Recently opened El Mariachi Café and the adjacent El Mariachi Restaurant provide downtown Lynchburg residents with a taste of Latin American culture through stellar beverage offerings as well as authentic Latin cuisine.
For cousins and El Mariachi owners Daniel Sanchez and L.J. Pumagualle, the restaurant business has been a longtime family affair. The duo’s family opened its first El Mariachi restaurant in 2008 in Amherst County before starting a second 10 years later in Lovingston, Virginia. In August, Sanchez and Pumagualle decided to open a branch of their own, but this time with the addition of a café.
El Mariachi Café, the first Latin American café in Lynchburg as well as the first café for the El Mariachi brand, offers a robust selection of caffeinated beverages and desserts to customers.
“We live in a diverse world, so it’s nice to have something for each area,” said Pumagualle, who is Ecuadorian. “Lynchburg didn’t have a Latin café, so we are pushing Honduran coffee, Guatemalan coffee, we want to start pushing Ecuadorian coffee, and Mexican bread and food. The Latin style is very important to me because you can do so much with it.”
While the restaurant provides patrons with a wide selection of lunch and dinner items, as well as a fully stocked bar, the café provides a more laid-back atmosphere for customers as well as includes breakfast options that aren’t available at the restaurant. It also offers specialty drinks that combine coffee with staple Latin favorites such as “horchatte” (horchata and latte combination) and a churro affogato.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
Through these offerings, the business looks to share its passion for Latin culture with residents of Central Virginia as well as anyone else passing through the area.
“I’m Mexican and I’ve kind of been disconnected from my heritage for a lot of different reasons, but this has been a way for me to connect back with my heritage through something I love, which is coffee,” manager Jeremy Angione said. “Not only are you getting the influence through the food and the aesthetics, but you’re also getting it through the people.”
As the café begins to grow and find its niche in the downtown scene, it will continue to evolve as it seeks to best serve its customers. Yet, its focus on authentic Latin cuisine will not change.
“We’re a people with a rich heritage that we like to pull from, with fresh ingredients,” Angione said. “We want to be seen as something more than just a theme or a character in a restaurant. We want to be seen as a people with a rich and diverse culture that we want to share with the people of Lynchburg and Virginia overall.”
El Mariachi Café and El Mariachi Restaurant are located at 1001 Jefferson St., Lynchburg, VA, and customers can also visit the business’ website at www.elmariachimexfood.com.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
FUSE Food Truck
Provides Infused Cookies and Ice Cream to the Community
Photos by Ashlee Glen
Lynchburg residents looking for a unique way to satisfy their sweet tooth should consider visiting FUSE, an infused-cookie food truck located next door to Cookout on Wards Road.
The food truck, owned and operated by Alan Sexten, combines ice cream, freshly baked cookies, and cookie fillers, allowing customers to tailor the dessert to their personal preferences. With eight standard cookies and nine ice cream flavors—plus rotating flavors of the month for each—patrons have a wide variety of options. In addition, one filler can be injected straight into the middle of each cookie for no additional charge if the patron so chooses. Filler options currently include Nutella, marshmallow cream, Oreo buttercream, Hershey’s fudge, Hershey’s caramel, and Reese’s peanut butter.
Customers can opt to have cookies and ice cream served separately or order a specialty item that combines both cookies and ice cream. Many customers choose the ice cream sandwich, which combines two cookies, two fillers, and one large scoop of ice cream.
Sexten stated that his reasoning behind the food truck, which re-opened for the 2023 season in April, was to provide Lynchburg residents with something different from the other dessert shops in the area.
The business’s current hours are 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays. Although currently holding unorthodox hours due to Sexten’s full-time job in Richmond, VA, it still provides customers with the chance to grab a late-night bite long after most other businesses close.
Sexten prototyped FUSE in 2021 and said that doing so allowed him to perfect his craft. Starting with his mother’s homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe, he carefully altered the ingredients for each cookie type sold today.
