 Chef Danny Smith preparing a dish during his seven-course practice dinner before competing in the World Food Championships this year.  Chef Danny Smith is at it again. Smith, who works at Frank's and Frank's Outback in Pawleys Island, has been selected as one of the final nominees for "Outstanding Chef of the Year" by the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association. The winner and the runner up for the award will be announced at the SCRLA's Stars of the Hospitality Industry Awards Gala on January, 21, 2020. It will be held at the the Embassy Suites in North Charleston, South Carolina. The keynote speaker will be Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. The South Carolina Hospitality Stars of the Industry has been recognizing outstanding performance in the hospitality industry for more than 50 years. Visit here for more information on the event. December's Simply Amazing Dish of the Month: Chicken Tenders with Fries @ Antonio's Restaurant12/11/2019  Have you ever heard of something being consistent and simplistic producing amazing results? Well, this month's award winner is just that. The Chicken Tenders with Fries at Antonio's Restaurant is December's Simply Amazing Dish of the Month. Owners Antonio and Dee Dee Kagias are down-to-earth folks who run a great eatery in the heart of Andrews, South Carolina. They have been at it for more than a decade, building relationships and a strong customer base. Know for their pizzas and steaks, family and friends in town have known where to fill their bellies at. It's dishes like those and the award winner above that keep those folks coming back again and again. And not just the food. The pleasantry. The warm smiles. The commitment to quality. The human aspect. It's all there and everyone who interacts with Tony and Dee Dee feel it. The chicken tenders and fries were paired with Mike's Hot Honey for this particular visit. I brought by a bottle for them to try. We enjoyed it on the tenders, but Dee Dee loved it on the salmon she had prepared. These tenders are breaded perfectly and fried just right. When I have ordered these over the last two years, the cook and preparation has been consistent and perfect. Real chicken, real flavors. Congratulations on being this month's (and the last of 2019) Simply Amazing Dish of the Month.  In March 2019, we told you about Taste Lounge's great food and its amazing Honey Jerk Sauce. Well, owner Demerrio Greene has not only placed himself and Georgetown on the culinary map, he's looking to cement his legacy - for his family. Greene has introduced a Honey Jerk Thick Sauce to his line. This sauce is said to be thicker than the original and allow for more cooking applications. He's also established a website, Taste Lounge of Georgetown, so you can learn about and see his food offerings at the restaurant and buy both sauces.  If you cannot wait to get you hands on this sauce, stop by any of the two Marathon gas stations in Georgetown to buy some. See more at the Honey Jerk Sauce Facebook page, too. Taste Lounge has updated their menu and it can be found on their Facebook page. They are open from Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.   There are plenty of places to eat out this Thanksgiving if you are wanting to skip all the preparation and clean-up afterward. Plus, you'll get more time to spend with family and friends while supporting our restaurants. Please, make sure you call ahead to secure a spot at one of these locations. Their names are hyperlinked and take you to their Facebook page where their phone number is listed. So, let's see what's good, shall we?  Buzz's Roost in Georgetown will be serving Thanksgiving specials. All emergency management in uniform will receive a free Thanksgiving special plate. Dine in only on November 28, from 3 p.m. to midnight. Call 843-545-1595 Alfresco Georgetown Bistro will be serving a traditional turkey dinner including appetizers and dessert for $25. Call ahead for reservations. Call 843-344-3869 Southern Comforts, Southern Dining & Seafood Shack is serving a buffet with more than 80 items on Thanksgiving in the Hammock Shops. There will be a carving station, salad buffet, cakes and pies, traditional stuffings and casseroles. Menu posted below with phone number to call ahead. 843-314-9369  Spend your Thanksgiving with Wicked Tuna! Variety of food, traditional Thanksgiving spread, Sushi, Seafood, desserts, carving station and kid items. Open at 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., Reservations Recommend $29.99 per person does not include taxes and gratuity See menu below with phone number. 