🍿✨ Beyond the Plate RVA is back with Season 5, Episode 3! ✨🍿

This week we’re talking with the Popcorn Diva herself — Monique Jackson, CEO & Founder of On & Poppin Gourmet Confectionaries. Monique’s story is filled with courage, faith, and innovation. A widow and devoted mother, she stepped away from event planning during the pandemic to launch her very own gourmet popcorn brand, blending bold mocktail-inspired flavors that quickly became a Richmond favorite.

From landing in local storefronts to making her way into the CareFirst Arena, Monique has turned her passion into a thriving business that’s rooted in community, strength, and resilience. In this episode, she opens up about her journey, the challenges she’s overcome, and her vision for the future of On & Poppin.

Produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats.

✨ Stay connected:
Follow Monique on Instagram → @onandpoppin_popcornbar
Follow us on Instagram → @beyondtheplaterva

💌 Got someone we should feature? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]

#BeyondThePlateRVA #OnAndPoppin #SupportBlackWomen #FoodAndSpirits #MoniqueJackson #BlackExcellence #BlackWomenInFood #RLPProductions #BeyondThePlateRVAPodcast #Podcasting

🎉 Welcome to Season 5 of Beyondthe Plate RVA! 🎉
We’re kicking off episode 2 with a culinary trailblazer you won’t want to miss: Chef Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC!

👩🏾‍🍳 About Our Guest:
Chef Kimberly is a powerhouse in the culinary world, with a career spanning decades and a legacy of leadership, excellence, and advocacy. From her roots as a Chef’s Apprentice at El Centro College to becoming the first AfricanAmerican woman elected President of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) in 2021, her journey is both inspiring and groundbreaking.

She’s held executive roles in Asheville and Charleston, taught baking and pastry as an adjunct instructor, co-owned aspecialty foods distributorship, and made her mark internationally in Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, and Abu Dhabi.

🌍 Credentials & Recognition:

• Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC)

• Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA)

• ACF National & SE RegionalLeadership

• Hall of Fame Inductee – El CentroCollege

• Published Author – Here I Am!

• International Judge, Mentor &Culinary Advocate

• TV Appearances & Global CulinaryVoice

📚Chef Kimberly’s mission? To champion visibility, diversity, and excellence in the kitchen—and beyond.

🔥 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated on all our powerful conversationswith culinary leaders, changemakers, and storytellers.

Watch the Premiere Saturday, August 9th at 6:30p EST.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~📌 Follow Chef Kimberly Brock Brown:

www.linkedin.com/in/chef-kimberly-brock-brown-cepc-cca-aac-50497936

www.facebook.com/1k.brock.brown

IG @chefkimberlybrockbrown

X/Twitter  @Chefkimberly100

 Website: www.kimberlybrockbrown.com

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for moreamazing food stories, cultural conversations, and entrepreneurial journeys!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~📲 Follow Us On Social Media:

IG: @beyondtheplatervatvshow

Host: @piercerebekah FB: @rlpproductions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🎧 Listen to the Podcast On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts |iHeartRadio | YouTube & Google Podcasts Search: Beyond the Plate RVA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Want to be a guest on the show? Email us at: [email protected] Beyond the Plate RVA is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery

🎉 Welcome to Season 5 of Beyond the Plate RVA! 🎉 We’re kicking things off with a powerhouse guest: Cynthia Betterson, food scientist and CEO of Back Home Foods.

In this season premiere, host Rebekah L. Pierce sits down with Cynthia to explore the science of food, what it really means to be a food scientist, and how Cynthia is on a mission to bring ethnic flavors back to the forefront of the market.

From creating shelf-stable dishes to building a business rooted in cultural pride, Cynthia shares her foodie journey, her entrepreneurial insights, and what it takes to innovate in the food industry.

💡 What’s a food scientist?

💡 How do you scale a food product while keeping cultural integrity intact?

💡 Why is Back Home Foods changing the game?

👀 Tune in to find out—and get inspired to think outside the box about what’s on your plate!

📌 Follow Cynthia and Back Home Foods: Instagram & Facebook:@cbetterson & @backhomefoods

Website: www.backhomefoods.com 

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more amazing food stories, cultural conversations, and entrepreneurial journeys!

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📲 Follow Us On Social Media: IG: @beyondtheplatervatvshow

Host: @piercerebekah FB: @rlpproductions

🎧 Listen to the Podcast On: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Google Podcasts Search: Beyond the Plate RVA

📧 Want to be a guest on the show? Email us at: [email protected]

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🎙️ Beyond the Plate RVA is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie’s Custom Sweet Treats IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery

Welcome to another foodie episode of Beyond the Plate RVA, and in this episode of the show, Rebekah chats with Chef Natonya Jordan-Johnson, aka, the Kitchen Queen. Chef Natonya specializes in comfort food like macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and cornbread, and she creates her own specialty sauces that elevate her dishes to comfort perfection.

Tune in to hear her story of her culinary journey. her big plans for her sauces, thinking outside of the box, and more. Follow Chef Natonya Jordan-Johnson on Facebook and Instagram: @kitchenqueen.llc.

Don't forget to Subscribe to our YouTube channel, too, for RLP Productions!

