The Auburn area is accustomed to getting its fair share of famous athletes and celebrities from time to time between sporting events and university affairs. Just this last year we have had stars such as Cam Newton, Tim Tebow, Nick Jonas and Keshia Knight Pulliam visit our town. It's casual, we're a school in the SEC and we're used to this. Well, that's until a star decides to actually sit down and dine in one of our restaurants... That's just unheard of.
I have had the privilege of working at Hamilton's On Magnolia for a year now. On July 31, I decided to check my work Group Me for the daily updates. I was curious why there were multiple unread texts and began to scroll through until I saw the names Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn. The two had come in that evening to enjoy some fine dining after attending a screening of their new movie in Fort Benning, Ga. Did you read that right? These two guys were part of a spectacular up-and-coming movie and wanted to enjoy delicious, local food right here in Auburn. The news spread like wild fire, and it may be old news to whomever is reading this now but it has bothered me that no one has seemed to grip the actually neat part of the story.
(Head Chef Pat Gallagher with Vince Vaughn and Mel Gibson)
There have been many big name hits and numerous local families come and dine with us. No matter who the customer is, the feedback I always receive is that our food is consistently delicious, and our management and staff are superb. The servers I work with genuinely care about their customers' experience and our owners always greet us and customers with gratitude and kindness.
Before I started working at Hamilton's, you couldn't even get me to try seafood. Now, I will stare in amazement at anyone who hasn't tried our Old Faithful (Crab and Parmesan encrusted fish topped with lemon horseradish sauce, served with our house cheese grits and vegetable medley). The reason these two actors came to dine here was because word of mouth has traveled so far due to the excellent food and compelling management and staff. Shouldn't that be more important than Vince eating a filet?
The movie they were viewing is called Hacksaw Ridge (see trailer below). It focuses on the true story of Medal of Honor recipient, Private Desmond T. Doss. Doss was a young man who enlisted in the army without any intention of killing. Deeply rooted in his faith and beliefs, Doss could not overcome the commandment, "Thou Shall Not Kill." He became a medic while refusing to carry any guns or type of protection; this caused others to view him as a coward. Against strife and pain from his fellow soldiers, he kept true to who he was and eventually won the army over during his many heroic trips saving numerous injured soldiers. Doss became a highly decorated solider and highly respected because of his valiant actions.
The movie has an incredible story line and is based on a true inspiration. This is more of what I personally believed should have been showcased rather than the big names. In no way is this gearing disrespect toward the two men, but rather challenging us to look at the overall picture. The best part of this occurrence to me is that 1. I have a new movie to look forward to seeing and 2. more people will hear about and come enjoy our food.