Sexten, who studied criminal justice at Liberty University, stated that he has continued to grow as a businessman through running the food truck.
“Through this, I have been able to learn so much more than I could through books or learn through YouTube, or even through classes,” he said. “When you get hands-on, it’s so much different.”
Sexten is currently constructing a second 8.5 x 24-foot trailer that not only will be insulated but also double the size of the current trailer (7 x 12 feet).
Potential customers can visit fusecookies.com for a full menu or check it out for themselves at 2623 Wards Road.
Crop of Memories
How Two Brothers Turned A Family Farm Into A Winery
Not a hobby, a passion.
That’s how brothers Ed and Paul Gerhardt describe owning and running Burnbrae Vineyards in Forest.
It’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” type of place. Tucked off Cottontown Road, the road to the property is marked by a tiny sign. Looks can be deceiving, however; once you pull further down the gravel road, visitors will find themselves at a little wooden cabin on a sprawling green lawn where it isn’t abnormal to see wildlife around.
The property has been in the family since the 1930s after it was purchased by a great uncle. You could find sheep, pigs, cattle, and horses—but no grapes.
“It became a lot for our father to take care of on his own,” Paul said. “For a long time, he and his siblings ran it but after they got older, it was just him.”
Ed and Paul Gerhardt. Photo by Ashlee Glen
Paul and his brother, Ed, purchased it from their father and cousins, but they weren’t sure what they would do with it. The Lynchburg natives both had careers—Paul, a lawyer, and Ed, a surgeon—away from the area.
A vineyard wasn’t their first thought for the property. They were more concerned with preserving family history and memories they had on the farm. Besides, growing grapes is no easy process. It requires extensive consulting and research to see if the property could even sustain grapes. If it can, it takes a year for grape vines to arrive and another three years for them to be mature enough to be harvested.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
But the brothers decided it might be worth it to have a study done on the land to see if it was even possible.
“We looked at three different spots on the property before we settled on this one,” Paul said of the ridge where their grapes reside. “You need something with a little higher altitude to protect crops from frost.”
That turned out to be the easy part. Once the grapes arrived, it was time to plant them. It was an endeavor that the brothers took on with the help of friends and family.
“If we learned anything that first year it’s hire people,” Ed said with a laugh.
While the original plan was to just grow the grapes, the brothers wanted to do something more.
“While exploring what more we could do, I ended up at this winery that I had never been to before,” Paul said.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
And the wine stood out. Paul called up Ed and his sister-in-law Lori to get their opinions. They all agreed: it was good.
The Gerhardts ended up meeting the winemaker who expressed an interest in helping them create their own wine. From the petit verdot, sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet franc, and petit manseng varieties grown on the farm, they produce 14 different wines.
“My wife said, ‘I thought this was going to be a hobby,’” Paul laughed.
It had become more than just that. Ed and Lori decided to retire and moved full-time to Forest where they live on the property as caretakers.
“We just retired and changed career paths,” Lori, a former nurse practitioner, said.
When asked what the biggest adjustment was, Ed said, “a different call schedule.”
“I definitely get more texts from him now,” Paul mused.
“It was the perfect activity during COVID,” Ed said. “You got to be in the field all day with a seven-foot distance between the rows. You didn’t encounter anyone.”
Over the last few years, new life has been breathed into the property as the business continues to grow. They renovated the 19th century cabin into a tasting room, which opened in 2022. The winery has seen visitors from as close as Bedford County to as far as Utah. There’s even an option to ship wine to 41 different states.
“We’re not trying to do all the things,” Paul said. “We’re a small property. Every winery is a little different. We set out to make good wine and have an oasis for people to enjoy it.
It has also allowed them to connect with old friends from childhood—and new ones too like a couple hiking the Appalachian Trail or a group of friends on their yearly girl trip.
