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...
[caption id="attachment_1131" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Our state market is in an industrial part of town and attracts a cross-section of the community, unlike the newer open air market that seems to attract only the upwardly mobile set. I've noticed this about a lot of the new...
“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...
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...
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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...
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...
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...
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...
