About the Chefs
The American Prawn Cooperative
The mission of the American Prawn Cooperative is to provide dedicated marketing services and commercial opportunities to North Carolina producers of the freshwater prawn. Following nationally recognized best-management practices, the American Prawn Cooperative guarantees the highest quality, freshwater prawn to retail and wholesale markets.
www.americanprawncooperative.com
Amos Mosquito’s Restaurant, Atlantic Beach, NC
Morehead City native Richard Alexander spent part of his childhood in Louisiana, a state renowned for its Creole cuisine. Richard’s passion for food led him to enroll at Johnson and Wales Culinary School in Charleston, SC.
After graduating in 1997, Richard traveled the southeastern United States while employed by a hotel management company. He then accepted a position as executive chef aboard the Ring Anderson, a 114 foot charter sailing yacht out of Boston, MA. He sailed to the Caribbean and accepted a position as executive chef at the Jolly Roger Resort in Tortola and then worked at Bolongo Bay, an all-inclusive resort on St. Thomas.
Richard returned to Morehead City in 2003 and began working at Amos Mosquito’s in 2004. He was named executive chef in 2006.
www.amosmosquitos.com; www.carteretcatch.org
Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café, Nags Head, NC and Outer Banks Catch
For generations, Outer Banks families made their livings—and their daily meals—from the bounty of local waters, caught fresh every day. The Basnight family continues this tradition by serving only fresh Outer Banks seafood, caught in local waters and brought to the docks daily by local fishermen, then cleaned and prepared at the Lone Cedar Café. The Lone Cedar is a proud member of Outer Banks Catch.
Outer Banks Catch is a multi-county – Dare, Currituck, Hyde and Tyrrell – program that promotes and educates seafood lovers about the seasonality of locally-harvested seafood and the heritage of local fishermen.
www.lonecedrcafe.com/; www.outerbankscatch.com
Ms. Sheri Castle, author of The New Southern Garden Cookbook
Sheri Castle is a professional food writer and culinary instructor. She is known for melding storytelling, humor and culinary expertise, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal.
She is the author of The New Southern Garden Cookbook: Recipes for Enjoying the Best from Homegrown Gardens, Farmers’ Markets, Roadside Stands and CSA Boxes, which was published by the University of North Carolina Press this year. Her book was named by the New York Times as a notable book of the season and was selected as an “Okra Pick” by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as one of the best new titles of the season.
Her work has appeared in Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, WNC Magazine,
Taste of the South and numerous other magazines. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband Doug Tidwell and daughter Lily Castle Tidwell.
Sheri will be signing copies of The New Southern Garden Cookbook at Dee Gees Gifts & Books, 508 Evans Street in Morehead City at 4:30 pm on Saturday, October 1 following her appearance at Cooking with the Chefs.
Carteret Catch
Carteret Catch is a local organization dedicated to enhancing the public’s awareness of the Carteret County commercial fishing industry by: a) educating the county’s residents and visitors about the seasonal availability of local seafood; b) highlighting state and federal regulations that protect marine resources and seafood quality and safety; and c) showcasing the culture and heritage of people who depend on commercial fishing for their livelihoods.
The Carteret Catch brand is your assurance you are getting seafood direct from local fishermen. You will find fresh, local seafood at retailers and restaurants that proudly display the Carteret Catch logo in their windows and on their menus.
Catch Modern Seafood Cuisine, Wilmington, NC
Founded in 2006 by award-winning local chef Keith Rhodes and his wife Angela, Catch started with a simple idea: serve the best local items with a modern twist. By supporting North Carolina’s organic farmers, local fisheries and sustainable fishing practices, Catch customers support the local economy. Catch is a member of the Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Council, a partnership of institutions, agencies, farmers, and businesses dedicating to creating a prosperous regional local food system in southeastern North Carolina.
www.catchwilmingtonnc.com/; www.feastsoutheastnc.org
Chefs 105, Morehead City, NC
Built in 1929 by the Geer Oil Company, Chefs 105 features stunning décor: a tall, vaulted ceiling, interior brick walls and polished wood. In early 2007 Kevin Brighton and Mike Santos, proprietors of Chefs 505 in Greenville, NC, decided to open a restaurant in Morehead City. They approached their friend Andy Hopper to join them in this venture. Andy left Spiaggia, a five-star, Chicago-based Italian restaurant, to help launch Chefs 105 in May 2007. Andy specializes in preparing delicious meals from seafood and produce purchased locally. Andy is an accomplished chef, having won top honors at the Beaufort Wine & Food Festival in 2009 and 2010. He also won the iron-chef competition at last year’s Taste of New Bern.
Circa 81, Morehead City, NC
Clarke Merrell is the executive chef and proprietor of Circa 81. Clarke discovered his passion for cooking and entertaining while working in the North Carolina restaurant industry. After graduating with a degree in the culinary arts, Clarke began training with some of the best chefs in his profession. In 2008, he returned to his Morehead City roots to open his own restaurant. Clarke serves tapas – small plates of delicious food that are perfect for passing around the table. At Circa 81, the motto is: Gather, eat and enjoy!
