Sponsored by  Magazine |
Fine Dining
Congratulations to Four Square
and Chef Shane Ingram,
our 2009 Best Dish in NC Fine Dining Winner!
 |
Four Square Restaurant
|
| Chef Shane Ingram Years as a Chef : 15 Hometown : Northfield New Jersey Culinary Education : Academy of Culinary Arts Culinary Influence : Charlie Trotter and Emeril Lagasse Cooking Philosophy : We use as much local and self grown products as possible. Minimal preparation letting the beauty of the product speak for themselves Favorite Meal : Traditional Thanksgiving day spread Best Dish in NC background : This is our first year entering Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : We have developed farming “families” in our restaurant, and we are doing this for them as well as ourselves |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | |||
2009 Best Dish in NC Fine Dining 2nd Place
 |
Indigo Marsh
|
| Chef Kevin Gurganus Years as a Chef : 7 Hometown : Cary, NC Culinary Education : Johnson & Wales, Charleston, SC Culinary Influence : French & Southern Cooking Philosophy : Simple food made with the freshest local ingredients Favorite Meal : Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Corn Best Dish in NC background : The restaurant has entered 3 times and been a finalist 3 times, with one 3rd Place win. I was the Sous Chef for the first two entries and this is my first entry as Executive Chef Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : It gives us a chance to show the wide range of product available in North Carolina and we always see huge interest in the items we feature which typically outsell other menu items when they are featured. |
|
 |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | |
return to top of page
2009 Best Dish in NC Fine Dining 3rd Place
 |
The Table at Crestwood
|
| Chef Chuck Nelson Years as a Chef : 14 Hometown : Lawton, Oklahoma Culinary Education : Le Cordon Bleu Scotts Dale Culinary Institute Culinary Influence : Grandmother, Master Chef John Johnstone, Thomas Keller Cooking Philosophy : Season Like you Breath! Everything taste better with a little salt and pepper! Favorite Meal : Pepperoni Pizza, buffalo wings & Mountain Dew. Gotta have the Mountain Dew! Best Dish in NC background : Entered in 2007 for Storie Street Grille. I won 3rd place in casual dining.Great exposure for the restaurant and the contest! Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : I entered the Best dish contest to challenge myself as well as the other chefs out there. Its fun and will be fun when I win. Great way to promote my Restaurant as well as myself! Plus there is a nice prize waiting for me! |
|||
 |
 |
.jpg) |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | |||
2009 Best Dish in NC Fine Dining Finalists
 |
18 Seaboard
|
| Chef Jason Smith Years as a Chef : 15 Hometown : Raleigh, NC Culinary Education : NO FORMAL EDUCATION Culinary Influence : Grandmother Cooking Philosophy : Keep it simple and fresh Favorite Mea l: Grilled Fresh Pompano (whole) Best Dish in NC background : 2006 Independent Restaurant Finalists 2009 Fine Dining Finalists Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : A strong belief in utilizing the great bounty of ingredients this state has to offer while helping support our local community |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | ||||
  |
Ashten’s
|
| Chef Ashley Van camp, Executive Chef Gerry Fong, Chef de Cuisine Years as a Chef : Ashley – 14 - Gerry – 8 Hometown : Southern Pines, NC - Laurinburg, NC Culinary Education : Ashley - Reading, Watching, Asking, Doing; Gerry - CIA Graduate, 2001 Culinary Influence : Parents. Ashley’s Grandmother’s old fashioned country food which was always cooked with love. Gerry’s parents owned and operated a Chinese restaurant in Laurinberg for 34 years Cooking Philosophy : Fresh and Simple. If you cook from the heart, cook with passion, it will always be good. Favorite Meal : Grammy's Stewed North Carolina Blue Crabs - Dad's Lo Mein Best Dish in NC background : 2009 Fine Dining Finalist Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : As a restaurant, we can use our menu to get people excited about local food. Once people know where their food comes from, they feel a certain responsibility to help sustain it. |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | |||
 |
Crippen’s Country Inn Featured from May 1– July 27, 2009
