About a month ago, I received this e-mail from a young teen and aspiring chef:

Congratulations on your book! I already asked my mom to get it for me when it comes out later this month. I am 15 years old and, as my business card states, a Future Executive Chef. I am African and African-American and I hope to embrace my African culture more and more through food. I have mentored with Chef Janine Falvo at Briza Restaurant at the Marriott Renaissance Atlanta since last year. I have such BIG goals. I live a life of service and plan to perform service on every continent before I graduate from high school in 2014, prayerfully as a Gates Millennium Scholar. I leave for Australia next week and plan to volunteer in Africa next summer, maybe even with Chefs for Humanity. Read More

Restaurant Eugene

The roots of Chef Linton Hopkins’ upscale Restaurant Eugene, aptly located on Peachtree Road, run deep. Named after his grandfather Eugene Holeman, James Beard award-winning owner Chef Hopkins is a 6^th generation Atlantan who grew up visiting farms, and learned early on that excellent cooking goes hand in hand with bringing fresh food to the table. Restaurant Eugene’s new American cuisine touts a steadfast commitment to sustaining the folks in their own backyard, made only more apparent with the number of farms listed on their website. The highest quality livestock and optimal seasonal produce make the cut for their innovative and fluctuating menu. Diverse dishes include early summer zucchini to Georgia Mountain trout to meats of the most adventurous nature (think sweetbreads and sorghum glazed pork belly). Read More

Bread is something that almost everyone loves, has a million uses, and can come in all sorts of flavors and styles. Whether you’re making a sandwich, a crostini, a bowl of bread salad, a grilled cheese, or just eating it alone, bread is something many people eat almost every day. And if you are eating it that often, you should probably be buying something good. Here is a short list of some of the best bakeries from around the country.  Read More

Photo: anthonycramp on flickr

If you don’t feel like planning a Fourth of July celebration this weekend, why not just leave it to the professionals this year? Head on over to some of the finest establishments in your city to help you out this Independence Day. Check out these great restaurants (some with good views of the fireworks!) that are having celebrations around the country. Read More