‘Monroe’s Biggest Idol’ IS The Frog Leg Inn’s Chef Tad Cousino!

Posted on 28 April 2008 under Chefs, Special Events

Executive Chef Tad Cousino of the Frog Leg Inn in Erie, Michigan won the Big Brothers/Big Sisters “Monroe’s Biggest Idol” competition Saturday evening at the Meyer Theater in the La-Z-Boy Conference Center at Monroe County Community College.

Yesterday afternoon, I found the winner on a John Deere lawnmower, happily mowing someone else’s lawn.

He described for me his performance of Billy Joel’s Piano Man: “I’ve sang in front of crowds many times, but I’ve never played piano while singing. But it was like my fingers were on auto-pilot … they knew what they were doing. I was just watching them doing the runs! All I had to do was focus on the singing.”

As to how he introduced his performance of Michael Boublet’s Home: “They could see most of a tuxedo, but I also had on my Chef’s coat. [It’s a thick white double-breasted linen with black piping.] I told the crowd how my wife had made me work during intermission! I removed the Chef’s coat, and the tuxedo jacket was underneath. They really liked that. I then asked if there were any Boublet fans in the audience, and after the cheering died down I said ‘I’m not’. That got a good laugh!”

Chef Tad has sang for years at Crossroads Community Church at both their older Temperance location and the church’s current location in Ottawa Lake southeast of exit #1 and US-23 in Michigan. With a Michigan Wine Dinner at his own restaurant last Thursday, a rehearsal on Friday and the “Monroe’s Biggest Idol” competition on Saturday, he’s been doing more than just burning the candle at both ends. Still, today he leaves town for a few days to attend a food show somewhere up north.

I hope at some point soon to be able to post video of Chef Tad’s winning performances at the 2008 Big Brothers/Big Sisters “Monroe’s Biggest Idol” competition.

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