“This place has always been special to us and now we get to share it with the community,” Paul said.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
If suddenly you’re inspired to start your own vineyard and winery, Paul said there’s a lot to consider.
“I recently sat down with a guy who wanted to chat,” he said. “I asked him, ‘Well, how much time do you have? How many acres do you have? Have you accounted for the employees you’ll need?’ If you’re going to do it as just a weekend thing, try it, and see how you do. Explore it. Maybe start with one or two varieties. Keep it small, unless you have a full business plan. You can do a lot of things if you’re willing to study and learn.”
Burnbrae Vineyards is open Monday through Friday 12-5 p.m. by appointment only and from 12-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays (reservations recommended).
Ultimate Summer Salads
No Cook Meals for Hot Summer Days
This selection of salads showcases the splendor of summer fruits: peaches, strawberries, and watermelon! Pair with something off the grill or serve as the main event.
First up is a fresh peach caprese salad. Juicy peaches, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil leaves come together in a delightful twist on the classic Italian favorite. Drizzled with tangy balsamic glaze, this salad strikes a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
Next on the menu is a strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed vinaigrette. Crisp romaine lettuce and baby spinach create the perfect bed for summer-sweet strawberries, complemented by the delightful crunch of almonds and zesty dressing. This vibrant combination is an ideal accompaniment to grilled meats.
Lastly, the watermelon mint salad is a true celebration of summer’s bounty. The juicy sweetness of watermelon combines perfectly with fresh mint leaves, all enhanced by a drizzle of tangy balsamic glaze. Each bite is a mini-vacation for your taste buds!
Photos by Ashlee Glen
Peach Caprese Salad
Serves four as a side
INGREDIENTS 2 fresh, ripe peaches
3 local, heirloom tomatoes
8 oz fresh mozzarella
3 sprigs of basil
2 tbsp balsamic glaze (see separate recipe below)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS Slice the mozzarella thinly and cut the tomatoes into nice, thick slices. Quarter the peaches and then quarter each quarter. On a serving plate or platter, alternate the cheese, tomatoes, and peaches. Tear 6-8 basil leaves and spread them throughout. Drizzle with a few drops of good quality olive oil for richness, and generously drizzle with the balsamic glaze for tangy sweetness. Finish with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Serves four as a side
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp pickled red onion (see separate recipe)
1 tbsp poppy seeds (toasted)
1/2 cup sliced almonds (toasted)
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 head of romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
4 cups baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS Lightly toast the poppy seeds in a dry skillet, and then toast the sliced almonds. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, avocado oil, and poppy seeds, whisking to combine. Tear the romaine lettuce into a large bowl, add the spinach and strawberries, and toss carefully with the dressing. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle the toasted almond slices and pickled onions on top.
Photos by Ashlee Glen
Watermelon Mint Salad
Serves four as a side
INGREDIENTS 4 cups of cubed, seedless watermelon (bite-size cubes)
8-10 leaves of fresh mint, torn into small pieces
Parmesan cheese for shaving
2-3 tbsp balsamic glaze (see separate recipe on page 136)
INSTRUCTIONS Make sure you find a ripe, seedless watermelon since it’s the star of this salad. Sprinkle the torn mint leaves over the watermelon. Using a potato peeler, shave parmesan cheese in big, thin slices over the salad. Finish off with a nice, big drizzle of the balsamic glaze right before serving.
Seafood at Its Finest
Maverick Seafood Brings the Coast to Central Virginia
It all started when a young couple, Gabriel and Nikki Cook, came to Lynchburg full of ideas and great amounts of passion.
Photo courtesy of Maverick Seafood
“I came to Lynchburg for a Doctorate degree in psychology,” Gabriel explained. “Then, [Nikki] inspired me to do catering, which then turned into a pop-up restaurant at Apocalypse Ale Works.”
