Credit: Mary Elizabeth Robertson/The News Herald
Robin Burns is one of the original five siblings to work and operate Tex's Fish Camp. Forty years later, Burns still cooks the fish served at Tex's Fish Camp.
CONNELLY SPRINGS --
Hugs are the standard greeting at this restaurant. Instead of asking ?how many are in your party,? the host asks where the rest of your family is.
It?s obvious things are done differently at Tex?s Fish Camp.
?Tex is my brother ? my brother and mom and dad built this place,? Jeanne Wade said.
Wade is one of 10 children to Tom and Bernese Burns, the original owners of Tex?s Fish Camp.
?When his (Tom?s) health started to decline, he wanted to make sure he had a livelihood. He asked my uncle Tex if he would run it,? Tamika Garrison said.
Garrison is one of 24 grandchildren of the Burns and has worked at Tex?s Fish Cam, which opened Sept. 5, 1972, for 19 years.
?It?s been a life-long job for our family,? Wade said. ?We?ve been extremely blessed.?
Of the Burns 10 children, five who worked at the restaurant when it first opened its doors still work there.
Over the years, few changes have been made to the restaurant.
?We?ve had to change our menu to include $5 plates and baskets. We don?t (age) restrict for child?s plates,? Wade said. ?There?s something on the menu everyone can afford.?
More food options have been added over the years to include scratch-made, home-cooking options.
?The menu has quadrupled,? Jackie Crump said. ?We?ve had to adapt our menu because of health concerns. We fry in cholesterol-free oil.?
Wade and Crump?s brother, Robin Burns, has cooked the fish almost every day.
Garrison said Robin lived by one rule.
?If there?s a doubt, throw it out. He has been known to purchase a whole flounder, if he cooked it and it wasn?t what he wanted to serve, he?d throw the whole thing out,? she said.
The family has leaned the importance of good food over the years.
?We learned that quality is first,? Wade said.
Since 1972, Tex?s Fish Camp has become a fixture in the community, as it has served as over 230 community member?s first job, the staff estimates.
The family atmosphere of the restaurant is what keeps customers coming back.
?Our customers do become like family,? Garrison said. ?A couple years ago, my grandmother had a stroke. Even some of our customers came to check on her and help.?
Garrison?s grandmother worked at Tex?s Fish Camp until she was 86.
Garrison said she greatly valued the time she was able to spend with her grandmother.
?I couldn?t trade the time I?ve spent with my grandmother and my family,? she said.
Sometimes working with family can cause bitterness and resentment, however at Tex?s Fish Camp, the family has never run into that problem.
?We don?t always agree on everything,? Wade said. ?Our mother taught us if you have respect for others, you can disagree without arguing. We get along because we like each other and second, out of respect for her.?
?
?
?
?
Source: http://www2.morganton.com/news/2012/oct/07/fish-camp-serves-home-cookin-family-values-ar-2671482/
sugar bowl mild kidney failure presidential candidates celebrity wife swap gla republican candidates mike martz
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.