843-651-9987   It's that time of year again! Bring your family or friends and share your Thanksgiving with Applewood House of Pancakes! Thursday, November 28th Menu: Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Fried Chicken, Shrimp Creole, Dressing, Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Macaroni & Cheese, Collards, Butter Beans, Corn, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Casserole, Salad, Rolls and plenty of Desserts! Price: Adults $18.99 Kids (6-12) $9.99 (3-5) $5.95 Make your reservation today by calling 843-979-1022 Spring House Family Restaurant will do the cooking for you on Thanksgiving Day! Our Thanksgiving Day Special includes Turkey and dressing, Baked Ham, sweet potato casserole, a choice of 2 vegetables, and a slice of pumpkin or apple pie for $18.95 (kids 10 and under $10.95) Open until 3 p.m. Call 843-357-2785 Aunny's Country Kitchen will serve their 11th #Thanksgiving feast at their restaurant. Through support, it's provided free from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are located at 926 Front Street in Georgetown.  Admiral's Flagship will be open Thanksgiving Day. 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and starting at $15.90. Call at 843-446-9471.  (left to right) Executive Director Joseph Bonaparte, Nathan Hashmonay, Humberto Guardiola, Executive Pastry Chef Geoffrey Blount, William Twaler, Kathleen Hassett Guests attending this year's Thanksgiving Holiday Table at the renown James Beard House on November 28, will have some Southern flair injected into their traditional meal offerings. That's because International Culinary Institute of Myrte Beach at Horry Georgetown Technical College chef instructors and students, along with William "Banfi Bill" Whiting of Castello Banfi, Montalcino, Italy, will be preparing an outstanding Thanksgiving tasting with a superb drink pairing. Nothing beats gathering around the dinner table for the holidays with friends and loved ones. We’ve tapped executive director Joseph Bonaparte and his team from the Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach to host this year’s annual Thanksgiving feast—a festive menu of autumnal delights that is sure to leave you stuffed! -- James Beard Foundation  Chef Humberto Guardiola and ICI students pause for a photo at 2018's MBAHA Farm to Table Below is the menu they'll be perfecting on Thanksgiving. Menu To see so much of Horry and Georgetown Counties represented in this menu is phenomenal.
Congratulations to all at the ICI on this huge honor. Click the button below for ticket availability.  This month's dish was chosen close to the end of the month, however, it's the dish we've been waiting for. It's the Pubwich and it's November's Simply Amazing Dish of the Month. What is a Pubwich you ask? Edible gold on a plate? Yes, that's one way to describe it. But to truly know you'll have to stop by Allison and Mike Castellano's R'Way Pizza and Family Tavern and search out their manager (and chef) Scott Ray, the creator of the beastly sandwich. It's a story this restaurant should tell as you prepare yourself for the sandwich. And if Scott is busy in the kitchen (as he was the night we were there), Mike will do it justice. I'll tell you what I know. It's round pizza dough filled with stuffings of your choice, with one side flipped to cover the goodness inside. The award winning dish was filled with steak with onions, chopped grilled chicken, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms smothered in mozzarella cheese. Yeah, doesn't that sound amazing? It is! Cut into four slices, you can tackle it as is or cut smaller slices to appease. But, you'll be taking some home with you. And that's a good thing. It warms up in the oven and tastes just the same as how you had at the restaurant. Ray's innovation has brought mass appeal to the location, and with the rest of the staff, the dish has come out perfect each and every time. The Castellanos will treat you like family and the food will put you to bed with a smile on your face. Stomach filled with love. The Pubwich, however, will always be a sandwich calling your name in the middle of the night - as if you left it alone and it needs attention. It's that damn good.  If you're a foodie in Georgetown, South Carolina, you know about the culinary adventure it has to offer. But, do you know about "Cooking with Friends" and why it's the must-attend culinary event? Since the beginning of this year, Friendship Place has been holding the "fun, relaxed" dining experience at Get Carried Away's Cypress Room, space graciously donated by owners Brian and Sassy Carragher Henry. Proceeds go to helping the nonprofit develop and nurture programs aimed at decreasing poverty in our area. What's fun about Cooking with Friends is seeing local chefs preparing dishes and describing how they can prepare those dishes themselves, with a few secrets withheld. More, these same chefs are laid back, laughing at times, and letting loose. It's not the high-pressured kitchen atmosphere they're accustomed to. From former South Carolina Chef Ambassador Adam Kirby to Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association's 2019 Chef of the Year Danny Smith, great culinary talent has graced the Cypress Room's kitchen to provide divine dishes benefiting a great and worthy cause.  