Katie Button Restaurants has activated Benevolent Spirits, their independent restaurant community action effort, to support World Central Kitchen. World Central Kitchen is quickly organizing and establishing teams in and around Ukraine to feed the hungry.
“Sharing a plate of food can bring dignity and humanity in the darkest moments.”
The donation program at participating restaurants, bars, breweries, and coffee shops in Asheville will run next week, March 9-15.
Below is the ask. To participate, please do the following, now:
Choose a cocktail or beverage of which all proceeds (profits after costs covered) will be donated directly to World Central Kitchen.
KBR will be creating posters to communicate the program to your guests, along with donation envelopes for tables, urging guests to leave additional funds. They will coordinate a pick-up time for table envelopes and posters later for participanting restaurants, and can likely drop off if needed. Checks left in envelopes should be mailed directly to WCK, and cash should be tallied and included in the donation with the proceeds from the drink selected.
At the end of the program, restaurants will total the proceeds and make a donation through a link that we’ll send out.
Thank you for your care and your attention. If you do have questions about the program, please reach out to Mary Byers at KBR: mbyers@kbr.email
Read more about the effort in this Citizen Times article.
The WNC Cheese Trail will be rescheduling the Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest to September 25th 2022 at Oak and Grist Distilling Company in Black Mountain, NC.
After listening to our cheesemakers and other key partners, we made the decision to postpone the Cheese Fest until September 25, 2022. We want everyone to fully and safely participate in all that the Cheese Fest offers — like tastings and pairing — and the majority of cheesemakers felt unable to do so at this time due to staffing and supply chain issues.
We also need to have the volunteer infrastructure to support our cheesemakers, chefs, and activities. A fall Fest will allow us to put on the type of event you all love — giving you everything Cheesy in one place!
Finally, we are moving the event from Highland Brewery to Oak and Grist Distilling Company. We’re excited to build this new relationship. As we move forward with planning the event, be assured that we’ll have all the activities you loved from the previous Fests as well as new fun opportunities for the whole family.
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for hand crafted cheese and small family farms. Hope to see you at the Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest Fall of 2022!
All ticket holders for Cheese Fest 2020 have been sent an email about how to move forward with their ticket purchase. If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer for CMCF 2022 please emailwncctcmcf@gmail.com
In Other News
The WNC Cheese Trail now has an app hosted by Loyal Brew! We partnered with Loyal Brew to build this app to create more ways for the public to interact with the Cheese Trail and our many wonderful Members. Our app is separated into two passports, one for our Cheese Makers and the second for our Pairing Partners ( Associate Members). Followers of the WNC Cheese Trail can easily sign up and log when they visit Trail Member locations or purchase Trail Member products. After gathering enough passport “stamps” users will have a chance to win prizes from the WNC Cheese Trail! This app is 100% free to our users and no download is necessary!
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) Executive Director Angie Chandler announced the completion of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails on March 3rd. The news highlights the curation of 310 destinations, including artist studios, galleries and arts organizations.
The completed, drivable craft trails now cover 25 Western North Carolina counties, all in the Blue Ridge mountains and foothills and the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Chandler says the footprint of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails is equivalent to the land covered by the state of Maryland.
Visitors can plan their trip at BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com. Itineraries, extensive listings and video with artisans offers a slice of small town creativity.
Chandler says, “Western North Carolina is one of the most distinctive cultures in the United States. We have amazing craft artists and galleries with such variety and creativity. They are ready to welcome locals and visitors alike.”
Joe Waldroup Wood Turning and Sculpting
Why this matters now: Trails Tap Into a National Trend
The Blue Ridge Craft Trails offer a new reason to visit the mountains and foothills, get outside and explore hidden gems. Destination Analysts new American travel research shows travelers will focus on fun in 2022, going to less crowded places and enjoying the outdoors.
The Blue Ridge Craft Trails answer the need, including well-known destinations such as Asheville and stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It also invites visitors to small towns and communities such as West Jefferson, Murphy, Sparta and Waynesville to meet artists and makers. Regional itineraries on the website home page combine craft stops with local food, culture and outdoor exploration.
In addition to attracting visitors to small towns, Chandler says the project also connects makers with buyers, bringing economic development to the region.
“Our heritage area was established to preserve traditional and contemporary craft as a living tradition in Western North Carolina,” explains Chandler. “I have long family history in this region. When you think about it, art is an inspired response to the mountains, foothills, forests and fauna around us. Craft is in our cultural DNA.”
Fingerweaving – Oconaluftee Indian Village, Cherokee, NC
You’re Invited!
