Chef Bob cooks up something good

......................................Chef Bob Cooks up Something Good By Leigh Bratina

Southern cooking is just one more reason to pay a visit to the antique shopping meca, The Trussville Antique Mall. Sure, you could spend hours shopping the rooms upon rooms of antiques, but it is the food there that takes center stage. It was what my parents, cousin Sandie and I came for on this particular day. The Trussville Cafe is located in the center of the antique mall and is headed by local favorite, "Chef Bob". Southern cooking is an art form, and Chef Bob certainly knows his medium. His dished are piled high in flavor and served buffet style. The Buffet, $7.95, includes your choice of entrees, salad bar, vegetables and desserts. The food was very good, the only thing I would change would be to add a bit more "kick" to the mexican cornbread (in the form of jalepeno peppers). That , though, is a personal opinion and I know not everyone would agree to it.
Chef Bob, who is actually Robert "Bob" Vaningan, has owned his own catering company since 1996, and has been the creator of such recognizable eating establishments as The Ole Springville Bakery and The Chocolate Cottage, among others. But is at the Trussville Cafe where you can find his flair for southern cuisine style cooking evident. Chef Bob is also a regular guest Chef on Fox 6 Good Day Alabama show every Tuesday Morning at 8:45 am for the past 12 years. His segments on the Birmingham Fox 6 morning show, "Good Day, Alabama!", are viewed regularly by his many fans (including my mother) throughout the state of Alabama.
Chef Bob has his own web site that is just brimming with information on his cafe, cookbooks (he is currently working on his follow up), catering information and his new venture, "CBU", which is Chef Bob University.

(More information on this venture-CBU- will be updated onto the blog as I receive more info on this myself)
If you see Chef Bob, introduce yourself. He is a very kind, humorous man that seemed to enjoy receiving feedback on his food and seeing that his customers are happy and satisfied. He was very nice and accommodating to me. His place was packed and he continually was bringing out fresh, hot dishes to the buffet, yet he still stopped to chat for a moment and allow me to take a picture before going back into the kitchen. I can tell you this, with Chef Bob in the kitchen, satisfaction is guaranteed.

Chefbob.com
Deep-South Cooking. "Best Southern food in town"
Catering for over 25 years
cakes, pies and desserts from scratch
147 N Chalkville Mt Road
Trussville, Alabama 35173