Alexandria, Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features

Capital Chefs: Tony Chittum of Vermilion (Part 2)

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Brussels Sprouts Salad at Vermilion
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Move over, quinoa. Sayonara, root vegetables of winter. This bright salad recipe from chef Tony Chittum combines the sweet flavors of apples and dates, with the savory notes from blue cheese, farro, walnuts and brussels sprouts. It’s a simple and straight forward recipe, but elegant and filling. Click through for the full recipe.

Continue reading

Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features

Capital Chefs: Tony Chittum of Vermilion (Part 1)

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Chef Tony Chittum of Vermilion
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Some people seek out their careers, and others have careers that seek out them. The latter was the case for executive chef of Vermilion, Tony Chittum, when he started working in a Mexican restaurant at 14 years old, just washing dishes. “It was easy to get a job in a restaurant then, and I liked it because of the energy,” he says. “Eventually I got sick of dishes and learned how to cook. I was 17 when I met the first real chef I worked for and realized that I could make a career out of this.”

It was then that Chittum “learned why and how to make things,” he says, describing the first time he learned how to make a roux. The Maryland native later moved out to San Francisco, where he worked for and learned from the “classically trained and intense” chef, Don Link. Chittum says that working for a chef of that caliber was a “big eye opener” and he began to learn what it would take to make it as a chef. Fast forward to today, and Chittum can honestly say he can’t see himself doing anything else.

Continue reading

Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup, The Features

We Love Upcoming Food Events in the City

Photo courtesy of
‘Every Food Fits: Thanksgiving Edition’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

Every now and then you splurge with food, usually it being something with a lot of butter and a high calorie count. After the jump you’ll find a little roundup of some food events that are not only worthy of the extra calories but also of breaking the bank a little.
Continue reading

Alexandria, Food and Drink, We Love Food

We Love Food: Vermilion

Wall at Vermilion

"Wall at Vermilion" by jenn larsen, on Flickr

“Mmmm…” a friend sighed contentedly into her glass of hot buttered rum, “liquor pie…”

Brunch with the girls at Vermilion on a chilly afternoon was a mellow affair, lingering over hot toddies in the brick-walled upstairs room. With the place almost all to ourselves, we curled into a corner table and indulged to celebrate a birthday.

Vermilion serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00am – 2:30am, with an eclectic menu that ranges from eggs and french toast to scallops and bifteki. The hot drinks were especially welcome, as was the laid-back service allowing us to savor everything without feeling rushed. And of course, any place that serves lamb sausage ranks high on my happy meter. Continue reading