Wit Tuttell, Vice President of Tourism and Marketing for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and Executive Director of Visit North Carolina, invites travelers to plan a North Carolina road trip.
“We’re asking visitors who love the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most visited National Park Sites in America, to also take a road less traveled,” Tuttell says. “The completion of the trails comes at a great time. Its culmination also brings much-needed economic support to craft artists and small businesses in rural areas who have been hurt by the pandemic.”
Image below: The 25 counties included in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and the Blue Ridge Craft Trails.
About The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) serves as the steward of the cultural and outdoor heritage of Western North Carolina’s mountains and foothills. The area was federally designated as a National Heritage Area in 2003 because of its unique culture, character and natural beauty. BRNHA is one of 55 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) in the United States. Others include Yuma Crossing (NHA) in Arizona; Rivers of Steel (NHA) in Pennsylvania; Ohio and Erie Canal Way (NHA) in Ohio; Augusta Canal (NHA) in Georgia; and Niagara Falls (NHA) in New York.
SOCO Southern Contemporary Cuisine, located in the heart of Thornton Park in Downtown Orlando knocked our socks off! When three hours go by and you’re still not quite ready to leave, you know it’s a keeper.
“Where Southern Meets Contemporary”
We share a love of all things culinary with our long time High School friends and Orlando locals, Peter & Karen. To date, they’ve never missed on a College Park/Winter Park/Orlando pick for a meal or drinks out. This time it was SOCO (https://socothorntonpark.com/).
It’s easy to order too much food when you want to try just about everything on the menu, especially when you plan on sharing everything, so rationalize, “it’s not really that much”. Even so, very little went home with us.
Every single thing we ordered was good! Excellent cocktails. Traditional Southern dishes updated to “contemporary”. Man oh man, it was all so tasty. Executive Chef/Partner Greg Richie’s latest project is a complete winner!
Menu descriptions of each dish are in gallery captions.
Epicurean Notes:
Expect to pay around $50 pp for a full-on dining experrience: App, Entree, Dessert & Drink
There’s not a bad seat in the house, in my opinion. In nice weather, I’d choose outdoor seating. Great people watching in this hip neighborhood.
Street parking can be tough in this area. If you can’t find street parking, there’s a parking garage that backs up to SOCO with an entrance around the block. Exit via first level door and you’re practically at SOCO’s doorstep.
SOCO
629 E Central Blvd
Thorton Park, Orlando, FL 32801
407-849-1800
Tony Lin, owner of Itto Ramen Bar & Tapas, has opened his third location at 335 Airport Road in Arden.
“Brand” content as it relates to food and drink program is creative and completely delicious, if a little confusing. Is it Itto Ramen Bar & Tapas or Itto Ramen Bar & Japanese Tapas? Is the website ashevillejapanesefood.com (Arden location only) or ittoramen.com (all three locations)? Scaling a business up isn’t always easy.
The Arden location website doesn’t have a menu posted, but lists their Specialties as Tapas, Sushi, Ramen, and Dim Sum. See the Arden menu here. I’ll be going back, but if they launch a solid Dim Sum program, you can bet – well, alot of things – that my family will be regulars.
Epicurean Notes:
See image captions for names of dishes.
Love the wall mural! Especially The Great Wave by Hokusai Katsushika. Such a classic.
They got the most seating possible into this space. It’s done well, but you’ll probably end up talking to people, definitely checking out plates, at tables near you.
Not easy to see in the image below, but there’s Sushi Bar seating rear left.
Every dish we had, including the Ramen to go we left with, was excellent!
When you go, keep in mind they’ve just recently opened and there may be a kink or two to work out. And it’s always good to call to be sure they’re open before heading out to a restaurant these days.
Chef Travis Myers and business partner/long time friend, Ryan Oberle, will be opening Six Hundred° any time now in Winston-Salem’s Bailey Park. They’ve named and tag-lined their long anticipated new restaurant “Six Hundred Degrees – Live Fire Kitchen | Social Room & Bar”.
Backstory: Travis and Ryan have worked together at different eateries for 12 years. They started planning a restaurant together about 3 years ago.
Recently I had the distinct pleasure of spending time with Travis and Ryan at Six Hundred°, talking about their journey, where they are now, and future plans. We went through the entire property, front and back of house. We talked everything involved in bringing about this dream from flooring material and it’s care to furniture material, local producers & suppliers, featured art & artists, latest incorporated technology (kitchen, bar, sound system), and equipment – not the least of which is the beautiful split live-fire grill below.
