A Father & Son…A Journey to flavor, purpose and fun!

La Via Vegana is more than a food pop-up-it’s a story of family, flavor, purposeful fun. Founded by ‘Pops’ Steven and guided by son Gabriel, our mission is simple: bring bold, satisfying vegan food to events throughout Southeastern Virginia.

Steven a lifelong business executive and entrepreneur with a passion for cooking. Steven has honed his cooking skills over the years towards vegan and vegetarian cooking. From a moment some 20 years ago when he walked in on his wife Melannie watching ‘Food Inc’, from that moment on, Steven has been ‘Meatless’. Over the years a practicing vegan, vegetarian and pescetarian, Steven enjoys experimenting with new recipes using plant-based foods. Our Pop-Up represents an opportunity for him to share his passion with Richmond’s Vegan community.

Son Gabriel is an Executive Sous Chef with a deep respect for farm-to-table cooking. Gabriel has found a unique opportunity to shape his culinary vision, crafting dishes that balance tradition with bold innovation. For Chef Gabriel, cooking is a lifelong art and a never-ending journey of discovery. With an open-minded approach, he encourages his team to embrace learning and growth, believing that culinary artistry is only limited by one’s imagination. “I never want to be content,” he says. “There’s always more to explore, and that’s what drives me every day.”

Together, with the support of the entire family, Melannie, Jordon, Maya and Baylee we ‘ve created La Via Vegana to prove that plant-based food doesn’t have to be boring or elitist. Our hoagies are legendary for a reason — bursting with flavor, inspired by classic northeast and southern inspiration, and made with thoughtful, responsibly sourced ingredients. We believe everyone deserves access to food that’s good for the Mind, Body and Soul, and of course kind to our planet, and undeniably delicious. That’s the heart behind La Via Vegana. WELCOME HOME!