DUCK, N.C. - In just a few short weeks, longtime Outer Banks chef Wes Stepp expects to see more foot traffic in his two Duck restaurants. But he's also hoping to reach summer tourists in their own homes.
News 3 first visited Stepp's restaurants, Red Sky Casual Dining & Cocktails (then Red Sky Cafe) and NC Coast Grill & Bar in 2020. At the time, NC Coast had only open a few months prior before COVID-19 regulations shut down indoor dining.
Four years later, Stepp — known as "The OBX Chef" — says both are doing well.
Red Sky's interior is brighter, from a project done during the pandemic, and the dining area can see right into the kitchen, where Stepp and his chefs prepare healthy, delicious dishes from his Tastefully Fit menu. A prep area off the kitchen is where his team fulfills orders for Red Sky Catering.
Stepp tells News 3 that, right now, he's focused on growing that part of the business and his Chefs on Call venture, which brings his team of chefs into local homes to cook for the people staying there.
"[It's] more opportunities not only for you to come to our place and enjoy yourself, but for us to be invited to yours gives us a whole new angle of what it’s like to be pampered and taken care of," he said.
During the busiest months of the year, Stepp says he employs around 125 people total. Many work at Red Sky and NC Coast, helping prepare the latter's globally-inspired menu combined with southern nouveau cuisine.
As the summer season approaches, Stepp tells News 3 the volume of tourists increased during the pandemic. Following reports that tourism numbers slightly declined to start the year, Stepp says he isn't worried.
"I'm actually looking forward to people being taken care of a bit better, you know what I mean? Because there's not just the volume of people, so we're looking at it as a strategic opportunity," he said.
For those that do come, Stepp loves when they opt for a taste of a little bit of everything at NC Coast.
"One of my favorite ways to eat is to not pick out one dish the chef focuses on. One of our most popular items on the menu here is the board. It’s called The Chef’s Board," he said.
During a recent visit, News 3's Anthony Sabella and Samuel King got a taste of a lunch 'tapas-style' Chef's Board, featuring tempura-battered fish, shrimp and grits, fried crab cakes, oysters, street tacos and more.
Click HERE to learn more about Chef Wes Stepp, his restaurants and other Outer Banks-based businesses.
