• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Event Calendar
    • Submit An Event
  • About Us
    • Our Contributors
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Where to Pick up Dayton937
  • Arts & Entertainment
    • Art Exhibits
    • Comedy
    • On Screen Dayton
    • On Screen Dayton Reviews
    • Road Trippin’
      • Cincinnati
      • Columbus
      • Indianapolis
    • Spectator Sports
    • Street-Level Art
    • Visual Arts
  • Dayton Dining
    • Happy Hours Around Town
    • Local Restaurants Open On Monday
    • Patio Dining in the Miami Valley
    • 937’s Boozy Brunch Guide
    • Dog Friendly Patio’s in the Miami Valley
    • Restaurants with Private Dining Rooms
    • Dayton Food Trucks
    • Quest
    • Ten Questions
  • Dayton Music
    • Music Calendar
  • Active Living
    • Canoeing/Kayaking
    • Cycling
    • Hiking/Backpacking
    • Runners

Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Ten Questions

10?’s with Surjit Singh Mattu ofAmar India

June 27, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

surjitEver since Surjit Singh Mattu was a young man in northwestern India he has had a business and numbers based mind set.  It is this mindset which has continually propelled the quick learning chef to success in American busines

 

Originally an electrician, Surjit Singh Mattu left India in 1981 and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts where he started to pursue and explore a career in the restaurant business.  He has always enjoyed cooking and this culinary experience helped him begin to learn and develop his own taste.  This was the beginning of what would be a largely successful career.  After living in Boston he had moved to Houston for a period and then in 1984 he packed and moved to Dayton to move closer to his sister and her husband, Dr. Sandhu of the University of Dayton’s Chemical Materials Engineering department.  In Dayton he helped his sister in her restaurant, Taste of India.  This exposure to the restaurant business inspired him to fall in love with cooking.

 

The first of his two restaurants, Amar India, opened in 1991 and then his second restaurant, Jeet India in 2003.  He has had success in starting both restaurants and continually finds reward in hearing his customer’s appreciation.  Cooking is an art to Surjit and serving his customers is a gratifying experience.  Sharing his food is like sharing his heritage.

Surjit caters to many events and businesses all over the Midwest.  On top of catering Surjit likes to give back to the community and he frequently donates to charity.  Some specific charities include the Red Cross, March of Dimes and Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

 

His restaurant is commended as the 42nd best restaurant in the United States by Ben Schott’s, Schott’s Food and Drink.  Surjit has won multiple awards for his cooking through the years and he has even had the opportunity to showcase his talents on Good Morning America and multiple local TV channels.

 

  1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

    Buffet 1

    The daily buffet always includes 4vegetarian entrees and 3 non-vegetarian entrees.

He enjoys working with cumin seeds and garlic.

 

  1. What ingredient do you dread?

There is nothing he dreads more than brown sugar, but that’s about it.

 

  1. What’s your favorite dish to make?

Chicken korma, chicken tikka masala

 

  1. What’s your favorite pig out food?

Chicken korma, rice and naan

 

  1. What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
216315_197541353614237_6764337_n

Masala, White Rice, and Saag Paneer.

Bravos (Particularly the Salmon), Bone Fish Grill, and any Mexican restaurant

 

  1. What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t ever serve food that you wouldn’t want to eat yourself.  Always use the best quality ingredients for the best taste.  Do your own thing and adapt your own style.

 

  1. If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

He would invite the 4 pickiest customers and anyone else who would critique his cooking.  He is always looking to improve his art!

 

  1. Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

He has always look up to his older sister.  She had inspired him to open his own restaurants.

 

  1. What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

He loves to go to any UD Flyer athletic event, especially basketball.  He also likes to attend Dayton Dragon’s baseball games or sit and watch any sport on the television.

 

  1. Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Interesting Story:  One evening while in the restaurant a customer who had eaten at Amar India previously stopped by and dropped off a book with a marker within it.  The books name was, Schott’s Food and Drink.  Curiosity hit and the book was opened to the marker.  Surjit realized the customer had found a list of 42 best restaurants in the U.S. with Amar India at 42.  The author was unknown and he had no idea his restaurant had been featured on the list.  He saw it as an accomplishment and an interesting surprise.  He also found gratification that the customer notified him and had given him the book as a gift.

amarAmar India is located at 2751 Miamisburg Centerville Road, across from the Dayton Mall.

Monday thru Thursday      thumb-1

11:30am  to 2pm Lunch        5pm to 10pm Dinner

Friday & Saturday      

11:30am to 10pm

Sunday                                 

Noon to 9pm

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the fifth of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

10 ?’s with Fifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Amar India, UD Engineering Project Management

10 ?’s with Fifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy

June 10, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Jan 23, 2013 11-27-28 AMFifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy’s first experience in the restaurant business was working at a Mom and Pop sandwich shop. He started off as a dishwasher but soon moved to busing tables, serving, and eventually helping in the kitchen. Fifth Street Brewpub General Manager Dave Tickel first met Liam while working at TomKatz’s in Springboro. They both moved into other positions, but after 5 years of losing touch, Dave called Liam and offered him the position of head chef.  Liam left his job at the Dayton Country Club and is now working hard to create a unique menu at this new co-op brewpub. The chef also has worked at L’Auberge and Thirsty Dog Brewpub.

Experience Chef Liam’s menu at Fifth Street Brewpub located at 1600 East Fifth St, about 4 blocks east of the Oregon District. The pub is open  Monday – Thursday 4 pm – 11 pm and Fridays & Saturdays from 11 am – midnight.

 1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Quite simply, animals. I love working with beef.

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

Nothing really, I’m not scared of anything. If I don’t know how to use an ingredient, I’ll look it up.

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Anything that makes people smile. Coming from the Dayton Country Club, I’ve had to adapt to a different style at the Fifth Street Brewpub. A lot of menu items here are broken-down fine dining, the Cuban sandwich for example.  It’s not on the menu, but we feature it from time to time. There is actually an email list that goes out to certain die-hard fans of that sandwich telling them when it will be served next.

1045027_482166238578309_578346194966066472_n

Enchurrito, rice, chicken, corn, peppers and cheese rolled in a flour tortilla, topped with a green chile sauce, and a cumin sour cream.

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I grew up with peanut butter crackers, the ones that come in the pack of 6. Those with a glass of milk at the end of the day are great.

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

My wife and I just had kids, so it is hard to find time to go out. But when we do, we like to eat local. Bonefish is one of our favorites.

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Stop watching the food network; it glorifies food and creates very high expectations. Just keep it simple, try not to combine too many flavors.

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I would invite my grandparents and great-grandparents. They never had the chance to see this side of me.

8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Chris from TomKatz’s; we have remained great friends over the years. And the Sycamore Creek Country Club. That’s where my skills and ideas were refined.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

Watch my kids! Or sometimes go golfing if I get the chance.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Lucky Break: Working at the country club was my biggest break. I was a sous-chef at the time, and the GM recognized that I was doing most of the work. He saw my ability and potential, and offered me the position of head chef.

Disaster: This also happened while I was working at the country club. We were hosting a wedding for 150 people, but there was a storm the night before and all of the power went out. So we didn’t have any light, gas, electricity, so obviously we had a huge problem. We contacted the bride and explained the situation, and she wanted to continue with the wedding as planned. We had to adapt by using outside grills to make a meal for 150 guests. It turned out to be a success; the guests were understanding and loved the improvised menu.

 

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the fourth of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Chef Liam Hennessy, Daniel Williams, Emily Strobach, Fifth Street Brewpub, Gracelyn Key, Professor Rebecca P. Blust, Sushmitha Rayinadi, UD Engineering Project Management

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

May 30, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

1920408_699753960048080_873109947_nChef Lisa Perdomo is a Kettering native who received her undergraduate degree in business and her graduate M.B.A. from the University of Dayton.  She is married to Mr. Perdomo, who is a native from Columbia,  who received an engineering management degree from the University of Dayton.  The UD Flyer couple runs and owns Arepas & Co which serves a type of Americanized Columbian cuisine.  Her food is flavorful, fresh and fast.

 

10299937_733097263380416_2548697446223272819_n

Arepas & Co is located at 1122 E Dorothy Ln in Kettering.

Initially out of college Lisa worked for the University of Dayton for 10 years.  Afterward she had a coffee shop in Cincinnati, but decided the commute was a bit too much and ended up bringing contacts together in order to become a vendor at the 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton as Arepas & Co.  The vendor stand took off at the market and Lisa found her business having a tremendous amount of success with visitors.  To anyone who is timid about trying Columbian cuisine she is more than happy to educate and encourage the food she has grown to love.

 

With the success at the 2nd Street Market Lisa and her husband were able to open their second location here in Dayton.  Be sure when you visit to look for the Red House, that  sits back from the road behind the Sherwood Florist.  The restaurant serves as a great environment for a great meal.

 

Be sure to visit Arepas & Co. on Facebook for more info.

1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Fresh Cilantro… Fish and Cilantro = awesome!

1003398_680625361960940_1304811319_n

Fresh and tasty Pollo Guisado and more waiting for you!

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

I love to cook and don’t have a definitive dreaded ingredient, but if I had to choose I would say extremely hot spicy peppers.  In particular the hot peppers  used to prepare her El Scorcho (Pique) homemade sauce. Wow… Hot!

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Pollo Guisado! It is a braised chicken thigh slowly cooked with carrots, bell peppers, and green beans. Served with rice and fried plantains.  It’s delicious.

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I loves Reece’s peanut butter cups.  There is just something about that chocolate and peanut butter duo that hits the spot.

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I love going to O’Charley’s with my 3 boys and husband.  I also like going to Logan’s Roadhouses and Carvers in Centerville

10393841_736936169663192_2813219458467185630_n

“Party in your Mouth” Mazorca! Sweet corn, seasoned beans, chips, cheese, homemade sauces! Magic!

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Always have patience.  Don’t ever get discouraged from any advice or critiques and always welcome and appreciate feedback.

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Gordon Ramsay for his brutal honesty

Gabriel Marquez to recite beautiful poetry during the meal

A recent president.  Possibly Barack Obama.  Just so they can see how hard local businesses work

My husband so he can introduce guests to the Columbian culture and so he can keep our guest entertained. He’s a good talker.

 8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Julia Child because who doesn’t.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I enjoy going hiking in Yellow Springs and watching television with my  boys.  Overall I just likes to spend some time offline.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Lisa shared stories of times when she cooked in a kitchen without a necessity such as gas, electric or water.  She expressed it always makes for an interesting situation.

 

 This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the third of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Arepas & Co, Chef Lisa Perdomo, Daniel Williams, Emily Strobach, Gracelyn Key, Professor Rebecca P. Blust, Sushmitha Rayinadi, UD Engineering Project Management

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

May 19, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

    

main_logocleaneditcutupChef Narendar Thakkar moved to the U.S. when he was young gentleman in his twenties.  For approximately 24 years he worked and managed a Dunkin Donuts.  The past 5 years he has been the master mind of Namaste India creating the cooking foundation needed for an authentic Indian cuisine.  He reads the customers mind and listens to what he or she likes.  With that information he will adapt the cuisine accordingly and make a tasty meal.  He shared that his customers always ask for a to-go box because they want to enjoy every last bite.

