Time for a road trip to Asheville NC, actually Fletcher NC, if you are already setting the GPS. Come on up and join me. I’ll be hosting the GotToBeNC Cooking Stage inside the Davis Event Center at the WNC Agricultural Center. It’s always fun to work for my good friends at the NC Department of Agriculture. This time of year Ag Center here is home to the NC Mountain State Fair, September 8-17, 2023.
While I had fun on the first set up day, checking out the tractors, there is lots to see, do and sample at this year at the Mountain State Fair. Spoiler alert – You won’t be able to climb on the tractors at the fair, but when you are a food writer, everything is a photo opp.
At the at the NC Mountain State Fair
Inside the Davis Center at the GotToBeNC cooking stage, fairgoers will enjoy two cooking demos each day of the fair. Check out the Schedule below.
And right along side the stage will be a group of 15 terrific GotToBeNC vendors sampling and selling everything from NC wines to locally crafted pickles and peanut butters. Most products you’ve heard me talk about or seen me write about before. We’ll be featuring many of the products on the cooking stage as well.
You Can Be on the GotToBeNC Cooking Stage, too!
You’ll watch chefs prepare a selection of seasonal recipes at each demo. There is seating right in front of the stage; and we’ll have giveaways and trivia contests. While we won’t be sampling to the crowd, four lucky members of the audience will chance to sample and enjoy the show from the best seats in the house. Our official Chefs’ Table right onstage with our featured chefs.
At each demo, chefs from across Western NC will share recipes and show you how to cook, eat and drink with locally sourced North Carolina ingredients.
Our Chefs’ Table participants will enjoy a ringside view of all the action. After the demo they get photos taken with each presenting chefs and will enjoy plated portions of each of the dishes created during each individual demo. There will be Chefs’ Table gift bags as well.
Here’s What’s Cooking at the Mountain State Fair, Sept 8 – Sept 10
Cooking demos will run 45 mins to an hour. Recipes will be available on these pages every couple of days, so keep checking back or subscribe to have posts come directly to your inbox. You’ll also be able to find the recipes from this week on the GotToBeNC website as well.
Friday Sept 8:
1pm Cooking with Local Bacon and BBQ with Nichole and Aaron Bradley of Colfax Creek Farm and Heidi Billotto Cooking stage host, chef, food and travel writer
3 pm – Put More Pork on Your Fork – It’s Breakfast for Dinner with Nichole and Aaron Bradley of Colfax Creek Farm – Award-Winning Chef Sera Cuni of Root Cellar Cafe and Catering from Pittsboro NC
Sat Sept 9:
1pm – Southern Specialties – Seasonal Hoppin’ John with Tidewater Grain Co. and Chef Andres Prussing, STOKE, Marriott Center City in Charlotte
3pm – Southern Specialties – Build a Better Burger with pasture-raised beef and sausage from Colfax Creek Farm and Chef Andres Prussing at STOKE at the Marriott Center City in Charlotte
Sunday Sept 10:
1pm – Easy Cheesy Appetizers with the WNC Cheese Trail and Heidi Billotto Cooking stage host, chef, food and travel writer
4 pm – Cooking with NC Peanut and Nut Butters
With Steve Young from Coddle Creek Farms and Heidi Billotto Cooking stage host, chef, food and travel writer
Kick Off The Week with Great Recipes from This Trio of NC Chefs & Mixologists, Sept. 11- 13
Monday Sept 11:
4pm – The Art of Making A Sandwich with Chef Chad Blackwelder from GotToBeNC
6pm – Delicious Fall Mocktails and Charcuterie Boards with Mixologist Sekani Akunyun of Lavender & Libations in Charlotte, NC and Chef Chad Blackwelder from GotToBeNC
Tuesday Sept 12:
4pm – Pickle Like A Pro with NC Eggs and Chef Don Paleno of DJ’s Pickles in Asheville, NC
6pm – Seasonal Appetizers with NC Eggs and Local Pickles with Chef Don Paleno of DJ’s Pickles in Asheville, NC
Wednesday Sept 13:
4pm – Cooking with Tidewater Grain Company’s NC Grown Carolina Gold Rice Middlins to make Rice Empanadas with Ropa Vieja
With Chef Chris Bugher, Certified Executive Chef Instructor at AB Tech in Asheville, NC
6pm – Cooking with Tidewater Grain Company‘s NC Grown Carolina Gold Rice Homemade Rice Crackers and Your Own Whipped Pimento Cheese With Chef Chris Bugher, Culinary Instructor at AB Tech in Asheville, NC
Here’s Who’s On Stage Sept. 14 – 17
Thursday, Sept 14:
4pm – Cooking with NC Sweet Potatoes – How to Make Sweet Potato Biscuits with Chef Jill Wasilewski, Ivory Road Cafe & Kitchen in Arden, NC
6pm – Celebrating the Local Harvest – How to Make From Scratch Tomato Pie with Chef Jill Wasilewski, Ivory Road Cafe & Kitchen in Arden, NC
Friday Sept 15:
1pm – Sweet and Savory Scones
With Pastry Chef Whitney King of Stable Cafe at Biltmore House and Restoration Hotel in Asheville
3pm – Cooking with NC Sweetpotatoes
Learn how to make a Show Stopping Seasonal “pumpkin” Cake with Pastry Chef Whitney King. Whitney is in Asheville at Stable Restaurant at Biltmore House and the Restoration Hotel.
Saturday Sept 16:
1pm – Cooking with NC Beef with Shipley Farms‘ own Bob Shipley
With Chef Stephen Hertz, Culinary Instructor at AB Tech in Asheville, NC
3 pm – More Where’s the NC Beef with Shipley Farms’ own Bob Shipley with Chef Stephen Hertz, Culinary Instructor at AB Tech in Asheville, NC
Sunday Sept 17:
1 pm – Cooking with NC Beef and NC Sweet Potatoes with Chef Reyaña Radcliff of Your Braisen Chef in Charlotte NC
3pm – Steak, Egg and Cheese with Chef Reyaña Radcliff of Your Braisen Chef in Charlotte NC
Heidi, you are my FAIR lady!