The village of Roan Mountain boasts a new restaurant, Champs Diner and Sweet Shop. The restaurant, which opened last October, offers an Italian cuisine as well as food from the grill, and a sweet shop.
Business partners Heidi Legg and Kristi Champion are excited about the future of the restaurant. “We have both been around the restaurant and catering business as we were growing up; I worked with my Aunt Georgia (Triplett) and learned much about the business from her,” said Legg.
“My family had a restaurant, and I got quite a bit of on-the-job-training there,” Champion added.
Legg, who grew up in Roan Mountain, ventured west to Fresno State in California where she studied Crime Analysis. She furthered her studies at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, and at Tiffin University in Ohio. She worked for a time as an investigator.
Eventually she found her way back home. “I wanted to come back home, and I wanted to open a restaurant and bring a different cuisine to Roan Mountain,” Legg said.
Champion, who studied counseling, sociology, and women’s studies, is a Valley Forge native and resident.
“My dad used to take me to Roan Mountain, so when we decided to open a restaurant, that just seemed a likely place,” Champion said.
Champs offers a variety of menu items, such as mushrooms stuffed with gourmet cheeses, a club sandwich with brown sugar, honey glazed turkey, maple flavored bacon, cheeses; fried green beans; herb crusted chicken; and Polpette, which is “authentic-Italian-style meatballs” made with succulent ground sirloin while marinated and infused with gourmet cheeses and locally grown herbs. Each meatball is hand formed and can be eaten alone or upon freshly made bowtie pasta. Every dish is homemade, even the fries and breads.
“We wanted an old diner feel, so we decorated in that manner, and we had my dad build a 36-foot long bar. Patrons may sit at the bar and watch as their food is being prepared. We also have tables where customers may sit,” Legg shared.
Both ladies are trained chefs; Legg is an executive chef, and Champion is a sous chef.
Champ’s waitresses include Paige Barnett and Betsy Buchanan.
Champion and Legg are looking to start a mentor program for young adults who are interested in culinary arts. They are considering partnering with Cloudland High School.
Champ’s ingredients are fresh, and the meals are prepared made-to-order. It will be worth the time to take a drive and sample the cuisine Champs has to offer.
The sweet shop has made to order sweets, such as doughnuts and cannolis, and they also do wedding cakes.
Champs is open during the winter months from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Summer hours are from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The restaurant is located on Main Street in Roan Mountain.