Comments on: More Sweet Scuttlebutt – “Top Chef” contestant Carla Hall Looking at Spaces in Columbia Heights

By: peaceyall

peaceyall — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:54:17 +0000

i went to the top chef tour this morning at marie reed on 18th st in adams morgan. it was awesome! spike and carla were both there doing cooking demos, but really it was all about getting to see them up close and in person and them entertaining the audience. i got to ask carla about spaces she was looking at, and she’s considering columbia heights. i suggested georgia ave as a great location and she said she’s looking at georgia and new hampshire, among other places in columbia heights, so that was great to hear! please pick georgia ave!!!

By: Jen

Jen — Sun, 03 May 2009 20:59:29 +0000

Carla, please come to the heights! You are now my inspiration to be in the culinary career.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:05:37 +0000

@ WDC. I understand your point, but I think you’re lumping all caterers into one bowl. A catering company the size of Design Cuisine or Ridgewells should probably operate in the suburbs because of the need for ample space for parking and deliveries. Carla, on the other hand, is far from, as you put it, an industrial operation. She runs a small, boutique catering company with one van. I don’t think Carla would be looking to locate in the city…in a neighborhood…unless she saw herself as being an active part of it. As I said above, she has ideas of doing more with the space than just catering. One of the things she’d like to do is expand her line of petite sweet and savory cookies. That could become part of the retail part of her space. We’ll see.

No slight to Alexandria, but are people really flocking there when for stuff to do?

By: labgirl

labgirl — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:12:14 +0000

Oh, my. Carla I’m feeling the love!

By: WDC

WDC — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:44:47 +0000

Given what Matthew just said, it doesn’t sound like such a good fit after all. We want businesses that will increase foot traffic, and give us things to do in our own neighborhood so’s we don’t have to go to Alexandria for them. We do NOT want businesses that give us nothing more than double-parked delivery vans. Caterers belong on the outskirts. Not in the pedestrian centers. I can’t imagine any business would pay retail real estate prices for an industrial operation.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:48:55 +0000

Oh please let this be true!!

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:26:48 +0000

FYI. It is true that Carla is looking around DC for space (she’s presently in Wheaton), but hasn’t decided on a location or neighborhood. She’s not actually looking to do a cooking school. Her primary thought is to have space to house her catering kitchen and feature “retail” space where she could have a chef’s table. The chef’s table feature is about as close to a restaurant experience you’ll get from Carla. The new space could/would also be used for occasional cooking classes. Classes, however, is not the principal driver for her search for new space.

FYI, it’s Alchemy Caterers, not catering.

By: peaceyall

peaceyall — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:26:20 +0000

GA ave near the GA metro needs some love. I’d hate it if that area turned into CH metro – all commercialized and no character.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:24:12 +0000

I bet the Rachel above who clams not to know Carla is actually Rachel Ray just being catty.

By: Bradford

Bradford — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:58:20 +0000

Hootie Hoo!