 

Namaste India is a family owned restaurant looked over by both his son and himself.  His son works in the medical field Monday thru Friday and he looks after the restaurant in his free time.  The atmosphere of the restaurant is very clean and inviting.

 

Cool Fact: Thakkar influenced and created the logo of the restaurant.

 

Chef Narendar Thakkar is a character who will spoil each of his guests with hospitality.  He loves spice and will vary his cooking spice level as well as his recipes to assure the customer is happy.  Narendar perfects his food with cooking by sight and aroma.  His restaurant is always busy 7 days a week.    You can enjoy a lunch buffet Monday – Saturday from 11am – 3pm for just $7.99.

1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?581965_10151142402559305_1784576883_n_op_800x600

Too difficult to choose one ingredient.  so probably, onion, tomato gravy, garam masala, garlic paste, coriander leaves.

The key to cooking with so many favorite ingredients is to observe the food while cooking and to know when to add extra of an ingredient.

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

He doesn’t like cooking with butter or heavy cream.  He shared that cream is not healthy and contains 36% fat.  He also shared that crème takes away from an authentic Indian cuisine.

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Tikka Wraps

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I love Mexican food.  Particularly burritos and my very own salsa

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I’m a fan of  Bravo Italian and thinks it’s real quality.

I also like Mexican food.  In particular,  El Rancho Grande .  Oh and Donatos Pizza

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t cook because you have to or because you are forced.  Cook from the heart and with your interests in mind.  Cook for enjoyment.

 

Oh… and always clean your hands before cooking

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

A dinner is best when shared.  It’s too hard to choose 4, so I would like to invite friends, family, and individuals who compliment and give thanks for good food.

 8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?417378_10151142402459305_954301651_n_op_800x600

Anyone who has a restaurant with a good inviting environment that is clean.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I  like to watch basketball and also loves to go to the casinos.  I’ll take my employees every once in a while also so they can enjoy themselves.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Kitchen Disaster:  There was an extremely hot day a past summer.  The restaurant was extremely busy and the environment around the kitchen area was hot.  In all the combustion of the busy work environment an exhaust fire started.  The fire was not a great experience and so I never has another experience like it happen again I continually checks equipment temperatures and keeps the equipment spotless.

 

 

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the second of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first please see below

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: 10 ?'s, Chef Narendar Thakkar, Indian cuisine, Namaste India

10?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

May 1, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro 2 Comments

trishWhat’s Your Story?

I started cooking at a young age when my sisters and I would do “make -ups”….basically putting together different creations involving butter, sugar and other ingredients for an after school snack. One of my daily jobs included making the salad for dinner. This led to me to starting my own garden and betting my dad that I could live off of it for two weeks. I caved to ice cream and sweets!

Trish pictured here with her dad!

 

I attended the College of St. Benedict in MN, graduated in 1986, and moved to Dayton for a teaching position at Incarnation Elementary school. Soon afterward I met my husband and was married in 1989. In ’91, we had our first child and three more children followed. I decided to stay home, but at the same time some students at the University of Dayton were trying to start up a rowing team. Both my husband and I had rowed in college, and we agreed to coach. At that time I began to train heavily in my own boat where I developed a pretty competitive career in racing. In 2003, my husband and I began a high school girls rowing program called Dayton Boat Club where we both currently coach outside of our other jobs.

 

The coaching, my own competitive rowing, and the kids kept me busy, but with the kids growing up, our expenses increased. I needed to find a way to establish a more financially stable income.

 

The thought of finishing my masters at UD was an option, but the time commitment probably wouldn’t allow me to coach or have the freedom to visit family as much as I’d like to. I had always joked about having my own café, but, again, I knew that was probably even more time consuming. There were a couple food truck ideas in the making when I thought, nobody had done anything solely dedicated to grilled cheese! The menu options were endless and fun to create! When I started looking into the truck, logistics and the unique idea, it all came together and people were very excited about what I had to offer. It took off!

1.       What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

You’d think I’d say “cheese” is my favorite ingredient, but what I really like about making the sandwiches are the fresh vegetables and spices that go together.  The Don Quixote is one of my favorites as it has the corn, black beans, jalapeño with two different cheeses and a chipotle mayo. Recently, too, I’ve discovered how cooking with lemon can really bring in a lot of flavor

2.       What ingredient do you dread?

Opening a jar of sauerkraut.  It smells terrible, but once it’s on the grill and added to the Reuben, it can be amazing!

 3.       What’s your favorite dish to make?gouda

There are currently 9 different sandwiches on the menu and I tend to favor the vegetarian based ones.  I do love the Don Quixote, but the “Oh My Gouda” has a whole different flavor with the onions, mushrooms, Gouda, mozzarella and a spicy mustard mayo.

As far as the ones that meat in them, I’d have to go with the Buffalo Blue:  shredded buffalo chicken, mozzarella, cheddar, blue cheese with a splash of Franks

4.       What’s your favorite pig out food?

Harvest, sweet potato fries. Delicious!

5.       What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

Dewey’s Pizza, every Thursday night – date night.  I have to give Dewey’s pizza some credit.  A lot of my combinations have stemmed from the way I see and taste how certain ingredients go well together.  Love their pizza!

6.       What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Try a recipe, but don’t be afraid to make it your own.  Start with what you know works, pay attention to what you like when you’re out in a restaurant, and try to bring those ideas home.

7.       If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Bridget, Matthew, Patrick and Madeline Miles. I love to have my kids all home for dinner.

 8.       Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Todd Jesdale, truly a genius in the field of coaching rowing, but also a bit eccentric in a comforting and enjoyable way.  He is a previous US national boys’ team coach.

 

Patrick, from Harvest Mobile Cuisine.  He has inspired, encouraged and looked out for me in my C’est Cheese endeavor.  I’m addicted to his sweet potato fries, so much that I gave them up for lent!

 

Devin Oliver.  Humble, kind, a true leader and he plays pretty good basketball. Love those Flyers!

9.       What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I might substitute teach at Holy Angels, where my kids all attended grade school or if the weather is nice, I’ll get out in my boat for a row.  Then there is the possibility I might go and visit my son in Columbus or my daughter in Chicago.

 

10.   Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

I’ve had a few disasters… I think you have to if you’re going to learn anything!

 

When we were first married, my husband’s parents came to visit.  I wanted to make this zucchini pasta.  The zucchini burnt and stuck to the pan. The fire alarm in our house was blaring.  I took the pan and whacked it against the outside of our house where it was in view of my in laws (I didn’t know they were there).  I looked over to the patio where they were sitting, and said: “dinners ready”!

 

I guess I’ve come a long way since those days…. I’ve learned a lot by trial and error, but I think I’m on a good path and I love what I’ve been able to do!  I’ve loved getting to meet a lot of people in the Dayton area.  I love to meet other small business owners and share in the experience of working hard to be successful.  Who knows, maybe someday I’ll have the time to open a café with French tablecloths, good music and a fun atmosphere!

 

Extras:cestchz

C’est Cheese Schedule:

Monday:  Wilmer Hale on Research Blvd and Founders

Tuesday:  Ghostlight Cofee on Wayne

Wednesday:  5 Rivers Metro Park office on monument

Friday: Wilmer Hale

Weekends vary according to events. Often I’ll be on the schedule for either Eudora, Yellow Springs, and Star City Brewery’s

 

The best way to find Trish is on twitter:  @cest_cheese

She can be  scheduled for  graduation, block, birthday parties as well as wedding showers.

Contact info:  937-344-4771         cestcheese.info

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the first of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.

 

 

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: C'est Cheese, Food Truck, Trish Miles

Dayton BBQ Entrepreneur Tackles DMM’s 10?’s

February 26, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Lea-Richards-BBQ-Pit-Master-for-Pig-of-the-Month-BBQ1-880x1024Growing up Lea Richards and her family would go on family vacations every year and turn each trip into one big barbecue hunt. They literally went to every so-called BBQ hot spot and had their fingers deliciously smeared from digging into A LOT of different kinds of barbecue. As Lea describes it, “we went through some tough ones (pun intended), but we also found some authentic, finger-lickin’ good ones—usually from mom-and-pop restaurants and other hole-in-the-wall dining places. And after scouring every town, city, state, or region, our search has finally ended. Guess where?  Right in our kitchen. But, we realized that we need not continue the hunt, fun as it was. We didn’t have to go anywhere for the best barbecue. We had all the experience, tips, and recipes from around the country to make the best barbecue in the country, right in our house!”

Thus began the Pig of the Month BBQ business in 2010. Lea left her hectic life on Wall Street in 2010 and began the mail order barbecue company.  Recreating her favorite barbecues from different regions, she makes  smoked barbecue ribs, award winning pulled pork, specialty sausages, gourmet bacon, BBQ sides, and lip-smacking Award Winning BBQ sauces—and share the53055 goodness with you! Pig of the Month offers ribs just the way all barbecue lovers want them: perfectly seasoned, tender-on-the-inside but crispy-on-the-outside, smoky, and mouthwatering—just tear-off-the-bones good barbecue.

This 2009 UD grad has grown her business into a successful company and has been featured on Good Morning America, been written about in Forbes Magazine and had her BBQ featured in Playboy Magazine.  She’s won awards for her Mustard based BBQ sauce and Martha Stewart Magazine recognized Pig of the Month as a Best Gift, while Southern Living Magazine awarded them with the Best Ribs title.  They’ve filled orders for Whoopi Goldberg, Iron Chef Michael Symon, Paula Deen, Stephen Colbert and Chelsea Handler.

Pig of the Month has been nominated as one of 100 finalists in the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest and will find out at the end of March if she’ll be awarded a grant to help her “expand her product line and offer her customers even more delicious items to choose from.”  In the meantime Lea agreed to answer our Chef 10 Questions:

1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?581514_10151109621059611_1649510167_n

Well, I think this may be a bit obvious, but Bacon!

2.  What ingredient do you dread?

Personally, anything I don’t like to eat: shrimp, fennel, or oysters mainly.

3.  What’s your favorite dish to make?

For an easy weeknight meal, fish tacos. For something dressier I make a killer wild mushroom bread pudding.

 

4.  What’s your favorite pig out food?

 

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches made with pulled pork, pimento cheese, and extra BBQ sauce

 

5.  What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

 

I’m obsessed with Roost, I love the patio at Lily’s, and you can’t beat lunch at Coldwater Cafe.

 

6.  What’s your best advice for home chefs?

 

Follow the recipe to the T the first time, and then experiment to make it your own once you know what its supposed to taste like.

