Photo by Stephanie Ganz: treats at Chair Lift

ALLEZ CUISINE!

This Saturday, the Peter Paul Development Center will host a Jr. Iron Chef competition from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, with students who have participated in an "8-week summer youth enrichment program that teaches culinary skills, recipe building, farm to table and world cuisine," according to Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton Food & Outreach Director Brandon Walton, who adds, "These youth will put their learned skills and knowledge to the test for a three-course competition using a secret ingredient!"

Ty'Wun Brown, a 12-year-old program participant says, "It's fun to cook with other kids and learn what they like and to have them help me figure out what I like to eat and to try things I've never heard of."

This free, public event will be moderated by Jason Tesauro and will feature chef tastings from folks like Lee Gregory, Sequoia Ross, Scott Lewis, Will Richardson, and Mama J's. With sponsors such as Whole Foods, Baldor Foods, Hamilton Beach and Joyce Farms, the NRC will be able to award a secret culinary grand prize to the winners and smaller prizes to the second place team. The event also brings together some of the best food-focused nonprofit organizations around, including Shalom Farms, Tricycle Urban Ag, Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, Renew Richmond, The Richmond Food Co-op and others.

THIS RIGHT HERE is an event worthy of your support, so head on over to 1708 N 22nd St on Saturday, and cheer these kids on to culinary victory.

LIFT TICKET

Chairlift, the bakery and coffee shop adjoining Brenner Pass, opened to the public yesterday. In fact, it's been open for 24 hours already, so what are you waiting for? Get yourself over to Scott's Addish for Chairlifts pastries, locally-sourced coffee from Blanchard's and Black Hand, whole leaf teas, sandwiches, salads, cheese, charcuterie and selection of beer & wine to go. This soon-to-be-mainstay of the neighborhood will be open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days a week.

IDLE NO MORE

In other bakery-opening news, Idle Hands' second location, 407 Strawberry Street, opened this past Saturday. The bakery quickly sold out of pastries both Saturday and Sunday and is toying with hours of operation to find the sweet spot where supply meets demand. For now, the shop is open Wednesday through Sunday, closing at 5:00 pm on weekdays and 2:00 pm on weekends.

HOLD THE GLUTEN

AnnaB's Gluten Free opens their brick & mortar location this Saturday at 7426 Brandy Creek Drive in Mechanicsville, so if you're tired of all these gluten-filled bakeries, this is your moment in the celiac-friendly sun. The new 3000 sq ft location will allow owners Kimmi Brown and Angela Eby to improve productivity; they've also hired new staff to help fulfill wholesale orders for accounts at places like Ellwood Thompson's, Whole Foods and The Urban Farmhouse.

For now, open only on Saturdays from 8:00 to 2:00, this new storefront will offer the same goods AnnaB's previously sold at the farmers markets (no more markets for them!) as well as cakes and pies by the slice, mix and match cupcakes and Rostov's coffee, plus new recipes as the gluten-free bakers find inspiration.

"We are also are making a tea room for kids birthday parties," says Angela Eby. "It's a gluten-free and peanut-free place so celiac kids can have everyone eating the same things as them on their special day."

SIP OF THE WEEK: PASSENGER COFFEE'S HIBISCUS TEA

Whole leaf tea-lovers, get pumped: If you order tea at Chair Lift, you'll get your own personal pot of Lancaster, PA-based Passenger Coffee's finest, including English Breakfast, Liang Family Green Tea and a tart, decaf Hibiscus Tea that achieves a vivid fuchsia hue thanks to the steeping hibiscus petals. And if you find yourself with more than you can drink in a sitting, bring it back with you: It is exceptional iced.

BITE OF THE WEEK: AVOCADO SOUP AT 8 1/2

Forget the toast, avocado is meant for greater things, namely this soup, which is silky and subtle and as cool as the other side of the pillow.

GRAM OF THE WEEK: @LESCREPESRVA

Opening soon in Carytown, this Stony Point creperie has racked up followers on Instagram with a lovely feed of crepely goodness.

The Slice: Junior Iron Chefs and a slew of new bakeries