News Bites (27)

Michael Symon seems ready to take on any challenge. This fall finds him elbow deep in two new ventures: He’ll host “Dinner Impossible” on the Food Network, and open Roast, a meaty new restaurant in the recently renovated Westin Book Cadillac Detroit hotel. “When we put Michael in front of our corporate food and beverage team, they realized very quickly the talent and opportunity Michael brought to the table,” says Westin’s sales and marketing director, Scott Stinebaugh. The menu will feature artisanal and heritage meats, such as wild boar and housemade sausage.

~

From Max’s To Mel’s
It was a sad day for Rocky River when Max’s Deli closed its doors. After almost a year, the space is finally occupied by another family-friendly restaurant that’s heavy on the pastries.Sweet Melissa’s Confections & Eatery is the brainchild of the husband-and-wife team of Matt and Melissa Ullom. The couple met when she was a waiter and he was a cook at Max’s (group “awww!”). The old restaurant’s legacy “was always for its desserts,” says Matt, and that will remain the case at Sweet Mel’s. He’s hired three pastry chefs, just to make sure: former Pier W pastry chef Mia Amidi, cake decorator Ashley Zinicola and recent pastry-school grad Stephanie Troy.

~

Cheddar’s goes Krazy
Ron Heimbaugh swapped a chocolaty name for a cheesy one when he revamped the Snicker’s menu and created Cheddar’s Cafe, the West Side’s mac and cheese eatery. Now, after flack from a Texas-based restaurant chain that’s claiming ownership of the Cheddar’s name, Heimbaugh’s doing it again. The restaurant becameKrazy Mac’s on May 1. Now Heimbaugh’s looking ahead to July, when the second Krazy Mac’s is slated to open in Elyria. “It’s kind of like a little test run to maybe franchise,” he says, noting that he’d like to see Krazy Mac’s become a college campus staple. 
Amber Matheson

~

These kids can cook
Students from the Lorain County JVS culinary academy brought home fifth-place honors from a national competition for high school-age chefs held in April in San Diego, Calif. George Arena, Mike Cimperman, Amanda Orlicki and Josh Sampsell were up against 36 teams in a timed battle that required the teens to create an original, three-course meal from scratch, without the aid of electric or battery-operated gadgets. They qualified with a first-place win at the state level. The school is on a six-year winning streak in Ohio, with students taking home more than $144,000 in scholarships from the state competition this year alone. Lorain grads have gone on to work in kitchens including Table 45 and Lola, so thesechefs may be coming soon to a kitchen near you. 

Laura Crawford

~

Openings:
The Lone Tree Tavern, 33009 Lorain Road, North Ridgeville; (440) 309-4978
Stone Mad, 1306 W. 65th St., Cleveland; (216) 281-6500
Sweet Melissa’s Confections & Eatery, 19337 Detroit Road, Rocky River; (440) 333-6357
~
Closings:
Claddagh Irish Pub, 139 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake
C&Y Restaurant, 2222 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland
Eddie Sand’s Blueline Café, 20255 Van Aken Blvd., Shaker Heights
Venezia, 16300 Detroit Ave., Lakewood