Ratchford Brews Up Winner, Outgasssssses Dean to Advance to Fire on the Rock Final

Love the battle recaps from David Rogers as much as we do? Check out what he has to say about the Fire on the Rock-Blowing Rock finale here.

Vidalia’s Sam Ratchford Wins “Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series Fire on the Rock-Blowing Rock

Ratchford will take on Asheville’s Adam Hayes of the Red Stag Grill in Fire on the Rock Finals

The heat was on April 24 as two of Blowing Rock’s premier chefs battled it out during the “Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series Fire on the Rock-Blowing Rock finals. Chef Sam Ratchford and his team from Vidalia took home the bragging rights after six fierce courses split with Twig’s John Dean.

Ratchford will move on to the Fire on the Rock finale April 30 at the Meadowbrook Inn & Suites against Asheville’s Adam Hayes from the Red Stag Grill, and battle for the coveted “Red Chef Jacket.” The winner will advance to the Final Fire series in November 2013 to vie for the 2013 championship title and a cash prize.

At Blowing Rock’s Meadowbrook Inn & Suites, over 120 diners immersed themselves in the night of deliciousness while they eagerly awaited the final results from event host and founder, Jimmy Crippen. Crippen discussed the day’s events with each chef before revealing the scores for all six courses.

Competition Dining challenges the chefs to use featured ingredients grown or produced in North Carolina.  This battle, Blind Squirrel Beer and Wild Ramps were the chosen components to bewitch the judges and a full house of diners. The chefs were required to use the Blind Squirrel Beer in all of their three courses and the ramps in just two. They were not privy to the secret ingredients until noon on competition day.

Both chefs came to impress. Ratchford’s first dish was duck confit egg rolls and ramp cole slaw with Nut Brown vinaigrette, Tripel blackberry barbeque sauce, and ramp-watercress chimichurri. He followed that with his highest scoring dish, his marinated Certified Angus Beef petit filet, which featured Nut Brown battered onion rings, Belgian Tripel braised collards, red wine pickled ramps, ramp oil, Nut Brown demi and ramp cornbread. He finished the competition with Tripel banana ice cream cake. The cake featured a Tripel banana beer bread crust, Nut Brown caramel, fruit coulis, spiced walnuts and banana scallops.

Dean’s highest scoring dish of the night was his German apple ramp cake with Nut Brown salted caramel ice cream, cashew brittle and pomegranate coulis.

Diners and culinary judges alike cast their votes through the new “Competition Dining” voting app, available on Apple and Android mobile devices, which allowed them to rate each dish as it was presented. Diners and judges without smartphones filled out voting ballots during dinner.

Interested in attending the April 30 Fire on the Rock finale as the heat of the competition continues? Tickets will sell out fast, so get your tickets now by visiting http://www.competitiondining.com/events/fire-on-the-rock-blowing-rock. 

In Hare-Raising Battle of Blowing Rock, Twigs Edges Canyons

In "Battle Rabbit," John Dean of Twig's claimed victory. David Rogers from the Blowing Rock News delivers Wednesday night's play-by-play here.

Ratchford Overcomes Sin in Blowing Rock to Reach "Fire" Final

Miss Tuesday's battle between Jackalope's View and Vidalia? David Rogers from the Blowing Rock News breaks it down for you here.

“Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series announces chef battle bracket for Fire in the Triad

The competition at the Empire Room fires up on May 14 with the first of 15 dinners. Check out the brackets below. Tickets available at http://www.competitiondining.com/events/fire-in-the-triad

GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 16, 2013) — The 2013 “Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series has announced the sixteen chefs chosen to compete in Fire in the Triad, which kicks off May 14. Sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture, Southern Foods-Pate Dawson, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, OUR STATE magazine, Go Triad, Swisher Hygiene and Certified Angus Beef, the 2013 Triad competition will pit sixteen of the region’s best chefs in an Iron Chef-style competition.

Below are the participating chefs and the dates for the dinners to be held at the Empire Room in Greensboro. All dinners start at 6:30 pm.

