A new champion was crowned in Memphis last night. The episode of Chopped that Tamra Patterson, AKA Chef Tam, competed in last year, aired on TV and Chef Tam was the winner. She competed in a BLT-themed competition, making mac & cheese balls, cheddar kale grits, and stuffed French toast with candied bacon. Try Chef Tam’s food for yourself at her Underground Cafe at 668 Union.
Trivia returned to the Blind Bear last night for the first time since the stupid pandemic restrictions were lifted, and it was way more fun than I expected it to be. Billed as “pop culture trivia,” there were 10 rounds of 10 questions each – that’s right, ONE HUNDRED questions!!! Many of the questions were about movies, music, actors, and actresses, but by no means all of them. Two examples: “What does GMT stand for?” (Greenwich Mean Time) and “Who was the teacher in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?” (Ichabod Crane) There was a Name That Tune question for each round, the first of which was “Light My Fire” by The Doors.
There was a prize per round, and the winning team got their choice of an assortment of knick-knacks and bar-themed apparel. A $20 Blind Bear gift card was on the line in the final round. There were also opportunities to play bonus games like cornhole and Plinko. Tons of fun and an event that brought the locals together.
A new shop called Grind City Grocer has opened on the ground floor of The Washburn, on the Main Street Mall a half block north of Union. The store sells the products of local makers, including coffee, condiments, mixers, pantry items, preserves, seasoning, snacks, sweets, novelty items, and pet items. They support a variety of diets including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan.
The Majestic Grille is now open Tuesday-Friday all day with no break in between lunch and dinner. 11-9 Tuesday-Friday, 11-2 and 4-9 Saturday, 10-2 Sunday.
Also, the Majestic is hiring full-time and part-time hosts and servers, and they say that no experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn. This is a place where the owners treat employees like family and offer opportunities for them to develop professionally. Perks of working there include
- flexible hours
- health benefits
- paid time off
- vaccination bonus
- paid training
Email reservations@majesticgrille.com to set up a time to apply and interview.
I don’t know if any Billy Joel fans read this blog, but in case they do, I’ll mention there’s a Billy Joel tribute called “The Stranger” featuring Mike Santoro tonight at 7 at Lafayette’s Music Room.
Itta Bena is hiring line cooks. They offer competitive pay based on experience.
Mighty Souls Brass Band plays a free show at Wiseacre Downtown this Saturday 2:30-4:30.
Major League Baseball is going to allow anti-sign-stealing technology for the 2022 season. Catchers will be able to communicate signs to pitchers and up to three other players via a listening device. It’s widely believed the Houston Astros stole signs to win the 2017 World Series.
The Grizzlies will have to wait for their record-tying 56th win. They lost to Utah in overtime last night. Elsewhere in the Western Conference, the Clippers, New Orleans, and San Antonio have clinched play-in berths, meaning no Lakers, no LeBron in the playoffs this year.
Out of time… back tomorrow with more news.