ABOVE: On the Podcast - Just me, giving you the results of the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight

BELOW: In the Newsletter (May Contain Adult Language) - GMF • PIZZA FIGHT RESULTS • LAST WEEK ON FACEBOOK: Thai Pearl / Deli Llammma / Milestone reached / Goodbye to the Chef of the Year

GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS

Sorry it’s been a while since’t I put out a newsletter. I got super-busy all of a sudden, plus I’ve been completely absorbed in creating “Hendra’s World,” which is a weird fantasy novel / world building exercise that I’ve been working on since the first COVID shut-downs back in 2020. If you want to follow along with the development of Hendra’s world, you can check it our HERE. Otherwise, let’s talk about fooooood…

PIZZA FIGHT WINNERS

So, yeah, coupla weeks ago we did the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight, and wow, it was CRAY-CRAY. 16 Contenders vying for the favor of 16 judges, with two different pies each, one cheese, and one specialty pie. I played the role of server, along with my awesome right hand for the day, Morgan, and between us we served 512 slices of pizza to the judges! Like I said, WOW.

It was a mad flurry of pizza and pencils as the judges tasted & scored one after another after another of the contenders, and when the dust settled, I added up the numbers and called the winners the next day on Facebook. Just in case you missed them there, here’s how it all broke down…

FIRST PLACE

🏅🏆🎖 Asheville Pizza South placed first in Specialty Pie and Second in Cheese Pie and had the highest combined total, to take home the gold! A well deserved win!

SECOND PLACE

🥈 Harvest Pizzeria Asheville placed first in Cheese Pie, 3rd in Specialty Pie and took second place overall with their combined score!

May be an image of pizza and text that says 'HARVEST PIZZERIA ASHEVILLE SHAY BROWN EVENTS STU HELM THE FOOD FAN PRESENT 2022 PIZZA WNC 16JUDGES! FIGHT 16COMPETITORS! 32PIES ©2022STUHELM FERAR2,22-ASHEVILLEMASONCLOGE ASHEVILLE MASONIC LODGE FEBRUARY 2022 FIRST PLACE CHEESE I THIRD PLACE SPECIALTY SECOND'PLACEOVERALL'

THIRD PLACE

🥉 Manicomio had the third highest combined score, and tied for 2nd with 🎗 Black Bear Pizza in Specialty Pie.

🎗Grata Pizzeria scored 3rd place in Cheese Pies.

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to all the participants! All pies scored well with at least one judge, and I personally enjoyed them all!

Thank you Shay Brown Events and The Asheville Masonic Temple for producing and hosting this fun event!

Our next event will be Punk Rock Hot Dogs 2022, scheduled to happen on July 30th. This one will be a ticketed event, and you know that I’ll let you know right here when those tickets go on sale. The theme this year is Goth, BTW.

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LAST WEEK ON FACEBOOK

Below is a selection of the best of what I posted to Facebook last week, if you want to see all of the pictures, click the links.

March 6th, 2022

I went on a Descubre Asheville lunch junket with Luis, to Thai Pearl Restaurant where Chef May styled us out with a parade of amazing food! Some of it was VERY spicy, and Chef seemed to delight in watching me suffer! LOL Everything was great, I especially loved the drunken noodles with an egg on top! I’m a fan of things with an egg on top. Thanks, Chef May, and Luis, for this awesome culinary experience! If you haven’t been to Thai Pearl, get on over to Haywood Road in West Asheville and check them out. Great food, nice people, cute atmosphere, good times! ❤️🔥

March 5th, 2022

Got those Stoobie Doobie Voodoo Wings from Deli Llammma Food Truck at Catawba Brewing Company - South Slope to bring home and eat while I watch the Detroit Red Wings. Wings ‘n’ Wings is two of my favorite things! Thanks Chef Chazzy! You = Awesome. They will be rockin’ tonight until 8pm, y’all! 🙏❤️🔥

March 4th

Woo hoo! Sometime last week, I got my 7,000th follower on Facebook! Thanks everyone who follows me, sees & reads my posts, and considers my recommendations for great food!

May be an image of text that says '000 FOLLOWERS Thank you, Everyone! STU HELM THE FOOD FAN'

March 3rd

My Chef of the Year winners since I first introduced the category in 2014 have been:

Chef Steven Goff 2014 (KJP, Aux Bar, Jargon, Tastee Diner)
Chef Elliott Moss 2015 (Buxton Hall Barbecue, Buxton Chicken Palace)
Chef Katie Button 2016 (Cúrate, La Bodega by Cúrate)
Chef AJ Gregson 2017 (Mojo Kitchen & Lounge, Black Bear BBQ)
Chef Ashley Capps 2018 (Buxton Hall Barbecue, New Stock)
Chef Ashleigh Shanti 2019 (Benne on Eagle, Good Hot Fish)
Chef Eric Morris 2020 (Cultura)
and Chef Naomi Mikami 2021 (Wakuwaku Eatery).

I recently learned that Chef Mikami is moving back to Japan soon, so I just wanted to say thanks to her, for introducing me, and countless other Ashevillians to her amazing food, teaching me about her culture, playing the koto in my dining room (one of my all-time favorite moments in my food life), and gracing us with her charm, talents, intellect, and shining personality. I just met her last year, but I'm going to miss her for sure.

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Stu Helm: Food Fan

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