Predict a Table
When my wife and I were in the restaurant business, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for press. It was all about keeping our little place relevant and buzz worthy. When April Fool’s Day was on the horizon I would go to great lengths to write a fictitious press release then attempt to get our […]
The State of the Market
When we moved to Greenville in 1994 I had embraced the idea that great restaurant food should have a sense of place. In short order I ended up as Chef at a recently opened bistro that featured a New-American style menu and I set about creating a regional focus. I sought out local farmers […]
Goliath
“Who the hell’s talking to you , ya goh-dang moe-rahn!?” The words thundered out of his mouth on a vitriolic spray of spit, his bloodshot eyes burning into mine. My heart rate exploded and the bile immediately rose into my throat. This Goliath of a man had at least 100 pounds on me and towered […]
Social Media that’s actually Social
Another solo lunch; I poked at my plate, mixing the green beans into the risotto and wished for my wife’s company. For seven years we shared lunch at our tiny, dinner-only restaurant. I always cooked extra because even in a small restaurant, there were plenty of visitors: wine reps, food brokers, friends or other chefs […]
An Interview without a Vampire ;)
http://www.beachboundbooks.com/john-malik.html
I won a Date with Tony Bourdain
From the Fall of 2006 It’s 7:00 a.m. on a Friday morning and I’m lying in bed watching the ceiling fan as it slowly induces in me some well-deserved motion sickness. At least I am in a very nice bed and the bathroom is only a short crawl away. I’m 44 years old and I haven’t […]
Happy 25th Sweetheart
Although our anniversary is still a few weeks away, Amy and I are celebrating this weekend. We’re headed to Chapel Hill where I’ll teach a cooking class at Southern Season centered around the food in my novel, Doughnuts for Amy. I swapped favors with a very good friend of mine and he has loaned me […]
May-Lick or Mah-Lick?
Back in the summer of 2001, Fox & Friends was hosting a Labor Day Cookout show and they invited three chefs to prepare outdoor recipes and somehow or another I made the cut. So I reached out to Bell & Evans Chicken and they wanted in so I went to NY and represented Bell & Evans Chicken. I […]
The Greatest Voice on Earth
When our restaurant was open, my cooks could listen to whatever they wanted to on the radio. Punk, Country, Speed Metal, Top 40, didn’t matter to me so long as they were happy and getting the job done. I never complained either, occasionally I may have commented on a certain lead singer’s ability to carry […]