The restaurant area of the Peachtree City Tennis Center was filled to capacity on June 21 for the live broadcast of the “F Word” cooking show where four Peachtree City police officers completed in a challenge featuring their culinary skills. Those skills will soon be tested in another cooking competition.
The cop cooking crew appearing on the live broadcast included Assistant Chief Stan Pye, Lt. Mark Brown, Det. Heather Scott and Cpl. Justin Mobley.
The Peachtree City team was barely beaten by the “Food Bosses” from Tennessee, with Slaw and Order receiving 30 plate preferences and the Food Bosses receiving 34 preferences from those sampling the meals.
“Thanks for everyone’s support and all the effort that went into hosting those great viewing parties,” Pye said after the show. “Knowing all that support was happening back home really helped us while on the show.”
The large crowd of approximately 100 supporters gathered at the tennis center were excitable and clearly excited with the appearance of the local cooking cops on live television.
“I think it’s wonderful. They like to cook and already compete here in grill-offs,” said Police Chief Janet Moon before the show aired, and who minutes later was one member of a packed house cheering on the culinary cops as the television camera panned the tennis center crowd of supporters and transmitted that joyous crowd shot to Los Angeles.
“I think (being on the show) fits in with our community policing model to show that we are people like the citizens are. What a better way to show community presence than to do some cooking and have fun,” said Moon.
The spirit of the moment was easily seen on the face and in the words of Mayor Vanessa Fleisch.
“It’s so cool. It’s just a wonderful thing for our community,” Fleisch said smiling. “There are people from across the county here to celebrate our wonderful officers doing something outside their comfort zone.”
Commenting on the trip to Los Angeles, Pye said, “The team members from ‘Slaw and Order’ wanted to take time to say how thankful we are for all the support our community has shown. While we were out in California, we kept receiving pictures and emails showing how the citizens came together and hosted not one, but several viewing parties. No one wanted to bring back a win for the city more than our team members. We gave it our best effort for sure.”
Pye said the experience was amazing, adding that cooking in that environment was amazing and far different than cooking at home.
“Chef Gordon Ramsay is truly a wonderful person to meet and his passion for his craft is easily seen,” said Pye. “We were very impressed with the professional way in which we were treated. All the production staff offered nothing but amazement in how our community came together to support the police department. We were informed that there had not been that level of support for any team, since the show premiered back in May.”
Win or lose, there is more to the story for the gastronomical group of culinary cops whose next stop will be on the Alabama coast.
“Once the show was over, we were approached by the CEO of the World Food Championship competition and were extended an invitation to compete in the 2017 event, hosted in Orange Beach, Ala., in November,” said Pye. “So we will have another chance to show off our great city.”
Fleisch during the event at the tennis center was quick to point out that the food and drinks were donated by local businesses.