The couple opened the Apocalypse location in early 2023 to great success. Located right within the Apocalypse footprint, they were able to deliver fresh seafood dishes—from fish tacos to crab cakes—directly to brewery-goers as well as hungry customers just stopping by for a quick bite.
Their business quickly grew and, by June, Maverick Seafood required a larger, more permanent location. They relocated to Forest Square in Forest.
“The owner of Best Catch on Fort Avenue came out of retirement to help us,” Gabriel said of their connections to bring fresh seafood to this area. “He was able to give us advice and we were able to uplift him as well. For Best Catch, he was using nine plus distributors and knew where to get the best lobster for lobster rolls.”
Customers who dine at Maverick Seafood can expect build your own lobster rolls, crab cakes and crab cake sandwiches, fish or shrimp tacos, and quintessential accompaniments like hushpuppies, tots, and fries.
Each menu item can be customized to a customer’s unique preferences—from additional meat or veggie toppings to a comprehensive selection of delicious sauces. Maverick Seafood will also continue to iterate on their menu—offering new specials as seasonal selections change and different seafood becomes available.
In the future, Maverick Seafood hopes to offer a brunch menu as well.
Lynchburg residents in search of authentic southern cooking need look no further than Val’s Comfort Kitchen, which serves the community through its delicious soul food.
Started in March 2022 by Valerie Braxton, the restaurant provides a wide variety of options to cater to each customer’s needs, including cooking vegetables in smoked turkey to provide for customers with Alpha-gal restrictions as well as providing healthy meals for those with health concerns.
Although Val’s is only entering its second year of business, Braxton said that she has spent the last 30 years working in the food industry, including her time with her catering business Lasting Impressions Catering Services, as well as her previous restaurant Soul Food Express.
Braxton stated that some of her main selling points are her meatloaf and fish sandwiches, both of which she claims are the best in Lynchburg.
“I have guests that will come in and if we don’t have meatloaf, ‘Val, we’ll see you tomorrow when you have meatloaf,’” Braxton said. “The meatloaf and the meatloaf sauce are a seller. I make that every single day.”
Photos by Ashlee Glenn
While customers quickly fall in love with the food, Val’s Comfort Kitchen also provides a community unlike any other.
“This place here is filled with love,” said Braxton, who noted that she takes time to speak with patrons at every table, regardless of how busy she is. “We cook with love. We treat our guests as if they’re family. We never meet a stranger.
Our food here speaks for itself. It is good home-cooked, wholesome comfort food.”
Instead of treating customers as simply opportunities to make money, she cares for them as individuals.
Photos by Ashlee Glenn
“My focus point is helping others who need help… I have people that walk through those doors and they’re hungry and we feed them,” Braxton said. “I understand they don’t have money, that’s fine. My goal is to give back to the community.”
Braxton attributes this care for others to her faith in God.
“God is the center of this thing,” she said. “I’ll shout it from the rooftops because He is why we’re here.”
A Focus on Food
The Summit Revamps their Culinary Program
Photos Courtesy of The Summit
Good nutrition is important at every age. Not only is food essential to life but it is also emotional, evokes the senses, and should taste good! The residents living at The Summit, a senior living facility in Lynchburg, are enjoying a major food upgrade with even more culinary progress on the horizon. Gone are the days of institutional food service in order to make way for fresh, exciting choices as residents enjoy a true destination dining experience.
For the last twenty years, The Summit has offered seniors Independent Living homes, spacious apartments, and Assisted Living residences with twenty-four-hour care.
“With its mission of providing residents with choices for purposeful living, The Summit is shifting services and amenities to be customizable, putting choices in the hands of those that call the community home,” explained Marketing Director Brenda Dixon.
Some of those choices extend to dining and meals.