 

7.  If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?leasguests

 

Winston Churchill for the commentary, George Clooney to seduce, Anna Kendrick because she’s Anna Kendrick, and Grant Aschatz to help me cook.

 

8.  Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Since our business is mostly mail order, I tend to be more in the business side of things nowadays.

I do admire what Kim at Olive, An Urban Dive has done though – she sticks to all natural ingredients, uses local suppliers, and works hard to make sure everything is cooked from scratch. That’s something I try to replicate at Pig of the Month

 

9.  What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I love the MetroParks! I go trail running with my puppy at Englewood and Wegerzyn all the time. And then I head to Roost for a cocktail and some truffle fries 🙂

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

When I first started my business we were lucky enough to be asked by Michael Symon to be on Good Morning America as a last minute segment. At that time I was still cooking all the ribs and everything all by my lonesome, and I found myself with 4,000+ orders to fulfill all at once.

Since I had never cooked so many ribs at one time, I didn’t realize that when I flipped them that all of the grease would hit the charcoal all at once….yep, you guessed it. Big flames!

I had to call everyone and let them know their orders would be late, and it took a week for pro’s to clean it all up! Lesson learned!

 

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton Entrepreneur, FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, Lea Richards, Pig of the Month, Pig of the Month BBQ

10?’s with Rick Schaefer of Brock Masterson’s Catering

November 13, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

284144_1872989506739_274657_nThere’s rarely a festival in Dayton where you don’t find Brock Masterson’s hawking their “Down East” Blue Lump Crab Cakes, “Fatty” Reuben, Grilled Salmon  and Brock’s Legendary 3-Potato Hash.  There’s always a line, yet the food is so good it’s worth the wait. Brock Masterson’s Catering was founded in 1986 by Chef Rick Schaefer, and while catering is his main business, Brock Masterson’s can be found grilling out at over 20 festivals throughout Dayton region. But now you can also find Brock Masterson’s in your grocery store.  “Customers have been asking for years about the special blend of spices that we use to season our grilled meats, so bottling the spices for the customers just made sense,” said Rick Schaefer, Owner & Executive Chef of Brock Masterson’s.

Brock’s Dust, cooking & grilling spices come in four varieties:  Brock’s

4367122

Dust for Poultry, Beef, Seafood and Pork.  Each one is specifically formulated to enhance that type of meat.  Chef Rick suggests sprinkling the meat liberally before cooking, grilling or broiling, and then sprinkle Brock’s Dust again immediately before serving.

Brock’s Dust is available locally at all 3 Dorothy Lane Market locations, both Dot’sMarket locations, through our website www.brockmastersons.com or by visiting our booth at an upcoming festival.

And while we were talking with Rick about his new spice line, we insisted he do  10 question interview:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Butter, it just makes everything taste better and it’s God’s gift to the culinary universe.

1478_470331306335239_127566160_n

The Big Fatty- Brock’s reuben Puff Pastry, it’s a pain to work with.

 What ingredient do you dread?
Puff Pastry, it’s a pain to work with.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

 Parmesan encrusted Sea Bass with Buerre Blanc Sauce

What’s your favorite pig out food?

 Cheese Burgers of any kind.

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

 I make it a point to seek out and dine at local restaurants.  Some of my favorites:  Golden Nugget for breakfast, Amar India or Ajanta for lunch, and The Oakwood Club for dinner. 

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Recipes are over-rated, unless baking where exact measurements are critical; don’t be afraid to add your favorite spice or ingredient to make the dish your own.  Plus, always have fun, some of our best dishes we serve were originally “failed science experiments”.  Invite friends and family over to share your culinary creations; this is the perfect time for bonding.  Food is the tie that binds and instills comradery among family.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Well, at a fantasy table where we could intelligently discuss music, science, religion and social issues:  I would invite: Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, John Lennon, and Carl Sagan.  The reality is that I would give almost anything to just have one more meal with my 4 grandparents.  Some of my very best childhood memories were making and eating holiday meals with my grandparents.

 Who do you look up to in the industry and why?37057_10150833109023717_898274413_n

There are just too many to name, but I do have the utmost respect for anyone who can open a local restaurant/business and go through the daily grind of making it succeed.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

Day off, what’s that?!? Just kidding.  I love to drive, go for walks/bike rides on the local bike trails, eat out at local restaurants, and because it’s open 24 hours a day, I do find time to sneak away to the Horseshoe Casino to play Baccarat or throw some dice.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

Lucky Break:  I have the very best employees and the greatest staff in Dayton and I love them all.

Disaster:  Well, we were at a client’s home, and something almost too horrifying to mention happened.  I went to the bathroom, just #1, I swear, flushed and much to my horror, the water started rising.  I reached down below the toilet to turn off the water valve, but this was an older home and there was no shut-off valve.  There was no plunger, coat hanger, nothing.  As the water started spilling over the lid, the most horrifying thoughts were running through my head since the hosts were entertaining just a few feet away in the dining room.  I grabbed the only thing I could, the host’s elegant, embroidered towels and sopped up the mess.  I peeked around the bathroom door and flagged down one of my staff members.  She thought it was strange that I wanted to see her in the bathroom, she walked over, peeked inside, looked up at me with wide eyes and ran to get paper towels and a trash bag.  We cleaned up everything and threw the mess into the trash bag.  Somehow in the midst of cleaning up we got the giggles and could not stop laughing.  We were bent over laughing so hard at how ridiculous the situation was.  I looked at my employee and told her we had to find the washing machine and pronto.  While the guests continued eating, unaware of the scene in the nearby bathroom; I quickly threw the towels into the washing machine.  Once they were cleaned and dried, I hung them back up in the bathroom.  A gentleman had been in the bathroom right before I was and I blame this entirely horrifying situation on him. 

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Brock Masterson's Catering, Brock's Dust, Rick Schaeffer

10?’s with the Chef of Mohawk Freestyle Grill Food Truck

July 24, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

941117_410294842445187_590716949_nChef Aaron Hanover has always loved food for the art and wonder it can create. At a young age, art was always a great outlet for his creativity, but the prospect of work behind a desk as a graphic designer day in and day out was an option that didn’t interest him. Food always seemed like a hands on artistic outlet that included few desks and endless possibilities for medians to work with. With his culinary degree from Pennsylvania Culinary, he started honing is skills in local restaurants and big corporate kitchens. Learning management, fine dinning, and banquets from names like Aramark, Marriott, Bob Evans,  as well as working a few other local upstarts and private events. After a few years in the business working under corporate rule, he stepped out to create his own way. It’s been his motto to do it his own way. He worked in  sales and marketing, kitchen design, and even became a national expert in sports memorabilia.  All the while meeting chefs  and trying all kinds of regional foods at the places only the locals would eat at. He wasn’t completely out of the industry, still  doing small private events and catering weddings to keep his skills sharp. In 2010 he and his wife Allison, started the preliminaries for 185880_140286429446031_961840840_ngetting back full time in the kitchen. In June 2012 for his birthday,  Aaron bought his kitchen- a 1974 ex-Phillidephia Fire Department Equipment Truck. It is his restaurant, his way. Called Mohawk Freestyle Grill named after the mohawk on Chef Aaron’s head and the way he runs a kitchen. He describes it as “an ever evolving style of food using local seasonal ingredient in an out of the box way.”

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
I like fresh local seasonal ingredients like when I was in Georgia for a year the Georgia coastal shrimp were the sweetest freshest shrimp, or Stone crabs in Florida, lobster, scallops, and clams in New England.  Here I like the local Beef and bison and elk,  it’s bigger and more flavorful when it hasn’t been frozen and shipped across the country. So I guess meat is a main ingredient of mine. Definitely bacon has to be a favorite also, but that’s seems like a cop out. you can’t go wrong with.

 

What ingredient do you dread?
Lima beans there just isn’t any reason for anyone to ever eat them, I’m not sure bacon can even make them better.

 

What’s your favorite dish to make?
I know as a chef I should say some crazy french something or some great souffle or so1001491_411337945674210_1059881076_nmething but at the moment I like making our Mohawk burger.   It’s a ground ribeye steak blend that is messy and just a great classic burger made the right way. I love it when someone trying a dish I make goes -wow that was great. That is what makes it a Favorite to me it seems to always bring a smile to peoples faces.

 

What’s your favorite pig out food? 
Anyone that has ever eaten with me will laugh at this question because anytime we go to a new restaurant or truck I tend to order way more than I need but I love to try new food and different interpretations of the dishes they make. So I’m always sitting at the table at a new place with like five plates, passing this one to this friend and saying “hey can I try that.” That is how I roll. Food wise though I tend to pig out on greasy foods like pizza and burgers, bar foods wings and the normal stuff.

 

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I like local authentic and original idea places, like Thai9, Coldwater Cafe, and definitely all the local food trucks.
 
What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Keep it simple.  Sometimes salt and pepper is all you need, but you definitely always need them.
 

 

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?Ty-Cobb
I thought about this pretty hard probably for my answers, too hard,  but there are plenty that could take anyone of these four seats but here they are. Ty Cobb- he was hated and loved at the same time for being the best and most focused in his field and at the same time was never happy.   He seems like now he may have some life lessons and I am forever a Detroit tigers fan. Teddy Roosevelt -he once rode a moose in a river – need I say more. Ernie Harewell- he seemed to be a great guy always had a funny story to tell and again I love baseball and the Tigers. Fourth seat is always reserved for my wife, you never can eat enough meals with your spouse and she has the best pallet I know, so afterward we could talk about the food and so she’d believe me when I said who was there.

 

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I have to look up to all the guys in trucks already,  vastly more popular and successful than me. There are some great trucks already in the Miami Valley. A guy I’ve looked up to for years in the food industry is Scott Schmucker. An instructor and Chef extraordinaire at Art Institute Pittsburgh, who I had the  privilege of having as an teacher at PA Culinary.

 

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off? 
Swim in my pool. Look for other food trucks. My favorite days are when I go out and eat at three or four restaurants for lunch like an appetizer here, a side here, entree here, some desert here, some food shopping at Dorothy Lane Market and or a farmers market I come across, and then home to create something new.

 

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:943732_398893570251981_1630578662_n
As a food truck owner you’re always battling a vehicle as well as the  normal kitchen issues. I’ve blown engines and had to tow my truck into an auction on a tow cord but this week after just getting a new engine,  it broke down again.  I towed the truck to the event and on the way home I realized that when they fixed the truck last they added a new fuse for the fuel pump and I had over looked that,  looking for fixes for why it wasn’t running. I towed it 30 miles to Kettering and back before I realized my problem was a $1.10 fuse.  It’s always something silly like that for me.

