The true philosopher and the true poet are one, and a beauty, which is truth, and a truth, which is beauty, is the aim of both -Emerson
Article by Josh Gregory with photos by Fitz
Lead photo of Alt Bite founders Nic Hagen and Josh Gregory with Fitz at HomeGrown Restaurant in Portsmouth
Out of all the things I’m asked as a chef, recently, “What is Hampton Roads cuisine?” is at the top of the list. There are long answers and short answers, but the most concise and honest is “we don’t know yet.” As a younger generation of chefs, writers, farmers, and suppliers begin to grow into their own skin and their own identities, the framework of a cuisine will begin to take place. Along the road there have been “a-ha” moments on the decks of fishing boats. There have been moments of deep and existential reflection standing in a field, tasting vegetables straight out of the ground. We’ve already traveled beyond the confines of our seven cities to see what’s out there to bring home, to apply in our kitchens, and to grow as chefs and as people.
Alt Bite Chefs Forrest Warren, Brian Wegener, David Hannah and Nic Hagen at Smoke BBQ Restaurant in Newport News cooking and tasting the first draft of plates for the Mixtape Dinner on August 13th at Esoteric
This question of what this area’s cuisine is led to the creation of Alt-Bite; a motley collection of like minded individuals whose ultimate creation was dreamt up by myself and Nic Hagen, owner of Homegrown in Portsmouth. Over the course of several nights (and several PBR’s), we decided that we wanted to work together on something. We have enough like minded friends who believe in the same things; sourcing locally, the power of food to bring people together, and at the heart of it, the joy we draw from making people happy with the fruits of our collective labor, food. We started adding names to the list; David Hannah, Travis Lindblad, Forrest Warren, Brian Wegener, and it became clear that we were about to assemble as diverse a group of personalities as I’ve ever seen in one kitchen.
First run through/ Chefs tasting of assorted dishes for the Alt Bite dinner including a Jerk Chicken Mousse, Fried Ravioli, and Sweetbreads
The remarkable thing to point out here is one thing that hasn’t been present. Ego. When we were putting together the menu for the Alt-Bite Dinner, which will be at Esoteric August 13, the menu came together organically, and highlights things about us as chefs in a way that even we don’t fully yet grasp. Case in point, Travis “the #veganslayer” is serving a dish that is, just that, vegan. We’re also blessed by the kindness of Kristina and Tim Chastain who have agreed to host us in their beautiful restaurant. As with most things in life worth doing, this has been a process and one we hope to continue past this initial dinner.
Alt Bite Chefs Nic Hagen, David Hannah and Josh Gregory at Smoke BBQ Restaurant & Bar in Newport News cooking and tasting the first draft of plates for their Mixtape Dinner on August 13th at Esoteric
Hampton Roads traditions, which tip the cap towards our own personal heritage, will continue to glimmer through on the plates of diners in Hampton Roads. As we sit on the shores of the great resource of the Chesapeake Bay, I can easily say that it’s a thrilling time to be not only a diner, but to be a chef in Hampton Roads. So get out of the house, support local restaurants, take tunnels to new cities, and stretch your legs to see everything we have to offer.
To get tickets to The Alt Bite’s Inaugural Dinner, The Alt Bite Presents The Mixtape Dinners Volume 1, visit-
https://squareup.com/store/thealtbite/
For more on The Alt Bite – Community Through Cooking, visit-
*Southern Grit Magazine Publisher, Fitz was asked to be a member of The Alt Bite and readers should take that into consideration when reading this article.
No Comments