GRA board member, Chef Michael Deihl of East Lake Golf Club, assembled this elite group to discuss menu trends and cost savings in the kitchen without compromising the quality. “What I love about this panel is that each chef brings something unique to the table,” said Deihl. “But they all complement each other in that they have great success stories, and they consistently perform at the highest level.”
“If you know these chefs,” added Deihl, “then you know we’re going to have a great time. And at the end of the day, we’re all going to be better at what we do.”
Moderator: Michael Deihl, CEC CCA ACE AAC
Michael Deihl has found a culinary home as the Executive Chef of the prestigious East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, home of the PGA Tour Championship and FedEx Cup Championship. Chef Deihl has completed his 40th year in the Food & Beverage industry and constantly comments on how much he still learns every day in the kitchen. Chef Deihl has overseen kitchens at some of the finer country clubs, hotels, restaurants and catering facilities on the East Coast. Chef Deihl has also taught culinary arts as an adjunct professor for 10 years.
Michael has been featured on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta and Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta. Chef Deihl has been published in The National Culinary Review, Hilton Head Monthly, Current Diversions, Flavors Magazine, Georgia Restaurant Forum and has had numerous features written about him in newspapers and magazines. Chef Deihl has won ACF and local culinary awards in Hot Food, Cold Food and Ice Carving. Michael was voted by his peers as ACF Chapter Chef of the Year in 1998 & 2006, Humanitarian of the Year in 2005 and was named the Georgia Restaurant Association’s 2007 Grace Award Winner for Distinguished Community Service. Along with being presented the International Citizenship Award in 2006 by the World Chefs Scholarship Foundation, Chef Deihl was named 2010 Atlanta Chef of the Year by the United Culinary Chefs Association. Michael has served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Hilton Head Island Chefs Association and is the president of the ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter. Michael is a Certified Executive Chef, a Certified Culinary Administrator, ACE Certified and a member of the ACF Honor Society, the American Academy of Chefs.
Michael is also chairman of the culinary advisory committee of the HEFG, Hospitality Education Foundation of Georgia, the ACF Southeast Assistant Vice-President, ACF Southeast Ethics Chair and the ACF State of Georgia Coordinator. Michael is the co-founder of Operation Chefs Unite which in conjunction with the USO has fed over a million soldiers passing through the Atlanta Airport. Chef Deihl has helped coached numerous Atlanta Junior Hot Food Teams and High School Pro Start Culinary Teams. Chef Deihl’s Teams won Silver and Gold Medals in the regional finals and advanced to the Pro Start National Finals competition. Michael was one of three ACF Chefs in the Nation invited to the White House for his charitable work with the Chefs Move program for 2011.
Michael has given himself to a lifetime of charitable endeavors helping others in his local community and beyond. In 2009 Chef Deihl was awarded an Honorary Ambassadorship by the Aruban Minister of Tourism for his work promoting the Aruban culinary arts worldwide and working with the young culinary students on the island preparing them for a better life as professional chefs.
Anne Quatrano is widely held to be one of the country’s greatest chefs. Her meticulous attention to detail dovetails seamlessly with her devotion to freshness, flavor and simplicity. A longtime proponent of sustainability, Anne has – since her earliest days - prided herself in using locally grown seasonal and organic produce, much of which is from her own organic gardens. Together with her husband, award-winning chef Clifford Harrison, she operates six of Atlanta’s most celebrated restaurants - Bacchanalia, Floataway Café, Star Provisions, Provisions To Go, Quinones at Bacchanalia and Abattoir.
Originally from Connecticut, Anne Quatrano attributes her passion for cooking to spending time with her grandmother in the kitchen. Though she grew up in New England, Anne developed deep roots in Georgia by spending summers at her mother’s family farm, Summerland, near Cartersville. Anne is now the fifth generation of her family to live on the farm.
Her culinary career began at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where she met her husband and partner, Clifford Harrison. It was the 80s, and both chefs developed a keen sense of place as well as process. Highly influenced by chefs such as Alice Waters and Judy Rodgers (with whom Anne apprenticed), the two were instilled with an understanding of ingredients as well as technique, and the mantra has proven itself in their every endeavor. After graduation in 1987, they moved to New York where she and Clifford worked as a chef team at Bimini Twist, La Petit Ferme and The Grolier Club. In 1991, Anne was chosen as part of the James Beard Foundation’s "Discovery Chefs of the Year" with Harrison. This distinction was to be the first of many accolades from the prestigious James Beard Foundation, including later nods as nominees for the "Best Chef of the Southeast" in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, and subsequently as the winners of the coveted award in 2003.
In 1992, Quatrano moved home to her family property in Cartersville, Ga., where she designed the couple’s award-winning home on Summerland Farm. The welcoming homestead has been featured in Metropolitan Home, Food & Wine, Country Living, Bon Appetit, Great Chefs, Great Kitchens (Design Book) and many more. On the farm, her life with her husband mirrors their philosophy on food: They believe in going back to the basics to produce the spectacular. A model of self-sufficiency, their farm features a barn and show ring designed for their 20 horses and also is home to eight dogs, six cows, six Nubian nanny goats, two pigs, two cats and many messy, free-range chickens. Furthering her commitment to utilizing locally grown, seasonal and organic produce, Anne is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Georgia Organics, the member supported non-profit organization that works to integrate healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians.