 

Filed Under: Dayton Food Trucks, Ten Questions Tagged With: Chef Aaron Hanover, Mohawk Freestyle Grill Food Truck

10?’s with Patrick Sartin, The Man in the Black Truck

May 7, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby 1 Comment

food truck photo shot

Chef Patrick inside his truck. Photo courtesy of Dolce Photography

Patrick Sartin started cooking at a young age in Dayton working in several local kitchens including The Country Club of the North, Rocky’s Pizza, and Kohler Catering, before attending the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated in 2002. After graduation Sartin did a stint as the Head Chef at Chanterelles here in Dayton, before he achieved his goal of travel and work in as many different regions of the US as he could, gaining as much culinary knowledge as possible.

Patrick has worked in the industry across the United States from Colorado to Maine working with very talented culinarians including two ACF Certified Master Chefs. As a chef for the prestigious Ocean Properties LTD in Bar Harbor Maine for the last 7 years, Patrick assisted in opening and overseeing the daily operations in hotel kitchens and large catering facilities up and down the east coast. Sartin has extensive knowledge and experience executing large banquet functions, operating multiple outlets, and producing a wide variety of foods indigenous to the different regions and cultures of The United States. With his new mobile venture Harvest Mobile Cusine, a valuable harvesttool for street vending, catering, and exposure of flavor, Patrick hopes to spread the love of cuisine he has gathered through his extensive travels and aims to show how important it is to get back to the simplicity of cooking, using local ingredients and simple time honored techniques.  Patrick takes on DMM’s infamous 10 questions:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Fresh local ingredients are my passion. It may sound simple but I can’t wait for the local fruit and vegetables to become available. One of my favorites is the strawberry, there is simply nothing like a fresh local strawberry.

What ingredient do you dread? Every cell in my body is opposed to the idea of using frozen or canned ingredients.

What is your favorite dish to make? I live for the opportunity to enlighten people and expand palates; introducing someone to something new is a challenge I get excited about.  I like getting meat eaters to try a vegetarian dish and right now I am having a lot of success doing that with my Falafel.

What is your favorite pig out food?
This is going to sound like I am making it up but the only thing I could say I really “pig out” on is salad. Even my four year old is a big salad eater, believe it or not.

What restaurant do you dine out in?
I am sure you’ve heard it before but for cooks, there isn’t much time to eat out. That being said I love to eat anywhere that features farm to table cuisine like Meadowlark. Other than that we always choose locally owned venues like Marrions Pizza over the corporate chains.

What is your best advice to home chefs?

559685_298099570317455_1007539246_n

Harvest Tacos – Wild caught northern Atlantic haddock, jicama slaw, citrus cream

My best advice is twofold, firstly keep it simple. Don’t over think your dish, and keep the seasonings straight forward. Secondly, look to your local bounty, focus on farm fresh produce and meat.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

My Grandmother Caroline:  To thank her for showing me the ropes of cooking at a young age, and guiding me towards my passion for farm fresh ingredients;

My Mother:  To share my accomplishments to the one person who has always provided that stable ground for me to stumble upon;wedding photo

My wife/daughter: The two most important people in my life who I strive to nurture with every small step into the future;

Phish(the band):  For providing the musical inspiration that continues to push me forward down the bumpy roads of life.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

I guess I most admire the two Certified Master Chefs I worked with.  Dan Dumont has a breadth of knowledge and passion that is impressive and inspiring. I am driven to achieve a work ethic that I leaned from these chefs who have risen to the very limits of accreditation for our profession.

What do you do on day off?
We are a very outdoors oriented family. We love the Five Rivers MetroParks and often select a new one at random to explore on days off. I love hiking, biking cannoning; these parks are a major draw for Dayton.

messagepart-1

Presidential picnic basket

patrick w:obama

Patrick with President Obama

The most interesting highlight of my career thus far was the time I spent working for Bar Harbor resorts and was hand selected by white house staff for an opportunity to cook for the first family. I was chosen to join a team of two other chefs who catered to the Obama’s when they visited the resorts. The most memorable times were spent preparing their picnic lunches. We prepared local meals for the sitting president and his family to enjoy in the park.   The picnic basket was the size of a car trunk and was loaded with beautiful china and stemware.

 

For your chance to try a meal from the Harvest Mobile Cuisine Truck you can check his calendar to find a  location near you.  You can also hire him for catering for special events with customized menus to suit. The truck’s menu is constantly changing, but we can recommend the chicken tortilla soup and the tacos.  You can aslo follow Harvest Mobile  on Facebook

Here’s where you can the truck this week:

298117_319344891526256_1733962590_n

Veggie Pita – Roasted red pepper hummus, marinated and grilled seasonal vegetables, and local greens

TUESDAY
KETTERING    11:00-2:00pm
ACCO Brands, LLC.   4751 Hempstead Station Drive

BEAVERCREEK    3:00-8:00
KMart (Across from The Greene)   4480 Indian Ripple R

WEDNESDAY
DAYTON    11:00-2:00
LORD Corporation     4644 Wadsworth Drive

THURSDAY
BEAVERCREEK    11:00-2:00
Apple Valley Business Park   4021 Executive Drive
4021 Executive Drive

FRIDAY
DAYTON   11:00-2:00
Five Rivers Metro Parks    409 East Monument

URBAN NIGHTS FOOD TRUCK RALLY   5:00-10:00
East Monument St. Dayton

SATURDAY

429604_301406873320058_1012902459_n

Hill Family Farms Jumbo Wings – Thai barbecue sauce, roasted peanuts, and cilantro.

DAYTON    NOON-10:00
Fifth Street Brewpub Open House   1600 East Fifth Street

SUNDAY   12:00-7:00
YELLOW SPRINGS
Village BP   4 Xenia Ave

 

 

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Harvest Mobile Cuisine, Patrick Sartin

10 ?’s with Chef Markus Montreuil from Amelia’s Bistro

August 1, 2012 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Chef Markus Montreuil’s first job in the business was as a bus boy at Carmels.  In his down time he loved to watch the cooks  and would often stand on the side of the line fascinated by the skills and wanting to learn.  He would beg the cooks to teach him and  finally a cook took pity on him and made a deal with him.  If a ticket came into the kitchen in the next 1/2 hour, he’d teach him, if not, Markus would stop asking. Markus was excited and waited anxiously.  And waited.    He wandered out to the dining room and excitedly told the bartender about his upcoming cooking lesson. The bartender explained that they were closed between lunch and dinner and there were no guests to order. But feeling sorry for the kid, he ordered his lunch and that ticket came into the kitchen and Markus learned to make his first dish- nacho’s!

He went on to work at Bob Evans, with a long term goal to attend the Culinary Institute of America. However attending the CIA isn’t cheap and he had to figure out how to fund that dream.  He found work as a machinist, and figured he could do that while he tried to save  money for school.  Life went on, as it does and suddenly 5 years down the road, Markus got injured.

During his rehab he realized that he worked very hard to be successful as a machinist but his heart was not in it.  He dreamed of being a chef and while the CIA still wasn’t in the budget, he had ogther options.  He got a job as a line cook  at the Schindler Banquet Center in the winter of 2006 and soon after enrolled in the culinary arts program at Sinclair College.

Gaint Tortoise Cream Puff filled with brown sugar whipped cream topped with bourbon caramel, chocolate ganache and candied pecans!

As part of the program he interned as a saute cook at Cena, then as a pastry chef at C’est Tout.  He also served as captain of the Culinary Competition Team. Upon graduating he found a job as a prep cook at Amelia’s Bistro and then was recruited back to the Schindler Banquet Center, where he worked his way up to Executive Chef, only to get let go when they lost a major contract and had to cut budgets.  Luckily, the folks as Amelia’s appreciated his skills and work ethic and were able to rehire him.

The rest, as they say, is history.  Markus earned the Executive Chef title at Amelia’s this past January and is now enjoying creating menu’s and producing perfectly plated meals, as demonstrated by his restaurant week specials.  Speaking of which, Amelia’s Bistro will be extending their restaurant deal for a second week, so stop by and taste Chef Markus Montreuil’s specialties on the 3 course pre fixe menu for $25.12, a few of which are pictured below:

 

And now, Chef Markus answers our ten questions:

Grilled Pork Chop topped with Fried Onions finished with a Caramelized Onion Barbecue Sauce and served with Mashed Potato and Vegetable

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

There are so many ingredients I love, I don’t know if I could pick only one.  My top three would have to be Duck, Pork and Garlic, and not necessarily in that order.

 

What ingredient do you dread? 

There isn’t much cooking wise I don’t like, but if you put a gun to my head I would say Offal. I know that in itself is not a specific ingredient, but rather a category of glands and organs. And I don’t dread it, it is just my least favorite.  (Offal is everything from the heart, liver, lungs, and entrails of an animal, to the tail, feet, and head, each part with its own unique  flavor. The word “offal” actually comes from the Old English “off” and “fall,” referring to the pieces that fall from an animal carcass during butchering.)

 

What’s your favorite dish to make?

I know it is not a dish, but stock is my all time favorite thing to make. It is a slow meticulous process, but I love it.  There are so many things you can do with, and the difference between home made a store bought is like night and day.

 

What’s your favorite pig out food?

Nachos are the first thing I learned to cook in a restaurant when I was a busboy at Carmel’s as kid, and they have been my favorite ever since.

 

House Cut Filet served with Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables finished with Fraser Sauce & Green Onion Oil

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley? 

I don’t eat out much, but when I do my favorite place to go is Cheng’s Gourmet. It is a little place in Xenia (and I mean 3 or 4 tables little) but the food is incredible.

 

What’s your best advice for home chefs? 

Focus more on the journey and less on the destination. Remember that recipes are guidelines not laws. Be fearless and above all else have fun in the kitchen!

 

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I would have to say Sun Tzu, Albert Einstein, Jean Michel Basquiat and Julia Child. They were all innovators in their varying fields and I am fascinated by all of them. Plus I can’t imagine there would be any shortage of dinner conversation.

 

Pan Seared Almond Crusted Salmon over Sautéed Zucchini and Rice Pilaf and Finished with Mango Lobster Sauce

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Some of my favorites are Emeril Lagasse, Art Smith and Homaro Cantu. In spite of the over commercialization Emeril has always been my favorite. Art Smith is just an incredible Chef and person. And Homaro Cantu made the best meal I have ever eaten!

What do you do on a day off?

I really like to go to movies and festivals with my wife and kids, but I probably spend a few too many of days off reading and writing recipes, sorry Honey.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

I would say my lucky break was being hired at Amelia’s Bistro. It was the first fine dining job (that wasn’t an internship).  In about three years I have gone from a part time lunch pantry position to Pastry Chef then on to Sous Chef and then at the beginning of this year I was named Executive Chef. So I would say that is a pretty lucky break.

 

Chef Markus created a recipe especially for DaytonDining:

Lemon and Dill Grilled Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

4 boneless/skinless chicken breast (grilled and diced)

¾ cup mayo

½ cup lemon curd

½ cup red onion (fine dice)

3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill (chopped)

Zest and juice of one lemon

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

2 heads Bibb lettuce

 

In a large bowl, toss the chicken, red onion and lemon zest. Mix in the mayonnaise, lemon curd, lemon juice, fresh dill, and salt and pepper. Serve the salad in lettuce cups and roll up to eat.

