Stinky?s Fish Camp

By Deborah Wheeler

When the annual Great Southern Gumbo Cookoff Critic?s Choice 1st Place award went to Stinky?s Fish Camp last Saturday, many asked, ?What is Stinky?s and where is it??
Stinky?s is not yet open, but it will be, hopefully by the end of February.
Stinky?s Fish Camp is a project of Chef Jim Richard, and the name is for a fishing lure, he said.
Many know Richard and his reputation in the local food industry. He was chef at Flamingo?s in Destin for six years. He opened Cuvee Beach as general manager and was there for a year. He has owned and operated Blue Mountain Catering since 1990, and he owned and operated The Lake Place Restaurant at Dune Allen for two-and-a-half years before it burned.
Since the fi re, Richard has served as executive chef at Zampieri?s Harbor Grille on Destin Harbor, which was recognized by Florida Trend Magazine as one of the 20 best new restaurants in the state for 2006. He will turn over those reins at the end of January to Chef Shane Quinlan, formerly of Poppy?s Seafood Factory. However, he will remain involved with Zampieri?s as culinary advisor.
?When I signed on with Zampieri?s it was for one year,? said Richard. ?It was always my intent to go back to Santa Rosa Beach and reopen The Lake Place.?
The landmark fi ne-dining restaurant will have to be rebuilt from the ground up, however. Completion is expected by this fall.
Meanwhile, Richard has bought Angelica?s Gift Chalet, a pink building that fronts the Lake Place property, where he will open Stinky?s Fish Camp by the end of February.
?Stinky?s will be the opposite end of the spectrum from The Lake Place,? said Richard. ?It will be a casual and fun seafood place.?
Stinky?s will serve lunch and dinner offerings of gumbo, fresh local seafood, oyster po? boys, steaks, crab legs, beer and wine, with a view overlooking Lake Allen. ?Quality based on a casual level,? he said.
Richard?s gumbo entry last weekend was to introduce the community to Stinky?s and its food. However, he said his gumbo entry is the same recipe he has served at all the restaurants where he has worked. That particular recipe is what he calls his ?seasonal fowl gumbo,? which is made with duck, turkey, chicken and andouille sausage served over rice.
?To win was great, exciting. It was a tough competition. I?m glad we were able to compete,? he said. Richard has also taken
the opportunity to introduce the community to food that will be served
at Stinky?s and The Lake Place through recent cooking seminars held at
Kitchenique at The Market Shops.