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Chef Aimee Saling

Local Chef to Appear on Food Network’s “Grocery Games”

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Chef Aimee Saling will be on Food Network’s “Grocery Games” with Guy Fieri. Her episode will air Sunday May 24th at 8pm

A local chef is being featured on an episode of Guy Fieri’s Grocery Games, a popular evening show on TV’s Food Network.

Chef Aimee Saling, a Dayton native, will be on episode that airs on Sunday May 24th at 8pm.

The show challenges contestants to conjure up recipes using a limited number of grocery store items.  It is a cooking test of skills, wits, and speed.

Aimee, who currently is the Executive Chef at Piccolo Wine Room in Glendale, is tight lipped about the episode, but has a picture of her and Guy Fieri in the restaurant.  The photo was taken during a break in filming.  Chef Saling says Guy was very nice and personable, and even nicknamed her “Dayton.”

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON CHEF AIMEE SALING:

— Chef Saling has an extensive resume, having worked in almost every facet of the kitchen for the last 15 years.

— There is no set menu at Piccolo Wine Room, because Aimee’s menu is a rotating menu  which is different every night.  The menu is announced approximately 6 pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, and usually contains 4 to 5 entree choices.  Menu items are also posted on Piccolo’s Facebook Page.  Everything is made from scratch with seasonal ingredients.

— Her cooking style can be described as an evolving, fresh, new and artistic plates.  Aimee’s meals have distinctive French, Asian, Latin, Italian, and California influences.

Jicama Duck Tacos were on the menu this weekend

— One of the secrets to her success is her sous chef at Piccolo, her husband Neal.  A full time Acquisitions Manager, Neal takes time from his career to help Aimee cook on the weekends.

— Aimee juggles a catering business and private chef duties as well.  Chef Saling’s catering business is called Redbox Culinary Design.  One of her recent clients included the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and their related minor league teams.

 

The Food Adventures Crew was lucky enough to visit Piccolo Wine Room last weekend to try Chef Saling’s revolving menu.  Our entrees of Jicama Duck Tacos, Chicken Carbonara and Filet Mignon Sliders were excellent.  It is a great place for a gourmet Food Adventure.  The patio and wine room atmosphere is a perfect place for a romantic date, or friends night out.  PS.. Dogs are welcome !

We wish Chef Saling the best of luck on “Grocery Games.”  Chef House, Hungry Jax and The Big Ragu look forward to visiting her again soon for another outstanding dinner.

Please browse our photo gallery here for some fantastic photos of Chef Saling, her culinary creations, and Piccolo Wine Room’s amenities.

Love to hear about local eateries?  Want more killer photos and inside scoop on Dayton’s food scene?  Then “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking here.  We are also on Instagram at #dayton_foodies

 

 

 

Springboro Sooo Good Gourmet Cafe Now Open

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430949_408517299226475_1213842577_nSpringboro’s got a new dining option, since the  Soooo Good Gourmet Cafe has finally opened at 75 N. Main Street.   I’ve been driving by this place for over a year, wondering when it would open.  Owner Shawnette Hixon laughed when I asked her what took so long to get it open.  She and her husband signed the lease about 2 years ago and undertook some major construction to put in plumbing and hvac appropriate for a restaurant.

Their business, Clear Sky Enterprises, keeps them on the road as concessionaires for Nascar, PGA Tournaments, and many other sporting events, so in between travel they’d work on the construction.  Shawnette explains that her vision  “was for a place that looked hip and trendy that would be fun to hang out in with free wifi” and the cities permitting process took some time and fighting for approvals.  She also proudly shared that they took out no loans to open, but that the reality of expenses were about 3-4 times what her original budget where, so they had to go back on the road to earn more money to f299604_408555159222689_1081116252_ninish Sooo Good.  Some of the expenses were their high tech menu system, displayed from large computer screens posted over the line, so the menu be changed often.  You’ll never go to place your order, because the inventory will be tied to the register system and when an item is out, it will be automatically removed from the menu screen.

Sooo Good is excited about being supportive of the community where the Hixon’s live and will allow guests to register and designate 2% of their sales to be donated to their favorite local nonprofit organization like the Springboro band or  the field hockey team. Jars of free fresh fruit flavored waters sit on the counter, with a donation bucket that will help support  an orphanage in Africa, founded by a Springboro family.  They encourage their guests to make the eatery a place they feel a part of and guests are encouraged to post their favorite quote on the giant dry erase board on the wall and the very best will be painted onto the walls.

734711_408514375893434_467540234_nSooo Good will open up as early as 6am Monday through Saturday and 8am on Sunday’s.  Breakfast will include bagels, fresh fruit, crepes and breakfast sandwiches. The Captain Crunch French Toast looked especially tasty today.  You’ll also be able to grab coffee, latte’s and cappuccino’s all day, for just $3-4.

Chef Aimee Saling, who grew up in Middletown, shared she’s so excited to be on board.  She said she was practically stalking the owners, because she just knew this was the place she was meant to be.   She met Shawnette and their philosophy of business and philanthropy just clicked.   Having previously volunteered as a Chef at One Bistro in Miamisburg with a side  business (Mcakes)  that’s produced over 9000 cupcakes since last March, she donated 10% of her sales to No Child Left Behind.

messagepart-1Asked to describer her cooking style Chef Aimee says she’s “basically classic with a twist.  My mom calls it taking normal to fancy.  I like to add that one special ingredient that makes a meal memorable.”  When asked to suggest what she thinks will be some of her bestsellers at the new place she quickly pointed out that she makes “Killer Mac ‘n Cheese” and her turkey florentine crepe, reuben and bananas foster went well at the friends and family night. Salads and sandwiches are also on the menu and seemed very reasonably priced with most between $5-$8.

Painted on the wall above the yogurt machines were instructions that invited you to ” Grab a cup, fil it up, weigh it and pay it for 49 ce386735_408516459226559_1638207725_n-1nts per ounce.”  I got to sample some red velvet yogurt, and other flavors offered included NY cheesecake, original tart and vanilla.  Chef shared with me that the flavors will constantly be changing and they’ve got some really cool flavors on tap.  Because its self serve it’s easy to just have a little bit, but the fresh fruit toppings will make it easy to dress it up.  I can see this being a big hit when in the spring and summer when the patio will be open.  A great after dinner destination, the restaurant is still trying to determine exactly how late it will stay open, but Ms. Hixon says they even have some live music plans.  Also still to come will be a grab and go case of meals and catering and delivery are also in the future plans.