Second Round of Fire on the Rock Competitions February 16 and 17

Story by Corinne Saunders

The 5th annual Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge continues with chefs from Canyons and Char competing on Tuesday, February 16, and chefs from The Manor House Restaurant at Chetola Resort and Grandfather Golf and Country Club going head-to-head on Wednesday, February 17.

Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant, located at 239 Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock, will host the preliminary competitions, and then quarterfinals, each Tuesday and Wednesday in February and March.

The public is encouraged to make reservations in advance for any competition. Crippen’s Owner Jimmy Crippen briefs diners on food judging basics each competition evening, and they decide which team advances by scoring each dish in a blind, six-course meal that costs only $39 plus drinks, tax and tips.

This year’s Fire on the Rock is a bracket-style elimination of 20 area chefs battling for the $500 prize, plus bragging rights for themselves and their respective restaurants. Each chef, along with their two coworkers, must incorporate a secret ingredient into each of the three courses they prepare.

For more information and/or to make reservations for any competition night, click to www.fireontherock.com. For more information, call Crippen’s at 828-295-3487.

Get to Know the Chefs

February 16 Competition

Danny Bock, chef/creative director, Canyons

Have you competed in Fire on the Rock before?
“Yes, this will be my fourth year competing in Fire on the Rock.”

What were the results of that?
“The first two years when it was a smaller competition, I was with Broyhill Inn and Conference Center. We won our matches those two years. Last year I represented Canyons [and] took a team. I’ve won twice and lost twice. Last year was the first year we had to do the preliminaries.”

What are your thoughts on Fire on the Rock?
“I don’t take it as serious as some others. I really just try to go out and have fun [and] do something we don’t do every other day. It’s been pretty neat to see how the contest has evolved. No two years are ever the same. [The mountains have] always been a culinary backwater…not a city, but there’s a lot of culinary talent here. [Fire on the Rock] raises awareness of what we have up here.”

How long have you been in the food and beverage business?
“This is my 20th year cooking. I got started when I was 16 working in fast food. After about 10 years, I figured out I was kind of good at this and enjoyed this. I immersed myself in fine dining [but] recently took a couple steps back. Canyons is a bit more casual. Bart Conway’s got a good organization there. We’re working to elevate the food. It’s fun to do everything else we get to with our daily features. That’s one of the things [about Canyons]—it’s the best of both worlds. It’s casual but I get to play with fun ingredients. He also has a really good green initiative.”

Who will your teammates be?
“I am taking Scott Fender and Cobrin Morales.”

Nick Lewis, grill cook, Char

Have you competed in Fire on the Rock before?
“Yeah, this is my third year. I competed as sous-chef with Chef James Welch for two years. This is my first year as executive chef doing it.”

What were the results of that?
“One year, we reached the finale and lost against Meadowbrook. [The other year,] we got into the semi-finals.”

What are your thoughts on Fire on the Rock?
“I think it’s a great learning experience and also shows the  [culinary] talent the mountain area has. I think it’s a fun event to do.”

How long have you been in the food and beverage business?
“For five years now, and I’ve been studying at Appalachian State University for food system management for three years.”

Who will your teammates be?
“Justin Boles and Kate Sanderson.”

February 17 Competition

Michael Barbato, executive chef, The Manor House Restaurant at Chetola Resort

Have you competed in Fire on the Rock before?
“Yes, [in] ’07, ’08 and ‘09.”

What were the results of that?
“We got to the heat at the stage [last year]. We won our heat at the stage. They had four heats of eight teams, [and] the two highest scores made it to the finale on Sunday, [but] we didn’t get [one of] the two highest scores. In ’08 we lost our heat over there [and in] ’07, I don’t remember what happened. [In 2007 and 2008], it was eight Blowing Rock restaurants. They paired them up [and] that was it.”

What are your thoughts on Fire on the Rock?
“I think it’s a good benefit for the community. [It] makes interesting conversation [and] gets a little competition going. It brings some business in, especially for a dead time of year.”

How long have you been in the food and beverage business?
“31 [years].”

Who will your teammates be?
“Colin Hendricks and J.P. Kelham.”

Tom Jankovich, chief cook and bottle-washer, Grandfather Golf and Country Club

Have you competed in Fire on the Rock before?
“No, [but I’ve been in other competitions] like this one.”

What are your thoughts on Fire on the Rock?
“Sounds like fun. The reason we’re doing it is we like to cook and have fun.”

How long have you been in the food and beverage business?
“Too long…35 years.”

Who will your teammates be?
“Monte Weber and Tom Bashaw.”