Sunday, November 23, 2008
Food, In this Issue...

Essential Eats


Atlanta’s top 25 chefs

TOP ROW:

Courtesy of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group
JAMIE ADAMS/Veni Vidi Vici

Heidi Geldhauser for The Reynolds Group
RICHARD BLAIS/Flip Burger Boutique

Spark St. Jude
TRACEY BLOOM/Table 1280

SECOND ROW:

Spark St. Jude
SHAUN DOTY/Shaun’s Restaurant

Spark St. Jude
CARVEL GRANT GOULD/Canoe

Courtesy of The Reynolds Group
CLIFFORD HARRISON & ANNE QUATRANO/Bacchanalia, Floataway Café, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Star Provisions and Star Provisions To Go

Spark St. Jude
CYRILLE HOLOTA/Joël

Spark St. Jude
LINTON HOPKINS/Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch Public House

Courtesy of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group
PANO I. KARATASSOS/Kyma

THIRD ROW:

Courtesy of Melissa Libby & Associates
GERRY KLASKALA/Aria

Our Labor of Love for The Reynolds Group
TIMOTHY MAGEE/Parish – Foods & Goods

The Reynolds Group
ADAM NEWTON/The Oceanaire

Spark St. Jude
MIHOKO OBUNAI & JOE TRUEX

Courtesy of The Reynolds Group
NICK OLTARSH/Room at Twelve Centennial Park

Courtesy of Watershed Restaurant
SCOTT PEACOCK/Watershed Restaurant

FOURTH ROW:

Spark St. Jude
KEVIN RATHBUN/Rathbun’s, Kevin Rathbun Steaks, Krog Bar

Spark St. Jude
JAY SWIFT/4th & Swift

Courtesy of Melissa Libby & Associates
SHANE TOUHY/Dogwood

Courtesy of The Reynolds Group
RICCARDO ULLIO/Beleza, Cuerno, Sotto Sotto, Fritti

Courtesy of Melissa Libby & Associates
MICAH WILLIX/Ecco

Courtesy of The Reynolds Group
IAN WINSLADE/Spice Market

Spark St. Jude
CHRIS YEO/Straits Restaurant

 

By Kirsten Ott

Every year, we publish our Essential Eats, a guide to the best dining in Atlanta. In 2005, we educated readers on the 50 dishes with the most culinary character. In 2006, we indulged in the best, most decadent desserts. Last year, we told you the hottest spots to take your date to. Now, we introduce you to the top 25 chefs in Atlanta. We’ve picked these visionary talents based on how much we love eating their creations, their awards and accolades, their aspirations and achievements, their creativity and innovations and what they’ve done for this city’s dining scene. The winning chefs make us—and Atlanta—proud. Bon appétit!

JAMIE ADAMS/Veni Vidi Vici

41 14th St., 404-875-8424, www.buckheadrestaurants.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Italian-trained chef Adams has been showcased at a James Beard House dinner in New York, selected to participate in a TBS “Super Chef Cook Off,” and helped his restaurants win several magazine “Best Of” awards in cuisine and wine list categories.
DISH TO TRY: Adams recommends the pesce spada, a spice-crusted swordfish loin with spicy marsala, spinach, pickled onion and golden raisins.

RICHARD BLAIS/Flip Burger Boutique

1587 Howell Mill Road, 404-352-3547, www.flipburgerboutique.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Blais has risen to fame in numerous ways, from receiving Gayot Guide’s “Top Five Rising Chefs of 2005” award, competing on Bravo’s “Top Chef: Chicago” and on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” being featured in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, and Food & Wine Magazine for his creative take on American food, to earning interest from foodies and scientists for his innovative use of liquid nitrogen in cooking. And now the visionary chef is set to open Flip, a new burger boutique, in West Midtown in early December.
DISH TO TRY: A rib-eye burger with caramelized onion and cheddar foam and the paté melt with cornichons and cranberry.