Follow our IG @beyondtheplatervatvshow) and Rebekah on IG (@piercerebekah) and FB (@rebekahpierce). Subscribe to our podcast channel on Spotify, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

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"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast"

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*This podcast is recorded at The Culture

It's season 2 of Beyond the Plate RVA and in this episode of the show, Rebekah chats with Chef Alyshia Toulson, owner and operator of The Pull UP. Chef Toulson is bringing the taste of the Northern Neck to various locations throughout the DMV area with her mobile food truck. She specializes in seafood and brunch, and offers private catering.

Follow Chef Toulson on Facebook and Instagram: @thepullupdmv.

In this episode of Beyond the Plate RVA, Rebekah chats Chef Ellen Victoria Luckey, CEO of Victoria's Kitchen (Cooking School, Licensed Kitchen Rentals & Event Space) as well as Southern Spreads (Premade Southern Side Dishes). 

In 2016, Chef Luckey opened Victoria's Kitchen after helping one of her children through a rough food intolerance and digestive issue journey - as well as seeing how well her concoction of

Follow Victoria’s Kitchen on IG @victoriaskitchenrva and FB @victoriaskitchenllc. To learn more about her work or to book a cooking class, visit  https://www.victoriascookingschool.com/.

Don't forget to Subscribe to our YouTube channel, too, for RLP Productions! Follow our IG @beyondtheplatervatvshow) and Rebekah on IG (@piercerebekah) and FB

Subscribe to our podcast channel on Spotify, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

To schedule a guest, send an inquiry to: [email protected]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast" is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie's Cupcake Cafe Bakery (IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery). To learn more, visit ⁠⁠www.rlpproductions.com⁠⁠.

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*This podcast is recorded at The Culture Mix Studios in

In this episode of Beyond the Plate RVA, Rebekah chats with Michelle R. Johnson is the CEO and co-founder of Ghost Town Oats, the first Black-owned, queer-owned, barista-owned oat milk company. A former consulting barista, Michelle and her team have shot to the top of the oat milk industry with over $1 million dollars in sales in its first 10 months in operation.

Ghost Town Oats is now carried in over 500 independent coffee shops and grocery stores across the U.S. and Toronto, Canada. It is referred to as “your barista’s favorite oat milk.”

Follow Ghost Town Oats on IG - @ghosttownworld and  Michelle on IG - @michellethaghost. To support their initiatives and to have your local coffee shop or bodega carry Ghost Town Oats milk, visit ghosttown.world today.

Tune in to hear her story of love through service and a cup of coffee.

Don't forget to Subscribe to this podcast channel, too! Follow our IG (@beyondtheplatervatvshow) and Rebekah on IG (@piercerebekah) and FB (@rebekahpierce).

To schedule a guest, send an inquiry to: [email protected].

"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast" is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie's Cupcake Cafe Bakery (IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery). To learn more, visit ⁠www.rlpproductions.com⁠.

*Advert Disclaimer: This episode is brought to you by Mary Cofield of RoCo Air. Breathe Better: Let me help you reduce indoor air contaminants and breathe cleaner air every day. Say goodbye to mold spores, viruses, and VOCs! Those pet odors and allergies can be a thing of the past! Schedule your FREE home air quality test by request at [email protected].

*This podcast is recorded at The Culture Mix Studios in Richmond, VA.

"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast" is excited to bring to audiences around the world the stories of black and brown women in the food, beverages, and spirits industry. Come along with our host, Rebekah L. Pierce, as she speaks with these creative entrepreneurs and food innovators about their roles in their respective communities and how their products and services are bringing memories, love, and opportunity to the communal table.

In this episode, Rebekah chats with Chef, butcher, and owner of Common Sense Cuisines, Chef Tynella "Tye" Hall. Philadelphia born and raised, Chef Tye Hall has had a passion for cooking since the age of 8 when she started cooking with her Nana. She has served our country, has been a servant in healthcare, and now both she and her husband, Reggie, the co-owner of Common Sense Cuisines (www.commonsensecuisines.com), are serving up delicious comfort foods that are designed to take you to on a trip around the world. Follow her on IG & FB - @ChefTyeHall. Tune in to hear her story of love through food and service.

Don't forget to Subscribe to this podcast channel, too! Follow our IG (@beyondtheplatervatvshow) and Rebekah on IG (@piercerebekah) and FB (@rebekahpierce).

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"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast" is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie's Cupcake Cafe Bakery (IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery). To learn more, visit www.rlpproductions.com. To schedule a guest, send an inquiry to: [email protected].

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*This podcast is recorded at The Culture Mix Studios in Richmond, VA.

"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast" is excited to bring to audiences around the world the stories of black and brown women in the food, beverages, and spirits industry. Come along with our host, Rebekah L. Pierce, as she speaks with these creative entrepreneurs and food innovators about their roles in their respective communities and how their products and services are bringing memories, love, and opportunity to the communal table.

In this episode, Rebekah chats with the Benita Johnson, founder of The Vine Wine Club, a membership-based club where wine connoisseurs go to learn about the art of wine and more. The club hosts a signature one of a kind event, The Exclusive Blacklist. The event features six African American wineries and wine brands that have not quite enjoyed mainstream exposure in the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia) area.

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"Beyond the Plate RVA Podcast" is produced by RLP Productions in partnership with Maggie's Cupcake Cafe Bakery (IG/FB: @maggiescupcakecafebakery). To learn more, visit www.rlpproductions.com. To schedule a guest, send an inquiry to: [email protected].

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*This podcast is recorded at The Culture Mix Studios in Richmond, VA.