“Our vision at The Summit is to provide a place for residents’ wellness to flourish where dining becomes an integral part of any wellness routine,” Dixon said. “While it has been known that a diet centered around fresh ingredients can improve your physical well-being, research is now finding that healthy eating habits can benefit your mental well-being as well. We promote community and friendship here at The Summit and we can’t think of a better way to promote community than through our culinary program by sharing a great experience around a great meal with friends. Our goal is to create a place where our residents know they can come and enjoy food that will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
Photos Courtesy of The Summit
The menu at The Summit has gone through its share of changes over the years. Most recently, flexibility in menu creation, vendor sourcing, and resident input have become top priority. The atmosphere in the dining room at The Summit now feels more like a restaurant where community members can eat and enjoy. Residents choose from various meal plans, decide how often they want to eat, what they would like to eat, and how they want to spend their money on meals.
Some options on a recent menu, which rotates often, include pan-seared pork chop with peach barbecue sauce, grilled mahi with lemon garlic cream, and marinated beef medallions with mushroom demi-glace. If vegetarian choices are preferred, there is a vast array including butternut squash curry, spinach and artichoke dip pasta, and stewed chickpeas with eggplant and tomatoes. If a resident has a sweet tooth, there is a delicious dessert menu that includes French silk pie, cannoli, and brown sugar cake. There are also frequent ticketed coursed meals with wine pairings that residents can enjoy together as a community.
Who is responsible for these tasty changes at The Summit? Mitch Rodhe recently has become the Director of Culinary Services and has had a hand in implementing many improvements in his department. If you recognize his name, it could be from his last role as the Food and Beverage Director at the Craddock Terry Hotel, which includes Shoemakers and Waterstone Pizza.
Currently, only lunch and dinner are available to residents but a café is slated to open later this year where breakfast will be offered, including sandwiches, pastries, fresh fruit, bagels, and smoothies. Snacks and bites will be available focusing on finger foods and hors d’oeuvres to accompany the atmosphere of mingling and fellowship.
Photos Courtesy of The Summit
“The community can come together, soak up those gorgeous views, and enjoy a glass of wine and some appetizers,” Rodhe said of the café and its ability to utilize an outdoor patio area on warmer days.
Chef Rodhe assures that The Summit is able to meet each resident’s dietary needs and wants whether they are due to allergies or medical restrictions but also if a resident eats gluten-free or vegetarian by choice. The Summit has new resident meetings, focus groups, and committees to discover what residents love to eat and how they are able to deliver meals in a safe and delicious way.
“We’re going to continue the traditions of culinary excellence at The Summit, along with new options for the residents we serve,” Rodhe said.
The idea of sustainability and farm-to-table focuses are important to The Summit and will become even more so later this year. Culinary Services is challenging vendors to offer a wider selection of locally grown fruit and produce. They also hope to partner with Lynchburg Grows, a nonprofit urban farm, to increase local sourcing availability. There is a plan to implement an herb garden and produce beds on the property to feature in daily recipes. Plant-based menu selections will be featured on the daily menu offerings incorporating plant-based proteins, fresh grains, and vegetables to meet the growing demand for vegetarian and vegan meal options.
Chef Rodhe shared, “Buffets and action stations will become more frequent to allow our residents to get to know our kitchen team. Plus, action stations have the benefit of showcasing our ingredients before they become entrees, thus enhancing customization, temperature, and freshness of our dishes.”
Not only will this new culinary program, with its emphasis on resident engagement and satisfaction, improve quality of life for The Summit residents, it will also work to further engage the residents’ visitors.
“Our goal is to build a culinary experience in which residents are excited to host their family and friends, creating a quality experience for all residents and guests,” Dixon said. “An experience that brings joy to their days and quality nourishment to their bodies.”
Summer on a Plate
Recipes & Photos Courtesy of Laura Miner, Cook at Home Mom
Nothing says summer like making dishes with fresh, local ingredients. Kick off the season with summer-inspired recipes by food blogger Laura Miner. Find Laura’s kitchen tour on page 65 and find more of her delicious, healthy recipes at cookathomemom.com.
