Meeting Michael Symon

July 20, 2017 Diane Schmidt

The Chew is one of my fave shows. So when Giant Eagle contacted me to see if I would be interested in meeting Michael Symon and checking out the new Market District in Solon, Ohio, of course I said yes!

My whole family loves Michael Symon and Giant Eagle was kind enough to let me bring my Michael Symon super fans with me, Janet, Jeremy and my son Cam. In a word, I have to say, I was starstruck when I met Michael. In person, he is as warm and friendly as he is on television. We had the chance to sit down and talk with him about his favorite recipes, restaurants and more. My mother-in-law, Janet, loves to cook, so meeting Michael was a really special treat. She kidded Michael saying "My grandson Cam used to love my hamburgers the most until he went to B-Spot!" Michael thought that was funny.

During the conversation he told us his that son is a vegan. I noted the irony as I looked at his awesome cookbook "Carnivore", which is chockful of awesome meat recipes.

My question to him was if he was going to come out with an Italian or Greek cookbook. He had talked about how his mom is Sicilian (my grandmother was Sicialian too!). He said while his cooking is inspired by his parents and grandparents, he won't be coming out with a cookbook based on either type of cooking.

After, we got photos with Michael!

Later that morning, we were invited to attend a cooking demonstration and Michael made a every delicious Sloppy Joe recipe. We got to try the Sloppy Joes afterwards, delish! It was so awesome to be a part of this cooking show and it made me want to see a taping of The Chew.

And I wanted to tell you all that he has a new cookbook coming out in September, which will be called "5 in 5". The book will contain recipes with five ingredients and take apx. five minutes to make. So be sure to definitely check that out!

After the cooking demonstation, we toured Market District. I have to say, it is a beautiful store, as you can see in the photos below. It was packed with shoppers for the grand opening. We had so much fun seeing all the gourmet options not typically found in traditional grocery stores.

Dry aged beef

Their bakery is amazing! Look at these desserts-

I loved all the organic options, as I am working on losing weight. All the healthy options were fantastic.

A great selection of bulk spices-

Other store features:

A bounty of garden fresh produce that features domestic, specialty, regionally grown and seasonal fruits and vegetables, including more than 120 organic varieties.
A gourmet burger station which features perfectly grilled, delicious hamburgers made from meat fresh ground in-store by our butchers, with housemade burger sauce and hand-cut french fries. Try our house special: Solon Burger with smoked Gouda cheese and pepper smoked bacon, $5.99.
Curbside Express enables online grocery ordering atMarketDistrict.com/Curbside and provides a flexible schedule for easy pickup at the front of the store. Market District Team Members act as personal shoppers, carefully select the items on the grocery list and bring them to the store’s dedicated outside Curbside Express Pick-Up vehicle lane on the selected date and time. Customers are able to pay for their order without leaving their car, while Team Members load their items into the vehicle.
A sweet shop features the finest hand-dipped chocolate novelties, gourmet confections and nostalgic candy classics like Necco Wafers and Pixie Stix, as well as fresh-roasted nuts, hand-dipped caramel apples, just-spun cotton candy and fresh, homemade kettle corn.
A smoke and fire slow-roasting rotisserie includes fire-grilled, juicy roasted meats, ribs, chicken and more.
A variety of hot and cold food bars feature a smorgasbord of home-style favorites, authentic international dishes, spicy wings, garden-fresh vegetables and gourmet toppings.
Market District sushi chefs transform fresh seafood into classic Japanese maki rolls, nigiri, sashimi, and bento with organic rice.
An artisan cheese shop offers 400-plus handcrafted domestic and imported cheeses, including fresh hand wrapped mozzarella, goat & sheep’s milk cheeses from Europe & the Americas and an array of enticing Goudas, Blue’s and mountain cheeses.
Market District offers our very own in house roasted meats, as well as the finest in charcuterie, showcasing imported cured meats from Italy and Spain, unique artisan products such as Fra’ Mani Handcrafted Salumi and La Quercia from Iowa. Our Delicatessens take particular pride in the roasting, smoking and curing process. Choose from our NYC style corned beef, pastrami & brisket, our famous roasted turkey breast or smoked turkey breast, or good old fashioned roast beef. We think you won’t find a better alternative.
Expertly selected and cut fresh meat and seafood, including dry-aged beef, chicken sausage made in-store, hard-to-find meats such as grass-fed beef, bison and game, Nature’s Basket antibiotic free meats and poultry and more; high-quality seafood from sustainable sources such as Alaska salmon and Gulf of Maine cod; a wide assortment of shellfish, including wild American shrimp, jumbo sea scallops, live clams, oysters and lobsters; and salmon burgers, crab-stuffed salmon and jumbo lump crab cakes.
A cornucopia of international foods with more than 10,000 natural and organic items, international items and unique specialty groceries.
A bulk foods section that includes 12 varieties of olive oil and vinegars, 28 varieties of teas, 48 spices and more than 60 bulk foods items, including rice/beans/grains, nut meats, granola/cereals, dried fruit, trail/party mixes and confectionary.
Straight-from-the-hearth artisan breads, crafted at dawn and baked fresh daily alongside made-from-scratch cookies and donuts, as well as boiled and hearth-baked bagels.
A beverage bar with coffee roasted on site to brew frothy cappuccinos and creamy lattes, seasonal specialty drinks, mulled cider, eggnog and fruit smoothies made with fresh-squeezed juices.
An ongoing schedule of in-store events to entertain and educate shoppers, including live music and daily cooking demonstrations from resident and celebrity chefs.
A spacious and inviting in-store restaurant featuring free Wi-Fi and real tableware.
A beer and wine store with more than 1,800 wines from around the world and a selection of more than 800 beers to enjoy with a delicious Market District meal. In addition, a full state liquor agency carries more than 1,000 spirits.
An expanded health, beauty and wellness department filled with natural and organic cosmetics, vitamins, supplements and personal care products, and staffed with a licensed skin care professional and a licensed dietitian conducting ongoing wellness events and activities.

Be sure to check out the new Market District in Solon, Ohio. It is located at 34310 Aurora Road. It really is an incredible store.

I want to give a big thank you to Giant Eagle for this awesome, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and talk with Michael Symon!