TRACEY BLOOM/Table 1280

1280 Peachtree St. NE, Woodruff Arts Center, 404-897-1280, www.table1280.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Earlier this year, Bloom’s innovative culinary skills and friendly leadership style earned her a promotion from sous chef to chef de cuisine at Table 1280, where she creates contemporary dishes from fresh, seasonal ingredients. Bloom’s best known for whipping up interesting menu items that correlate to the High Museum of Art’s current exhibitions, like the dim sum available while the Terracotta Warriors are on display (through April).
DISH TO TRY: Logan Turnpike grits, maple cheddar and Royal Rock shrimp, on which she’s put an upscale twist, with a white wine, fennel and garlic broth.

SHAUN DOTY/Shaun’s Restaurant

1029 Edgewood Ave. NE, 404-577-4358, www.shaunsrestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Doty has worked around the globe, but his enthusiasm is focused on creating simply prepared contemporary bistro fare at his eponymous restaurant. His high-caliber level of skill is matched by his compassion for raising awareness of autism and pervasive developmental disorder, as well as celiac disease.
DISH TO TRY: The pork schnitzel is Doty’s pick off his current menu. It’s made with Southern ingredients, including local pork, peanuts and Vidalia onions.

CARVEL GRANT GOULD/Canoe

4199 Paces Ferry Rd. NW, 770-432-2663, www.canoeatl.com
CLAIM TO FAME: A fan of Discovery Channel’s top-rated show “The Deadliest Catch,” Gould ventured to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, last October and again this fall to participate in the opening of king crab season and experience the entire fishing process firsthand. She even brought back some of the savory seafood to share with her Atlanta clientele.
DISH TO TRY: Gould’s favorite is the crispy plantation quail with grilled endive, duck stuffing and roasted peanuts.

CLIFFORD HARRISON & ANNE QUATRANO/Bacchanalia, Floataway Café, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Star Provisions and Star Provisions To Go

For location information, visit www.starprovisions.com.
CLAIM TO FAME: This power couple has earned nods, accolades and awards from the prestigious James Beard Foundation, the Food Network, CNN, the National Restaurant Association, and Food and Wine magazine. Both are meticulous in their cooking styles and thrive on using locally grown seasonal and organic produce, much of it from their own organic gardens in Cartersville, Ga.
DISH TO TRY: Sweet potato and sheeps-milk ricotta gnudi with roasted sweetbreads, pecans and brown butter.

CYRILLE HOLOTA/Joël

3290 Northside Parkway, 404-233-3500, www.joelrestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Classically trained in France, Holota has worked with his mentor and boss Joël Antunes for 14 years. When the restaurateur headed to New York earlier this year to head up another joint, the French chef from Montlucon took over the reins at this fine French restaurant. His primary focus is keeping the regulars just as happy as they were when Antunes was in charge; he succeeds brilliantly by maintaining the high standards he’s learned along the way and by being vigilant with his fresh ingredients.
DISH TO TRY: Smoked barramundi with brussel sprouts, ginger lemongrass beurre blanc sauce.

LINTON HOPKINS/Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch Public House

2277 Peachtree Road, 404-355-0321,www.restauranteugene.com, www.holeman-finch.com
CLAIM TO FAME: In 2004, the Atlanta native opened Restaurant Eugene with wife/sommelier Gina Hopkins to wide acclaim. The deserved attention he’s received has mainly been due to his menu, which is influenced by his Southern sensibilities and formal French training.
DISH TO TRY: A Study in Mississippi Rabbit: sous vide leg, crisp tenderloin and roasted rack, CO Farms baby carrots, Georgia English peas, Hakurei turnips, roasted spring onions and rabbit jus.

PANO I. KARATASSOS/Kyma

3085 Piedmont Road NE, 404-262-0702, www.buckheadrestaurants.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Son of acclaimed restaurateur I. Pano Karatassos, who founded Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, the junior Pano rightly earned his wings by studying under three of the nation’s best chefs in New York before returning to his family’s business and making his father—and Atlanta—proud. His passion for all things Greek and innovative culinary techniques continue to wow.
DISH TO TRY: Pan-roasted black grouper, “lefkathitiki,” melted leek ragout with Burgundy snails and clams, and taramousse.