Additional culinary kudos for Quatrano have included Food & Wine’s “10 Best New Chefs” award in 1995, the opportunity to represent Atlanta at the James Beard Olympic Preview in 1996 and the StarChefs.com “Rising Stars Mentor Award” in 2007. Most recently, Quatrano received the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Golden Whisk Award in 2008; she also sat on the board for Women Chefs & Restaurateurs from 2000 to 2007 and is on the board of the James Beard Foundation. In 2010, Quatrano launched Sunday Supper South, an annual event in Atlanta bringing together lauded chefs from across the South to prepare a family-style supper as a fundraiser for the James Beard Foundation’s scholarship fund.
In addition to numerous local and national accolades, including a five-star review from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bacchanalia was honored in 1998 as an inductee to the Fine Dining Hall of Fame of the National Restaurant Association, a testament to Anne’s philosophy and hard work. Anne has been featured on CNN’s “On The Menu” and “Hot Chefs,” GPTV’s “Cooking for the Holidays,” Food Network’s “Great Chefs” and “Ultimate Kitchens,” CNN’s “Tips from the Top” and “Great Cities” on the Discovery Channel.
Linton Hopkins is a widely celebrated chef with deep Atlanta roots. After graduating from Emory University and the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, NY, Hopkins worked in restaurants in New Orleans and Washington DC. It was in DC that Hopkins met his wife Gina. The pair moved back to Hopkins’ hometown to open Restaurant Eugene on Peachtree Road in 2004, and quickly caught the attention of media and food lovers throughout the country.
In 2005, Hopkins beat out other accomplished Atlanta chefs to gain a spot in The Food Network’s “Iron Chef” competition. He was crowned one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs in 2009. After multiple James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef – Southeast, Chef Hopkins took home the prize in 2012.
Hopkins opened Restaurant Eugene’s sister operations Holeman & Finch Public House and H&F Bread Co. in 2008. His newest endeavor is H&F Bottle Shop, a retail wine and spirits shop that opened in 2011.
Hopkins is committed to celebrating the rich bounty of Georgia farms through his meticulous and loving house-made preparations of natural meats and fresh, local produce. He is a founder of the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market, a member of Georgia Organics chef’s advisory committee, the Atlanta Local Foods Initiative, and Food & Wine Magazine’s Grow for Good campaign. Hopkins also currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Southern Foodways Alliance.
He most recently had the honor of harvesting vegetables out of the White House Garden with Michelle Obama, DC School children and the White House Chef to celebrate the First Lady’s Chef’s Move to Schools Initiative.
Ron Eyester developed a “sixth sense” that he was headed for a career in the restaurant business shortly after taking his first restaurant job in his late teens. Although he was initially captivated by the intoxicating intensity and provocative nature of the restaurant business, he most certainly would have never been able to anticipate the “long strange trip” the restaurant industry has taken him on over the course of the past 13 years. According to Eyester, the restaurant business is like a sick addiction; once you get in, it’s nearly impossible to get out.
In terms of food, Ron’s mantra could not be simpler: “buy local.” Ron is constantly challenging himself to resource the freshest available products and has built a reputation as being someone who almost always gives something a try. Moreover, the process isn’t merely buying food, but taking the time to develop relationships that ultimately enrich the very fabric of the restaurant. Ron likes to think of his cooking as very approachable, yet conveys a sense of depth. Ron is the executive chef of Rosebud and The Family Dog in the Morningside neighborhood.
Chris Hall is both chef and managing partner at Local Three, which is why he has the least hair of the three partners. A self-taught cook, Chris worked in kitchens from Philadelphia’s Le Bec Fin to Atlanta’s Canoe and 4th & Swift. He grew up around the corner on Peachtree Battle Avenue and thus really is a local. Chris now lives in Smyrna with his wife Julie, who you’ll see in the restaurant frequently. An avid Georgia Tech fan, Hall considers home game Saturdays religious ceremonies. You have been warned………
HOW LOCAL THREE CAME TO BE…
In the winter of 2005, Todd Mussman and Ryan Turner, friends who worked together at the now-closed Food Studio, ventured out into the barren wilderness that was Smyrna to open Muss & Turner’s, a gourmet deli, food shop, and wine store. Almost six years later, M&T’s, as it’s affectionately known across town, is a staple on the Atlanta food scene with a well-deserved reputation for terrific food, warm hospitality and killer beer and wine lists. That fall, Mussman and Turner sat next to Chris Hall, then chef at the downtown Sundial Restaurant, during a meeting at the Atlanta Food Bank. The three began chatting and formed a quick friendship, particularly as Hall lived just five minutes from Muss & Turner’s. Soon a regular at M&T’s, Hall, looking to start his own restaurant, began asking the two for advice on how to get started. To make a long story short, a few beers and cooked hogs later, a partnership formed and the idea for what is now Local Three was born. Several years later, we’re finally here and what was once just an idea is now a restaurant.