Travis made it a point to credit every creator and manufacturer possible: the architect, living wall artist/creator, furniture, metalwork, and millwork designer/builders. Acknowledging how important it is to Travis, I’m sharing details here, also:
Noticable was the “journey” of sorts when you first walk in. Your eyes lead the way, taking you from the “living wall” art hung to your right on a wall sporting paint and graffiti dating back to who-knows-when, to the perspective offered by the bar on your left of coming to an end about a mile away.
“Things we want to stand out as you walk in – wood-fired grill, long eating bars, and fireplace and wine cellar toward the back.” – Chef Travis Myers
Speaking of old (original) paint, etc., take the time to look at the Power Plant’s industrial skeleton left in place when constructing Six Hundred°. Don’t forget to look up. Among other things, you’ll see grain and knot patterns from framing boards used when the original concrete was poured.
As you walk further in, to the left of the open kitchen you’ll see a huge firewood rack built by Viator and full of hickory wood, and the wall-mounted board crediting local purveyors prominently in one of the gallery images.
“We’re not re-inventing food, just using farmers as we should. If it’s local, we’ll use it.” – Chef Travis Myers
In addition to Head Chef Travis Myers, there’s another name you’re going to hear more about. And soon. It’s Chef de Cuisine Brian Gephart. He comes to Six Hundred° with lots of experience with Asian markets and various cultural influences.°
“Six Hundred° is a “melting pot of culinary activity” when it comes to chefs.” – Chef Travis Myers
There are multiple seating areas, each with their own unique character. When I try to pick the “best” spot – where I’d want to sit, it’s really tough. Do I sit at the “culinary bar” right up next to the open kitchen so I can watch all that live-fire and other action? How about the bar, so I can watch talented mixologists creating craft cocktails, using their specialty chilled garnish drawers and specialty ice program, as well as the view of Bailey Park? I also want to get a closer look at that Richlite bar top made from compressed, recycled paper.
Maybe I should choose the smaller dining room (also with views of Bailey Park) just beyond the bar, or the still intimate, but larger dining room in the back with the oh-so-cool water vapor fireplace? Some day, I’d like to dine at the custom Farm Table (next to the wine cellar, by reservation only) with 9 of my pals. By the way, that smaller dining room can be closed off and used as a Meeting/Private Dining room.
“We want it to be a complete experience: culinary bar, stacked firewood in view, grill works, soapstone hearth, state of the art hoods – all electronically connected so they operate together, sensing heat & auto adjusting the fans.” – Chef Travis Myers
Insider Tip: Opening Date as of this writing is set for March 2nd.
Whether you get to go on opening day or not, you should most definitely GO! ASAP!! That said, please do keep in mind that they’ll be brand new and it’s almost guaranteed there’ll be one or two kinks to work out. Go hungry with a happy heart and embrace the investment in something new and creative in Winston-Salem.
Menus aren’t posted on their website as of this writing, but they’re expected soon.
Dollywood, Herschend Enterprises launch substantial education benefit available to all team members, starting day one of employment
Officials with Dollywood Parks & Resorts today announced it will cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for any employee who chooses to pursue further education.
The significant investment in employee education will be made through Herschend’s GROW U., a new program, piloted by Herschend Enterprises, Dolly Parton’s operating partner in Dollywood. The program makes it exponentially easier for employees—or hosts as they are known at Dollywood—at all levels to pursue their personal and professional dreams through education. The program officially launches Feb. 24, for all seasonal, part-time, and full-time employees at Dollywood Parks & Resorts. Hosts can enroll in the program on their first day of employment.
“Our goal at Dollywood Parks and Resorts is to provide the best possible experience for both our guests and our hosts,” said Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company. “We know when our hosts are happy and feel cared for that they are going to pass that along to our guests. The creation of the program allows another avenue for us to care for our hosts.
“One of The Dollywood Foundation’s key tenets is to ‘learn more.’ This program is created with that very tenet in mind. We want our hosts to develop themselves through advanced learning to fulfill the foundation’s other tenets: care more, dream more, and be more. When our hosts strive to grow themselves, it makes our business and our community a truly better place. We care about our hosts’ development and we want their future to grow because of love—not loans.”
“Herschend’s GROW U. is not only a significant and transformational investment in our employee’s growth but also our love culture in action,” said Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend Enterprises. “Herschend is rooted in love – it’s evident at every Herschend property, every day –in the way we treat and support each other, how we Create Memories Worth Repeating for guests, and most importantly, how we care for our employees.”
Herschend’s GROW U. offers eligible seasonal, part-time and full-time hosts more than 100 fully-funded (100% free) diploma, degree and certificate programs across 30 learning partners, including programs in high-demand fields such as business administration and leadership, culinary, finance, technology and marketing. Additionally, the company will provide partial funding, up to $5,250/year, for 150 additional programs in fields including hospitality, engineering, human resources and art design.