GERRY KLASKALA/Aria

390 E. Paces Ferry Road, 404-233-7673, www.aria-atl.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Klaskala has impressed the Atlanta foodie community for more than a decade, and local and national media outlets have taken notice of his mastery of American cuisine at Aria, which he owns. He’s appeared on NBC's “Today” show, “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” and CNN, among others. During his nearly 25 years of cooking, he has received numerous awards and accolades.
DISH TO TRY: Georgia mountain trout with crab-smashed potatoes, haricots vert and pecan brown butter.

TIMOTHY MAGEE/Parish – Foods & Goods

240 N. Highland Ave., 404-681-4434, www.parishatl.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Magee brings expertly crafted New Orleans-style fare to the Atlanta table straight from his training in the Crescent City. To boot, he’s very active in the community, dedicating his time to nonprofits such as Camp Twin Lakes and Share Our Strength.
DISH TO TRY: Crawfish natua, a brunch dish of green tomato tempura, crawfish béchamel and poached eggs.

ADAM NEWTON/The Oceanaire

1100 Peachtree St. NW, 404-475-2277, www.theoceanaire.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Hailing from some of the best restaurants in New England, this friendly seafood connoisseur possesses a deeply ingrained commitment to freshness. He flies fish and crustaceans in fresh from Alaska and the northwestern region of the United States daily.
DISH TO TRY: Take a bite of the current best-seller: Nori-dusted and tempura-fried Hawaiian ahi tuna with sesame orange Asian slaw with soy-honey reduction.

MIHOKO OBUNAI & JOE TRUEX/Repast

620 N. Glen Iris Drive, 404-870-8707, www.repastrestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: In late 2005, this husband-and-wife team of chef/owners opened Repast in Atlanta, a neighborhood restaurant whose menu is splashed with ingredients that reflect their international culinary background (his: European and French, hers: Japanese). Their honest use of locally grown goods and housemade charcuterie is admirable and inspiring.
DISH TO TRY: Truex’s fave is the Jameson Farms lamb shank Bolognese with handcut papparadelle; Obunai can’t resist the black pepper striped bass with brussels sprouts, wild Oregon mushrooms and kombu dashi broth.

NICK OLTARSH/Room at Twelve Centennial Park

400 W. Peachtree St., 404-418-1250, www.roomattwelve.com
CLAIM TO FAME: New York native Oltarsh belongs to a new breed of hotel chefs that bring a versatile and energetic approach to cooking. Winner of the StarChefs 2007 Atlanta Rising Star Hotel Chef award, he’s dedicated to his craft and consistently seeks out exciting new ingredients for his contemporary American menus.
DISH TO TRY: Grilled house steak with roasted bliss potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and red wine sauce.

SCOTT PEACOCK/Watershed Restaurant

406 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, 404-378-4900, www.watershedrestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: The James Beard Foundation declared him the “best chef in the Southeast” in 2007. He’s an expert in Southern food, has been featured in a multitude of national and local publications (Martha even had him on her show), authored a cookbook with his friend and mentor, the late Edna Lewis, and is the former chef to two Georgia governors.
DISH TO TRY: Scott’s Famous Southern Fried Chicken, which is only available on Tuesdays after 5:30 p.m. Early arrivers are rewarded—the succulent bird flies out of there quickly.

KEVIN RATHBUN/Rathbun’s, Kevin Rathbun Steaks, Krog Bar

For locations and more information, visit www.rathbunsrestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: What hasn’t this overachiever accomplished? His namesake restaurant continues to rack up awards such as “Restaurant of the Year,” “Best New Restaurant” and “Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants” from major media outlets. He also was the first and only chef to win “Iron Chef America,” which he did with his brother earlier this year.
DISH TO TRY: Rathbun favors the lamb scallopine because of the sweet and salty combination, and the softened cheese provides a nice balance.

