Atlanta Vacation

So then. For Christmas this year, my sweet and generous and wonderful girlfriend gave me a trip to Atlanta. Which may sound like a random vacation to you, but it was the best thing she possibly could have gotten me.

I am a big fan of the show Top Chef on Bravo. They tend to get some of the absolute best chefs in the country to compete. Everyone has their own opinion on what is great food & how to go about achieving it. During the competition, you see different philosophies and techniques. Things like complex vs simple, or rustic style vs molecular gastronomy. I don't think I shun any of them, though some I find more appealing to my own personal way of cooking.

You also see how contestants handle themselves in the kitchen very much the same way people handle themselves in kitchens all over the country. There is lots of stress in kitchens. Lots of thinking and planning go into each dish, and one small misstep can ruin the entire thing. There is also heat, communication breakdowns, long hours, cuts, timing issues. It is extremely easy to go batcrazy and be constantly furious. The kitchen is not a breeding ground for patience.

There is also a lot of ego in the kitchen. There are lots techniques that people turn their noses at. And lack of knowledge is sneered at as well. Though it is practically impossible to know everything in a kitchen. A lot of chefs put down other chef's food in order to make themselves feel better about their own food. It is a lot like high school. Now there are people who are very cocky, very confident who can back it up with amazing skill & knowledge. Those people I have no problem with, but there is something special about a person who is amazing in the kitchen and also very kind.


"Live with a man 40 years. Share his house, his meals. Speak on every subject. Then tie him up, and hold him over the volcano's edge. And on that day, you will finally meet the man." -Shepard Book on the Philosophy of Shan Yu

"Andre Soltner, the legendary chef and owner of Lutece, may never have looked at a resume the way I might with a prospective young cook. Instead, he would say, 'make me an omelet.' He figured he could tell a lot simply from watching the way the applicant beat the eggs, handled the pan and tasted for seasoning." - Daniel Boulud, Letters to a Young Chef

"A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person." - Bill Swanson


I for one think that that how a person handles themselves in a busy, hot, stressful kitchen will definitely show their true character.

Which brings me to the reason for the trip.



This past season there was a contestant named Kevin Gillespie. And the guy is everything I try to be as a chef. He is confident, patient, calm, kind. His food is simple and balanced. He doesn't cut corners & his technique is fantastic. His time management is wonderful, and he is rarely under a time crunch. He cooks local & seasonal. He is more rustic than scientific. Everything he plates looks beautiful.

So yeah, I think he is great. And his restaurant happens to be in Atlanta.


On the first night we were there, we went to Pura Vida, which is a restaurant run by another Top Chef contestant named Hector.

And it was outstanding. It is a Tapas restaurant, so we loaded ourselves with a ton of different dishes.

Pretty & Happy Kathleen:


GA Trout Ceviche. Lemon-Lime Marinate, Aji Jelly, Canchita Corn & Milk:


Button Mushrooms Pinchos. Sizzling in Chipotle Garlic Butter:


Duck Confit. Caramelized Ripe Plantain, Duck Jus:


Steamed Coconut Buns. Smoked Pilon Pork Belly, Tamarind Sauce, Shaved Cabbage, Cilantro & Pickled Chilies:


Chicken Picadillo Empanadas. Chile-Sugar Can Vinegar "Pique":


Tamales. Pickled Green Peppers, Anchovies:


Los Riburgers. Two Curry Buns with Nutmeg Rib Patties, Fried Queso Fresco, Chayote Pickles, Red Habanero Ketchup:



The next night was the big one. We went to the Woodfire Grill to eat the food of & meet the brilliant Chef Kevin!

Me outside by the sign:


We ordered the 5-course tasting.

Amuse. Whipped Goat Cheese, Spiced Local Radish, Sweet Herbs:


First Course. Confit of Laughing Bird Shrimp, Crispy Shrimp Toast, Sauce Choron, Micro Chervil:


Second Course. Pan Roasted Diver Scallop, Roasted Cauliflower with Espelette and Rosemary, Cauliflower Cream, Foie Gras Emulsion, Roasted Chicken Jus:


Taste. Raw Kusshi Oyster, Beet-Horseradish Gelee, Black Truffle Clotted Cream, Steelhead Roe:


Fourth Course. Wood Smoked Berkshire Pork Loin, Dry Spiced Pork Belly, Tomato Braised Cabbage, Cornbread Puree, Sweet & Sour Mustard:


Main Course. Wood Grilled Grassfed Lamb Loin, Fennel and Baby Onion Soubise, Fig and Coffee Jam, Shaved Fennel Salad:


Dessert. Chocolate Molton Cake, Curry Marshmallow, Coconut Ice Cream, Curry Peanuts, Florentine Cookie:


And we got to meet Kevin!


It was a pretty amazing night. Every dish was full of flavor. All of the proteins were perfectly cooked. The cornbread puree was completely rad & I loved the Espelette pepper with the cauliflower. So again, level 10 outstanding.


The last night we were there, we went to Two Urban Licks and had another really good time.

Shaved Calamari. Sweet & Spicy, Cilantro, Wasabi Cream:


Fried Chicken. Grilled Corn Slaw, Chipotle Honey Mustard:


Fried Green Tomatoes. Shrimp, Avocado, Creole Tartar:


Duck. Pan Roasted, Duck Sausage, Butternut Squash Puree, Apple - Pumpkin Seed Salad:


Bronzed Scallops. Gouda Grits, Pico de Gallo, Smoked Tomato Broth:


Nutella Chocolate Bread Pudding. White Russian Ice Cream:



It was an amazing time in a city with amazing food.