Beetroot & Feta Salad (photo above)
This delicious and easy beetroot and feta salad is tossed with walnuts, dates, and fresh herbs, then drizzled in a simple vinaigrette—the perfect side or appetizer.
Servings: 4 servings Calories: 308kcal Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups diced cooked beets (About 3-4 medium beets) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 4 pitted dates diced 2 Tablespoons minced fresh mint 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill 2 Tablespoons vinegar use white balsamic, regular balsamic, or red wine vinegar. 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
1. Prep the ingredients. Dice the beets, mince the herbs, and chop the walnuts and dates into small pieces.
2. Add all the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the oil and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Because the feta cheese is fairly salty, you may not need much extra salt. And that’s it!
3. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat it.
4 apriums 1 small bunch fresh basil 4 ounces prosciutto 4 ounces mozzarella cheese (either buy mozzarella pearls or slice into bite sized pieces) 2 Tablespoons balsamic reduction or use balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
1. Preheat your grill to medium, about 375F. Trim the chicken breasts and gently pound them to a uniform thickness.
2. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and drizzle over the chicken breasts in a rimmed dish. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and cover. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
3. Brush the grill with a little oil and lay the chicken breasts with space between them on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes, turn, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cooked through.
Do the Prep Work
1. Meanwhile, wash and dice the apriums. Slice the basil. Get the prosciutto, balsamic reduction and mozzarella cheese out of the fridge.
Assemble & Serve
1. Arrange the cooked chicken breasts on a large platter and top with the diced apriums, mozzarella pearls, slices of prosciutto, and fresh basil. Drizzle the balsamic reduction and season lightly with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
A delicious and simple meal filled with bright, delicious flavors!
Servings: 4 people Calories: 914kcal Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Equipment: Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot
Ingredients
1 pork shoulder roast 1 head bibb or butter lettuce 2 avocados 1 Tablespoon minced cilantro
Pickled Cabbage
2 cups purple cabbage thinly sliced or shredded 1 clove garlic 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 Tablespoons lime juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Cook the Pork Roast
1. Add the pork roast and 1 cup of water or broth to your Instant Pot. Cover and turn to High Pressure (or Meat/Stew) and set to cook for 55 minutes. Alternately, to cook the pork directly from frozen, set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 75 minutes.
2. Once the pork is cooked, allow for a Natural Pressure Release (simply wait for the pressure to release, which takes about 15 minutes). Open the lid and remove the roast. Use two forks to shred the pork into bite sized pieces. Spoon a bit of the liquid over the shredded pork.
Make the Pickled Cabbage
1. While the pork is cooking, make the pickled cabbage. Thinly slice the cabbage. Set it in a bowl or mason jar.
2. Bring the apple cider, garlic, lime juice and seasonings to a simmer. Pour the mixture over the cabbage and stir it to coat. Set it on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature.
Prep the Ingredients
1. Mince the cilantro and slice the limes. Wash the lettuce leaves. Wait until just before serving to dice the avocado to prevent it from browning.
Assemble and Serve
1. Serve the pork, pickled cabbage, avocado, and cilantro, with slices of lime, and assemble in individual lettuce cups.
Blue jeans and baseball caps are the typical uniform you might find downtown restaurateurs Dave and Chris Henderson in. The Lynchburg natives that founded The Water Dog and The Glass House have expanded their portfolio to bring Fratelli Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar and No. 7 Rooftop Bar into their new management group, Hen + Hound.
“Truth be told, we didn’t set out to start a management company,” Dave said.
Seeing the potential growth in their current businesses, Dave and Chris wanted to elevate their management team to run both sites effectively, with clear, delineated tasks for everyone.
“So out of necessity, we created the management company, and my chef suggested the name and we immediately loved it. ‘Hen’ is short for Henderson, and ‘Hound’ because we love dogs.”
Aside from adding new restaurants to Hen + Hound’s portfolio, the Hendersons also plan to reinvent The Glass House.