CRAIG RICHARDS/La Tavola Trattoria

992 Virginia Ave. NE, 404-873-5430, www.latavolatrattoria.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Richards learned his way around the Italian kitchen by way of Pittsburgh’s Lidia Bastianich, acclaimed restaurateur and renowned first lady of Italian cuisine. He’s been gracing La Tavola’s customers with his famed ragus and grilled calamari for four years, and we hope he’ll stay on there for a long time.
DISH TO TRY: Risotto rosso with creamy Carnaroli rice, red wine and ragu of Texan wild boar.

JAY SWIFT/4th & Swift

621 North Ave. NE, 678-904-0160, www.4thandswift.com
CLAIM TO FAME: After serving as executive chef for other well-known restaurants in town, Swift recently went out on his own with the newly minted 4th and Swift, where he’s already drawing quite a crowd with his innovative take on Southern cuisine. The big-hearted restaurateur also finds time to give back to the community with the Georgia chapter of the American Liver Foundation.
DISH TO TRY: Seared George’s Bank diver scallops served on pumpkin risotto, pumpkin seed and golden raisin pesto with fall greens.

SHANE TOUHY/Dogwood

565 Peachtree St., 404-835-1410, www.dogwoodrestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Known for his sophisticated and seasonally driven cuisine, Atlanta native Touhy tailored his coastal cooking style in Charleston, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C., before coming to Atlanta to serve as executive chef at Blue Ridge Grill in 2001. He recently broke off on his own with Dogwood, which he co-owns, where he has full artistic license to whip up some of the best grits in town.
DISH TO TRY: The grits bar features an assortment of add-ons like low-country shrimp, fried oysters, and ham and pimento cheese.

RICCARDO ULLIO/Beleza, Cuerno, Sotto Sotto, Fritti

For more information and locations, www.sottosottorestaurant.com
CLAIM TO FAME: A native of the Piedmont region of Italy, Ullio has brought an assortment of fine dining to Atlanta with his U Restaurant Group, from conceptual Brazilian to tantalizing Spanish fare to comforting Italian. His minimalist approach to gourmet cuisine offers fresh and simple food reminiscent of home-cooked goodness, with fancier plating.
DISH TO TRY: At Cuerno, order the tabla de embutidos, a selection of Spanish charcuterie and cheeses served with tomato-garlic bread.

MICAH WILLIX/Ecco

40 7th St. NE, 404-347-9555, www.ecco-atlanta.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Willix has a straightforward approach to the bold, European dishes he creates for Ecco. He’s adept at being progressive with his fare, yet he maintains a comfortable level of approachability with his customers.
DISH TO TRY: The chili-braised pork with garlic and homemade pappardelle.

IAN WINSLADE/Spice Market

188 14th St. NE, W Atlanta Midtown, 404-549-5450, www.spicemarketatlanta.com
CLAIM TO FAME: Born across the pond in England, Winslade found his passion for cooking early in his youth in the kitchen of an upscale English country inn. From there, he trained around the globe. His travels and experience eventually led him to Atlanta, where he had a starring role in several high-end restaurants. He’s also decorated with awards from media outlets and the United Culinary Arts Association.
DISH TO TRY: Cod with Malaysian chili sauce and Thai basil.

CHRIS YEO/Straits Restaurant

763 Juniper St. NE, 404-877-1283, www.straitsrestaurants.com
CLAIM TO FAME: A West Coast mainstay, Yeo teamed up with Atlanta mogul Chris “Ludacris” Bridges to introduce the Straits Restaurant concept to the East Coast in April, and we’re so glad they did. The Midtown dining destination pops and sizzles with fare from Yeo’s Singaporean roots.
DISH TO TRY: Kung Pao chicken lollipops. SP
Kirsten Ott is the Food, Life & Style Editor. Drop her a line at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.