Guild Education, the nation’s leading education and upskilling platform, powers the program. Guild was selected because of their strong reputation for connecting employers and high-value learning providers to create opportunities for America’s workforce. Dollywood Parks & Resorts hosts will have access to Guild’s proprietary Learning Marketplace to select from more than 30 learning providers and utilize resources like professional coaches to support their educational journey.
For anyone looking to take advantage of the opportunity, as well as the other unparalleled benefits Herschend and The Dollywood Company provides, positions are available at each of the company’s properties and are posted at Dollywoodjobs.com. Upcoming Hiring events are slated for Seymour Heights Christian Church (Saturday, Feb. 19) and Sevier County High School (Saturday, Feb. 26). Both hiring events take place from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Most event attendees are hired on the spot with a position for the 2022 season at either Dollywood, Dollywood’s Splash Country or Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa.
Positions are available for the entire length of the 2022 operating season, as well as shorter peak season openings, which are perfect for applicants looking for a fun summer position or for those looking to earn a little extra money during the Christmas holidays. Applicants must be 14 years of age or older.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts hosts receive a variety of unique benefits including access to the Dollywood Family Healthcare Center, along with complimentary Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country admission for family and friends. Hosts are provided free meals for every working shift, and also take part in Dollywood’s Park Perks program which provides free or reduced admission to a large number of regional attractions, theaters and experiences. A comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision, is available for qualified full-time employees.
Dollywood also pays a portion of childcare costs for hosts whose children are cared for at a WeeCare-affiliated provider. Additionally, numerous development opportunities also are available to help employees develop leadership skills, including an apprenticeship program in conjunction with Walters State Community College.
For more information about working at Dollywood Parks & Resorts, please visit dollywoodjobs.com.
-Dollywood2022-
About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 160-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of more than 40 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 27 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and has been named a top-three U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions and a top-10 world theme park by TripAdvisor. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides and attractions, shows and crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and TripAdvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to Labor Day. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, a favorite of USA Today voters and TripAdvisor reviewers, provides guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
About Herschend Enterprises: Launched in 1960, Herschend Enterprises is a family of companies that focus on family entertainment. Its operating companies include Herschend Family Entertainment (Dollywood® Parks & Resorts, Silver Dollar City®, Adventure Aquarium®, Newport Aquarium®, and Wild Adventures®), Herschend Live (Harlem Globetrotters®), Herschend Entertainment Studios (Splash & Bubbles® and Chuggington®) and Herschend Adventure Holdings, LLC (Pink Adventure Tours®). Herschend properties entertain more than 14 million guests annually. For six decades, Herschend has operated with the purpose of bringing families closer together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating®. For more information, visit www.herschendenterprises.com.
About Guild Education: Guild Education is on a mission to unlock opportunities for America’s workforce through education and upskilling. A certified B-Corp, founded to bridge the gap between education and employment for working adults in the U.S. in need of upskilling for the future of work, Guild’s industry-leading technology platform allows the nation’s largest employers — including Bon Secours Mercy Health, Chipotle, Discover, Hilton, Macy’s, Target, Walmart and The Walt Disney Company — to offer strategic education and upskilling to their employees. Guild connects workers to a learning marketplace of the nation’s best learning partners for working adults with tuition paid by the company. Guild’s payments and technology platform, curated learning marketplace, and advanced education and career services come together to help working adult learners advance in their education and career, debt-free. For more information, visit https://www.guildeducation.com/.
“This all-inclusive experience at Season’s at Highland Lake includes several delicious wines carefully paired with a five-course meal. Our chef and sommelier will guide you through the evening and provide insights and facts along the way. It’s always a great time but seating is limited so be sure to make reservations ahead of time! The dates of all future events are posted below.” – Season’s at Highland Lake
Welcome to our Italian Wine Dinner January 20, 2022
Creamy Florentine Soup
spinach | artichoke | “cacio e pepe” arancini | calabrian chili oil
So much to unpack here! I was going to write about our dinner for two in mid-December, 2021 at Burial Beer Co.’s Forestry Camp in Asheville, but major changes are taking place, so it might be a completely different experience for you when they reopen in February.
“We will be taking a well-needed rest and reflection for the month of January so that we can open anew on February 4th and welcome you into the new Burial Beer realm. Focusing on a taproom lounge experience, new spaces and venues, and immersive tours. Naturally, we had to have killer new grub from the team of Chefs, the latest VISUALS wine and cider, a list of some of the most incredible wines from friends of Burial, and one hell of an upgraded cocktail list.”
