthia to explore the science of food, what it really means to be a food scientist, and how Cynthia is on a mission to bring ethnic flavors back to the forefront of the market. From creating shelf-stable dishes to building a business rooted in cultural pride, Cynthia shares her foodie journey, her entrepreneurial insights, and what it takes to innovate in the food industry.💡 What’s a food scientist?💡 How do you scale a food product while keeping cultural integrity intact?💡 Why is Back Home Foods changing the game?👀 Tune in to find out—and get inspired to think outside the box about what’s on your plate!📌 Follow Cynthia and Back Home Foods: Instagram & Facebook:@cbetterson & @backhomefoodsWebsite: www.backhomefoods.com 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more amazing food stories, cultural conversations, and entrepreneurial journeys!—📲 Follow Us On Social Media: IG: @beyondtheplatervatvshow Host: @piercerebekah FB: @rlpproductions🎧 Listen to the Podcast On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Google Podcasts Search: Beyond the Plate RVA📧 Want to be a guest on the show? Email us at: [email protected]—🎙️ Beyond the Plate RVA is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery