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Inqlings: Chesney, once more at the Linc

Tom Pizzica stars in Food Network's "Outrageous Food."

By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist

Posted: November 04, 2010

For the fourth time in five years, Kenny Chesney has a date to play Lincoln Financial Field.

It's a ways out: June 18, as he headlines with Zac Brown Band, and Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker will open. Tickets ($25 to $200) will go on sale Nov. 20 through Ticketmaster and PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

Chesney's three previous Linc dates were sellouts. He took a break from the stadium tours this year to cut an album and produce The Boys of Fall, a documentary about high school football.

Chew on this

On the new Food Network series Outrageous Food, premiering at 10 p.m. Friday, chef Tom Pizzica goes to extremes: corn-on-the-cob-flavored ice cream, 60-inch pizzas, and $175 burgers made with Kobe beef, black truffles, and foie gras.

Pizzica, 32, the funny-guy finalist on the last Next Food Network Star, is proof that a Food Network-er can come from humble roots. His career started with a plate of fried eggs, and he met his future wife at the Outback on Ridge Pike in Conshohocken. Pizzica was born in Norristown, lived in Ardmore, and spent much of his childhood off Route 352 near West Chester.

He says that one morning when he was 7, his CPA mother was off to the airport and his stepdad was sleeping. "I was hungry, so I just fried up some eggs and bacon and put on some toast," Pizzica said. When his mom walked in - the airline ticket she wanted to buy at the counter was too expensive, he said - "I was sitting there, dipping my toast."

Pizzica cooked through high school (Malvern Prep) but gave it up for college (George Washington University). While he was living in Delaware County and waiting tables, hostess Rachel Shinfeld caught his eye. They moved to San Francisco, where he enrolled in culinary school. They were married this year - one of many couples who hooked up at that Outback, he said. She owns a flower shop.

He employs the same approach to eating and cooking: "I don't have fear. What's the worst that can happen? It doesn't taste good?"

Briefly noted

Parx Casino in Bensalem has booked Kevin Dillon (Johnny Drama on Entourage) to walk the red carpet about 9 p.m. Friday to help with the debut of its poker room. At 6 p.m. next Thursday, Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are expected at the casino as Philadelphia Style mag celebrates its men's issue.

NBC10's Renee Chenault-Fattah will lead Saturday's PurpleStride Philadelphia, a 5K walk and run for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park. Details: www.purplestride.org.

Citing family illness, Charo has bowed out of the production of the new Girl Talk: The Musical, which is playing the Kimmel Center Nov. 16 to 21.

Cash and carry

The doomed Spectrum, whose contents are being sold at rememberthespectrum.com, will be open Saturday for scavengers who can take remaining chairs, office equipment, and collectibles - anything they can carry out without tools or carts. (See the booty on publicist Ike Richman's Facebook page.) The $25 admission includes a special Spectrum crystal. Show up at 8 a.m. for tickets; hours will be 9 a.m. to noon.

Contact columnist Michael Klein at mklein@phillynews.com. Follow his blog at http://go.philly.com/insider and on Twitter @phillyinsider.