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“Everyone has been driving a hard bargain,” says restaurant consultant Clark Wolf. “If the city is going to require Tavern to be a union restaurant, then the city can't expect a full-value rent deal, because it doesn't add up. It may not be worthwhile for a restaurateur.”
Full article here
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MONTE RIO — Bob Reeves of Guerneville’s Santa Nella House bed & breakfast inn won the Russian River Rotary Club’s first annual chili cook-off last Saturday with a recipe he called Bob’s Kickass Chili.
“It was primarily road kill,” said Reeves, when asked to divulge his winning recipe. “On the ingredients we listed five possum and four raccoons.”
Reeves said the actual ingredients were more traditional chili material including ground pork, beef, spice and beans.
Second prize was awarded to Guerneville’s Boon Eat & Drink restaurant and third place honors went to Art and Haley Severe of Sebastopol for their “Texoakie” chili based on a 100-year-old family recipe from Oklahoma.
“It’s been handed down through generations,” said Art Severe.
Cook-off judges were River Rotary President Mary Lou Porta, Rotarian and chili cook-off coordinator Christina Harrison, 5th District Supervisor Efren Carrillo and food consultant and author Clark Wolf.
“It’s a good day to eat something warm,” said Wolf as he sampled chili outdoors Saturday in the cool breeze blowing along the Russian River.
The event drew nine entries and dozens of chili eaters who paid a $10 admission with proceeds going to River Rotary education support efforts in local elementary schools.
Best booth honors went to the Full House poker club chili makers led by chef Stuart Campbell whose Bombs Away chili included flank steak, pork butt roast, Italian sausage, onions and habañero peppers.
“This is the best,” said one chili eater.
Chris Aff and Amy Ciddio of Casual Catering won the People’s Choice award for their Texas-style chili.
Winner Reeves, who took home a $500 first prize, said he was impressed with the quality of the other entries .
“There were no bad chilies there,” said Reeves, a Rotary member in Sebastopol’s Sunrise Rotary Club that was hosting its own Guys Can Cook fund-raiser on Saturday.
“I’m a Rotarian in Sebastopol where we really know how to cook,” said Reeves. “I had to give up Guys Can Cook” in order to enter the River cook-off.
“That’s because he wouldn’t have won anything in Sebastopol,” said another Rotarian.
Asked whether guests at Santa Nella House can sample his chili, a smoky dish with an earthy nose, Reeves said they might if he happens to have some around.
His experience in the inn business, said Reeves, is that “Generally chili is not something people want for breakfast.”
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