May 14

Mike Harkenreader of Undercurrent versus Wes Patterson of Southern Roots

May 15

Jared Keiper of Tavern in Old Salem versus Gregory John of Greensboro Country Club

May 16

Tim Grandinetti of Spring House versus John Bobby of Nobles Grill

May 20

Kristina Fuller of Crafted versus Juan Guzman of J Peppers

May 21

Mark Grohman of Meridian Restaurant versus John Vidovich of Diamond Back Grill

May 22

Timothy Bochalis of Bistro B versus Chris Russell of B. Christopher’s

May 29

Tim Thompson of Marisol versus Travis Meyers of River Birch Lodge

May 30

Creighton McNeil of Liberty Oak versus Christian Froelich of WS Prime

June 4

May 14 winner versus May 15 winner

June 5

May 16 winner versus May 20 winner

June 11

May 21 winner versus May 22 winner

June 12

May 29 winner versus May 30 winner

June 18

June 4 winner versus June 5 winner

June 19

June 11 winner versus June 12 winner

June 26

June 18 winner versus June 19 winner

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Vidalia Salts Away Toe River by a Rabbit Hair in Blowing Rock

Did you miss the action on April 9 between Vidalia's Sam Ratchford and Toe River Lodge's Will Young?

Read all about it here, thanks again to the Blowing Rock News and David Rogers.

Miller Edges Welch in Fire on the Rock Debut

Did you miss the April 8 Fire on the Rock battle between The Jackalope's View's Craig Miller and the Green Park Inn's James Welch?

Have no fear, you can read all about it here, thanks to David Rogers with the Blowing Rock News.

Chef Gerry Fong at Persimmons Wins “Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series Fire on the Dock

Fong will advance to the Final Fire series in November in Raleigh

WILMINGTON, N.C.— (April 11, 2013) The heat was on April 3 as two of Wilmington’s premier chefs battled it out during the “Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series Fire on the Dock finals. Chef Gerry Fong and his team from Persimmons took home the bragging rights after six fierce courses split with the Circa 81’s Chef Clarke Merrell.

At Wilmington’s Bluewater Waterfront Grill, over 120 diners immersed themselves in the night of deliciousness while they eagerly awaited the final results from event host and founder, Jimmy Crippen. Crippen discussed the day’s events with each chef before revealing the scores for all six courses. The champion took home the coveted “Red Chef Jacket,” and will advance to the Final Fire series in November 2013 to vie for the 2013 championship title and a cash prize.

Competition Dining challenges the chefs to use featured ingredients grown or produced in North Carolina.  This battle, Battle Johnston County Hams, Mangalitsa bacon and ham were the chosen components to bewitch the judges and a full house of diners. The chefs were required to use at least one of the ingredients in each of their three courses, and were not privy to the secret ingredients until noon on competition day.

Both chefs came to impress. Fong’s first dish was Asian-braised pork belly with Stilton-slab bacon grit cake, tempura broccolini, roasted jalapeño and pepper coulis, mint-cilantro oil and crispy ginger. He followed that with his dish “Johnston Co. 3 Ways,” which included egg-battered ham, ham wonton, and country ham with pickled radish over cheese cracker, bright sweet & sour sauce and cherry-bacon compote. He finished the competition with his highest scoring dish, a dessert he named “Bacon-Dark Chocolate Torte”— pâte à choux, espresso gelato, chocolate covered pistachio bacon, crème anglaise and caramel sauce.

Merrell’s highest scoring dish of the night was truffle honey-glazed pork belly with Johnston Co. country-style grit cake, slab bacon, heirloom tomato chutney, crispy collards and rendered bacon-chive oil.

Diners and culinary judges alike cast their votes through the new “Competition Dining” voting app, available on Apple and Android mobile devices, which allowed them to rate each dish as it was presented. Diners and judges without smartphones filled out voting ballots during dinner.

The heat of the competition continues with part two of Fire on the Rock, which kicked off April 8 at Meadowbrook Inn & Suites in Blowing Rock, the birthplace of the “Got To Be N.C.” Competition Dining Series. The Fire on the Rock-Blowing Rock finalist will be determined on April 24 and go against Fire on the Rock-Asheville finalist Chef Adam Hayes of Red Stag Grill on April 30. Tickets will sell out fast, so get your ticket now by visiting http://www.competitiondining.com/events/fire-on-the-rock-blowing-rock. 

Swisher Hygiene Sponsors Qucikly Growing Year-Long NC Chef Battle

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/swisher-hygiene-sponsors-quickly-growing-130000511.html