FEBRUARY 24, 2011 ISSUE
Fire on the Rock Preliminary Rounds Continue
Competitions Sold Out Until March 8
Michael Foreman’s carrot, apple and jalapeño juice marinated pork tenderloin & mushroom dusted scallop was the highest scoring dish at the February 22 competition. Foreman, of Bistro Roca, was the winner over Matt Franklin of Jackalope’s View.
Michael Barbato of the Manor House at Chetola will battle against Chuck Nelson of the Table at Crestwood on Tuesday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m. at Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant.Be sure to check High Country Press and www.highcountrypress.com every week for a preview of each preliminary round as the Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge continues through February and March.
The Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge might just be getting better with age: in its sixth year, preliminary competitions continue to sell out, tables for the quarterfinals are limited and the chefs continue to rank higher and higher with their judges, the diners.
The competition returned on February 22 and 23 from a bye week with matchups between four restaurant favorites: Jackalope’s View and Bistro Roca on Tuesday, and Sorrento’s Bistro and Canyons on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Michael Foreman of Bistro Roca came out on top during “Battle Avocado & Portobello” with a competition-high 7,130 points to the 6,636 points scored by Matt Franklin of Jackalope’s View.
Foreman also had the night’s highest scoring dish—carrot, apple and jalapeño juice marinated pork tenderloin & mushroom dusted scallop, which received 2,498 points.
Each dish created by the chefs had to incorporate the night’s two secret ingredients, avocado and Portobello mushrooms.
“In past Fire on the Rock competitions, [Foreman] has tried to go super gourmet and has not won because of it,” said Jimmy Crippen, Fire on the Rock founder and owner of Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant. “He changed his tactic this year.”
On Wednesday, two chefs with large followings met in the kitchen: 2010 quarterfinalist Nicole Palazzo of Banner Elk’s Sorrento’s Bistro and Cobren Morales of Blowing Rock’s Canyon’s.
“Wednesday sold out just as big as Tuesday’s competition,” said Jimmy Crippen, owner of Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant and Fire on the Rock founder. “I understand, because Sorrento’s has a big following. Canyons is not known as a gourmet restaurant, but they have a huge base of supporters coming out as well.”
For the results of Wednesday’s competition, click to www.fireontherock.com or search Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge on Facebook.
Although preliminary competitions are sold out until Tuesday, March 8, Crippen advises people to get their names on the waiting list for nights they want to attend.
“Things do change all the time,” Crippen said. “If someone’s favorite chef doesn’t win, they might cancel for the quarterfinals. It’s definitely beneficial to get on the waiting list.”
Coming Up Next
The Tuesday, March 1, battle might be sold out, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t familiarize yourself with who’s competing—after all, the chef that wins during this night will go up against the February 2 winner, Painted Fish Catering’s Chef Tom Jankovich.
During this matchup, two Blowing Rock chefs and Fire on the Rock veterans will go head-to-head: Chuck Nelson of the Table at Crestwood and Michael Barbato of the Manor House at Chetola.
Nelson is a past winner of Fire on the Rock, has received the Charlotte Taste of the Nation Award and the Best Dish in North Carolina Award. In addition, he has been featured in various publications including Charlotte Weekly, Charlotte Observer, Anonymous Gourmet and Extremechefs.com.
“Nelson is an extremely competitive chef,” Crippen said. “He’s always putting himself out there—he’s truly one of the greatest North Carolina chefs.”
Barbato has been in the food and beverage business for more than 30 years, and as the Manor House’s executive chef, he plays a large role in the operations of Chetola Resort.
“He makes the rest of us look like we’re standing still by how much he does with Chetola,” Crippen said. “He’s a workhorse in the kitchen.”
Barbato has made it to the stage before in previous Fire on the Rock events, but has never won the competition, so expect him to be ready to go all the way this year.
“His very first weekend of working at Chetola they threw him into the competition,” Crippen said. “He was baptized in Fire on the Rock as he made his way into Blowing Rock.”
Crippen’s Country Inn, located at 239 Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock, hosts the preliminary elimination rounds, and then the quarterfinals, on select Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in February and March.
Cost is $39 per person, plus beverage, tax and gratuity.
For reservations for the preliminaries and quarterfinals, call Crippen’s Country Inn at 828-295-3487 or click to www.fireontherock.com.
Don’t Forget About the Finals
With competitions selling out so quickly, make plans now for Fire on the Rock finals, held during the Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival in Blowing Rock.
The final four chefs—and then the final two—will battle head-to-head on stage at the Hayes Performing Arts Center on Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17. Chefs will have one hour to impress area food critics who will score each dish.
Tickets for the finals are now available online by clicking to www.blueridgewinefestival.com.
The Results So Far
February 1 Winner: Green Park Inn’s Chef James Welch with 4,518 points
February 2 Winner: Painted Fish Catering’s Chef Tom Jankovich with 3,575 points
February 8 Winner: Meadowbrook’s Chef Guy Thomas with 5,731 points
February 9 Winner: Hearthstone Tavern & Grille’s Chef Joe Turner with 4,355 points
February 22 Winner: Bistro Roca’s Chef Michael Foreman with 7,130 points
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