Tag Archives: Highlands

Area restaurants to participate in Night Out for Gulf Seafood

Dine America Louisiana logoThis Wednesday, December 1, Bottega, Highlands Bar & Grill and Little Savannah will join 272+ restaurants participating in a “Night Out for Gulf Seafood.”

The culinary event was organized as “a chef/restaurant statement supporting the Gulf Coast fishing families and their Gulf Seafood catch,” one that organizers hope will result in increased demand from around the world. An Associated Press piece published in the Times Picayune back in October points out just how much of a hit the seafood industry is still taking as a result of the Gulf Coast oil spill in April.

A website and Facebook fan page directs supporters to an online auction that will include cookbooks donated by some of the participating restaurants as well as additional information about the event, its supporters and information to help restaurants take part. The coolest option for those of you visiting the site from outside the Southeastern United States is the map that allows you to see which restaurants are participating near you.

Image: Dine America Louisiana logo. Courtesy official website.

Highlands, Hot and Hot outstanding to us regardless

Frank StittThe James Beard Foundation announced earlier this evening that Daniel in New York City has been awarded the 2010 James Beard Awards for Outstanding Restaurant.

Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham’s Five Points South neighborhood had been named a finalist for the prestigious award presented during the awards ceremony at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.

It is the second time in three years that Frank Stitt‘s restaurant had been honored with a finalist nomination. The other time was in 2008.

Stitt himself was named Best Chef, Southeast by the Beard Foundation in 2001. Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club was nominated for the same honor in the Southern region this evening but also wasn’t victorious. He has also been nominated twice in the last three years (2008, 2010).

This year’s finalist selection had probably received even more attention than normal locally due to his ongoing objection to a project that would place a Chick Fil A restaurant – with a drive-through window – around the corner from the award-winning destination.

The Bright Star in Bessemer was honored as an American Classic (as reported by several media outlets earlier this year) during the ceremony.

Photo: Courtesy Southern Foodways Alliance.

Chris and Frank are at it again

One day I’ll actually make their acquaintance and feel like I can use their first names (their last names are Hastings and Stitt in case you were wondering). This marks the second year in a row that both Birmingham, AL based chefs have made it to at least the semi-finalist round (here’s the list of contenders) of The James Beard Foundation Awards. Stitt (of Highlands Bar & Grill) is a potential contender for the nation’s best chef while Hastings (Hot & Hot Fish Club) is hoping to be a finalist in the category of best chef in the South.

The finalists will be named on March 23, with the winners announced on May 3 via a media event and the awards’ official website.