Jim Sullivan and his wife, Julia, enjoying some Fried Beignets with Charleston Bourbon Drizzle - while making others jealous.  Chef Brian Hayes explains a dish to Cooking with Friends attendees. This experience featured renown chefs Penny and Brian Hayes from the DeBordieu Club. Also helping was their sous chef Akeem Wilson. Penny's She Crab Sipper was more than a sip - and so divine. It was followed by Braised Short Ribs, Autumn Vegetable Slaw, Clemson Blue Cheese and Carolina Sweet Potatoes, and Yankee Cornbread. And, yes, they are from up north, but it's not why the cornbread is called Yankee. And Just when attendees thought it couldn't get any better the evening ended with Beignets with a Charleston Bourbon Drizzle. Browse through the photos below, and make sure you like and follow the Cooking with Friends Facebook page (click the button at the bottom of the story). It's the only way to stay up to date on future experiences. And, tickets go fast. So, plan ahead.  Let's talk about tonight. What a great showcase for Pawleys Island chefs and a huge turnout to benefit a great cause. The first ever Great Chefs of Pawleys Island Dinner was held at Quigley's II to benefit Friendship Place and the seven-course meal ended in huge applause. People in attendance raved over each dish as it was described and after they devoured it. Executive Director Charlie Ball and staff couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome.  Friendship Place Executive Director Charlie Ball and Quigley's Pint and Plate Owner Billy Davis talk with guests before being seated. The brainchild of Frank's and Frank's Outback chef Danny Smith, both he and Ball came together to discuss getting other chefs involved to have a dinner benefit the nonprofit. As a guest tonight, I can vouch for the success - attention to detail, execution of dishes and teamwork - that transpired. There are more photos below from tonight's event. Please make sure to click the button below to learn more about Friendship Place and the wonderful work they do.   Chef Danny Smith of Frank's & Frank's Outback won the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association's Chef of the Year award today. This award honors an outstanding culinarian who has demonstrated the highest standard of culinary skills and dedication to advancing the culinary industry along the Grand Strand. His continuous involvement in charity work with nonprofits like Champion Autism Network and Friendship Place has been very appreciative. Congratulations on this exceptional achievement.  About 3,500 people came out to enjoy the Taste of Georgetown this year. That's what the Family Justice Center of Georgetown and Horry Counties says, and they also say it brought in about $40,000 after expenses. That's pretty awesome, considering the area where the event is held. Front Street, and its surrounding parks (where a tent was set up in one), can only accommodate so many people. This has been noticed by the Center. There were many very positive comments about the Front Street setting and the quality of the food offerings. One guest who brought five members of her family said it was absolutely perfect and she could not have asked for a better experience. She also said having a map listing the location of the restaurants and menu item served was helpful. Also recognized was the high quality of food served during this year's event. We think the bar was set high this year with the abundance of flavorful tastes. Here's what the Center had to say. One of the highlights of a food tasting event is the quality of the food served by the many participating restaurants. Spiced, rubbed flounder with bacon and cheddar grits; crab balls; tacos; cajun shrimp with chicken and sausage; beef short ribs; seafood chowder; carrot cake; homemade ice cream and Winyah Bay Chowder were some of the top favorites this year. The attendees were asked to pick their top tastes. Here's the top seven, as noted by the Center. Root was this year's People's Choice Award winner. The top seven restaurants in alphabetical order were “All About You” Personal Chef, Buzz’s Roost, Graham's Landing on Front, Root, Southern Comforts, Sweeties Homemade Ice Cream & Sweets, and Manor House Restaurant At Wedgefield. As does the Center, we at Georgetown Foodland tremendously thank all the participating restaurants for making this year's Taste of Georgetown a culinary destination and a success in raising funds for the Center.
