"Western North Carolina is an established tourist destination with ski slopes, hiking trails, scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway, national and state parks, and numerous other recreational offerings. The region is also a popular real-estate mecca for retirees and vacation home buyers. These factors, combined with the local food movement that has grown up around the cultural communities in Asheville, Boone, and Blowing Rock, are a welcoming environment for fine dining and an irresistible attraction for a number of remarkable chefs. In 'Chefs of the Mountains, ' restaurant reviewer and food critic John Batchelor profiles more than 40 well-established and up-and-coming chefs from the region. Drawing from personal interviews, Batchelor reveals each chef's cooking philosophy, influences, and personality. Each profile also includes a description of the restaurant, its ambiance, and sample menu items; color photographs of the chef, restaurant, and food; and recipes from each chef such as Fried Green Tomatoes, Chocolate Steak, Prosciutto-Stuffed Pork Chops, Grilled Bison, Cornmeal-Crusted Trout, Jicama-Crusted Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp and Grits, Blueberry Semi Freddo, and Avocado-Jalapeno Ice Cream formatted and tested for home cooks."--Publisher description.