Flame Catering & Banquet Center Sizzles with the Addition of New Chef Gerry Wong

New Bern, NC, May 15, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Flame Catering and Banquet Center is excited to announce the appointment of Chef Gerry Fong on the culinary team alongside Flame Catering owner, Chef Smoke. Fong is a nationally respected and innovative chef with over a decade in the culinary industry. You may have most recently seen him on Food Network’s culinary competition show, Cutthroat Kitchen, Season 4 where he was crowned first place winner. The Chef Smoke and Chef Fong duo brings a new culinary spark to New Bern’s culinary scene – combining Southern Carolina cuisine with Southern Asian fusion.

Native to North Carolina, Chef Fong learned to cook helping his parents in their family-owned Chinese restaurants while growing up in Rockingham and Laurinburg. He attended college at UNC-Wilmington and followed his mother’s advice and pursued professional culinary training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Fong has spent career time in California at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay with Chef Brian Bistrong whose motto still rings true to Fong, ‘Perfection and integrity are the hallmarks of good cooking.’ He returned to North Carolina and cooked at Ashten’s in Southern Pines before landing in New Bern in January 2009 where Fong opened Persimmons. Like Chef Smoke, he has always loved the coast for its weather and hospitality. With New Bern as his home, Flame Catering and the partnership with Chef Smoke is an extension of that home for Chef Gerry Fong.

Adding to the excitement of having Fong join the culinary team, in early Summer 2015 Chef Fong and Flame Catering will be introducing a food truck to their already impressive food arsenal. Specializing in “Southern Asian Fusion” cuisine, Chef Fong will be heading up this first of its kind mobile food service in New Bern. Food truck popularity has taken off in recent years in many cities and Flame Catering is betting that the desire in New Bern for such convenience coupled with fine food for events will be equally desirable. Named “Craven Asian” the food truck will be mobile throughout Craven County in New Bern and be parked strategically based on the broadest popularity. Flame will also be offering the “Craven Asian” food truck for special events with Flame Catering’s extended special events menus.

Already the premiere catering company for Eastern North Carolina, Flame Catering looks forward to taking their successes to a new level with a phenomenal new array of blended menus. Chef Smoke and Chef Fong together are working through Spring and Summer 2015 to create and taste test new and enhanced menus. Customers and event clients for the Flame Catering and Banquet Center will begin to experience new dishes in late 2015 and on the menus of 2016 special events.

About The Flame Catering & Banquet Center:
Flame Catering and Banquet Center sets the standard for catering and event planning in New Bern, Havelock, Cherry Point, Jacksonville, Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores and Oriental plus other locations throughout Craven, Pamlico, Jones and Onslow Counties of North Carolina. A premiere venue and off premise catering company providing services for weddings, church events, family reunions, birthday and anniversary parties, business dinners, pharmaceutical luncheons, corporate events, nonprofit fundraisers, Marine Corps events and so much more.