Raleigh's Chef Make It To TV Food Network 2011-08-04

Raleigh is home to three chefs that have appeared on TV Food Network. Executive Chef Walter Royal of the Angus Barn in Raleigh was on Iron Chef.

Professional chefs are rarely completely satisfied because they’re perfectionists, according to Walter. Although his mind may be totally focused on pleasing guests, his imagination is always soaring thinking of new ideas. And soar it did when Walter was asked to be appear as a guest chef on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America. (must log into facebook member to view) Taking a road far less traveled by celebrated chefs previously on the show, Walter led his team of four to victory by stepping completely out of the box. Chef Royal and his team defeated celebrity Iron Chef Cat Cora 51-43 in an upset not even the most experienced oddsmaker would have predicted.

The originality of using the mystery ingredient, ostrich, in traditional southern dishes impressed the judges so greatly that they awarded Chef Royal and his team the highest score ever given in the history of the hit television show. Competing celebrity Iron Chefs who have appeared on the show include Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Masaharu Morimoto and Cat Cora.

Whereas Cat Cora prepared a showy European gourmet dish using ostrich, Chef Royal and his team appealed to back-to-basic taste buds, creating ostrich burger with homemade chips; ostrich satay with peanut dipping Sauce, now found on the Angus Barn menu; ostrich pot pie with black pepper honey; ostrich filet with smashed rutabagas, turnips and wilted watercress; and finally, the piece de resistance: chocolate soufflé made with an ostrich egg. (Is your mouth watering yet?) The judges made no secret of their passion for the soufflé. As Judge Joel McHale summarized the soufflé, “You managed to take one of the ugliest birds and put it into one of the best desserts!”

Chef Royal gives credit to the team that tackled the challenges of inventing and executing those audacious ostrich dishes. For his award-winning challenge, he chose Angus Barn sous chefs Julia Strickland and Alan McSwain. As an added bonus, Walter asked the producers if Van and Steve’s son, then twelve-year-old Christopher, could appear for a segment. The judges consented, and Christopher became the youngest assistant on record in the show’s long history. Julia, now the owner of her own restaurant, Poppyseed Market & Deli, said, “Being chosen by Chef Royal as part of his ‘Iron Chef’ team was the chance of a lifetime and I was so proud to be part of his victory!”

http://www.angusbarn.com/index.htm

Then there was Pitmaster Ed Mitchell of the Pit Restaurant in downtown Raleigh, NC who won against Bobby Flay in a Throwdown. The food was baby back ribs Carolina BBQ sauce style and baked beans. The Throwdown, a Food Network show featuring Bobby Flay came to Raleigh at Haywood Hall where the challenge was hosted. You want some beautiful ribs, go to The Pit and visit Ed Mitchell.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/throwdown-with-bobby-flay/bbq-ribs/index.html

http://haywoodhall.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/chef-bobby-flay-takes-on-pitmaster-ed-mitchell-at-haywood-hall/

Ashley Christensen of Poole’s Dinner in downtown Raleigh was the third chef to appear on the TV Food Network. Check out my previous blog about Poole’s and Ashley Christensen.

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Another Raleigh Chef against the Iron Chefs 2011-07-30

Ashley Christensen, owner/chef, of Poole's Diner in Raleigh, NC went up against Iron Chef Bobby Flay on food Networks TV show Iron Chef. Unfortunately, Ashley lost to Bobby Flay, but she should not have any shame in a brilliant showing of her culinary skills. Doris and I have known Ashley for many years, first meeting when she was at Enoteca Vin in Raleigh. This woman can really cook... I mean REALLY COOK! We have been to Poole's Diner a couple of times. She should be very proud of herself going on national TV up against Bobby. She may have lost the battle, but she has won the food war. Just go to Poole's.... if you can get in.... and see what this culinary master can do!http://eater.com/archives/2011/07/25/ashley-christensen-vs-bobby-flay-in-iron-chef-battle-chum-salmon.php
http://www.indyweek.com/BigBite/archives/2011/07/25/how-did-ashley-christen-fare-on-iron-chef-america
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/06/ashley_christensen_of_pooles_d.html (more...)

