Go HERE to read the story from business reporter David Bracken about the Empire Eats owner's latest projects.

Empire Eats owns The Raleigh Times, Sitti, Gravy and The Pit in downtown Raleigh.

The Diner, Glenwood South's late-night eatery, has a new chef: Corey Palakovich, (pictured left) who many will know from his years at The Raleigh Times Bar.

Palakovich, a Johnson and Wales University graduate, has revamped the menu. Among the new dishes are  a macaroni and cheese with applewood-smoked bacon and brie, chicken and waffles with crispy fried chicken, country gravy and maple syrup and a "Little Piggy" burger with pulled pork, bacon, cilantro-lime slaw and barbecue sauce.

Owner Niall Hanley, who also owns the Hibernian and Solas, added a bar where the carryout area used to be and streamlined the decor.

For more information about The Diner, go to www.thedinerraleigh.com

Eat or drink at any of the six Empire Eats restaurants in downtown Rlaeigh(Raleigh Times, Morning Times, The Pit, Duck & Dumpling, Gravy and Sitti) today (Monday, July 19) and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to N.C. Theater.

The theater company is the region's non-profit producer of Broadway musicals.

If you didn't know, I agreed to judge the 2009 Critter Cook-off at the N.C. Museum of Natural Science's annual Bugfest. The festivities are Saturday, Sept. 12. The cook-off is two days earlier. They just named the chefs who will be cooking up critters for me to taste.