CHEF PROFILE 18

CHEF PROFILE

Iraj Fernando

Southern Food Service Management

431, Office Park Drive Birmingham, Alabama Birthplace: Sri Lanka

Current Position:

Senior Executive Chef

First Foodservice Job: Dishwasher for a few hours, then moved to Prep cook at Lettuce Entertain. ( Fritz, That’s it) 1981. Favorite Food: Sri lankan, Mexican, Italian, Puerto Rican. Simple comfort foods and what they’ve been cooking. Family style. Awards/Honors: Southern Food, Chef of the year- Two years Finalist. Semi finalist. FSD Chef Council Member.

Memorable Customers: (Everyone I’ve fed in) 40 years; and one named Michael Jordan.

Worst Part of Job: When efforts go wasted, developing teaching young culinarians. Fundamental never been taught. Most Humorous Kitchen Mishap: I am making two gallons of marinara sauce to feed hundreds waiting to eat on my first day of serving cooperative cafe luncheon. Favorite Food to prepare: Any homwestyle, regional, or global. Keep the flavor integrity and follow the method.

What part of the job gives the most pleasure: The kitchen team comes together to make the best meal possible for your patron. It is finding a passionate team It’s hard work. Preparing food is sacred. It is dealt with with respect. If you couldn’t be a chef, what would you be? Musician, a guy behind boards a roadie as a Recording Engineer. Food - Art - composer - Music goes hand in hand. Food is all about creating. Something can not teach. It is in you. Best advice you ever got was...So many great ones are teaching quotes: Wayne Dyer to my parents: “Find a way to do it!” – From my family, wife and daughter: “You can do it!” Where do you like to vacation? San Miguel de Allende What do you enjoy most about FIN? Industry News and Trends - People Your greatest culinary influence: Chef Jacques Pépin

TravelCenters of America Inc. Acquires Two Travel Center Locations for $45 Million

TravelCenters of America Inc. (Nasdaq: announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of two travel center locations for $45 million. Located along the Interstate 81 corridor in Virginia, Petro Raphine and TA Lexington have been successful TA franchise locations since 2011. TA expects to realize significantly more cashflow from owning these locations than as franchise locations and forecasts these locations will generate approximately $9.0 million of site-level EBITDA in 2023.

The Petro Raphine site is currently under renovation to add 170 new truck parking spaces and greatly expand existing retail space. Following the renovation, which is anticipated to be completed this summer, Petro Raphine is expected to be one of the nation’s largest travel centers based on its nearly 900 truck parking spaces. Dave Anderson and Steven Schussler, founders of Famous Dave's and Rainforest Café respectively, are partnering to open a pizzeria in Minneapolis, Dave and Steve's Big Dreams Pizza, according to a report in the Star Tribune. The restaurant will offer Chicago tavern-style pizza with a butterkissed crust. It has a very crispy, crunchy, golden crust," Anderson told the news outlet. "It's the perfect foundation for sauce and cheese and toppings." The pair plan to open in a now defunct drive-in in hopes of eventually franchising. Neither are active in the concepts they founded. And the name? It all goes back to their roots of starting dreams. "Both of us never gave up," Anderson told the news outlet. "We always had big dreams."

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