From beach trips to goat barbacoa, this is how Fayetteville area chefs spend Thanksgiving

For some, Thanksgiving is the biggest cooking marathon of the year. Hours are spent hovering over stock pots, mashing potatoes, roasting turkeys and baking desserts. But, does that change when you cook for a living?

Hungry to see how culinary professionals celebrate one of the biggest food holidays of the year, we asked Fayetteville area chefs and restaurateurs for their Thanksgiving memories and plans.

From embracing a traditional turkey dinner with family to heading for the beach, here’s how culinary professionals around Fayetteville celebrate Thanksgiving.

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Zachary Substanley is the chef-owner of Fry Papi, a Fayetteville food truck that serves carne asada-loaded fries. The culinary veteran has spent many Thanksgivings smoking turkeys and preparing sides for restaurants on the Las Vegas strip. This year, he’s still cooking — but the crowd and the menu are different.

The Ohio native is preparing smoked whole goat barbacoa, coal-roasted squash and fresh salsas, all of which will be served with warm tortillas for his friends and family.

Substanley said he “loves to play in the kitchen” and Thanksgiving is no exception.

Sheldon China and his wife Joyce own Melvin’s at Riverside, a Person Street restaurant and bakery that bills itself as “Southern comfort food.” After China spent three decades managing restaurants around North Carolina, he returned to his native Fayetteville to open a restaurant serving the dishes his friends and family love.

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In the past, the pair have spent Thanksgiving vacationing in Myrtle Beach with family, but with a restaurant of their own, they said it’s tough to get away from work for that long. Still, the two are managing to take a break from the hustle and bustle.

“We’re going to let the kids cook,” China said.

The Chinas are also spending the holiday giving back. On Monday, a takeout Thanksgiving meal will be available for those in need at the restaurant’s drive-thru.

Basil Hasapis owns The Quesadilla Gallery downtown and The Fried Turkey Sandwich Shops on Owen and Bingham drives. Thanksgiving is a hectic time for the turkey shops, as the staff prepares catering orders on top of the usual lunch and dinner service.

Hasapis said his mom likes to joke that his line of work has “ruined Thanksgiving” because he spends the days leading up to it working almost nonstop, and once the holiday comes, he’s ready to get out of town for a break.

Last year, he went to Miami, Palm Beach and Key West with a few friends while his restaurants closed for the long weekend. This year, he plans to visit either Miami or Charleston.

“I can get from here to Miami in less than four hours,” Hasapis said.

Antonia Adams owns Dab’s Soul Food Cafe in Spring Lake. She’s known for singing as she cooks classics like meatloaf, fried turkey wings and pork chops. She said the days leading up to Thanksgiving keep her very busy as she prepares dozens of catering orders.

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As Adams makes roast turkey, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and pies for her customers, she sets aside food for her own family. Once all the catering orders are picked up and the restaurant is clean, she said, she cherishes spending time with her family.

“I enjoy and relax with my children, my mom, my sister and my dad,” she said.

Food, dining and business reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at tshook@gannett.com. Want food news in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: This is how Fayetteville, NC area chefs celebrate Thanksgiving in 2022