chow with chaz

Tag: writing

  • Best Meals of 2025…kinda

    Behind the scenes and a look into my brain (I hope you’ll continue reading!). I started this with the intention of doing a Top 5 of 2025. As I started, I didn’t make it past one as it represented so much for this year. So I am going to share that reflection with you all. Short tangent, I am drinking a Chocolate Chip Cookie Latte from Seed Coffee…if you’re in Knoxville, you need this drink!! This was a really big year for me. 2024 was very much a transition year for me. It was my first full year living in Knoxville. I was still finding my bearings (I still am to an extent), I was searching for a job, and was splitting time between my parents’ house and Kelsi’s. I spent time substitute teaching and eventually working fully part time at an incredible elementary school was some of the most passionate and incredible faculty. This was such a rewarding experience and I love you all at Rockford. However, in April I finally found full time employment in Knoxville. It took A LONG TIME, and so to celebrate Kelsi and I went to JC Holdway. As I continue to reflect, this is my 1A meal of the year, it was going to be number 1 but a second and much different celebratory meal will be second. As you can see, we celebrate with meals. This time at JC we kinda went all out. It was the best meal of my life. It was by far the most money I have ever spent on a meal and I did not regret a single cent. I don’t remember everything we had, but I remember it all being incredible. To be able to do that was such a blessing. Thank you so much to my parents for supporting me as I searched far and wide for a job, thank you to Kelsi for your patience while I was a broke boy and thank you to Jeni for taking a gamble on me. That meal was all of that being celebrated and it was done with the best food I have ever eaten. So it would be virtually impossible to beat…but I am going to have a 1B. Finding employment allowed Kelsi and I to being searching for a place to live. It started with us looking for places to rent and ended up with us owning a “whole damn house” – Kelsi. Our first night we had 1B…Marco’s pizza. A few hundred dollars less than JC. No tableside service. No fancy cocktail made by someone else. But the first of a lifetime of pizza Friday’s in our new home. That is something that could compete with JC Holdway. Marco’s may not be mentioned by Michelin like JC, but when shared in a place you can call home with the person you love most has to be the best meal of any year.

    If you have made it this far, yes we do accept housewarming gifts! Kidding, kinda. Love you all!!

  • I AM BACK HOMIES (JC Holdway Review)

    Hello Friends, it’s been a while. Back in April, Kelsi and I went out to celebrate finally getting full time employment since moving to Tennessee. We did this by going to the most delicious place in Knoxville, JC Holdway. This was our second time going (she has ditched me a few times to go), and it is a top 5 meal all time for me. It has been a while and I didn’t take many pictures, but I will do my best to recount. Also the best way to do JC (we haven’t done the chef’s tasting yet, and that’s probably the absolute best) is to do shared plates.

    One staple is the cornbread with sorghum butter. Just imagine your grandma is a James Beard Award winning chef. The cornbread was crispy and just moist enough while the butter had a bit sweetness and all of the elegance. I have gotten this both times we have gone and will get it everytime.

    I am not a big seafood guy but apparently in relationships you have to compromise. So we got the Tuna Crudo. I still don’t know what crudo is but it tasted fine.

    The main course was Osso Buco with mashed/whipped potatoes. Top 3 best things I have ever put in my mouth. The veal was so succulent and slid right off of the bone. My God it was magical. It was my first time having Veal and will not be the last. It just melted in your mouth but was oh so savory. Its 830 in the morning as I am writing this and I just want some veal.

    We also had some carrots, they were good.

    Last but certainly not least, the experience. Both times we have gone to JC, it has felt like we were the only patrons there despite the restaurant being completely full. You are taken care of like no other restaurant I have been to. I believe last time I wrote about JC, I said it was service as if Chick-Fil-A was a Five Star restaurant. This time was even better. David from North Dakota, Go BISON, was incredible. He felt like your best friend by the end of the night.

    If you can, go to JC Holdway. You won’t regret it, maybe a little when the bill comes, but it is worth the treat.