 International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach student Joseph Lawson concentrates as he plates a dish during the 2019 Farm to Table experience. He was one of many students there participating. The evening stage was set. A perfect sunset with a Fall crisp of air lead hundreds of people into Thompson Family Farm at Bucksville. Regulars of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association Farm to Table experience presented by US Foods knew what was in store, however, this year was going to be different. There were new chefs and that meant new dishes. Students from the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach, along with their chef instructors, prepared hors d'oeuvres that were out of this world. There was not one bad taste. And they all were working furiously to make sure the last equaled the perfection in flavor and presentation as the first. The result? Success. Hungry yet? That's not even the main tastings. But the crowd sure was pleased. Lots of the reaction to the tastes were high praise. The wow factor was brought. Eight chefs prepared seven great dishes for the crowd once they were seated under the main tent. And each dish brought the heat, some literally. A great way to keep folks warm during the rather cold night.  As you can see, the people who attended left with spoiled taste buds. It was such a great night. The culinary students, chef instructors and chefs all did a wonderful job and their effort did not go unnoticed. 
We are days away from the 10th annual Taste of Georgetown, the main fundraiser for the Family Justice Center of Georgetown and Horry Counties.
And, this year is stacked to be the biggest Taste yet. We have also written about restaurants to watch out for at the culinary event. Take a look at the video below and see some of the excitement and tastes from previous Tastes.  Are familiar with the "Cooking with Friends" series?
The casual eat-ins benefit Friendship Place, a Christian nonprofit with a focus on "providing a hand-up to move forward in life" and poverty-reducing initiatives. Now, they'll be having a seven-course meal with local Pawleys Island chefs on November 17. The "Great Chefs of Pawleys Island Dinner" will feature some great culinary talent with each focusing on a dish to make up seven courses. This is guaranteed to be an epic culinary event benefiting a great cause. It will be held at Quigley's Next Door, 251 Willowbrook Blvd, Pawleys Island, SC 29585. The event starts at 5 p.m. To get more info, see the dish offerings and purchase tickets, click the button below.  Are you ready for this year's Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association's Farm to Table event? It's 10 years going strong and there's three new chefs participating for this tasty experience. Let's give you the chefs and where they throw down. You can plan a trip to one of their restaurants to give your taste buds a warm up. Chad Marshall of US Foods, Danny Smith of Frank's & Frank's Outback, Geoffrey Blount of the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach, Jamie Daskalis & Courtney Newton of Johnny D's Waffles & Benedicts, Gary Smith of Sea Captain's House, Charif Arabe of Alisa Pub at Legends Resort and Brian Jones of Thoroughbreds will preparing some superb tastings for the attendees. Make plans to attend. Buy your tickets now. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association at (843) 626-9668 or jeffrey.wisniewski@mbhospitality.org.  Who's got the best meatball? We're going to find out as about nine restaurants compete in the Champion Autism Network "Best of the Beach Balls Challenge" on October 26. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I am honored to announce I have been asked to be a judge at this year's event. Here's more information. You can visit here for list of competitors. Local restaurants, food trucks, caterers and home chefs will enter their meatballs to compete for Best Beach Balls. You can also visit here to see a list of restaurants that participate with Champion Autism Network. These restaurants offer accommodations to those with autism and discounts to CAN members. Click the photo below to go to the Facebook event page. We'll see you there.  |
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