 

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Amelia's Bistro, Chef Markus Montreuil

Meet Culp’s Cafe’s Chef Jose

May 30, 2012 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Chef Jose Calzada is originally from Chicago.  He graduated with a culinary degree from Kendall College and spent a lot of his early years in the kitchen at Italian and French eateries. He took over as Executive Chef  at Culp’s Café at Carillon Park last year. The historic restaurant was originally opened in 1902 by Charlotte Gilbert Culp, a young widow with six children, began baking and selling bread, cakes and rolls by having her children go door to door in their West Third Street neighborhood. Soon they had a stand at the South Main Street market with the “Culp’s Cake” being a best seller. Her eldest son, Howard Gilbert Culp, leased space in the Arcade, and expanded the business selling poultry, eggs, cheese, and dill pickles at three lunch counters where downtown workers could purchase a complete lunch for 35 cents!

 

In the 1930s, the Culps opened a cafeteria in the Arcade across from Keith Theater. The cafeteria specialized in home-

Chef Jose and his wife Carol

cooked food and was famous for its pies and pastries. Dayton’s population boomed in the 1940s and Culp’s cafeteria served as many as 5,000 customers a day. Culp’s was the first restaurant in Dayton to have air conditioning and the first electric Hammond organ in the area.  As the downtown area changed due to the development of suburbs and the popularity of television, the Culp family reluctantly sold the business in 1960.

The spirit of this family-operated restaurant lives on at Carillon Historical Park with Chef José Calzada managing Culp’s Café 7 days a week and working daily with his wife Carol. Starting June 2nd Culp’s Cafewill be serving up breakfast, Sat – Mon from 7:30am-3:00pm. They are also open for lunch Tues- Fri 11am – 3pm.  Culp’s is located at 1000 Carillon Blvd, at Carillon Park.

DaytonDining wants to treat one of our readers to a FREE breakfast at Culp’s Cafe.  Just leave a comment below telling us why you’d like to have breakfast at Culp’s and a random winner will be drawn on Friday from the commenters.

And now Chef Jose answers DaytonDining’s 10 questions:

 What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

I love to cook with fresh herbs, like Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary and  especially Basil – I love the taste and the smell of it. Using fresh herbs brings out a better flavor on soups, meats and sauces.

What ingredient do you dread?

I really dread working with kale I don’t like the taste and the smell. If I had to use it I would only use it as a garnish.  No offense to kale lovers.

What’s your favorite dish to make? 

I love to make soups, a nice chicken noodle soup or corn chowder on a cold day or a chilled avocado soup with fresh crab meat on a  hot summer day .  10 or 15 years  ago I would have said pates or terrines . When I first started cooking I used to love making duck liver pate and vegetable or meat  terrines.

What’s your favorite pig out food?

I love cheeseburgers, here in Dayton I like to go to Smashburger. My favorite place to go for a burger is Illinois Bar and Grill in Chicago , their one pound burgers are the best I have ever had.

What restaurant, other then your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

My wife and I love to go to Tony’s Italian Kitchen on North Main Street in Englewood, it is a very small neighborhood  restaurant with great food, but most of all authentic. We have tried everything on the menu and we are always satisfied.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Have fun doing what you love!  Like one of my chef instructors would always say  “It is not rocket science, just have fun and enjoy it!”

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I wouldn’t know were to start there are a lot of people to choose from like by brother who passed away 12 years ago, my mentors Chef John Hogan and Chef Mike Greagson. There are also my chef instructors, my collies, my favorite athletes and actors and actresses . It would be very hard to just pick 4 guests.

Who do you look up in the industry and why?

I look up to a lot of people in this industry, from a chef I have had the pleasure to know like, Priscilla Satkof, who has been one of the top female chefs in Chicago for over 15 years, Michel Coatrieux who is a chef instructor for over 25 years,  Georges “Kiki” Cuisance who has been in the restaurant business for over 35 years and still doing a great job. To the celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Emeril Lagasse who have educated  many people about food.

 What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off ?

In my day off I like to spend as much time with my family as I can,  in this business you don’t have many days off.  So we go to the movies, out to dinner or just to the park.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

The best time I had ever had in the kitchen was when we cooked a dinner for Julia Child  and a group of friends. I was working at Kiki’s Bistro as a sous chef  at the time. The chef and I prepared a 5 course dinner for them with the main entrée of Roasted Squab ( that’s what she order in advance). After the dinner the waiter came to the kitchen and said that she wanted to meet the chefs who prepared  the wonderful meal. That was one of the best feelings I ever had as a chef  – cooking and meeting  someone I idolized growing up, and a person I watched on TV.  It was an experience I will never forget.

 

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: 10 ?'s. DaytonDining, Carillon Park, chef jose calzada, Culps cafe, Dayton History

10?’s with Chef Matt Hayden of Scratch Event

April 26, 2012 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Chef Matthew Hayden

Chef Matthew Hayden credits his mom as being his first mentor in the kitchen.  Being a “sick kid” Matt missed many days of school and spent a great deal of time with his mother. She taught him to cook and how to channel his creativity into other useful skills. Matthew’s father Phillip travelled the world extensively and introduced Matthew to the cultures, customs, and cuisines of many different countries. His father instilled in him a strong work ethic, a sense of pride in his community, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

He graduated from Ohio University with a psychology degree, worked as a “smoke tester,” climbing smoke stacks and performing technical services for the EPA and local Engineering firms. He then spent time as a studio musician, and still writes and performs original music, in his spare time.  In the late 90’s Matt and his family purchased and operated the Centerville Pourhaus Tavern. Hayden’s next venture took him to Miamisburg, buying the old TW’s and reinvented it as The Chimney’s Inn.  Matt spent  eight years building his catering business while running the restaurant.  Last year he sold that building  to the Anticoli family, who now run Giuliano’s Tavern there.  This allowed Matt to open his next venture, which he calls his dream business: Scratch Event Catering.

 In the short time since he founded Scratch, Matt has earned a reputation in Dayton as a creative, forward-thinking chef and business-owner. He proudly offers his talents to his native city and devotes a great amount of time to his community. He serves in numerous non-profit capacities in Montgomery County: he is a trustee on the board of Dayton Opera, a member of Centerville Noon Day Optimists and Generation Dayton, and acts as a foodservice consultant for Aids Resource Center Ohio and numerous other non-profit organizations.  Matt is optimistic for Dayton’s future and will continue to offer his talents and creativity to the city that gave him the opportunity to succeed.

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
At this moment, a common Indian spice blend called garam masala. For a chef that is compelled to explore new flavors continuously, a spice mix such as garam masala represents a stepping stone to endless possibilities. Because it contains numerous spices that are considered both savory and sweet to a western tastes, it can be substituted for cinnamon, traditional curry, clove or even cumin to tremendous effect. Imagine a apple with hints of cardamom and cumin or chicken salad with hints cinnamon and star anise….

What ingredient do you dread?
Im not sure I can say that I dread any ingredient. But if I did, I imagine it would be the ingredient that could only be prepared one way.

Seafood Gumbo with Crab Claws, Mussels, Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Sausage!

What’s your favorite dish to make? Probably Seafood Soups and Stews – They are festive in nature and are indigenous to nearly every culture. E.g. New Orleans Gumbo, Ciopinno, Brazilian Moqueca, She Crab Soup, Clam Chowder, Bermuda Fish Chowder…. They all make my mouth water, and are an occasion in and of themselves.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Chicago Hot Dogs and Pizza to name a few

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
Real Mexican at Taqueria Mixteca, Un Poco de Todos at Las Piramides, Numerous Slices from Flying Pizza, Massaman Curry and Rangoon Sticks at Bahn Mai Thai, Brie Flatbread Pizza and Gnocchi at Savona’s , Whole Wheat Calzone at Ha Ha Pizza, Anything with Submarine House Pepper Relish on it, Tapas until I am blue in the face at El Meson and Anything that has been touched by Elizabeth Wiley, Jenn Disanto, Anne Kearney or my Mother in Law.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
No one has a monopoly on good food, so get crackin !

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

dressed up deviled eggs


Led Zeppelin – background music whilst I cook.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Anthony Bourdain for telling it like it is; Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria for thinking way-ass outside the box; Alton Brown for unearthing so much information and Rachel Ray for irritating me.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
Be with my wife!

 

You’ll be able to sample Scratch Catering at the upcoming Fleurs et Vin Festival on Sun, May 20th  at Carillon Park!

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Matt Hayden, Pourhaus, Scratch Event Catering

10? with De’Lish Cafe’s Chef Anthony Head

February 15, 2012 By Lisa Grigsby 1 Comment

Born and raised in Dayton and a graduate of Colonel White High School for the Arts and Ball State University School of Business respectively, Chef Anthony T. Head’s culinary journey began as a child with the adult responsibilities of buying groceries and preparing meals for his family.

His first cooking job outside of culinary school was an internship opening up The Wine Loft franchise out at the Greene. He was the first cook hired and helped set up the kitchen and  trained under the late Richard Pignetti of Houston. He says, “Chef “Pig” really set the tone for my career with his terse language and instruction.”

He worked as a volunteer at an HIV/AIDS testing clinic in West Dayton, the Mt. Olive One Stop. Among his responsibilities, he worked with the kitchen staff where he strived to provide well balanced meals, not through instruction, but through grocery shopping (selection). Chef Head says, “people always brag about ‘where’ they went to school or worked, but rarely about what they’ve ‘learned.’ The most important lesson I learned in culinary school was HOW to shop. Anybody can cook, but most people don’t know where to go to get certain ingredients or how to prep them for cooking.”

After his service term ended with Americorps, he was the first cook hired to help Jenn DiSanto open Fresco. The job at Fresco was an  internship required as part of his culinary education at Sinclair.  As a member of Sinclair’s State Hot Foods competition team, Chef Head added a 3rd place finish and ACF bronze medal to a growing list of awards and credentials from Sinclair’s American Culinary Federation certified program and was named 2011 ACF Jr. Culinarian of the Year for the Miami Valley.

He was then hired to assist Kim Collette open Olive. He says his  contribution to Olive was limited to some recipe development and helping staff her crew with some of his best friends before taking a consulting gig at De’Lish Cafe with Chef Mark Brown (who is now at Taste in Trotwood). He’d worked with Mark, catering several events throughout the city after he volunteered to work with him at the African American Wellness Walk (held at Island Park each spring)a couple of years ago. That lead to a temporary job  help train the prep crew at De’Lish and before long, Chef Brown  ended up staying on to become their Executive Chef and naming Anthony his Sous Chef.  Chef Brown groomed  Anthony and groomed him to take over at De’Lish Cafe, which he did in  in early December 2011.

 

Honey glazed Salmon

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
Love, and I know it sounds cliché or even corny, but it’s what makes the difference in my kitchen. From the music that plays in our kitchen to how a cook feels on a given day, to who we’re cooking it for-it (or lack thereof) comes out in the food!

