Wilmington chef discusses restaurant challenges, encourages diners to eat local

When Josh Petty opened Cast Iron Kitchen in 2016, he thought it was the ideal next step -- one that allowed him to bring the culinary skills he acquired in Charleston and Raleigh to the Wilmington breakfast-and-brunch scene, Petty’s wife Drea joined him in the venture full-time and even his daughter helps out at the host stand.

“It’s Southern style farm to table breakfast,” he said, and attracted attention from Guy Fieri for his “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” Food Network show in 2018.

But the Pettys, and other local restaurateurs, have struggled in recent years. The pandemic was difficult. There have been higher food prices and a tough labor market. Even search engines and review sites have been challenging to deal with, they said. And Cast Iron Kitchen’s location on Market Street in the Porters Neck area has the additional hurdle of road construction, which still isn’t completed.

“We feel cut off,” Josh Petty said.

They’re stressed, frustrated and worry about their restaurant’s future.

“This is the scariest year we’ve had,” he said.

The Pettys say they get busy around 10 a.m. but aren’t full earlier or later. Last year, they tried adding a cocktail program on the evenings. More recently, in April, they briefly added dinner service. It was off to a good start.

“People loved it,” Drea Petty said.

Before it could gain momentum, though, they lost vital kitchen employees.

“I can’t do it by myself,” Josh Petty said. “This is even one of the first times we’ve ever been short in the front of the house.”

And Petty said there are only so many corners to cut. He doesn’t want to reduce the quality of ingredients or portion sizes. He believes in using fresh eggs and produce, and that it’s worth the effort to make sauces and corned beef in house.

He recently posted to social media about some of the challenges.

“We’re keeping it real,” the post read. “Times are tough and we’re feeling it, too...Let’s show the world the power of community by supporting local business.”

People responded and other chefs and restaurateurs reached out to commiserate.  The post was shared almost 150 times.

“We have gotten a lot of good support,” he said.

And, in the meantime, they’ll do what they do, focusing on making great food, including the Dirty South Biscuit – Fieri's favorite and still the No. 1 seller.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Cast Iron Kitchen restaurant and chef Josh Petty talk eating local