“While we desperately wanted to maintain it as a small music venue capable of bringing in local and regional musicians, COVID-19 forced us to make some pretty difficult decisions on the future of The Glass House,” Chris said.
Anyone walking down Jefferson St. will likely have seen the packed-up patio furniture, and maybe even pressed their face up against the glass of the former music venue to see what all the changes were about.
Photos by Ashlee Glenn. Left to right: Dave Henderson, Managing Partner. Candace Vinson, Executive Chef. Chris Henderson, Director of Operations. Courtney Henderson, Director of Marketing
“Our goal with The Glass House now is to create an upscale, sophisticated cocktail bar and lounge with a hyper-local, seasonal tapas-style menu capturing the essence of elevated southern cuisine,” Chris said.
According to Dave, Hen + Hound plans to reopen The Glass House “in late spring or early summer.”
The philosophy of innovation and elevation extends beyond The Glass House. Dave says that Hen + Hound’s management of Fratelli and No. 7 came about through happenstance.
“Those two establishments were going through a management transition and, frankly, we happened to be at the right place at the right time. We took over operations of both establishments on November 1 of last year with a six-phase plan to reintroduce them to Lynchburg,” Dave said.
While some of those phases concern behind the scenes operations, If you recently visited either restaurant, you may have noticed a few changes.
According to Dave, the six phases for the restaurants are: keep the doors open and make sure everyone gets paid; transition into new administrative systems, contracts, and suppliers; elevate existing menus; introduce local and sustainable food systems into the menus; delivering new experiences to customers, such as jazz nights at Fratelli, or bourbon and cigar pairing nights at No. 7; and the potential extension of hours to be open earlier and possibly introduce weekend brunch.
Phases one through three of Hen + Hound’s reinvention plan are complete, while the following three are in progress or still in the concept stage.
Both Dave and Chris have professional histories that uniquely qualify them to play a part in expanding the downtown restaurant scene. While Dave has experience on the financial side as a banker, Chris spent most of his life drawn to restaurant work of all kinds, either through necessity or preference.
“Everything I’ve done professionally in my life has led me to this moment with Hen + Hound. At the most basic level, I’ve worked my entire life for others to build and maintain their restaurants. Now we get to level up and build establishments with our own hands and our own vision for the restaurants and how they fit within our community,” Chris said.
Considering the varied food, drinks, and experiences you can and will be able to have at the four Hen + Hound restaurants, the Hendersons are still aiming for a fairly simple goal.
“The downtown community is now more than ever looking for new experiences that break the mold of the traditional restaurant experience. I think that we have a really unique opportunity—and, frankly, a responsibility—to help create a stronger and more vibrant community,” Dave said.
In just about every word they speak about their new undertaking, Dave and Chris agree that the key element of Hen + Hound is community.
As they spoke, Dave and Chris pointed out the various quirks and kitsch elements that make The Water Dog a fun and unique dining experience. It’s that point of difference that Dave feels the downtown food scene needs to draw customers in and make them feel like a business is more than “just a restaurant.”
“A strong vibrant urban core is vital to the success of our region. The Water Dog has embraced their location in the core of downtown as a catalyst for dynamic growth, success, and community. A successful downtown requires activity and The Water Dog has become the hub for community engagement, a hub for community,” Megan Lucas CEO and Chief Economic Development Officer for the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance said.
The Hendersons suggest they have some exciting developments on the horizon for Hen + Hound. And, although they’ve received offers to bring other businesses under the newly formed management group, for the moment they are content with honing the formula with their current portfolio.
“We are pretty happy just trying to help make our little corner of the world in downtown Lynchburg, the kind of place we know it can be,” Chris said.
A Dinner Party Done Right
Meraki [may-rah-kee] is a Greek word meaning to do something with soul, creativity, and love, to put “something of yourself” into another thing.