What ingredient do you dread? All food is good (on some level). It’s what people do to it that makes it bad. That said, most things canned leave no room for improvement.

What’s your favorite dish to make? Any kind of risotto.  It’s such an intimate dish that requires your full attention. Like many of the analogies in our kitchen, the process of making risotto is like date night. Since this a family show, I’ll give you the PG version:  you have to be thoughtful enough to have all the ingredients in place and once you get started you can’t stop until well, it’s finished 😉

What’s your favorite pig out food? Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Chip Brownies (slightly undercooked) and Hagen Daz Ice Vanilla Ice Cream (that’s why it’s on my menu at De’Lish!)

Chef Head with the De'Lish crew

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
When I get a chance, I love to run over to Flying Pizza to grab a slice or powwow over brunch at Olive, an Urban Dive.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
People are pretentious, not food. Cook what you have, the way you like, for people you like.  That’s how it’s been done Best throughout the course of history.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
That’s easy, my late biological and foster parents. They loved me in spite of myself and constantly bolstered my confidence in every endeavor I ever undertook. They stoked my passion and made me realize  that I could do anything I put my mind to, if I cared enough to do it!

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Wow, too many to name them call, but a few come immediately to mind: Julia Childs for making French cuisine accessible and learning with such a genuine interest and passion for so many years on public television. Thomas Keller for his penchant for culinary and experiential perfection and successfully leveraging a network of artisian suppliers and Ming Tsai for being a locally grown
talent (I always root for our hometown heroes!)

Korean fried chicken with Asian cabbage slaw atop ginger-curried rice

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
I’m a young Executive Chef what is this “day off” you speak of?  Now, in my “time away from the kitchen” I’m usually slaving away in my home kitchen for my own family, reading something or working on my electric bicycle that I ride to work most days.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:
In the kitchen, aren’t they usually all the same kind of story? Well, I was selected as the 2011 Jr. Culinarian of the Year by our local chapter of the American Culinary Federation. Well, we chef-folk, usually so humble in nature, and me, ripe out of culinary school, I often reminded my staff that I’m only “chef of the year for X amount more days.” Well, on the last day of the year, we’re hosting our New Years Eve event and I took it upon myself to personally cater to our VIP Section.  One of our VIPs made mention that “he didn’t like shrimp” but loved seafood. So when an appetizer plate came up with shrimp on it I simply removed it.  Several minutes later he mentioned that he was “having a reaction” and I asked to what? Well, turns out he didn’t like shrimp because he was allergic to it! While there was no shrimp on his plate, we did have other shellfish in one of the other apps. I ran down the street to a drug store and got some Benadryl which halted any further symptoms, but laughed about it the rest of the night to think, on the last day of my “chef of the year” year, I almost killed one of the most important friends of our business. Fantastic!

 

 

Filed Under: Ten Questions Tagged With: Chef Anthony Head, DaytonDining, De'Lish Cafe

10 ?’s with Boulevard Haus Executive Chef Rae Rosbough

November 22, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Some people just know early what they want to be when they grow up.  As a youngster, when Rae Rosbough’s mom encouraged her to go outside and play, she found excuses to stay inside and organize the kitchen cabinets.  She says she knew it was where she belonged.  Going to high school in Miamisburg, she couldn’t wait for her junior year so she could register for the vo-tech cooking classes.  Upon graduation she headed to Johnson & Wales to pursue her culinary education in 2000.  By 2002, degree in hand she returned to Dayton and got her first job at the now defunct Mediterra.  From there she moved to Cafe Bouelvard, then to Cena for a 1 year stint, and then back to usher in the new concept of Bouelvard Haus in the Oregon District.  This month Boulevard Haus celebrates teh beginning of their third year in business.

Chef Rae was kind enough to take on our 10 questions:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

whole shallots

Shallots- I love the flavor that shallots add to almost any dish hot, cold, savory and sometimes even sweet. They add so much to a dish, without overpowering it, that it may not be a single recognizable flavor, but one that blends and enhances each dish.

What ingredient do you dread?
Fillo dough- I do not care for working with is dough because it shreds, crumbles and dries out quickly…But I love to eat it!
What’s your favorite dish to make?
Duck confit- I’ve loved this dish since the first time I tasted it at Napa Valley Grille in Providence Rhode Island back in the nineties and I’ve been perfected my technique for it ever since.
What’s your favorite pig out food?
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Any flavor anytime.
What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I’ve eaten at Rue Dumaine several times and have loved it! It is a comfortable environment with immaculate food and professional, friendly service. what else could you ask for?

 

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Watch or buy the cookbook of the show America’s Test Kitchen on PBS. it is a great learning tool that takes you step by step through making delicious dishes and teaches you the science behind the techniques. I love the show and own the book. My husband, sister and brother in law, all home cooks, use it religiously as do I.
If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
Dinner party, who has time for that? I can’t name just 4. I’m not a very star struck person and I feel like food is a comfort and something that brings people together.

 

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Gordon Ramsey– I want to be a household name and a millonaire duh. He also gets to help people achieve their goals. Which is nice no matter how big of a jerk he likes to appear to be.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I’m a very simple person I like to hang out at home with my husband, we also enjoy hanging out in the Oregon District or during the season we love going to Dragon’s games.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

The crewe relaxing after work at Boulevard Haus

It seems like all disaster stories end in a lucky break, or you just make your own luck. There are so many of them, why can’t I think of one? Refrigerators going out, no dishwasher, people not showing up for their shift, power going out in mid service. convection oven down. So, so, so many but that’s life in the restaurant biz. As for a lucky break, I think that knowing that this is what I wanted to do from a young age and pursuing that dream is a lucky break! The fact that I can get up each day and make food, and enjoy what I do  for a living, and get paid for it is an amazing feeling. There are a lot of people out there that can’t say that.

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Boulevard Haus, Rae Rosbough

10?’s with Chef Bob Silva

March 28, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Bahn Mai Thai is independently owned and operated by Bob and Judy Silva located in Washington Township since 2005.  Chef Bob was born Dumnuan Nahiran in Bahn Mai, Thailand.  As an Air Force kid, he moved every 4 years, living in exotic countries such as Japan and the Philippines. He learned his fabulous cooking technique, which he describes as country Thai from his mother who ran a roadside stand outside of the Taklee and Utapao Airforce Bases in Thailand during the Vietnam War.

Together he and wife, Judy, bring an American flair to the Thai dining experience with a creative fusion of east meets western cuisine with award-winning dishes like Roasted Garlic and Chive Rangoons, winner for best use of Garlic at the Cox Arboretum Garlic Fest in 2008 pictured here and Twice Cooked Fish-distinctly flavored with authentic ingredients,  like kaffir lime leaves.  

In 2008 Bahn Mai  was named to the Dayton Daily News Hidden Gems list.

And now the ten questions:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

I love basil because it’s the key ingredient in my favorite dish, Pad Kapow Basil Stir Fry.
(Special Bonus- Chef Bob’s Pak Kapow recipe is included at the end of this post.)

What ingredient do you dread?

Seafood. There are a couple of dishes & appetizers that I make well and that are popular at the restaurant, but in general I just don’t like preparing it.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

Basil Stir Fry!! I eat this everywhere I go when I’m in Thailand.

What’s your favorite pig out food?

Mexican! Everything goes with a margarita…

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

Bravo’s Italian and Linh’s Restaurant.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Never stop practicing and don’t be afraid to experiment with different foods and cooking methods.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

1.              Anne Heller (former food critic from Dayton Daily News). She loved my Thai style of country cooking.

2.            Ming Tsai (TV food star, ex-Daytonian). Then I hope he would see what great food and chefs we have here at home.

3.            My wife and her friends. Who doesn’t want to cook for a bunch of beautiful women?

4.            Anyone solely stuck on Chinese food. We need to expand their horizons!

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

TV celebrity chefs – They have great skill, showmanship, and personality. They have the opportunity to reach so many people and expose them to new cultures, food and cooking techniques that they may have otherwise not known about.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I dine at other restaurants in between visiting music stores and pawnshops, searching for that ever-elusive guitar that will make me sound like Van Halen!

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

My kitchen disaster happened during my first ever, live cooking event on Channel 22/45, local Dayton morning news.

I had been waiting patiently for about 20 minutes with my pan on the stove (and the heat on because I could go live any minute). The camera panned my way as the morning anchors Nathan and Asia began to introduce me and the dish I was about to cook. I poured the cooking oil into the hot pan and then….Poof!! The pan caught fire! Smoke was billowing everywhere as the stunned anchors quickly recovered with jokes, “Our station is so hot we’re on fire!” I was able to put out the flames and fan away the smoke even though I was stunned myself.

After regaining a bit of composure, I attempted to cook again. In went the oil and….Poof! Fire and smoke again!!! I wanted to run and hide but thanks to the witty anchors we all made a joke of it and pushed on. I cooked and the camera was able to catch me stirring up stuff, despite the smoky scene….

What became of this? Lots of phone calls to my house, something to add to the station’s blooper reel and most of all a great story to tell people…and video evidence to prove it.

Bahn Mai Thai Cafe is located at 725 Lyons Road in Centerville
(in the same shopping center as Arrow Wine behind Sam’s on 725)

You can visit them for lunch Mon – Fri from 11-2:30pm and dinner Mon – Thurs 5-9pm, and Fri & Sat 5-9:30pm.  They are closed on Sunday. Reservations are not required, but can be made at 937.435.0624.


Pad Kapow (Chicken and Basil Stir Fry)

Photo Courtesy ARC Ohio Dream Cookbook

3 T vegetable or canola oil

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1-5 Thai chili peppers, minced
(the number of peppers depends on your spice level)

7 ounces of chicken (sliced or minced)

1/2 small yellow onion, sliced

1/2 small green bell pepper, sliced

1/2 small red bell pepper, sliced

2 T of oyster sauce

2 T of Golden Mountain brand seasoning sauce

½ T of fish sauce

1 t of white pepper

2 t sugar

1/2 cup of holy basil

Heat frying pan to medium high heat, add vegetable or canola oil.  Sauté garlic and Thai chili peppers together, taking care not to let the garlic burn.  Add chicken and stir fry, constantly stir the contents around to avoid burning.  When chicken looks half cooked add the onions and bell peppers, stir.  Add Oyster and Golden Mountain sauces, stir.  Add fish sauce, white pepper, sugar, stir.  Add he basil leaves and give it a quick stir fry, remove from heat and serve with jasmine scented steamed rice.