Downtown Raleigh Ice Rink 2009-12-18

Yup... Downtown Raleigh has a beautiful lighted Christmas tree in the Plaza. A nice tall one brightly lite. We also have an ice skating rink in the Plaza downtown. Un-huh... an ice rink down in the South! I'm not sure if it is real ice or that fake plastic stuff. Sounds kinda nice, though. I almost wish I didn't sell my hockey skates! In case you plan on coming to visit Raleigh over the next few weeks, and want to do some skatin', well... bring your skates.

Admission to the AT&T Raleigh Winterfest Ice Rink will be $6.00 per person, which includes the rental of a pair of ice skates. The admission price is the same whether you rent skates at the rink or bring your own. The new skating rink can hold up to 140 skaters. The hours of operation vary, so be sure to check the Winterfest website for details. It is a 40-by-85-foot rink, kept frozen by portable chillers, will be open seven days a week through Jan. 31 at City Plaza on Fayetteville Street, between the Progress Energy and BB&T buildings.
Admission, including skate rental, is $6 for as long as your legs hold up. The rink can hold up to 140 skaters at a time, though the ice may be crowded at that capacity.

I can't seem to find a good photo of the rink, but it looks like a hockey rink with boarded sides. Something different to do down in the South. (more...)

25th Year Anniversary Feature - Raleigh Downtowner 2009-12-18

Here's the link to the Raleigh Downtowner, a local newpaper, that expounds on the goodness of Raleigh Downtown: http://www.raleighdowntowner.com/RaleighDowntowner-Vol5-Iss11.pdf. The Oakwood Inn Bed & Breakfast has a very nice and wonderful story on the 25th Anniversary of the Inn. The Raleigh Downtowner talks about the Inn and the wonderful reunion of the past innkeepers, with their first Inn guests in 1984 and the current Innkeeper, Doris Jurkiewicz. It's a great story that I am surprised that CNN or Oprah have not picked up yet. You can't beat an up-lifting story like this, compared to all the murder and mayhem that occurs in our daily lives. Yeah.... it is a little boring, except to those who are close emotionally to the Inn... like my daughters in Michigan.

In the same issue, it talks about a great party downtown having to do with collecting toys for tots. The Oakwood Inn gave away a one night stay at the Inn for a $139 value for a door prize. The party was on Thursday, December 17, 2009. Hope a wonderful nice couple won it, so they can have a nice quiet and romantic evening out on the town but staying with us at The Oakwood Inn Bed & Breakfast. It was for a great cause... toys for those children who would have been without this Christmas. No Scrooge at The Oakwood Inn B & B!! (more...)

Another Year Ends Another Begins 2010-01-02

And so it goes! 2009 finishes and not too soon of us. What a dismissal year for business.... 36% occupancy was compared to 42% in 2008 and 50% in 2007. The fiasco of Wall Street Economics certainly took its toll on us in the hospitality industry, especially in markets that depend on the business traveler. The bankers and those all connected with the real estate surge financially raped the rest of us. Every time someone stayed with us, I personally thanked them for stimulating the economy, because the banks certainly were doing their fair share. Every time any one of us spent a little money, we helped bring the economy back to normal. Someone rented a room and we in turn paid someone to clean it, someone to cut the lawn, someone to repair a toilet. Hopefully, those that were paid, spent some of it to others and on and on. That's how an economy is established... bartering and trading services and products. Those that hoard their money only hurt the economy from recovering.

It is really annoying for those that put us into this economic mess, are still the ones hoarding after receiving millions to assist them from economic failure and doom! That is life….those that have and those that have-not.... a war between the rich and poor, the affluent and the struggling. It has always existed in our societies and always, always will.

Looking on the better side of things.... just as in the past, the economy will make a come back, maybe not was strong or should I say, as prominent as a couple of years ago, but things will make a turn around. The issue is if you as a business can sustain yourself through the lower cash flow. Not making a profit is not the enemy of a successful business; not having an adequate cash flow to pay 85% of the bills is what will cause a business to fail.

The experts are saying that the hospitality industry will not see a major turn around until the third quarter of 2010. They also say it will not return to significant increases in occupancy rate and increased room rates until about late 2011 or early 2012. That would be expected as long as some other fiasco or catastrophe does not befall us. The cycles of economic affluence do not seem to last as long as they did in the 1950's, 1960's or 1970's. Hopefully that is also true of the economic turndowns.

As in the past, we will begin a new year with a new outlook and with new challenges. Hopefully, it will give us a year of positive outlook and provide a more stable financial future. It probably would be easier if we got rid of those who caused our demise in the first place... but that will never happen. (more...)