Chef Sedesh Boodram is from Trinidad and Tobago. He trained in France and has worked with some of the most celebrated chefs in the world. And he’s decided that Birmingham is home. For his first solo concept, The Anvil Pub & Grill in Hoover’s Village at Lee Branch, Boodram drew from both his life experiences … Continue reading Global Flavor at The Anvil
Category: life
life
Iconic Alabama Barbecue with a Side of History
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q is much more than a beloved family business. It’s a restaurant that honors a storied Southern culinary tradition of food and fire. Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q also is a fixture in the greater Birmingham area and even beyond—bringing diverse crowds of diners from here at home, and all over the country, to Bessemer … Continue reading Iconic Alabama Barbecue with a Side of History
Good Books That Will Stay with You and Do Some Good in the World
Here are the books I brought to Good Day Alabama on WBRC Fox 6 this month. They include my new favorite novel, a way to help our planet, a way to help Ukraine and a novel about a forgotten part of our country's history. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Duerr This novel, by the author … Continue reading Good Books That Will Stay with You and Do Some Good in the World
Small Town, National Audience
Kelsey Barnard Clark is a small-town girl at heart, but she’s also a big-city chef who has made a national name for herself. After winning Top Chef in 2019 and a subsequent splashy feature in Food & Wine magazine, people now come from all over the country to eat at her KBC restaurant in historic downtown Dothan. I recently … Continue reading Small Town, National Audience
A Mindset and a Menu for a Healthy Community
From mission to menu, Taproot Café in Hoover intends to make a difference in its community. That’s because everything here – from the wholesome foods to the friendly staff to the bright, comfortable setting to the people supplying local, fresh ingredients – is part of a larger intention. I wrote a story on Taproot for http://www.alabamanewscenter.comAlabama NewsCenter. … Continue reading A Mindset and a Menu for a Healthy Community
The Sweet Side of Olympic Competition
Alabama has had plenty of connections to Olympics competition over the years but perhaps none as sweet as what Susan Notter does. This pastry chef, who has worked all over the world but lives here in Birmingham, is a coach for the U.S. Culinary Olympics Team, and she’s a gold medal-winner, too. Chef Susan Notter … Continue reading The Sweet Side of Olympic Competition
A quick but meaningful and memorable trip to The Big Easy
My trips to New Orleans always follow a few familiar patterns—habits we’ve formed over decades of visiting this beloved city. On the way there, we stop in East New Orleans for banh mi sandwiches at Dong Phuong Bakery, a James Beard Award-winning Vietnamese restaurant and bakery. This NOLA East institution has been around since 1982 and … Continue reading A quick but meaningful and memorable trip to The Big Easy
Country Store 2.0
For more than half a century, Jefferson Country Store has offered grocery staples and a place to gather for the tiny community of Jefferson in Marengo County. Today, the store serves a much larger population – with people coming from miles away, and even other states, to enjoy a burger or some homemade pimento cheese or to … Continue reading Country Store 2.0
Hubbard’s Off Main is a Main Attraction in Oxford
Food brings people together. No question about that. And creating a gathering place for conversation and fellowship, as well as good food, was one of the reasons behind Hubbard’s Off Main in Historic Main Street Oxford. That’s because the restaurant’s owner, Charlotte Hubbard, is one of her city’s most steadfast champions. Hubbard has served on … Continue reading Hubbard’s Off Main is a Main Attraction in Oxford
Celebrate Mediterranean food with Birmingham Les Dames d’Escoffier
The Birmingham Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, an international organization that supports professional women in food & hospitality, is coming to Pepper Place Market every week in September to spotlight some of Birmingham's female culinary superstars. This week, we're celebrating women food leaders who keep us connected to our culinary roots in the Mediterranean. Quite … Continue reading Celebrate Mediterranean food with Birmingham Les Dames d’Escoffier