Chef Kevin Roberts Prepares an Outdoor Feast
“Picnic” derives from the seventeenth century French word pique-nique, a gathering that was like an upscale potluck. After the French Revolution, the royal parks of Paris were opened to the public. Londoners imitated the Parisians and formed “picnic societies” in which members would arrive to outdoor feasts with their own dish. Eating outside went from practical to ostentatious. In the Victorian era, picnics were grand affairs—one could not “properly” eat outdoors without tables, linens, crystal, chairs, and servants. Through many iterations, picnics have devolved into the more casual gatherings we typically enjoy today. In the South, we eschew the crystal stemware and tables for red Solo cups and a nice, blanketed patch of grass or sand. In Richmond, Virginia, Chef Kevin Roberts has crafted a world-class picnic menu: a super-sharable fried trout sandwich and three side dishes packed with flavor.
Broccolini Salad with Garlic Chili Sauce and Chinese Five Spice Peanuts
CSS Manassas Fried Flounder Sandwich
Roasted Cauliflower with Mushroom, Dates, Walnuts, and Rosemary
Fingerling Potato Salad with Tarragon Pesto
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Hannah Lee Leidy
Hannah Lee Leidy is a food writer and editor based in the Carolinas. She is currently the digital content editor for Our State magazine, a position she came into following her time at The Local Palate. Her contributions have appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Culture, and Eater. She’s spent time working in restaurants in both front and back of house positions, doing everything from burning gateaux to expediting to shaking a Manhattan (don’t worry, this only happened once). An avid curd nerd, her favorite beat is reporting on boutique cheese makers; she’ll sniff out every creamery near and far whenever traveling. When not parenting a Bernese mountain pup named Ava, you’ll find her running or working on her lamination technique.
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