55 South Is On Fieri- To Debut Dec. 30th

By Clark Shelton

UPDATE: 12.27.13

“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”  will debut the episode they taped at  55 South at 9:00 p.m. on Monday night Dec. 30th. 55 South will be celebrating with $5 margaritas and the show will be  played on their big screens at the bar. We encourage everyone to come down and watch the show with the Williamson Source as Chef McConnell’s restaurant and Franklin’s Historic Main Street make their debut on The Food Network.

Original article: 10.31.13

 “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” is a favorite show of many on the Food Network. Last week and early this week, Chef Guy Fieri brought his red 1967 Chevy Camaro Super Sport, and his camera crew to Downtown Franklin’s 55 South to tape a segment for the show. 55 South , one of Chef Jason’s McConnell’s 3 restaurants downtown, has become a favorite place for tourists and locals alike.

This writer was fortunate enough to be invited to Monday’s taping and it was a unique experience. Although Guy wasn’t there for this particular taping, seeing how the show was produced was quite a treat. As a member of the “Oyster Club” at 55 South, I was interviewed as I showed my prowess at oyster eating. For those that don’t know about the “Oyster Club”,  participants try to eat a minimum of 10 dozen oysters in 30 minutes ( 12 dozen in 26 minutes for this writer). Many of Chef McConnell’s signature dishes were enjoyed by the group including jambalaya, gumbo, garlic and parmesan grilled oysters and a variety of libations.

Taping wrapped on Tuesday, and both 55 South and it’s sister restaurant Cork and Cow are now re-opened to the public. Chef McConnell wanted to thank all his customers for their patience during the taping, and is excited to see Downtown Franklin and his restaurant featured on the show in the future. McConnell invites folks to come by and see Guy’s unique signature on the wall at 55 South.

Follow us on Facebook or  @Williamsonsrc on Twitter for info on when the show will be aired.