We've had one hell of a week here at FIG! We had two major national media premieres back-to-back, starting on Sunday, when Mike battled it out on the Food Network's Iron Chef America. Mike went up against the newest Iron Chef, Jose Garces, and was presented with a next to impossible ingredient to work with: sparkling wine (FN chose this ingredient because this show marked the beginning of their holiday season line-up). Throughout the intense 1 hour battle, Mike and sous chefs Jason Stanhope and Matt Bolus, stayed calm, smiling, laughing and generally having a blast. They ended up putting out 8 incredible looking dishes, all of which were praised by the judges (Andrea Robinson, Steve Olson, Debi Mazar, and Simon Doonan). Alas, in the end, Mike was bested by Garces, who only won by a slim margin. Team FIG came out way ahead in the taste scoring, but lost a few points to Garces for originality.
We had a blast watching the show live at Taco Boy downtown, surrounded by a rowdy crowd and the guests of honor, Mike, Jason + Matt.
On Tuesday night, we tuned in to ABC to watch Mike's segment on Nightline's Platelist. He talked about growing up, his first food memories, why he decided to become a chef, and why he still thinks he has the best job in the world. We also got to see him prepare a beautiful swordfish dish as well as those famous pork trotters with a sunny side egg. See the full interview by clicking below.
Thanks for all your support this week and always. We love what we do!
Our friend Hunter Kennedy wrote a great piece on Charleston for Bon Appetit this month, and resident FIG photographer Squire Fox contributed some beautiful images. We are honored to be a part of the story, with Chef Mike Lata's face front and center!
Check us out in this month's GQ! Charleston is featured as one of the "Coolest Small Cities in America,"and writer Stan Parish says about FIG: "Once you see what they've done with local products, you imagine that everything around you tastes as good as their flawless pork trotters and local crab-topped flounder."
Chef Lata is heading to Atlanta this Halloween for "Sunday Supper South," an event modeled after the James Beard Foundation's famed Sunday Suppers at Chelsea Market. On October 31, Mike will join other JBF award-winning chefs from throughout the South for a family-style supper. The event is hosted by Anne Quantrano and Clifford Harrison of Star Provisions and will take place at the promenade in the Westside Provisions District (1170 Howell Mill Rd, Atlanta). Tickets are $175 and proceeds benefit the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Program. More info is available here.
We had a great time horsing around yesterday at a video shoot for the Food Network. We'll be in touch soon about the show and when you can watch, but in the meantime check out Chef popping a wheelie on his Ducati, and cooking up Sheep's Milk Ricotta + Mint Gnocchi with Sea Island Grassfed Beef Bolognese. It was as delicious as it looks, and it's still on the menu at FIG!
We hope you will join us this year for the Lowcountry Field Feast at Rosebank Farm, Sunday, November 14. Last year the event was at Keegan Filion Farm in Walterboro and it was one of our favorite events of the year. Click here to purchase tickets! Proceeds benefit our friends at Lowcountry Local First.
After friends Matt Lee, Ted Lee and Matt Lewis of Baked recommended FIG on this foodie site, Mike was asked to give his own recommendations. Click below to find out Mike's favorite places to eat, the knives he uses in the kitchen, and his recipe for Burrata with Roasted Peaches and Fried Rosemary. Yum.
Watch FIG on the Food Network show, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Sauces." Our friend and fellow chef Alex Guarnaschelli raves about our Hanger Steak with Agrodulce Sauce...enjoy!
Thanks to local milliner Leigh Magar from Magar Hatworks for the shout out in this month's Food & Wine magazine. Leigh chose FIG as one of her 3 favorite restaurants in Charleston. This is what she had to say: "At FIG, a restaurant committed to local and sustainable food, I dress up for dinner in a fancy tomato-red Gary Graham dress and my Nadine cocktail hat, covered in faux fruit."
Thanks Leigh--we are, as always, in awe of your talent and appreciation for the flavor you bring to our community!
On Sunday, August 8, Chef Lata is joining 26 other top chefs from the Southeast for the 2nd Annual "Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival" at JCT. Kitchen in Atlanta, which is a benefit for Georgia Organics. Mike will be partnered with a local Georgia farmer to prepare a summer tomato dish, which will be judged by a panel that includes Kate Krader (Food & Wine) and Andrew Knowlton (Bon Appetit). The winner will be crowned "Tomato King or Queen" and will have bragging rights until next year's event.
If you've tasted the tomato tart-tatin on FIG's menu right now, you will agree that he has a good shot at the competition. And if you haven't tasted it yet, get yourself to FIG as soon as possible, while the Johns Island tomatoes are fire-engine red and bursting with flavor--you don't want to miss this dish!
The event takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. and ticketsare $45 for GO members and $50 for the public. To buy tickets or for more info, visit www.georgiaorganics.com.
