As part of its ongoing efforts to support local restaurants and service industry workers in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) has joined forces with ArtsAVL local arts council and historic real estate specialists GBX Group to launch a new initiative, WNC Tip It Forward.
The program is designed to provide emergency relief grants to those hardest hit in the food service and creative sectors, while also spreading awareness about the scope of the devastation Helene has wreaked in those industries. Due to post-Helene business closures in October, the area’s peak tourism month, plus widespread event cancellations and property damage from the storm, an enormous swath of local workers has lost their livelihoods, creating challenges and uncertainty as winter looms, says AIR Executive Director Meghan Rogers.
“For the restaurant industry and the people who work there, October to December is normally a very busy time,” Rogers explains, noting that income from those months typically helps get restaurant owners and their staff through the slower months of January, February and March. “We know that folks don’t just need to catch up on bills or rent. They need to earn money to sustain themselves through the winter as well.”
Hospitality and food service was one of Buncombe County’s top five industries in 2022, employing nearly 20,000 people, according to the county’s Economic Development, Education and Upward Mobility report. And the sector’s storm recovery, Rogers points out, will not be immediate but will be a very long-term process.
Rogers says Tip It Forward took shape just a few weeks after Helene when she was contacted by an executive from GBX Group. “He said he visited Asheville frequently and loved our restaurant scene and wanted to find a way to help,” she says.
Further discussion revealed that he also is a supporter of the area’s arts and music scenes. “That’s when we decided it would make a lot of sense to also work with ArtsAVL,” says Rogers.
GBX Group provided startup funding for Tip It Forward to offer immediate emergency assistance to those affected. AIR is partnering with ArtsAVL to distribute the grants to eligible artists and restaurant workers, and both organizations will use a portion of the funds to support their own ongoing recovery work within their respective industries.
For more information about WNC Tip It Forward and to donate, visit avl.mx/ecx.
Go fish at Regina’s Westside
Someone has finally found a cure for the Sunday scaries: Regina’s Westside has launched Regina’s Fish Night, happening every Sunday from 5 p.m. until the fish sell out. The event features whole, fried fish, including catfish, sea bass, snapper and speckled and rainbow trout from North Carolina purveyors Locals Seafood. Brined in seasoned buttermilk and fried with a cornmeal crust, the flavors change weekly and have included Thai- and Mexican-inspired spices. The fish fries will continue at least through the end of the year and possibly into the new year as well.
Regina’s is at 1400 Patton Ave. For updates, visit the restaurant’s Instagram page at avl.mx/ecr.
Cocktails with Kris Kringle
Ring in the holiday season 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, with Cocktails with Kris Kringle at Soprana Rooftop Cucina at the Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel. A benefit for local environmental nonprofit Asheville GreenWorks, the event will feature live music, photo ops with Santa, an ornament-making station with Board and Brush Creative Studios, a jewelry trunk pop-up with Honey Koshka, festive bites, raffle prizes and holiday drinks with Cultivated Cocktails. Best of all? It’s free to attend. Reservations are required.
Soprana Rooftop Cucina is at 192 Haywood St. To learn more, visit avl.mx/ecn.
Adieu to Vivian
Popular Appalachia-meets-Europe restaurant Vivian announced on social media on Nov. 26 that it has closed permanently. The eatery began eight years ago as a food truck at Burial Beer Co., founding its brick-and-mortar spot on Depot Street in the River Arts District in 2017. Owners Josiah and Shannon McGaughey noted in their announcement that they were left financially and emotionally depleted in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene. The two thanked their loyal staff and customers for years of happy memories and for building an “incredible community.”
Read the full farewell post on Instagram at avl.mx/ecs.
A RAD new location
The River Arts District Farmers Market has found a new home base at 16 Fernihurst Drive on the campus of A-B Tech. Taking place Wednesdays from 3-5:30 p.m., the market offers ample and accessible parking plus an array of locally grown produce, baked goods/desserts, dairy, meats and specialty foods, as well as handmade soaps and seasonal bouquets.
Market attendees are encouraged to enter via Meadow Road, rather than Biltmore Avenue, and follow the signage. Wednesday, Dec. 18, is the last RAD market of the year. It will reopen Wednesday, Jan. 8.
