California Foodways

California Foodways


Richmond's 'Minister of Food' Serves the Bay Area Southern BBQ, California Style

December 18, 2025

On a corner in Richmond, California, there’s a business that has celebrated the city’s Black history and Southern roots for 30 years: CJ's BBQ & Fish. Born and raised in Richmond, with a family that came from Arkansas to work in the shipyards, Charles Evans is at the center of it all.