For some, Thanksgiving is the biggest cook-a-thon of the year. Hours are spent hovering over pots, mashing potatoes, roasting turkeys, and baking desserts. But does that change when you cook for a living?
Hungry to see how culinary professionals celebrate one of the biggest food festivities of the year, we asked Fayetteville-area chefs and restaurateurs for their Thanksgiving memories and plans.
From enjoying a traditional turkey dinner with the family to hitting the beach, this is how Fayetteville’s culinary professionals celebrate Thanksgiving.
Plus:Takeout turkey, sides and pies near Fayetteville so you can relax this Thanksgiving
Plus:Get rid of the dishes! Here’s a guide to Fayetteville-area restaurants open on Thanksgiving
Zachary Substanley is the chef and owner of Fry Papi, a Fayetteville food truck that serves up fries loaded with roast beef. The culinary veteran has spent many Thanksgivings smoking turkeys and preparing garnishes for restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip. This year he is still cooking, but the public and the menu are different.
The Ohio native is preparing smoked whole goat barbecue, charcoal-roasted squash, and fresh salsas, all of which will be served with warm tortillas for his friends and family.
Substanley said she “loves to play in the kitchen” and Thanksgiving is no exception.
Sheldon China and his wife Joyce own Melvin’s in Riverside, a Person Street restaurant and bakery that bills itself as “Southern comfort food.” After China spent three decades running restaurants in North Carolina, he returned to his native Fayetteville to open a restaurant that serves the dishes his friends and family love.
Plus:Seasoned Chef Returns To Native Fayetteville; serves southern comfort food along the river
In the past, the couple have spent Thanksgiving vacations in Myrtle Beach with their family, but with a restaurant of their own, they said it’s hard to be away from work for that long. Still, the two manage to take a break from the hustle and bustle.
“We are going to let the children cook,” China said.
The Chinese are also spending the holidays giving back. On Monday, a Thanksgiving grab-and-go meal will be available for those in need at the restaurant’s drive-thru.
Basil Hasapis owns The Quesadilla Gallery downtown and The Fried Turkey Sandwich Shops on Owen and Bingham Drives. Thanksgiving is a hectic time for turkey shops as staff prepare catering orders in addition to the regular lunch and dinner service.
Hasapis said his mother likes to joke that his line of work “ruined Thanksgiving” because he spends the days leading up to it working almost non-stop, and once the holiday rolls around, he’s ready to head out of town. for a break.
Last year, he went to Miami, Palm Beach, and Key West with some friends while their restaurants were closed for the long weekend. This year, she plans to visit Miami or Charleston.
“I can get from here to Miami in less than four hours,” Hasapis said.
Antonia Adams owns Dab’s Soul Food Cafe in Spring Lake. She is known for singing while cooking classics like meatloaf, fried turkey wings, and pork chops. She said the days leading up to Thanksgiving keep her very busy as she prepares dozens of catering orders.
Fayetteville Hidden Gems:Dab’s in Spring Lake, where music fills your ears and food fills your soul
While Adams prepares roast turkey, mac and cheese, kale and pies for her clients, she reserves food for her own family. Once all catering orders are collected and the restaurant is clean, she said, she loves spending time with her family.
“I enjoy and relax with my children, my mom, my sister and my dad,” he said.
Food, dining and business reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at [email protected]. Do you want food news in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies Newsletter.