Casual Dining

Yancey House Restaurant
699 US Hwy 158
Yanceyville, NC 27379
(336) 694-4225
www.yanceyvillage.com

Featured from July 1 – July 29

• Yancey House Crab cakes
• Bloody Mary Gazpacho
• Summer Chicken with Sun Gold Tomatoes & Avacado
• Peach Trio

Chef Lucindy Willis, Ph.D.
Years as a Chef : 3
Hometown : Livingston, Texas
Culinary Education : Although well-schooled, I am sad to say my Ph.D. is in 19th century British literature and not Culinary Science.  Therefore, technically, I am self taught, but how can I say I am self taught considering how many meals I have eaten that were prepared by great cooks and the fact that I am a voracious reader of cookbooks?
Culinary Influence: 1) A Treasury of Great Recipes by actor and gourmand Vincent Price.  At the age of 16, I found the book in my school library.  It included photos, menus, and recipes from world-renowned restaurants where Price had dined. Until that time, fine dining for me meant rare steak with A-1 and a baked potato. This glimpse into the world’s finest restaurants was my introduction to the culinary arts and drew me into the kitchen.
2) Birmingham Chef Frank Stitt. His passion for food was intense, each plate an artistic triumph. His meticulous attention to detail, his reverence for food, his insistence in working with only the freshest local ingredients all had an enormous impact on my work.  3) Friend Mel Melton was our culinary consultant when we opened the restaurant.  He helped design the kitchen and offered insight into running a commercial establishment.
Cooking Philosophy : During 40 years of entertaining, the core of my cooking philosophy has never altered. There are 3 basic tenets: 1) Use only the highest quality ingredients, be it a garden pea or a standing rib roast. Prepare them in a way that enhances rather than disguises their natural flavors. 2) Keep guests in mind throughout the planning, preparation, plating, and serving of the meal.  Most chefs begin with an idea for a dish and go from there.  Because I have always cooked for others, I begin with the guest and work backwards. 3) Cook passionately. Let food inspire you. Emotionally connect with your fresh ingredients, your guests, and your vision of the dish you are preparing. Work with a focused intensity, always pay attention to detail, and strive for perfection. Charlie Trotter’s book Lessons in Service made transitioning my philosophy from home-to-the-commercial-kitchen quite easy. The Yancey House is no Charlie Trotter’s, but the goals are the same: to provide guests the ultimate dining experience, to build relationships with guests, to meet every challenge head-on, and to contribute to the community.
Favorite Meal : Christmas Ski Trip, 1979, four of us dined at The Left Bank at Vale Village. I don’t recall the wine we drank, although we drank a lot of it, but I do remember every morsel of that meal: a seafood appetizer of pan seared scallops, shrimp, and crab cakes,  stuffed red fish with a side of haricot vert. home-made lemon ice cream topped with raspberry puree and fresh raspberries.
There was one tiny glitch to our enchanted evening.  When the waiter brought us the $500 check, we discovered that the restaurant did not take credit cards or checks. We had to empty our pockets, wallets, purses, and even the pennies from my loafers.  But, oh . . . what a night.
Best Dish in NC background:2009 Best in NC Casual Dining Finalist
Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : A guest emailed me contest information.  We work closely with area farmers and at our farm, Two Turtles, and the restaurant’s kitchen garden.  We grow vegetables, herbs, and berries. The guest believed the Yancey House personified the purpose of the contest:  “to encourage everyone to support local food producers and growers.” The economic downturn has touched everyone’s lives; it is important now more than ever to support local businesses and farmers. Although I have always cooked with fresh produce, more and more I am purchasing closer to home or growing my own. 

Inn on Church Street
201 3rd Ave. West
Hendersonville, NC 28739
(828) 693-3258
www.innonchurch.com

Featured from July 2 – July 29, 2009

• Slow Roasted Turkey Croquettes
  
• Chilled Local Berry & Homemade Vanilla Yogurt
  
• Wilted Spinach Salad with house pickled Watermelon Rind, Melon Balls, Purple Onion, Homemade Raison Bread Croutons
  
• Pan Fried Fresh Carolina Coast Flounder
  
• Pecan Waffle Cone Stuffed with Butternut Squash Ice Cream

Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse
5410-Y Hwy 55
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 361-2222
www.papamojosroadhouse.com

Featured from June 1 – June 31, 2009

• Red Potato & Tasso Croquettes
  
• River Shrimp & Butterbean Chowder
  
• Pan Fried Soft shell Crab with Cucumber & Tomato Piccalili
  
• Blueberry Pan Dowdie with Mapleview Farms Vanilla Ice Cream

Bistro Forty Two
177-G Hwy 42 North
Asheboro, NC 27203
(336) 625-1605

Featured from June 1 – June 29, 2009

• BBQ Duck Confit
  
• Crispy Pork Belly Pad Thai
  
• Fresh Ginger Crème Brulee with NC Berries & Chantilly Cream

Catch   
(2 locations)
215 Princess Street                  
Wilmington, NC 28401             