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Bahn Mai Thai Cafe, Bob Silva

10 ?’s with Franco

February 21, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

franco-duroniaFranco Germano grew up in Italy, then came to America at age 18.  It wasn’t long after that he joined the Army, serving as a mess sergeant during the Vietnam War.  In 1976, he opened his dream, Franco’s Ristorante Italiano.  He often claims he is simply carrying out the tradition of his “mamma”, feeding friends and family.  Franco is now sharing his love of Italian cooking by launching a new service- “Your Traveling Chef“.  Kicking off  with 2 cooking demonstration classes at Southern Ohio Kitchens in March, Franco fights the Winter Blues and Franco cooks for Spring will each be 3 hour classes where you’ll learn how to make a delicious meal, pair it with a luscious wine and make some new friends.  Franco is also willing to come to your house and share an afternoon or evening cooking with you and your friends.

Update:  Franco passed away on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at the age of  73.  The Restaurant he opened is now being run by his son Nick. 

Here Franco gives us his answers to our 10 questions:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
One?  Garlic, tomatoes, olive oil. Great ingredients.  Great basics.

What ingredient do you dread?
Ingredients for Chinese cooking like soy sauce, etc.  Have no idea what to do with them and make them work.

What’s your favorite dish to make?
Franco’s World-Famous Spaghetti.  My invention.  Not creation.  Invention.  No one else can follow it.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Salami, Prosciutto, real mozzarella, Kalamata Olives.  I can eat them daily.  It’s going to kill me, but I love them.

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley? oum4oshWMNIcRG
Hickory Bar-B-Que on Brown St.  Steak and chicken barbecue.  Fantastico!

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Follow the recipe and be sure to use quality ingredients.  Don’t get cheap!!!

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
My parents – fantastic people and fantastic cooks.  Tommy Lasorda because he loves Italian food.  Andrea Bocelli.  His voice is phenomenal.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I look up to my mother.  A terrific cook.  True connoisseur.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
Golf, golf, & golf.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:
Our lucky break was with a restaurant disaster.  An hour before opening, someone snuck in our back door and set the women’s restroom on fire.  We could smell something burning but couldn’t locate it at first.  I looked outside thinking it was at the Chinese restaurant that shares our building.  They were looking outside thinking it was us.  I came back in and thought to check the restrooms.  The men’s room was fine.  When I opened the women’s restroom door, POOF!!  I was completely black head to toe.  We put out the fire and still managed to open on time but I could not come out of the kitchen.  I was lucky I didn’t lose my life or my business that night.

Interesting story….
In 2005, the Senior Open was in Dayton.  I received a call from Tom Watson asking if he could get a table for two.  He said he was waiting at another restaurant in town that does not take reservations and did not want to wait the two and a half hours he was being quoted.  I told him to come on down.  A few minutes later, he called to see if he could make another reservation.  He ended up bringing a large group from the other restaurant.  Did I mention I like golf?

Filed Under: Ten Questions, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Franco's, Frank Germano, Southern Ohio Kitchens

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Submit An Event to Dayton937

- Featured Events -

Loading view.
  • Previous week
  • Next week

Warren County Fair

9:00 am
Warren County Fairgrounds

What The Taco?!

10:30 am
solvita

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

1:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Huber Heights Branch

Sunflower Park U Pick

5:00 pm
Sunflower Park

Help Shape an Age-Friendly Dayton

5:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Main Library

$3 Burger Night

5:00 pm
Bullwinkle's Top Hat Bistro

Sand Art Air Plant Terrarium Workshop

6:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Kettering-Moraine Branch

Sip and Create: Intro to Basket Weaving with the Heritage Basketry Guild

6:00 pm
Blue Sky Coffee

FIVE-COURSE GERMAN-STYLE BEER DINNER

6:30 pm
BJ's Brewhouse Austin Landing

Bingo!

7:00 pm
Old Dayton Pizza at Riverside Hideaway

Justin’s LOTD Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament

7:30 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar

Monday Night Laughs!

8:00 pm
Oregon Express
+ 4 More

Warren County Fair

9:00 am
Warren County Fairgrounds

Colorful Creatures To Love with Wild Hearts African Farm

10:30 am
Electra C Doren at Community Room

Senior Farmers Nutrition Program Informational Session

11:00 am
Dayton Metro Library West Branch

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

12:00 pm
O Reilly Auto Parts

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

2:30 pm
The Neon

Try Mountain Biking

4:00 pm
MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA)

Cloud Park Food Truck Rally

4:00 pm
Thomas Cloud Park

The Lumpia Queen

4:00 pm
Thomas Cloud Park

Home Cooked Vibes

4:00 pm
Thomas Cloud Park

TEA PARTY

5:00 pm
Lily's Dayton

Chef Talks Champagne-Ardenne

6:00 pm
Manna Uptown

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River

6:00 pm
RiverScape MetroPark

Kamayan-Style Feast with Chef Gideon General

6:30 pm
Mazu
+ 7 More

The Beanhive Coffee Company

8:00 am
Winsupply

Warren County Fair

9:00 am
Warren County Fairgrounds

Fairborn Farmers Market

10:00 am
Fairborn Farmers Market

$1 Pretzel Dogs

10:00 am
Philly Pretzel Factory

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

11:00 am
Motoman Robotics

Community Day at Central State University-Dayton

11:00 am
Central State University-Dayton Campus

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

3:00 pm
Old Salem Mall

Miamisburg Farmers Market

3:00 pm
Miamisburg Christian Church

Color Your World: Teen Craft and Chat

4:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Main Library

Assertive Communication with Clothes That Work

4:30 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Southeast

Live Music from Danny Voris at Whisperz Speakeasy

6:00 pm
Whisperz Speakeasy

Cinn- Wagon

6:00 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar

California Wine Dinner

6:30 pm
Carrabba's Italian Grill

Trivia Night at Alematic

7:00 pm
Alematic Artisan Ales

Live Trivia

7:00 pm
Star City Brewing Company
+ 7 More

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

8:00 am
Old SICSA Bldg

Warren County Fair

9:00 am
Warren County Fairgrounds

The Lumpia Queen

11:00 am
Dayton Va Farmer's Market

Industrial Strength Bluegrass Summer Festival

12:00 pm
greene county fairgrounds

Lebanon Farmers Market

4:00 pm
Bicentennial Park

Christmas in July Sip & Shop

4:00 pm
Cross Pointe Center

Claybourne GRILLE

4:00 pm
Hobson Freedom Park

Sunset at the Market

5:00 pm
2nd Street Market

Rolling Easy

5:00 pm
D20: A Bar with Characters

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

Cincinnati Magazine’s Exquisite Posh Picnic

6:00 pm
The Historic Peterloon Estate

4-Course Cocktail Pairing Dinner!

6:30 pm
Bonefish Grill

Growing Herbs

6:30 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Vandalia Branch

Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes

7:00 pm
Levitt Pavilion

Fun Trivia! Prizes!

7:00 pm
Bock Family Brewing

Shrek The Musical

7:00 pm
Epiphany Lutheran Church

Gentle Yoga Flow as the Sun Sets

7:30 pm
Deeds Point
+ 9 More

Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival

8:00 am
Smith Park

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

8:00 am
Old SICSA Bldg

Clark County Fair

8:00 am
clark county fairgrounds

Warren County Fair

9:00 am
Warren County Fairgrounds

Keyhole Pizza On Wheels

10:00 am
Minster Bank Vandalia

Gourmet Grub Shack

11:00 am
Xenia BMW

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

11:00 am
Win Supply

Digging for Dinosaurs with Cincinnati Museum Center, presented by Junior League of Dayton

1:00 pm
Dayton Metro Library - Huber Heights Branch

Industrial Strength Bluegrass Summer Festival

1:00 pm
greene county fairgrounds

What the Taco?!

3:00 pm
Voss Used Vehicles

ShowDogs HotDogs

4:00 pm
Voss Used Vehicles

Hamburger Wagon

4:00 pm
Goldie’s Soft Serve

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

4:00 pm
Rip Rap Roadhouse

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

Wire-Wrapped Succulents: a Two-Part Workshop with Jenn & Shanon Queen

6:00 pm
Blue Sky Coffee

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

6:00 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar
+ 14 More
Ongoing

Sports card Spectacular Show Troy oh Miamicounty Fairgrounds.

10:00 am
Miami County Fairgrounds

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

8:00 am
John Bryan Community Center

Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival

8:00 am
Smith Park

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

8:00 am
Old SICSA Bldg

Clark County Fair

8:00 am
clark county fairgrounds

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

8:30 am
Franklin Farmers Market

Oakwood Farmers Market

9:00 am
Oakwood Farmers Market

Greene County Farmers Market

9:00 am
Beavercreek Farmers Market

Shiloh Farmers Market

9:00 am
Shiloh Church

Warren County Fair

9:00 am
Warren County Fairgrounds

Hot Weather Gardening

10:00 am
Cox Arboretum

Farmers Market at The Heights

10:00 am
Eichelberger Amphitheater

New Carlisle Farmer’s Market

10:00 am
Downtown New Carlisle

6888 Summer Marketplace

10:00 am
6888 Kitchen Incubator

Chair Yoga

11:00 am
The Contemporary Dayton

Sterling Community Clinic and Pharmaсу Grand Opening

11:00 am
Sterling Community Clinic and Pharmaсу

Smoked Tri-Tip Sandwich Cookout!

11:00 am
Dorothy Lane Market

The Gothic Market

12:00 pm
Dayton Convention Center

The View Juried Landscape Exhibition Gallery Reception

1:00 pm
Rosewood Arts Centre

Glizzies + Fizzies Beer Fest

1:00 pm
Loose Ends Brewing

Industrial Strength Bluegrass Summer Festival

1:00 pm
greene county fairgrounds

Exhibition Tour

3:00 pm
The Contemporary Dayton
+ 24 More
Ongoing

Sports card Spectacular Show Troy oh Miamicounty Fairgrounds.

10:00 am
Miami County Fairgrounds

Butler County Fair

7:00 am
Butler County Fairgrounds

Summer Restaurant Week

8:00 am

Clark County Fair

8:00 am
clark county fairgrounds

Shelby County Fair

8:00 am
Shelby County Fairgrounds

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

9:00 am
Downtown Troy

9th Anniversary 9 Course Meal

12:00 pm
Sky Asian Cusine

The Gothic Market

12:00 pm
Dayton Convention Center

“Escape to Murderville”

2:00 pm
Bock Family Brewing

Shrek The Musical

2:00 pm
Epiphany Lutheran Church

Over The Barrel

3:00 pm
The Century Bar

House Barrel Tasting

3:00 pm
The Century Bar

X-Mas in July “Sunset Tease”

5:30 pm
Oregon District
+ 11 More

Week of Events

Mon 14

Tue 15

Wed 16

Thu 17

Fri 18

Sat 19

Sun 20

July 19 @ 10:00 am - July 20 @ 3:30 pm

Sports card Spectacular Show Troy oh Miamicounty Fairgrounds.

Sports card Spectacular Show Troy oh Miamicounty Fairgrounds.

July 19 @ 10:00 am - July 20 @ 3:30 pm

Sports card Spectacular Show Troy oh Miamicounty Fairgrounds.