To learn more, visit avl.mx/9ki.
A new home for Abbiocco Pizzeria
After temporarily closing due to Tropical Storm Helene, Old Fort-based mobile pizzeria Abbiocco has found a new place to set up shop. The business announced on social media that chef Glenn Osterberg resumed slinging his wood-fired, seasonally inspired pies on Nov. 30 at Peri Social House, a Black Mountain boutique hotel and bar.
Hours are noon-9 p.m. (or until sold out) Friday and Saturday, noon-8 p.m. (or until sold out) Sunday. As Abbiocco transitions to its new location, Osterberg is also working with Peri Social House to offer catering options for the hotel’s events.
Peri Social House is at 406 W. State St., Black Mountain. Follow Abbiocco on Instagram at avl.mx/eco.
Hot Meals 4 Hope
Winter is coming, and with it, Western North Carolina will see the tapering off of emergency relief from World Central Kitchen (WCK) and the American Red Cross. In an effort to address that critical loss, Bear’s Foundation — the charitable arm of Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, which has acted as WCK’s headquarters in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene — recently announced Hot Meals 4 Hope, a new initiative to supply winter meals and address longer-term food insecurity for WNC residents most impacted by the disaster.
HotMeals4HOPE aims to raise more than $2 million to provide 360,000 meals between January and March. The initiative’s nonprofit partner, Equal Plates Project, will assist with meal production to meet current and future community needs. Donations will support food purchases and preparation, logistics and a large commercial kitchen to accommodate Equal Plates Project’s work.
For more information and to donate, visit avl.mx/ect.
Feast of the Seven Fishes
Gemelli will host the elaborate Feast of the Seven Fishes on Monday, Dec. 23. An ancient southern Italian Christmas Eve tradition, this year’s meal features two courses of seven types of seafood. The first course includes a seafood antipasti trio of fritto misto with artichoke hearts, calamari, shrimp and oyster; an arugula salad with blood orange and white anchovy vinaigrette; and spinach and clam arancini. The second course features house-made crab ravioli with garlic and tarragon crema, squid ink frico chip, frisée and trout roe.
The holiday menu is available for $65 per person and will be offered in addition to Gemelli’s usual menu. Reservations are recommended.
Gemelli is at 70 Westgate Parkway. For more information and to make reservations, visit avl.mx/bzw.
Female entrepreneurs lend a hand
To address the needs of local female entrepreneurs following Tropical Storm Helene, Allison Blake, Ginger Frank, Margit Ragland and Elisa Van Arnam — founders of SoulKu, Poppy Hand-crafted Popcorn and Plum Print, respectively — have created Women Entrepreneurs Asheville Recovery Endeavor (WE ARE), a grant fund designed to assist other area women-owned businesses with storm recovery. The initiative’s goal is to raise $1 million by raffling off 12 weekend get-away baskets. Each themed basket is valued at $3,500 to $6,500 and features products, experiences, meals and hotel stays donated by local businesses, including French Broad Chocolate, Chai Pani, Highland Brewing, Hi-Wire Brewing and many more. Tickets are $20 each.
To learn more and buy raffle tickets, visit avl.mx/ecp.
Grant award for Matcha Nude
Asheville tea business Matcha Nude has received a $50,000 grant from NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina. Matcha Nude was among seven businesses across the state to receive the award during the 2024 Ecosystem Summit in Durham in late November.
The grants, along with mentorship and guidance, are intended to propel companies forward and mitigate the risks associated with young startups. Headquartered in Asheville, Matcha Nude was founded in 2019 by Amelia Lehmann and has been owned since December 2021 by Samm Coffin.
For more information on Matcha Nude, visit avl.mx/ebx.
Waste not
Want to help reduce food waste? Learn how at Food Waste Solutions WNC’s Networking Gathering 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at West End Bakery in West Asheville. The potluck event will feature discussions with local organizations working to feed the community after Tropical Storm Helene, plus information on Food Waste Solutions WNC’s new working groups and the upcoming 2025 Food Waste Solutions Summit.
West End Bakery is at 757 Haywood Road. To learn more visit avl.mx/970.
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