Mélange of the Mountains

Thank you Waynesville and Maggie Valley! How long has it been since you have dined in these towns? For me it has been way too long. Many years ago, I enjoyed dining at the Lomo Grill (www.lomogrill.com), downtown Waynesville, but that was about it.

That has now changed! The Mélange of the Mountains festival now gives many of the local fine food establishments a chance to showcase their outstanding cuisine while giving us an opportunity to meet their chefs and a lot of local folks who enjoy great food!

The Mélange of the Mountains was held at the Gateway Club a unique location with a great history. The Gateway Club (www.thegatewayclub.com), located on Church Street, near downtown Waynesville, was once a grand Masonic Lodge. I felt such a sense of wonder when I entered the building. The walls are lined with beautiful art, the drapes and wall hangings reflect the time period and the dining and meeting rooms are impeccably decorated. I realized that it virtually matched the Masonic Lodge in downtown Asheville. In fact, both lodges were designed by the same architect. The Gateway Club is a “members only” club, but the private dining rooms and exhibition hall are available for reservation. This building has been so impressively restored that you truly feel that you have stepped back into the 1930’s!

I was fortunate to be a judge in this event and my fellow judges were some of the best chefs in the Waynesville, Highlands, Cashiers, and Asheville areas. There were nine of us judging and so many dishes that we were divided into teams so as to concentrate on different culinary areas. The food was delivered to our table as quickly as it was prepared on the exhibit floor.

The food was impressive, a delight to taste and judge. Chef Keith Andreasen of Harrah's Cherokee (www.tinyurl.com/y8wug6a), Chef Keith Douglas of Maggie Valley Country Club (www.maggievalleyclub.com) and Chef Juancarlos Martinez of Nico's Restaurant won many of the awards. I developed a whole new appreciation of the culinary scene in Waynesville, Cherokee and Maggie Valley. Everything was top notch!

The event was adjacent to several great places, including the Chefs Table and Nico’s which I plan to visit very soon! Take the time to visit Waynesville, get out of your car and visit the shops and restaurants. You will have a great time and discover new and interesting dining experiences.