July 19-20th. Sportscard Spectacular 2 day show. Miamicounty fairgrounds, Troy oh. 10am-3:30pm. Free admission, cash prizes, and great dealers. Miami...

Free
July 19 @ 10:00 am - July 20 @ 3:30 pm

Sports card Spectacular Show Troy oh Miamicounty Fairgrounds.

9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

July 14 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

Experience the Warren County Fair, an annual week-long event in July for the whole family!  Join us for fun, food, games,...

10:30 am - 1:30 pm

What The Taco?!

July 14 @ 10:30 am - 1:30 pm

What The Taco?!

Chipotle Chicken Taco GRILLED CHICKEN, SHREDDED LETTUCE, PICO DE GALLO, CILANTRO SOUR CREAM & MONTEREY JACK $10.00 Ground Beef Taco...

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

July 14 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

Each session of this freeform art class will focus on a different children's book illustrators' works and provide children an...

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sunflower Park U Pick

July 14 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sunflower Park U Pick

Take a little bit of the beautiful Sunflower Park sunflower field home with you to give your space a happy...

$5
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Help Shape an Age-Friendly Dayton

July 14 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Help Shape an Age-Friendly Dayton

Join us for a Town Hall Meeting focused on making Dayton more inclusive for people of all ages- especially older adults. As...

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

$3 Burger Night

July 14 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

$3 Burger Night

From 5-10pm you can choose from the following: for $3 - it's a plain burger on a bun, $4 -...

$3
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sand Art Air Plant Terrarium Workshop

July 14 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sand Art Air Plant Terrarium Workshop

Get creative and bring nature into your space with our Sand Art Air Plant Terrarium workshop! In this hands-on session,...

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Sip and Create: Intro to Basket Weaving with the Heritage Basketry Guild

July 14 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Sip and Create: Intro to Basket Weaving with the Heritage Basketry Guild

Discover the timeless craft of basketweaving in this hands-on introductory class led by members of the Heritage Basketry Guild. Whether...

$20
+ 4 More
9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

July 15 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

Experience the Warren County Fair, an annual week-long event in July for the whole family!  Join us for fun, food, games,...

10:30 am - 11:30 am

Colorful Creatures To Love with Wild Hearts African Farm

July 15 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Colorful Creatures To Love with Wild Hearts African Farm

Colorful Creatures to Love is a 45–60-minute program for your library’s summer reading challenge, aligning with the theme “Color Our World”  Summer Reading...

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Senior Farmers Nutrition Program Informational Session

July 15 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Senior Farmers Nutrition Program Informational Session

Join us at the library for an informational session about the Ohio Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)—a wonderful opportunity...

12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

July 15 @ 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

2:30 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

July 15 @ 2:30 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

Tuesday at the Neon in Downtown Dayton movies are just $6.50

$6.50
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Try Mountain Biking

July 15 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Try Mountain Biking

Want to try mountain biking? Come out to the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA) and borrow one of our bikes...

4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Cloud Park Food Truck Rally

July 15 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Cloud Park Food Truck Rally

Get ready for a delicious summer in Huber Heights! Join us every other Tuesday starting May 6th through September 9th...

4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

The Lumpia Queen

July 15 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

The Lumpia Queen

1 Lumpia Crispy Filipino Spring Rolls Perfectly hand rolled and served with Sweet Chili Sauce. Choice of ... $2.50 3...

+ 7 More
8:00 am - 12:00 pm

The Beanhive Coffee Company

July 16 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

The Beanhive Coffee Company

Our trailer features premium espresso based drinks, and Lotus energy drinks. We take pride in using only the finest ingredients...

9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

July 16 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

Experience the Warren County Fair, an annual week-long event in July for the whole family!  Join us for fun, food, games,...

10:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Fairborn Farmers Market

July 16 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Fairborn Farmers Market

The Fairborn Farmers Market was established with the intent to provide the Fairborn community access to fresh and wholesome products...

Free
10:00 am - 7:00 pm

$1 Pretzel Dogs

July 16 @ 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

$1 Pretzel Dogs

Celebrate National Hot Dog Day with us!$1 all-beef pretzel dogs1 FREE pretzel dog with app

$1
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

July 16 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Community Day at Central State University-Dayton

July 16 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Community Day at Central State University-Dayton

Central State University-Dayton invites the community to join in celebrating Community Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, July...

Free
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

July 16 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

A celebration of locally sourced foods and products from small businesses in Trotwood and the surrounding communities! Stop by and...

3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Miamisburg Farmers Market

July 16 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Miamisburg Farmers Market

Miamisburg Farmers MarketAt Miamisburg Christian Church parking lot.1146 E. Central Ave in Miamisburg.Fresh Produce, sweet treats, food trucks and more..

+ 7 More
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

July 17 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

Join Friends of SICSA for their Annual Garage Sale! Shop an array of new and gently used items while supporting...

9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

July 17 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

Experience the Warren County Fair, an annual week-long event in July for the whole family!  Join us for fun, food, games,...

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

The Lumpia Queen

July 17 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

The Lumpia Queen

1 Lumpia Crispy Filipino Spring Rolls Perfectly hand rolled and served with Sweet Chili Sauce. Choice of ... $2.50 3...

12:00 pm - 11:30 pm

Industrial Strength Bluegrass Summer Festival

July 17 @ 12:00 pm - 11:30 pm

Industrial Strength Bluegrass Summer Festival

The Industrial Strength Bluegrass Summer Festival is a three-day music celebration, highlighting the best of bluegrass, folk, and Americana. Hosted at Clifton Opera House in...

4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Lebanon Farmers Market

July 17 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Lebanon Farmers Market

The Lebanon Farmers Market is open 4 pm to 7 pm every Thursday mid-May through mid-October.  We are located in...

4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Christmas in July Sip & Shop

July 17 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Christmas in July Sip & Shop

4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Claybourne GRILLE

July 17 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Claybourne GRILLE

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Sunset at the Market

July 17 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Sunset at the Market

From May through October, Sunset at the Market series returns the third Thursday of each month, from 5 to 8...

+ 9 More
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival

July 18 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival

The Ohio Challenge is a thrilling hot air balloon festival, featuring balloon races, night glows, skydiving performances, carnival rides, and fireworks. Hosted at Smith Park...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

July 18 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

Join Friends of SICSA for their Annual Garage Sale! Shop an array of new and gently used items while supporting...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Clark County Fair

July 18 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Clark County Fair

Live Entertainment, Carnival Rides, Antique Show, Livestock Show, Home Brew Contest, Truck Tug-O-War, Truck Pull, Demolition Derby, O.S.T.P.A. Tractor Pull,...

9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

July 18 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 pm Recurring

Warren County Fair

Experience the Warren County Fair, an annual week-long event in July for the whole family!  Join us for fun, food, games,...

10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Keyhole Pizza On Wheels

July 18 @ 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Keyhole Pizza On Wheels

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Gourmet Grub Shack

July 18 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Gourmet Grub Shack

Gourmet Grub Shack creates traditional and non traditional Quesadillas, Soft Tacos, Rice bowl, Nachos. a BBQ Mexican-American Fusion

11:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

July 18 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Freakin Ricans Food Truck

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Digging for Dinosaurs with Cincinnati Museum Center, presented by Junior League of Dayton

July 18 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Digging for Dinosaurs with Cincinnati Museum Center, presented by Junior League of Dayton

Stop by anytime between 1:00 and 3:00 pm and test your paleontologist skills! Dig for fossils, touch dinosaur fossil replicas,...

+ 14 More
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

July 19 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

For over 20 years this market has been made up of a hardworking group of men, women and children, dedicated...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival

July 19 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival

The Ohio Challenge is a thrilling hot air balloon festival, featuring balloon races, night glows, skydiving performances, carnival rides, and fireworks. Hosted at Smith Park...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

July 19 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Annual Friends of SICSA Garage Sale

Join Friends of SICSA for their Annual Garage Sale! Shop an array of new and gently used items while supporting...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Clark County Fair

July 19 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Clark County Fair

Live Entertainment, Carnival Rides, Antique Show, Livestock Show, Home Brew Contest, Truck Tug-O-War, Truck Pull, Demolition Derby, O.S.T.P.A. Tractor Pull,...

8:30 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

July 19 @ 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

Join us every Saturday through Sept 13, 8.30 a.m. - 12 p.m. for local products including fresh produce, honey/jams, and...

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Oakwood Farmers Market

July 19 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Oakwood Farmers Market

The 2025 Oakwood Farmers’ Market will be held Saturdays, June 7th thru October 11th, from 9 am until 12pm. The...

9:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Greene County Farmers Market

July 19 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Greene County Farmers Market

The outdoor Farmers Market on Indian Ripple Rd. in Beavercreek runs Saturdays, 9-1 even during the winter months. Check out...

9:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Shiloh Farmers Market

July 19 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Shiloh Farmers Market

The farmers’ market is located on the corner of Main St. & Philadelphia Dr, in the parking lot of Shiloh...

+ 24 More
7:00 am - 11:00 pm

Butler County Fair

July 20 @ 7:00 am - 11:00 pm

Butler County Fair

We've got an amazing lineup of local talent playing every night from 5:30 to 9:00 PM — and it's FREE...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Summer Restaurant Week

July 20 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Summer Restaurant Week

Try unique menus at many of Dayton’s classiest places for reduced prices, all while raising money for charity. July 20-27,...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Clark County Fair

July 20 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Recurring

Clark County Fair

Live Entertainment, Carnival Rides, Antique Show, Livestock Show, Home Brew Contest, Truck Tug-O-War, Truck Pull, Demolition Derby, O.S.T.P.A. Tractor Pull,...

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Shelby County Fair

July 20 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Shelby County Fair

Join us for the 165th Annual Shelby County Fair, located right here in Sidney, Ohio July 20 - 26, 2025.  We...

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

July 20 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

Downtown Troy Farmers' Market will run Saturday mornings 9:00 am to 12:00 pm from June 22nd, 2013 through September 21st,...

12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

9th Anniversary 9 Course Meal

July 20 @ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

9th Anniversary 9 Course Meal

Join our exclusive 9-Course Bluefin Tuna Cutting Experience — a one-of-a-kind culinary showcase you don’t want to miss. Fresh. Artful....

$99
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Recurring

The Gothic Market

July 20 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Recurring

The Gothic Market

 Entry: In order to attend this event, you must have tickets in advance. Not only is it cheapest to get...

$10 – $13
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

“Escape to Murderville”

July 20 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

“Escape to Murderville”

Get ready for a night of mystery, mayhem, and margaritas at “Escape to Murderville”–the ultimate Jimmy Buffet-themed murder mystery dinner...

$25
+ 11 More
View Calendar

Join the Dayton937 Newsletter!

Trust us with your email address and we'll send you our most important updates!
Email:  
For Email Marketing you can trust
Back to Top

Copyright © 2025 Dayton Most Metro · Terms & Conditions · Log in