5 Charlotte chefs dish on their favorite ‘fast food’ spots
Life gets busy. There’s not always time to make magic happen in the kitchen, sit down and tuck into a nice meal — even for chefs who make a living off of making fine foods.
So where do Charlotte chefs go when they need that “fast food” fix? Here’s what we learned:
Ashley Boyd, 300 East and Heritage: Bojangles’
Ashley Boyd, the master of sweet stuff as pastry chef for 300 East and Heritage Food and Drink, likes to pretend she doesn’t eat fast food. But that won’t stop her from occasionally stopping at Bojangles’ on the way to work for a Cajun filet and Bo Rounds. She goes for the grease and protein.
Meanwhile, at work, she serves nothing but elegance.
A post shared by Ashley Boyd (@ashleybboyd) on Jul 7, 2016 at 7:59pm PDT
Jamie Lynch, 5Church: Screamin’ Sicilian frozen pizza
While chef Jamie Lynch of 5Church is passionate about bringing a “hybrid of flavors” from around the world to his restaurant, he’s simple and straightforward when it comes to a quick meal for himself. He doesn’t eat fast food per se, but his go-to item is Screamin’ Sicilian frozen pizza. Lynch considers the Supremus Maximus (with mozzarella, pepperoni, Italian sausage, onions, peppers and olives) the best option.
He can keep the more complex flavors in his kitchen.
The whole duck in soul satisfying way… @5church
A post shared by Jamie Lynch (@chefjamielynch) on Sep 2, 2016 at 8:00pm PDT
Chris Coleman, Stoke: Brooks Sandwich House
A Cheerwine and a cheeseburger topped with chili, onions and mustard from Brooks Sandwich House satisfies the cravings of Chef Chris Coleman at Stoke Charlotte. Coleman has a love for scratch, made-in-house food when he’s in the kitchen, so it’s no surprise he appreciates the scratch-made chili at Brooks. Plus, he pointed out, it’s an institution, opening only for breakfast and lunch, that serves no-frills dive food.
There are plenty of frills on Stoke’s menu to keep him occupied.
A post shared by Chris Coleman (@chefccoleman) on Feb 21, 2017 at 3:08pm PST
Michael Chanthavong, O-Ku: Pho Hoa
Chef Michael Chanthavong works with fresh seafood that has not been sitting in a cooler longer than 48 hours, and his favorite dish from his kitchen at the new O-Ku in Charlotte is the Yellowtail Carpaccio. But when he needs a quick bite for himself away from work, his favorite dish is Pho Dac Biet. He gravitates toward pho for “fast food,” since it’s minimally processed.
One stop he likes to make: Pho Hoa on Central Avenue.
A post shared by O-Ku Charlotte (@okucharlotte) on Sep 8, 2016 at 2:27pm PDT
Alyssa Wilen, Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen: Earl’s Grocery
You probably know Chef Alyssa Wilen of Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen for her hands-on (BYOB) cooking classes focused on healthy, sustainable food. She doesn’t turn off that healthy approach when it comes to her own fast options. Since Earl’s Grocery is close to home for her, Wilen often stops in to check out the goods in the grab-and-go case. Lately, she’s fallen for the kale with chicken and lime Caesar, but also goes for a selection of prepared foods like the Brussels sprouts slaw and Moroccan cauliflower.
They’re good options for when she’s spending her time spicing things up at Atherton Mill and Market.
[Latin Street Food] Chili-lime marinated shrimp with @cotofamilyfarms spinach.
A post shared by Chef Alyssa's Kitchen (@chefalyssaclt) on Mar 30, 2017 at 4:50am PDT
Photo: CharlotteFive
This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 11:00 PM with the headline "5 Charlotte chefs dish on their favorite ‘fast food’ spots."