By Kathy Chouteau
A “Beer & Food Pairing” Sat., Oct. 5, unveiled Bridge Storage and ArtSpace’s latest innovative offering for the Richmond community: The Bridge Kitchen and Commissary.
The special event not only showcased the creative compound’s soon-to-be-available new commercial kitchen, but also featured sweet & savory bites by Chef Rebecca’s Vegan Delights paired with beer from local nano brewery Origin Brewer. Both businesses are run by Richmond-based food entrepreneurs.
On Chef Rebecca Orengo McFarlane’s tasting menu that day—which included a trio of eye-popping delights prepared in Bridge’s new kitchen—were: Crostini with Homemade Lemony Ricotta + Shaved Fennel and Red Onion in Vinaigrette, which was paired with Origin Kolsch Beer; Cheddar Cheese Biscuits Topped with Pulled Chicken & Homemade BBQ Sauce, paired with Origin English Mild Beer; and Bittersweet Devil’s Food Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache & Salted Caramel, paired with Origin People’s Porter Beer. Michelle Baker of Origin Brewer was on hand to pour the brews.
“The oven’s amazing,” enthused Chef Rebecca during the event. “There’s nothing here in Richmond like this; it’s a really great place for a business person and it’s well-managed,” she added about her pre-launch tryout of Bridge’s kitchen.
According to Kitchen Manager Phillip Mitchell, the Bridge Kitchen and Commissary will officially open to the public in late October. The state-of-the-art commercial kitchen is equipped with all the bells and whistles, including numerous workstations, a 32-quart mixer, dual convection oven, six-burner range, flattop, deep fryer, refrigerator/freezer storage and dry storage. The onsite premises also offers secure parking for commercial trucks, with easy load-in and out.
Within Bridge’s creative compound is a 2,200 square-foot gallery space and outdoor patio—amidst indoor and outdoor art and beautiful gardens—that’s also available for rental and which offers an excellent complement to the nearby commercial kitchen.
According to Mitchell, Bridge Storage and ArtSpace is also in the final stages of opening the Bridge Food Truck Plaza, “where food trucks can come get cleaned up, prep and get ready for their next gig.” Per Mitchell, they are currently awaiting final approval from the Richmond Planning Commission.
When it’s available to the community later this month, the Bridge Kitchen and Commissary will be open 24 hours per day, seven days a week and will offer competitive daily, weekly and monthly rental rates. To schedule a tour or to request the kitchen rate sheet, contact Kitchen Manager Phillip Mitchell at [email protected] or 510.233.3348. Bridge Storage and ArtSpace is located at 23 Maine Ave. in Richmond. Learn more about the property’s Bridge Kitchen and Commissary here.
Richmond-based Chef Rebecca Orengo McFarlane is a caterer and pop-up “foodpreneur” who can be reached at [email protected]. Michelle Baker of Origin Brewer—also Richmond-based—can be reached at [email protected].