|
| Chef James Welch Years as a Chef : 30 Hometown : Greensboro, NC Culinary Education : Univ. of Hard Knocks Culinary Influence : Paul Bocuse, Mark Militello, Julia Child, Rick Bayless, Mark Miller Cooking Philosophy : Know when to stop, don’t burn yourself Favorite Mea l: Scallops with Truffles Cream Sauce & Asparagus, Chicken Wings! Best Dish in NC background : Winner of 2006 Inaugural Contest Fine Dining Category & 2009 Finalist. Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : Opportunity for publicity of restaurant and local food producers. |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | ||||
return to top of page
 |
Gallery Restaurant
|
| Chef J. Kelly Morrow Years as a Chef : More than 12 years of culinary experience Hometown : Rocky Mount, N.C. Culinary Education : The restaurant school at Walnut Hill College Culinary Influence : Morrow is inspired by his wife and two young daughters Cooking Philosophy : Get as close to the origin of your products as you can; accent their natural flavor, and present them eloquently. Favorite Meal : Family Thanksgiving (smoked turkey) Best Dish in NC background : 2009 Fine Dining Finalists Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : As a first time participant in the contest, I was interested in promoting and helping local farms and families survive. |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions |
return to top of page
 |
Il Palio Ristorante
|
| Chef Adam Rose Years as a Chef : 11 Hometown : Franklin Square, Long Island, New York Culinary Education : unofficially, growing up in New York, officially, Culinary Institute of America Culinary Influence : Classic Italian, Tom Colicchio, Laurent Tourondel Cooking Philosophy : Simple ingredients and great technique win every time. And fresh and local is always better. Favorite Mea l: Spaghetti Bolognese Best Dish in NC background : This is Adam’s first time entering the contest and first time as a finalists. Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : We believe in the concept, the cause and the lifestyle of ‘living local’. While we did create a menu for the Best Dish competition, it’s what we are doing anyway- it’s who we are everyday at Il Palio. We will launch the whole Best Dish NC tasting menu in June and run it in July, that is when Il Palio’s refrigerators are 90% local products anyway. |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Click pictures for larger versions | ||||
 |
Weathervane at A Southern Season
|
| Chef Patrick Cowden Years as a Che f: 20 Hometown : Raleigh, NC Culinary Education : New England Culinary Institute Culinary Influence : Jean Claude Gros-Piron (Jean Claude’s Café, Raleigh), Charlie Trotter, Martial Nogier (Café Des Architectes, Chicago) Cooking Philosophy : I want to do dishes that are vibrant, enjoyable, and fit the mood for the time. From light colorful dishes in the Spring to hearty braised dishes in Winter. Cooking should be about the seasons and what products are at their best during that time. Favorite Meal : I enjoy such a wide range of foods and cuisines it is too hard to narrow it down to one particular item. What is the most important component of a “favorite meal” though is being able to share it with good friends. Best Dish in NC background : Our commitment to local food stuffs here at the Weathervane goes way beyond just these few dishes submitted for the Best Dish in NC. They are just a small sampling of our philosophy of working with local vendors, farms, and products. Working close to the source and within the perfect seasonality for the products we are able to serve our guests the best dish everytime no matter what they order. Entered the Best Dish in NC contest because : We wanted to further bring to light how dedicated we are to local products. |
||
.jpg) |
 |
.jpg) |
| Click pictures for larger versions | ||
The Best Dish in NC contest was created to determine the top restaurants in the state. These restaurants use the freshest and finest ingredients from North Carolina to create amazing local cuisine. Check out their menus below and visit them for yourselves. Not only will you be eating the best food North Carolina has to offer, you’re supporting local farmers, fishermen, and food producers as well as a locally owned and operated restaurant.
Taste the difference local products bring to the table.