Richmond Isn’t For Foodies, It’s For Eaters

by | Nov 12, 2019 | EAT DRINK

The Sporkful podcast’s Dan Pashman visited Richmond for 2019’s Fire Flour & Fork Festival to record a live podcast about wine and (vegan) cheese from right here in the river city.

“We’re not for foodies, we’re for eaters,” Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful podcast, announces at the beginning of each week’s episode. The Sporkful is a podcast that takes a much deeper examination into food and the culture behind it, and asks the question – what can we learn about each other? Earlier this month, Pashman learned a lot about Richmond and why it is growing into a booming food mecca at 2019’s Fire Flour & Fork Festival, presented by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.

Pashman originally began his career as a journalist and in radio, ultimately with an end goal of having his own radio show. As times and media evolve quickly, he eventually realized podcasting was the way to go – then got a radio show in the end after all. The Sporkful initially began with his desire to dig into the grittiest and most absurd details about food.

Food is heavily tied to our cultures and who we are as beings. To Pashman, the easiest way to learn about another person really comes down to a very simple question.

“You can learn everything there is to know about a person by just asking ‘What do you like to eat and how do you like to eat it?’,” said Pashman. “What a person eats tells you where they’re from, where their family is from, what they grew up eating, and also what choices they make as an adult now. It tells you where they’ve been and where they’re going.”

The Sporkful’s Dan Pashman at Fire Flour & Fork. Photo by Ash Griffith

It’s Pashman’s opinion that, through food and the willingness to ask strangers food-related questions, we can learn that the mouse was right, and it really is a small world after all.

“Every part of your identity is reflected in what you eat,” said Pashman. “It might be the salient stand-in for identity.”

But what did Pashman learn about Richmond during his time in town? Probably that we will happily stand in line for wine and cheese samples, no questions asked. Pashman was at Fire Flour & Fork on Sunday to record a live episode of his popular podcast, which featured two Central Virginia residents – Matthew Finou of King Family Vineyards, and UnMoo founder Josh Kadrich. They were on The Sporkful to discuss, respectively, wine and (vegan) cheese — what else?

For the podcast, Pashman interviewed Kadrich and Finou separately, focusing on not only their expertise but what their knowledge revealed about them as people.

Kadrich shared the story of the way his vegan cheese company, UnMoo, came about even though he himself is not a vegan. The story stretched from his early days working in a lab to the realization that he needed to find a significantly less costly avenue for his boyfriend’s goat cheese addiction. Finou shared not only the not-so-secret explanation for orange wine, but also established his wine philosophy, which is that it should never be that serious.

Ideas like the ones shared in the live podcast — such as why vegan cheese should never be a substitute, or what exactly the sorcery behind rosé might be — come to Pashman from various places. Everyone from production staff to listeners suggest lines of food-related thought to pursue. And the most unexpected ideas have at times resulted in the show’s strongest, most important episodes — like the recent series about the word “plantation” and its use in marketing.

“Our mantra for every episode is: we want people to learn something and to feel something,” said Pashman. “In those two plantation episodes, I think that people felt a lot and learned a lot.”

UnMoo’s Josh Kadrich speaks to The Sporkful host Dan Pashman at Fire Flour & Fork Festival. Photo by Ash Griffith

Fire Flour & Fork was flooded with attendees of all stripes — industry folks, food fans, and curious outsiders. A variety of these folks attended The Sporkful’s podcast recording, which featured both established fans and newcomers to the podcast. While many in attendance could tell you their favorite episodes, Pashman had trouble narrowing his down.

“The first plantation episode is pretty high on the list,” said Pashman. “The donut king, the Syrian Sandwich, [among others]. Then there’s some silly ones, like our April Fool’s one that I want to play again at the end of the year — because it’s a lot funnier when you know it’s a joke.”

Whether you identify yourself as a foodie, an eater, or both, The Sporkful’s live taping and Fire Flour & Fork were great places to be. Richmond’s local food scene continues to prove itself as one of the best in the country. We’ll have to wait a bit before The Sporkful’s Richmond episode goes live, but thankfully, we have plenty of delicious local snacks to keep us busy in the meantime.

Top Photo: Matthew Ficou of King Family Vineyards speaks to Dan Pashman of The Sporkful podcast at Fire Flour & Fork Festival, by Ash Griffith

Ash Griffith

Ash Griffith

Ash is a writer and improviser from Richmond. She has a BA in English from VCU and an associates in Theater. When she isn't writing or screaming on a stage, she can usually be found wherever the coffee is. Bill Murray is her favorite person along with her black cat, Bruce.




more in eat drink

WRIR 97.3FM Marks Two Decades with a Richmond Mini-Fest

Richmond Independent Radio (WRIR-LP 97.3 FM) is hitting the big 2-0, and this is not just some tired “anniversary” event, it’s a vibe. Since 2005, WRIR has been the soundtrack of Richmond’s wild, ever-evolving cultural landscape. As the largest low-power FM station in...

February 28 Economic Blackout: What You Need to Know

Starting tonight at midnight, Americans are being asked to do something that might feel unnatural in a culture built on convenience and consumption: stop spending. For one day, The People’s Union USA is calling for a nationwide economic...

The Death of Ipanema, or Richmond Shrugs Again

Ipanema is gone. You probably saw it on Reddit, sandwiched between a blurry photo of a pothole and a debate about whether the city’s latest apartment complex looks more like a dentist’s office or a minimum-security prison. The regulars lamented. The former regulars...

Richmond New Year’s Eve 2024-2025! The Ultimate Rundown

Richmond does New Year’s Eve like only it can—mixing a love for nostalgia with a flair for the unexpected. Whether you’re chasing live music, glamorous parties, or low-key drinks, RVA delivers with gritty charm and a shot of elegance. Here’s everything you need to...

Brave Captain! A Resurrection For Oregon Hill

The latest addition to Richmond's food and bar scene, Brave Captain, will officially open next week on the edge of Oregon Hill and the VCU campus. Co-owners Herbie Abernethy (read our interview HERE) and Josh Novicki — already known for popular Richmond spots Cobra...

Community Rallies to Support Sub Rosa Bakery Following Fire

Sub Rosa Bakery, a cornerstone of Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood, is closed indefinitely after a fire early last Sunday morning caused severe roof damage. The community has quickly mobilized to support the bakery’s recovery. A GoFundMe campaign launched shortly...