Chattanooga Has Fun 2.5

2553 Life Style Way
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: (423) 893-5237
Fax: (423) 499-4380
Website: Melting Pot

A number of incredible things come from Switzerland. For example: Heidi, the Red Cross, and FONDUE! That’s right…fondue. Lucky for Chattanoogans, too, since we just got our very own fondue restaurant—The Melting Pot!

Now, surely you know what fondue is. But here’s a quick lesson just in case. Fondue is a communal dish shared from an earthenware dish heated by a small burner. Small forks are used to dip bits of food into a semi-liquid sauce (or oil depending on what you’re fondue-ing).

Since fondue is a communal dish, there is a specific etiquette. A person who allows their tongue or lips to touch the fondue fork is considered rude. A dinner fork should be used to remove a piece of meat from the fondue fork once it has been cooked, and most importantly—no double dipping! The Swiss have a tradition involving fondue. If a man loses a bit in the fondue pot, he is responsible for buying the next bottle of wine. If a woman loses a bit, she should kiss the man to her left.

The first Melting Pot restaurant opened just outside Orlando in April of 1975 with just three items on the menu: Swiss cheese fondue, beef fondue, and chocolate fondue. As the restaurant’s popularity grew, so did its menu. You can now order anything from a vegetarian entrée which includes artichoke hearts, asparagus, and Thai marinated tofu to “The French Quarter” and entrées comprised of filet mignon, chicken breast and shrimp, seasoned with Cajun spices and served with andouille sausage. There are now more than 140 Melting Pot restaurants in more than 35 states and a location opening soon in Canada.

What brings The Melting Pot to Chattanooga? Owners Thane and Michelle Rice discovered the Chattanooga market was available for franchise expansion, and felt the community was ripe for this type of dining experience. “[We] wanted to share the Melting Pot in a vibrant community,” says Michelle.

It was May of 2007 when the Rices began The Melting Pot’s extensive franchising process. Says Michelle, “The Melting Pot requires one of the most extensive hospitality training experiences today. The franchising center requires a minimum of 60-120 days of onsite training that includes all areas of hospitality, and the typical franchising process takes a minimum of one year.“

Late in 2009, Chattanoogans began swarming into The Melting Pot to discover fondue dining at its finest. “It is our privilege to ensure that every guest has the opportunity to dip into something different every time they visit a Melting Pot,” enthuses Michelle.

“We have an extensive four-course menu, including cheese fondue, gourmet salads, entrée fondue, and our famous chocolate fondue. Our menu offers a wide variety of main course options, including a choice of four flavorful cooking styles. We strive to always have the best premium cuts of beef, chicken, lobster and shrimp. The Melting Pot experience is unlike any other available in Chattanooga, from our hospitality specialists to our servers and bartenders, we produce the perfect night out time and time again.”

Michelle tells us that the most popular item right now is “The Big Night Out.” She explains, “‘The Big Night Out’ begins with cheese fondue. then transitions to a gourmet salad while we prepare the selected cooking style and main-course selections, and finishes with one of our famous chocolate fondues.”

The Melting Pot has exciting events happening year-round. “‘Ladies Night Out’ occurs periodically during the year. Ladies can join us for cheese fondue, salad, and chocolate fondue for $29 per person, including a glass of wine or select specialty cocktails. There’s a petite entree available for an additional $7,”

No matter what you choose, The Melting Pot is sure to charm you. But you’d better be sure to call ahead…you’re going to need reservations!

The Melting Pot, 2553 Lifestyle Way, near H.H. Gregg. Hours of operation are Mon-Wed 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Thu-Sat 4 p.m.– 11 p.m., and Sun Noon-10 p.m. (423) 893-5237.