Work Release’s Food: A Debate Worth Having

Article and photography by Joshua Fitzwater (Header photo- Chrissy Covington- Goulart)

Is it an art gallery? A concert hall? A night club? These questions seem to be on the lips of many in and around Norfolk when the topic of the Work Release venue comes up. As Careyann Weinberg, the venue director of both Work Release and Alchemy Norfolk across the street put it, “Work Release is a ‘multiuser space’ with the main focus being on art and creative culture.” Now it would be a disservice to our readers if I did not mention the mounting whispers around town that Work Release will become just another night club. At this point in time, however, the evidence of that seems circumstantial at best.

(WORK RELEASE PLATE $13 1⁄2 sandwich, pasta salad, fresh fruit and dessert of the day)

With Work Release still in it’s infancy, and I imagine astutely under the watchful eye of owner Brother Rutter, Careyann and company booked Ersula, one of the most conceptually avant-garde bands in Hampton Roads. You got Ronnie of Janks with his New Orleans-esque swag both working here and playing shows. Members of Sharkophagus have performed. The AGLOW art exhibition that has been running here for all intents and purposes seemed to be well received. Could it maybe be preconceived notions and the pop culture context of the neon medium used in AGLOW that has led to some of this “night club” murmuring? And before anyone brings it up, YES, DJ’s are in the mix at Work Release, but it’s a business, people. It’s called revenue.

Just consider these unfortunate facts. The Lorrie Saunders gallery, run in a fashion similar to many of the old guard of galleries, currently has a for rent sign out front. The Mayer Fine art gallery… closed. Nobile & Amundsen… yep you guessed it, also closed. In fact, Alchemy is the only freaking art space still standing that was a part of the Norfolk Art Creep in late 2014. Plus, any time I’ve been to Work Release it’s busy and people are looking at art. In the next few weeks, the venue for two weekends will showcase art exhibits by graduating students of the Governer’s School of the Arts followed by a longer running graffiti exhibition dubbed, “Nobody Writes Letters Anymore” in June. Sure, there may be a night or two that a twerk occurs in here but Work Release does not seem destined for night club douche baggery. Like it or not, Weinberg and team have both been good for and played a leading role in shaping the Norfolk Arts District. Fuck people, they had a huge part in introducing Portsmouth singer, rapper D.R.A.M. to the Hampton Roads general public at First Friday. They get it. What does remain to be seen however is if the Work Release crew gets what is going on in the growingly exciting food scene here in Hampton Roads. That, in fact, is a debate that could go either way.

(AGLOW MIMOSA fresh orange juice, blood orange limoncello, prosecco $6)

Careyann has enlisted Chrissy Covington- Goulart, the former eight year kitchen manager at Tortilla West, to oversee the menu and kitchen at Work Release. Covington-Goulart informed me that she was looking for a change when she decided to head up the kitchen at Work Release. “When it comes to most of the smaller independent restaurants in the area, there are basically three or four groups who own them” she told me. “I wanted a change and I was excited about what Careyann told me she wanted to do here.” Careyann in return explained that she was looking for someone who had the right emotional disposition to fit in with the personalities  that make Work Release happen daily. In Covington-Goulart, she feels confident she’s found the right fit.

(FRUIT & CHEESE PLATE* $10 w/ goat cheese & walnut spread, manchego, apples, pears & local honey)

Covington-Goulart in person comes across as having a DIY punk vibe when you talk to her. It makes sense that she would be the type of person Careyann believes would fit in here. Covington-Goulart, like many chefs and managers, got her start at the bottom of the industry and worked her way up. She began by washing dishes in Richmond at Mamma ZU restaurant. She would later transplant to Hampton Roads after being offered a job at the Wild Monkey. For a time after the Wild Monkey, she bounced between local restaurants including Bardo. All the while, she continued to climb the culinary career ladder. Goulart told me that when she cooks food she, “likes to try and bring her personality to her dishes” by creating small but calculated and, in time, refined twists to standard recipes.

(Above- Alan Jelercic and Gibbs)

Goulart was quick to say she will be making “simple, straight forward food with only a few ingredients.” She went on to explain that she likes to make food minimal enough to let the main components of the dishes speak for themselves. Goulart also mentioned that she, to some degree, will be going for a street food vibe. As the night gets later and bands are playing, the customers will need food like burritos and slices of pizza that one can stand and eat.

While Covington-Goulart spoke enthusiastically about having Pleasure House Point Oysters on the menu, I didn’t hear all that much during our conversation about locally sourcing produce from farmers. The talk of pushing the fresh-is-always-best model also came up very scarcely in the conversation. This may be cause for some concern. However, that is still yet to be determined for a day soon once the opening incarnations of the menu are set and the food is reviewed. Should Covington-Goulart and the Work Release team approach food as Careyann and company do local music and art culture then no doubt it will shine. However, if they see it as an afterthought to the happenings at the venue and rely on pre-packaged food they will most assuredly come up short. We will soon see. Until then, Covington-Goulart and two of her staff were nice enough, while produce deliveries were still arriving, to make a few versions of some of the dishes they are planning on having on the menu starting this weekend.

(GARLIC NAAN PIZZA $8 roasted vegetable, pepperoni & portobello, or meatball & onion)

Food at Work Release launches this weekend and will rotate to compliment the programming and exhibitions weekly. 

Food is served from 6pm till 1:30am

Work Release’s facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Work-Release/832174680157719 

Work Release’s website http://www.workreleasenorfolk.com/