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COLLUCCI BROS. MEATLOAF

By GWENN FRISS FOOD EDITOR HYANNIS - Cape Cod Times

Rocco and Jack Collucci had been told the Food Network crew was filming their South Street restaurant for a show on American diners.

So when TV chef Bobby Flay showed up at Collucci Bros. Diner yesterday morning, they thought that maybe he had stopped by to film a brief segment for the new show.

Wrong.

Flay was there to challenge the locals to a meatloaf cookoff for his Food Network show, “Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.”

Flay has had four shows on the Food Network and a regular spot on “The Early Show” on CBS. The author of a half-dozen cookbooks, including “Bold American Food” and “Boy Gets Grill,” he is also a restaurateur with Bob, Mesa Grill and Bar Americain in New York and a Mesa Grill in Las Vegas.

The celebrity chef’s visit was news to everyone except the Food Network crew and producers, who travel around the country setting up these surprise food challenges after their research staffers locate restaurants well-known for a particular food.

Collucci Bros. Diner specializes in comfort food, calories be darned. Their top sellers are meatloaf, American chop suey and Italian home fries, made with sweet Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, onions and cheese.

“This is one of the best places we’ve been because these guys are like diners personified. These are the people you look for when you’ve been driving and you just want to stop for a break,” said a Food Network associate producer, who declined to give his name because his ability to set up surprise food competitions depends on secrecy.

Despite the shock of the challenge, Rocco said, he and his brother were not camera shy because they had cooked on local cable shows several times and for an episode of PBS’ “Victory Garden.”

“The cameras weren’t the issue,” he said. “Bobby was the issue.”

With the diner’s executive chef, Adam Ryder of Hyannis, in tow, the diner’s owners set up their meatloaf-making operation on the counter near Flay, who showed up with his own ingredients.

The diner had been closed to the public yesterday morning, on the premise that family and friends would gather to celebrate the 65th birthday of family patriarch, John Collucci (who did have a birthday), while Food Network filmed for local flavor. The guests now had front-row seats to what Flay described as a “very spirited” cookoff. John Collucci is credited with providing the family recipe, which is closely guarded.

“This is really about the people. The people behind the food make it a good show. And these guys have lots of personality and confidence,” Flay said.

After the cooking was well under way, the judges showed up for the blind taste test. Deciding the case of Flay vs. Colluccis or New York vs. Cape Cod, were Phantom Gourmet Dave Andelman and Centerville resident Richard Meade, owner of Storen Communications which provides Web site directories for restaurants, golf courses and other venues. A first-time food critic, Meade figures the show tapped him because of one of his sites, www.capecodrestaurants.com.

“It was fun, but the camera was right there in my face while we were tasting. It was nerve-wracking,” said Meade, who only had time to say a quick hello to Flay.

Meade didn’t even have time to get a cookbook signed for his wife, Hyannis West Elementary teacher Tern Meade, before Flay headed back to New York after a 12-hour visit to the Cape.

The winner of the meatloaf throwdown won’t be announced until the show airs sometime next month.

But Flay had a parting compliment for his competitors.

“I liked the crustiness of their top. The sugar in the ketchup caramelizes to give it that texture.”

Gwenn Friss can be reached at gfriss@capecodonline.com.
(Published: January 17, 2007)
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