Fishy Fishy Café, Southport, NC and Brunswick Catch
The culinary creations at Fishy Fishy Café are equaled only by the spectacular waterfront setting overlooking Southport’s Yacht Basin Marina. Fishy Fishy Café serves fresh, locally-caught seafood on its daily menus and specials and is a proud member of Brunswick Catch.
Brunswick Catch is dedicated to raising public awareness of the second and third generation commercial fishermen living along the North Carolina southern coast who harvest fresh, local seafood for a living. You will find the best local seafood in-season at local retail stores and restaurants that proudly display the Brunswick Catch logo in their windows and on their menus.
www.fishyfishycafe.com; www.brunswickcatch.com
42nd Street Oyster Bar, Raleigh, NC
David Greenwell’s first exposure to the culinary profession was baking biscuits at a small restaurant in his hometown of Cleveland, NC. David began his career at 42nd Street Oyster Bar while attending North Carolina State University. After graduating, he continued working at 42nd Street another two years, attaining the position of sous chef. David then accepted a sales position with Alliant Foodservice Company. After nine years with Alliant, David returned to 42nd Street in 2001 as executive chef.
Over the past seven decades, 42nd St. Oyster Bar has become renowned as one of the South’s most legendary landmark restaurants with a heritage dating back to humble beginnings in 1931 as a grocery store serving oysters and, after prohibition ended in 1933, draft beer. Over the past two decades, management boasts the restaurant has served more than 80 million oysters and shrimp to their guests along with 21 million hush puppies, a staple of Southern appetizers.
Island Grille, Atlantic Beach, NC
Jason Scott was born and raised in Vermont but has been a resident of Carteret County for the last ten years. Jason has 15 years of experience crafting French, Italian, Southern and Americana cuisines using the freshest, seasonal seafood caught by North Carolina fishermen. Jason has a strong passion for using only the highest-quality, local ingredients in his preparations and pairing them with outstanding wines and specialty-brewed beers.
www.islandgrillerestaurant.com; www.carteretcatch.org
Jason’s Restaurant, Ocracoke Island, NC
Born in Maryland but raised on Ocracoke, Jason Wells has a family heritage that goes back several generations on the island. Jason worked in restaurants during his formative years, so the decision to make the culinary arts his profession came easily. In 2002, Jason and his father opened Jason’s Restaurant, which he now co-owns with friend James Bowen. Jason sources nearly all of his seafood from fishermen living on Ocracoke or elsewhere along the North Carolina coast. Jason is married and is the father of a two-year old son. In his spare time, Jason coaches middle-school basketball and serves as scoutmaster of Troop 290.
McCurdy’s Restaurant & Deck, Atlantic Beach, NC
Proprietors Ann and Dan Kolenick have designed their menu around their charcoal grill and are constantly searching for ways to incorporate local seafood into their cuisines. They utilize the unique taste of charcoal to distinguish their menu from other restaurants. Together, Ann and Dan combine their vision of great food at an affordable price with wonderful service at a scenic location. McCurdy’s supports North Carolina and the local economy by purchasing many ingredients from local fishermen and farmers.
Piccata’s Restaurant, Morehead City, NC
A Greene County native, Kelly Murphrey began his journey in the culinary trade at Darryl’s in Greenville, NC and continued to build his experience after moving here to Carteret County in 1996. After almost 20 years of being a restaurant employee, Kelly and his wife Wanda opened their own restaurant in 2007.
“Piccata’s” got its name from one of Chef Kelly’s signature dishes. Chef Murphrey serves on the Board of Directors of Carteret Catch because he is passionate about serving only the freshest local seafood. From trigger fish caught right off of the North Carolina coast to the tomatoes Kelly purchases from Simpson’s in Bettie, NC, you can be sure that a meal at Piccata’s will be both fresh and local.
www.piccatas.com; www.carteretcatch.org
TW Garner Food Company, Winston-Salem, NC
Executive Chef Michael O’Donnell brings his knowledge and passion for food to corporations wanting to create innovative restaurant menus.
Michael has over 35 years of foodservice experience, including 16 years in commercial manufacturing operations. His broad industry perspective enables him to offer unique meal solutions to address the competitive challenges of numerous restaurant chains nationwide.
Michael is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Northern Colorado.
Watts Grocery, Durham, NC
A native of Durham, Amy Tornquist has more than twenty years of professional experience in catering and professional cooking though she has cooked all her life.
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she completed an honors degree in East European Studies with an additional major in American history while cooking part-time at Crooks Corner under the tutelage of the late Chef Bill Neal. Amy graduated from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and spent two years as chef at the British Embassy Residence in Paris.
Amy has achieved national recognition for her culinary expertise, with recipes published in Food & Wine. She is a member of several professional organizations including The American Institute of Food and Wine (AIWF), The International Society of Event Specialists (ISES), and the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). Amy resides in Durham with her husband and two young daughters.
