Chatham Vineyards spread of snacks and wine overlooking the vineyards

Meet the Chefs For A South You Never Ate: Brian Irminger

September 19, 2023

A South You Never Ate at Chatham Vineyards on Oct. 28 will celebrate the foodways of Virginia’s Eastern Shore along with the culture and stories behind them. This progressive dinner of all tapas includes an open bar with Eastern Shore beer and Chatham wine and a signature surprise cocktail. Twelve chefs have committed their time to crafting two dishes apiece for the small plates that will showcase some of the Shore’s most distinct ingredients. 

This is another in a Meet the Chefs series that will introduce an all-star lineup of creative cooks who have committed their time to make this an unforgettable farm-to-table experience.

The scoop on Brian Irminger

His bio in a nutshell: “I used to be a millwright, a farmer, a restauranteur, a maker of furniture and an oyster grower. Now I’m a father who floats around on boats at sea, cooking and producing music from whatever surrounds us!” Brian’s former projects include the restoration of the old E.L. Willis store in Willis Wharf and Deadrise Pies in Cape Charles.


What Brian loves about Eastern Shore food, culture: “Virginia’s Eastern Shore holds its place in the sand from the things that grow on land or in the waves. It is a culture of ingredients that are weathered and fixed in the ever flowing seasons of the tide. What exists today is best and should be savored or put up for its prime. One for the birds, one for the bees and a harvest for the table.

His favorite Eastern Shore ingredient is … “When fortunate enough to savor, it’s a decadent pea crab or the elusive wild mulberry. Figs don’t suck either!”