John Vest

Director of Hospitality

jvest@stjamessrva.org
Since 2019, John owned and operated Redemption BBQ, an independent food business rooted in regenerative agriculture and humanely raised meats. Nicknamed “Rev. Dr. Porkchop,” John is passionate about traditional cooking and building community around shared tables.

John and his family moved to Richmond in 2015 when he was called to a four-year visiting professorship at Union Presbyterian Seminary. Prior to that, he served as Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.

John started Redemption BBQ as a Virginia-style barbecue food truck in 2019 and then a takeout restaurant in 2022. In 2024 Redemption was named one of the best new barbecue spots in the South by Southern Living and in 2025 appeared on their Top-50 list of southern barbecue restaurants. John’s deep dish pizzas also earned an enthusiastic following as the most authentic Chicago-style pizzas in Richmond. Despite this success, after an expansion project fell through, John was forced to close Redemption BBQ earlier this year.

After two decades of church ministry and seven years in the restaurant business, John is thrilled to bring his unique skillset to St. James’s as the Director of Hospitality. He looks forward to getting to know this congregation, enjoying good meals together, and sharing God’s love through food and hospitality in Richmond and beyond.

John lives in Glen Allen with his wife, Anna, and two teenaged sons.