– burialbeer.com/location/forestry-camp
So, for now I’ll share images of the magical evening my friend and I spent over dinner and drinks at Forestry Camp. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next at such a unique location!
About Forestry Camp:
Built by the CCC, the multi-building facilty housed men who worked building the Blue Ridge Parkway. The structures remain much as they were when originally built, making it a very unique property, especially as a tap room, lounge, and restaurant.
Keep up with the latest from the amazing team at Burial:
Why reverse the Holeman and Finch experience? Because Impressed came after Annoyed, which came after Confused, so I’m leading with the positive and will sum it all up at the end.
Impressed
Uppermost, servers were friendly and top notch. They actually made the evening.
Dessert, Sticky Toffee Pudding served with pour-over sauce and vanilla ice cream, was delicious. There are lots of options on the menu, but don’t miss the charcuterie, oysters, and chilled seafood. Their charcuterie program is curated and awesome.
From our seats we could see (through the shelving, jars, etc.) cured meats thinly sliced by hand. To the right of the shelves we watched a gorgeous hand-cranked meat slicer in action. We watched Co-owner Chef Linton Hopkins reaching for this and that as he put together charcuterie boards using excellent cheeses and cured meats.
Create your own Charcuterie board from the meat and cheese listings on the menu. It’s a little confusing. The menu says “served with bread, nuts, pickles & mustards” and “choose one choose many – all by the ounce.” So order any combination (all cheeses, all meats, both) and as much as you like, but know that prices on the menu are for 1oz of that item.
Oysters and Chilled Seafood are ordered from a menu (.pdf) laid out like a Sushi menu. Note how many of each item you want to the left of that item.
If you’re a popcorn fan, try their Bacon Popcorn. Take a bag home with you. It’s delicious and addictive.
Annoyed
Why would you choose to seat media, on hand to experience all that is your new restaurant, on metal stools, at a narrow counter, at a window facing the street, where the only thing they can see is a reflection of themselves?
We requested different seating and were offered spots at the bar. Only problem was they were directly in front of stocked shelves, so the view of bar action was obscured and servers behind the bar couldn’t get to us very easily.
Confused
You’re expecting us, right? Confirmed with a NYC PR company as well as the Holeman and Finch Operations Manager, no one seemed to know what was happening. No one introduced themselves to us, explained anything about the Holeman and Finch concept, owners, or anything else. It felt awkward and confused.
Some of the confusion on our part was because we weren’t aware of the concept going in. We were expecting table seating in a typical “restaurant”. I’d done my research, but not until we saw the menu did we get that Holeman and Finch is based on a “Public House” format. It feels like they refined their concept as an afterthought and are still dotting i’s and crossing t’s. Although their parent Hopkins and Company website lists a Holeman and Finch Public House opening soon in Colony Square, Atlanta, this location is listed as Holeman and Finch Asheville.
We weren’t quite sure about portion sizes and wondered if some dishes were meant to be entrées. Chef Linton took a minute to explain that there are no entrées on the menu, just various dishes of various sizes. Choose from Snacks, Plates, Parts, Meats & Cheeses, Farm, and Sweets. If it matters to you, ask your server about portion size. See MENU (.pdf).
Wrapping it Up
My take: Holeman and Finch is like an intimate, old English countryside neighborhood Public House relocated to Asheville and modernized with current decor. It’s a place where you should not be surprised if you find yourself conversing with the people at the next table or bar stool. It’s where I’d meet up with friends for drinks and food. We’d most likely end up talking and laughing over a table-top full of shared plates.
“I prefer it when someone looks like a nice person, and you think, ‘I could have a laugh with them in the pub.”
– Jo Brand
Even with the confusion and annoyances, I love the Holeman and Finch concept and hope they’ll tighten things up over the next month or so.
Epicurean Notes:
If you see a red “86” stamped on the menu, it means that item is no longer available. You know, it’s been “86ed”. Seems like a labor intensive thing, but on the other hand, it frees up the servers from having to explain what’s available and what’s not.
They’ve put as much seating into this small space as humanly and legally possible. If the patio opens back up (new Avl regs on parking lot seating & heating), some of the seating pressure should ease.
Question menu items if you want details. One of the dishes we had was Blackened Chicken Liver captioned “buttermilk spoonbread, mostarda” ($13, see image gallery), The buttermilk spoonbread had a saucy rather than the expected Yorkshire Pudding type consistancy and the mostarda (not everyone knows what this is) was a peach mostarda di frutta.
Holeman and Finch Asheville is the latest offering from Hopkins and Company, an Atlanta based hospitality group. They originally opened this location as H & F Burger right before Covid hit in 2019, shutting down shortly afterward.
