It’s always buzzing at lunchtime at LUNCH in Pell City, but Wednesday, things were really hopping.

Friends and fans of LUNCH owner Polly Mitchell turned out in droves to help celebrate her latest success.

Mitchell is one of 20 chefs chosen by ABC News Nightline’s People’s Platelist Contest as a finalist in the contest to find the most popular chef in a local restaurant.

Entries came from all over the country, and Mitchell is the only winning entry from Alabama.

It was Mitchell’s sister, “Pie” Harris, who sent in the entry, without even telling her.

But Mitchell isn’t mad, she’s excited about the contest and hopes to win the national finals.

As a finalist, Mitchell has to send in video to Nightline, “of us doing anything,” she said, along with a written statement of the type food the restaurant specializes in and what the establishment does to support is community.

The award is made to the finalist who received the most votes via the Nightline Platelist web site, http//abcnews.go.com/nightline.

There can only be one vote submitted per individual IP (email) address.

Voting may be done from Aug. 26 through Sept. 26.

The winning chef will be the topic of a full Platelist segment, taped and produced by Nightline that will be aired on the national ABC broadcast.

“I love to win,” Mitchell admits, who by the way, also loves winning as a competing autocross and road racing driver, often at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds.

Mitchel racked up another win last week while in Kentucky for a National Caterer’s Association course, was part of the winning team for a hands on catering event.

Mitchell and her husband, R L, also own Stemley Chevron Station where they offer their food specialties at Alabama 34 and Alabama 207, along with Café Royale on Talladega’s downtown square.

Wednesday’s crowd at LUNCH included State Senators Del Marsh and Scott Beason, who wanted to lend their support to Mitchell’s quest.

“She is the only one in our state being considered,” Marsh said. “We’re proud of her, and the notoriety it brings to our area.”

“People all over the country are going to hear about this,” Beason said.

“And the food is wonderful,” Marsh said.

One table full of LUNCH regulars present Wednesday included Pell City resident Myrt Pfannkuche, a well known local cook herself.

Pfannkuche’s usual favorite menu item is Mitchell’s chicken salad plate, but on this visit, she chose the strawberry spinach salad.

“Look how pretty it is,” Pfannkuche said.

Her neighbor at the table, Jan Norton, opted for the chicken salad plate.

“It’s hard to say what you like best, it’s all so good,” Norton said.

Another LUNCH regular, Sylvia Martin, favors the berry bleu chicken wrap, an assortment of grilled chicken, dried cranberries, walnuts, lettuce and creamy bleu cheese tucked into a spinach herb tortilla.

For LUNCH fan Lisa Baggett, it’s usually one of the steak entrees, a steak salad or sandwich or sometimes, Mitchell’s panini-style reuben, complete with corned beef, sauerkraut, a secret sauce and Swiss cheese.

Mitchell claims she wasn’t a “natural” cook, and didn’t learn cooking as a youngster.

“I was the youngest of four girls, so it was much easier to keep me out from under foot in the kitchen,” she said.

“I used to call my mother weekly to ask how to make things like iced tea or green beans.”

She even admits to serving cooked carrots without peeling them once, with her husband casually suggesting-after thanking her for the dinner- that she might peel them the next time she made them.

You can catch Mitchell on ABC 33 Monday morning at 9 a.m. in a segment about the contest.

Even though winning is something Mitchell likes to do, she says she feels like a winner every day.

“My staff and I win every day because we all understand that we are only as good as our last lunch served and that success is in the details,” she said.

“Good friends and great food-that’s what LUNCH, Café Royale and Stemley Chevron are all about. Local chefs feed their communities. We do it for the chance to make a bright spot in our customers’ days, even if it’s only for 30 or 45 minutes. Our staffs truly love people and enjoy serving the best quality food.”