6623 Market St.2
Wilmington, NC 8411
(910) 762-2841                        
www.catchwilmingtonnc.com

Featured from June 1 – July 1, 2009

• Lump Crab Spring Rolls
• Summer Cobb Salad
• Faux She Crab Soup
• Cast Iron Blackened Mahi
• Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Peanut Brittle

Chef Keith Rhodes
Years as a Chef : 18
Hometown : Wilmington, NC
Culinary Education : Self taught
Culinary Influence : Chefs: Aaron Peterson, Alice Waters, Charlie Trotter, Donna Hay, Ben Barker, Frank Stitt, Thomas Keller
Cooking Philosophy : “You must be the change you expect to see in the world”
Favorite Meal : I had a great meal at Poole’s Diner in Raleigh, NC. and I really love a “Tarheel Beef” steak, baked potato & salad. (Steak, potato & salad, loved it since I was a kid)
Best Dish in NC background : -2007 Best Dish Winner in Casual Dining & Fine Dining
-3 Year Consecutive Finalist
Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : We pride ourselves with using local, organic & sustainable products from NC. The opportunity to showcase local products from our community gives me the opportunity to elevate our local culinary students’ dreams and local taste buds.

Featured from June 1 – July 1, 2009

• Warm Cemembert with Candied Orange Peel & Toasted Almonds
• Fennel, Radish, Tomato & fresh Mozzarella over Spring Greens
• Sausage & Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Panko crusted Chicken Roulade

Chef Allister (Ally) Styan
Years as a Chef:  3
Hometown: Lancaster, PA
Culinary Education : Although I haven’t had any formal culinary education, I have had the pleasure of working for a variety of very talented chefs from different backgrounds. They have taught me everything I know about working with food, appreciating food, and what it means to be a chef.
Culinary Influence :I have been strongly influenced by everyone whom I have learned from directly, but my strongest influences have been the cultural groups that maintain an appreciation for food in its simplest and most beautiful form.  Having spent time in Central and South America, I have been greatly influenced by the innovation of those who have only the simplest foods to work with, yet manage to turn a basic meal into a celebration of culture, heritage and community.
Cooking Philosophy :First and foremost, I think cooking should be fun.  When a chef truly enjoys the creation process and finds happiness in it, this is reflected in the final product.  I also believe in simplicity.  If an ingredient is of such quality and freshness that it can stand on its own, there is no need to mask the flavor with extra seasonings, sauces, or frills.  Finally, I believe food should be accessible to those who are eating it.  I aim to know my clientele and to provide them with dishes they are familiar with and can connect to.  Although I like to push people to expand their horizons and try new things, I want them to have access to dishes they love without feeling pressured to order something with a fancy name and a high price for the sake of being trendy. 
Favorite Recipe :  Anything involving lots of cheese!
Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because:   Many restaurants in this area advertise their use of local ingredients but don’t go into depth explaining to their customers why this is a good thing or which ingredients come from which suppliers.  A customer can know that buying locally is somehow positive, but it takes a more in depth promotional tool such as this contest to really showcase the vast amount of local goods that are available in this region.  I think that if a consumer can get a solid explanation of why they should feel good about the food they are eating and even get a little bit of the story behind a particular dish or ingredient, they might feel more connected to the food and more inclined to eat and buy local in the future.  

Ganache Restaurant
& Bakery
403 N. Elm St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 230-2253
www.ganachebakery.com

Featured from June 17 –
July 15, 2009

• Catdaddy NC Moonshine Mojito
  
• Three Bean Minestrone
  
• Chestnut Crusted Black Bass
  
• Strawberry Napoleon

The Purple Onion
16 Main St.
Saluda, NC 28773
(828) 749-1179
www.purpleonionsaluda.com

Featured from June 15 – July 15, 2009

• Otter Belly Farm Mushroom & Fried Green Tomato Napoleon
  
• Baby Spinach & Pink Lady Apple Salad
  
• NC Pan Seared Sunburst Farm Trout

Storie Street Grille
1167 Main Street
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-7075
www.storiestreetgrille.com

Featured from June 29 – July 27, 2009

• Fish & Chip Salad
• NC Mountain Trout Mates
• Mountain Blackberry Cobbler

WS Prime
425 N. Cherry St.
Winston Salem, NC 27101
336-722-5232
www.wsprimerestaurant.com

Featured from May 7 – June 15, 2009

• Lake Mills Grit Cakes with Bacon Lardons, Roasted Mushrooms & Crumbled Boursin
• Warm Goat Cheese & Scallion Souffle atop fresh crisp Butter Lettuce
• Carolina Shrimp & Crab Chowder
  featuring Texas Pete Hot Sauce
• Smoked Pork Loin & Braised Pork Belly
• Carolina Red Sweet Potato Pot de Crème with Cheerwine Ice Cream