After making it to the top 24, competing against other competitors from across the state and cooking her heart out, Fayetteville native Peggy Walker's journey as a Own Your Own contestant has come to an end.
Walker traveled to Brugaw, NC to compete in a cookoff in the Own Your Own restaurant competition, a competition designed to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to open new businesses and revitalize small towns across America, starting with Burgaw, North Carolina. OYO launched nationwide this past January attracting chefs froma all backgrounds for their chance to win a 3,000-sq. ft. space in Burgaw and a $1,000,000 budget to design and build their own restaurant.
The opportunity attracted 500 applicants from 26 states and due to the overwhelming response.
Partnered with her father, Ken J. Bush as her Sous Chef, Walker created items from the menu of her future restaurant idea “Annie Girls” Breakfast and Lunch. The menu includes Maryland style jumbo lump crab cake, shrimp and grits, creme brulee french toast and more.
After being judged by a panel of local judges, it was decided that she wouldn’t be moving on to the final rounds. However, Walker will continue to provide her delicious food Fayetteville residents through her business “Gimmie Sugar” a Fayetteville based business which specializes in custom cakes, custom cupcakes, candy bar buffets, event planning and design and more.
Keep up with Walker here and see how the rest of the competition panned out here.
Editor's Note: This is a developing story, the GFBJ plans to continue to follow Walker and her OYO journey.
This is the first year of the Veteran Business Expo, and it grew out of Fayetteville PWC’s Economic Impact Program, which focuses on expanding access and opportunity in public-sector contracting while strengthening the local economy. It builds off th
Lynlene Apiary and Crafts is owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Carolyn Kleinert and Jolene Kleinert. They are certified apiarists and sell honey, candles made with beeswax, soaps and other crafts at local farmers markets. Photos by GFBJ.Lynle
Big T’s has been a local favorite of Hope Mills since 2000 when Timmy (Big T) and Donna Gray first opened right on Hope Mills Lake. It is a seasonal restaurant, so many of Big T’s loyal customers were happy to hear they would now be open year-round, seven days a week.