Jay Swift’s rise in the culinary field has been methodical and covers 30 years. A Baltimore native, Jay started out in the restaurant business at the age 14 and financed his high school and college English education through restaurant work. After two and a half years of college, he decided to follow his passion and palate and he switched gears to head back to the kitchen. Jay enrolled in the American Culinary Federation Apprenticeship Program and graduated first in his class. During his apprenticeship, he worked under Certified Master Chef Rudy Speckamp. Upon graduation, Jay worked at the venerable Mayflower Hotel and in the kitchen of noted restaurateur Bob Kinkead's 21 Federal in the nation’s capital.
Boston was the next stop in his carefully crafted culinary career where he worked as Line Chef for Lydia Shire at Biba. Jay eventually returned to his native Maryland, where he worked at both the Polo Grill and Windows at Baltimore’s Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. His next move was to New York City to become the opening chef for Foley’s Fish House at Times Square. Jay then headed south and took the reins at South City Kitchen in Atlanta. He won raves for his successful overhaul of the restaurant’s contemporary Southern menu and South City Kitchen was designated one of the top twenty restaurants in Atlanta by the Zagat Guide during Jay’s tenure.
Jay is also active in the Atlanta community. He serves as the chef co-chair for The Flavors of Atlanta, a popular culinary event that benefits the Georgia Chapter of the American Liver Foundation. Jay also supports Share Our Strength’s campaign to end childhood hunger with his participation in Taste of the Nation and Give Me Five event. And he has been honored with two invitations to cook at the renowned James Beard House in New York City.
Chef Jay Swift highlights seasonal and daily-changing market menus to utilize the freshest ingredients at all times. Located in a former engine room of the Southern Dairies, 4th & Swift serves modern American comfort food in a space indicative of the buildings rich past in Atlanta’s eclectic Old Fourth Ward.
Todd Mussman, or “Muss” as he’s known, is a CIA-trained chef who worked with Fifth Group at Food Studio, South City Kitchen and Sala before opening Muss & Turner’s. You might meet someone as knowledgeable about food (there may be a few out there), but we seriously doubt you’ll ever meet anyone as passionate. From crawling on his belly in the forest foraging morel mushrooms to breaking down whole hogs and turning them into delectable delights, Todd can do it all in the kitchen. In his role at Local Three, he runs the charcuterie program and heads up special projects and commissary operations all the while guarding the “mothership,” Muss & Turner’s, and making sure it keeps humming along. You’ll know Todd is originally from Boston as soon as he opens his mouth. Todd is married and lives in Smyrna with his wife and two kids, dogs, and Crown Vic with the “Jolly Roger” on the side. In his spare time, he shoots things and cooks (we told you he was passionate about food).
HOW WE ENDED UP HERE:
In the winter of 2005, Todd Mussman and Ryan Turner, friends who worked together at the now-closed Food Studio, ventured out into the barren wilderness that was Smyrna to open Muss & Turner’s, a gourmet deli, food shop, and wine store. Almost six years later, M&T’s, as it’s affectionately known across town, is a staple on the Atlanta food scene with a well-deserved reputation for terrific food, warm hospitality and killer beer and wine lists. That fall, Mussman and Turner sat next to Chris Hall, then chef at the downtown Sundial Restaurant, during a meeting at the Atlanta Food Bank. The three began chatting and formed a quick friendship, particularly as Hall lived just five minutes from Muss & Turner’s. Soon a regular at M&T’s, Hall, looking to start his own restaurant, began asking the two for advice on how to get started. To make a long story short, a few beers and cooked hogs later, a partnership formed and the idea for what is now Local Three was born. Several years later, we’re finally here and what was once just an idea is now a restaurant.
Chris Hastings is chef of the nationally celebrated Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama, which he owns with his wife Idie. Located in a historic building on the city’s Southside, the award-winning restaurant has earned a reputation for serving some of the finest and freshest dishes in the region. The Hot and Hot Fish Club is a restaurant that offers warm hospitality, seasonal cuisine with Southern influences and a beautiful space filled with the work of local artisans.
Chef Chris Hastings and Hot and Hot Fish Club have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, Food Arts, Nation’s Restaurant News, Santé Magazine, Men’s Journal, Metropolitan Home, Executive Traveler, Cooking Light Magazine, Garden & Gun, Time Magazine, Southern Living, and Delta’s Sky magazine as well as “Good Day Atlanta,” “Good Day Alabama,” the Food Network’s “Best Of”, Top 5 and NBC’s “Roker on the Road.” Chris has appeared on the Martha Stewart Show, the CBS “Early Show” and CNN’s Eatocracy. He recently released his first cookbook: The Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook, A Celebration of Food, Family and Traditions.
In addition to his work at Hot and Hot Fish Club, Chris is also a consultant and culinary advisor to restaurants across the country, a member of the Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation’s Culinary Council, and is an Alabama spokesperson for Wild American Shrimp and a member of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission. In February, 2012, Chris competed in Food Network’s Iron Chef America and triumphed over chef Bobby Flay in ‘Battle Sausage.’ He is also a 2012 James Beard award winner for “Best Chef of the South”.