Photos by Amanda Martin, Meraki Table
Alex Steltzer, Amanda Martin, and Kiersten Tucker put this word into practice when they host dinner parties in Lynchburg to help women find how to meraki. This word is so integrated into what this group does that they put it in their name, Meraki Table.
“Meraki Table was a vision born out of my own heart, in need for a community of like-minded women, and also out of friendships of 6 years. All three of us came together to use our giftings for the sake of serving the women of Lynchburg,” Steltzer said.
On the first Thursday of every month, around 70 women come together at the Meraki House, a house on 65 acres of land. Steltzer describes it as “an oasis.” In this house, good food is eaten, intentional conversations are had, and friendships are formed.
These should be the results of any good dinner party, and achieving these results is truly an art form. The hosts of Meraki Table are truly artists in this way. That’s because, to them, hosting a dinner party is more than showing off fine china and impressive cooking skills. It’s about the motive behind it all.
From left to right: Kiersten Tucker, Amanda Martin, Alex Stetzler
“If a host is doing it out of a place where their heart is for everyone to feel loved and seen, then they will. But, if a host is doing it out of place to be showy, then it will feel very empty. I really think the heart and intention behind it matters,” Steltzer said.
Dinner parties at the Meraki House are very full, with intention and with guests. A little structure is required to keep things flowing smoothly. The night starts with about half an hour for mixing and mingling, a time for everyone to get to know each other. Next, all the women gather around one huge table to eat together. Food is an essential element, and it is definitely not overlooked at Meraki Table dinner parties.
As a health coach, Steltzer likes to create meals that are simple, nourishing, and delicious. One big hit was a peanut stew with coconut chicken and an Asian salad. All meals are made from scratch.
“Our heart is for it to be a healthful meal,” Steltzer noted.
Women leave with their stomachs full and their minds and souls as well. At a dinner party, food is a fundamental piece, but it needs authentic conversation to complement it.
Every Meraki dinner party has a theme woven into conversation throughout the night. After eating, table talk begins. This could be sharing a story, reading a poem, or telling a testimony. Two questions are asked, the women break up into groups, and then come back to the table to share. It’s important that everyone’s voice is heard.
Through this, Steltzer has witnessed walls broken down and women learning how to meraki.
“I have seen women come and be courageous and speak up for the first time in Meraki or share their stories with a bunch of strangers. I’ve seen women be bold and brave. They blossom,” she said.
People may not open up in conversation right away. A dinner party is simultaneously an intimate and welcoming environment. Balancing the two can be tricky. Steltzer explained that succeeding in this goes back to the heart of the host. The host must be willing to lead in vulnerability and service.
“Our team is always setting the tone for vulnerability. We lead them in this way by going first. We share our hearts and our story first and then give them space to do it. And having a servant’s heart in that is key.”
Delicious food and great conversations—what more could a dinner party need? Atmosphere. These two elements are ineffective without the right atmosphere and ambience. However, an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere does not always equal extravagant or over the top.
At Meraki dinner parties, simple seems to work the best. The tablescapes differ for every dinner. One night, Steltzer made a banner that took hours, but other nights it could be just a single flower on the table. The atmosphere may be one of the most important aspects. It is the atmosphere that makes a guest feel welcome and settle in, but along with everything else it is nothing without the recurring theme: a host with the right heart.
“I think it’s the atmosphere, but I also think it’s the heart of the host. It’s the heart of the atmosphere translated through the host,” Steltzer said.
It’s important to remember that perfection is never the goal when hosting a dinner party. There might be a stain on the tablecloth and the chicken might be a little overdone, and that’s okay. It’s not about having the “just right” menu or the perfect space. Steltzer lived in a camper for two years, and she still hosted dinner parties. To her, it was simply about showing her guests she cared and serving them a meal.
Meraki is a verb or adverb that is most often associated with cooking and preparing a meal. A dinner party needs to be meraki-ed to succeed. It’s an event that requires the heart and soul.
