By David Rogers. January 16, 2011. BLOWING ROCK – Spatulas armed and ready, 16 High Country chefs are ready to take to their grills and ovens in the 2012 Fire on the Rock competition dining event, beginning January 31^st, at Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant.

Jimmy Crippen, owner of Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant, is the founder of the popular “Fire” event and the architect of a new statewide competition dining series launched this year.  This week Crippen released the names of the competing chefs, restaurants and tournament brackets for the 2012 edition of Fire on the Rock.

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

• January 31 – Michael Barbato (Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Mountain Resort) vs. Jessica Grogan (craVe)
• February 1 – James Welch (Green Park Inn) vs. Nate Curtis (Rowland’s at Westglow Resort & Spa)
• February 7 – Monte Weber (Painted Fish Catering) vs. Hunter Hallmark (Restaurant G at Gideon Ridge)
• February 8 – Michael Foreman (Bistro Roca) vs. Josh Grogan (Hearthstone Tavern & Grille)
• February 21 – Guy Thomas (Glidewell’s) vs. Matt Barlow (Table at Crestwood)
• February 22 – Randall Isaacs (1861 Farmhouse Restaurant & Winery) vs. Gina Paolucci (Paolucci’s Italian Bar & Grill)
• February 28 – Sam Ratchford (Vidalia Restaurant & Wine Bar) vs. Matt Martin (Café Portofino)
• February 29 – Matt Franklin (Jackalope’s View) vs. Andrew Long (Storie Street Grille)

QUARTERFINALS

• March 6 – Winner of January 31 vs. Winner of February 21
• March 7 – Winner of February 1 vs. Winner of February 22
• March 13 – Winner of February 7 vs. Winner of February 28
• March 14 – Winner of February 8 vs. Winner of February 29

SEMIFINALS

• March 20 – Winner of March 6 vs. Winner of March 7
• March 21 – Winner of March 13 vs. Winner of March 14

FINALS

• April 11 – Winner of March 20 vs. Winner of March 21

The Competition Format

For 2012, the legacy Fire on the Rock format is being expanded, to encompass four different regions across the state.  It starts with Fire on the Rock in the first calendar quarter of 2012, while the remaining three calendar quarters will alternately focus on Wilmington (Fire on the Docks), Raleigh (Fire in the Triangle), and Greensboro (Fire in the Triad).  In each regional competition, diners taste specially prepared dishes, course-by-course, during a series of 15 dinner competitions (preliminary, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds).  

At stake in each regional series is a grand prize of $2,000 and a coveted "Red Chef Jacket."

Each evening of the competition is a "mano a mano" event, pitting a single restaurant against another, with the winner moving on to the next round. It is an "Iron Chef" format. Dining guests savor a six-course menu, tasting three courses from each of the chefs competing that particular evening -- without knowing whose food they are tasting.  

Adding an element of surprise, host and founder of the series, Jimmy Crippen, requires the competing chefs to create their dishes around a "secret ingredient", which is revealed to them only an hour before they start cooking. The same secret ingredient MUST be used in each of their three courses.  For example, let's say the secret ingredient is revealed as jalapenos, and the chef's three courses are an appetizer, an entree and a dessert.  Putting jalapenos in a soup or steak preparation is easy, but if you have never tried jalapeno ice cream, you probably haven't been to Fire on the Rock!

Each evening's diners, along culinary professionals and guest judges, rate each dish and, ultimately, determine which restaurant team movest to the next round -- and who goes home.  Quips Crippen, "It's grill or be grilled!"

Tickets for the dinners start at $49, excluding beverage, tax and tip.  Diners can attend (and vote!) as many of the dinners as they like.  Tickets are now on sale at www.FireOnTheRock.com.

Crippen told Blowing Rock News on Monday for the event kickoff, "We are excited about the expanded, statewide format that takes competition dining to an even higher level in 2012.  Fire on the Rock in Blowing Rock is where it all starts. We set the tone. We are the example. The restaurants in the other regions have heard about us and are excited to be able to participate this year, as are our sponsors and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, which is promoting sustainable agriculural themes and using North Carolina food products. We recommend that people wanting to be one of our dining guests get their tickets early.  Every night usually sells out, because it is GREAT food and loads of fun!"

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