An open letter to Atlanta chefs

Jennifer Harris

January 17th, 2011
10:14 am

Great article. I would add that chef’s should think of their food intolerant diners when they are creating new dishes. Gluten-free is not a trend and we love to eat out just as much as everyone else.

Allie Foster

January 17th, 2011
10:20 am

Unfortunately, Atlanta has the WORST restaurants in America! I continually shake my head in disbelief when dining out at the local “hot” fine dining restaurant – mediocrity at it’s best. Arrogant chefs and maitre’ ds; poor service, over priced, and my biggest gripe – over salted food!!!! Perhaps these hubris fools should take a week or two and visit true 5 Star dining in say Paris, NYC, SF????

Kristen

January 17th, 2011
10:20 am

AMEN and AMEN!

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1164mgc

January 17th, 2011
10:35 am

I agree! Especially with the vegetables part. So many times I’ve gotten a meal and there are insipid, uninspired side dishes of steamed veggies that nobody ever touches. Seems like the cooks include them in some sort of attempt to balance out the meal, but when nobody wants to eat them, it doesn’t!

Caren Goode

January 17th, 2011
10:54 am

Great letter, John! I see a renaissance (sp?) on Atlanta’s restaurant horizon!
BTW Allie Foster… no good is ever gained by calling people names.

Chef Tom

January 17th, 2011
10:56 am

You are and inspiration! Thank you John!

Native Atlantan

January 17th, 2011
11:03 am

@Allie Foster — You must be going to all the wrong places then because there are only a handful of local restaurants I’ll not return to. Asking chefs to visit NYC, SF or Paris is insane….no one wants to copy what’s going on out there — we want original, and originality is out there, just look for it. I do agree with most of John’s comments but I’m rarely disappointed when I hit some of the spots that are off the beaten path.

nativeAtlantan

January 17th, 2011
11:06 am

I imagine it to be difficult to bring “fresh” or “new” to a table of Southerners looking for ” fried, salty, and stupid”.

Malika Harricharan

January 17th, 2011
11:10 am

I would add that chefs need to go easy on the salt. That is my biggest complaint about restaurants overall. So, many dishes are ruined because they taste like they had a box of salt poured on top of them.

jc_atl

January 17th, 2011
11:12 am

My answer to the overpriced, generic cuisine that is found in many so-called fine dining establishments is . . . Buford Highway. Cheap, casual, grungy decor, but unique food that you won’t find in-town.

BFellows

January 17th, 2011
11:19 am

Those than can, do. Those that can’t write about it.

Sara

January 17th, 2011
11:20 am

Great article! I agree that the restaurants in this city leave much to be desired. I’m always amazed at the condescending attitudes and complete lack of tact or class that many of the chefs, wait staff, and especially hosts/maitre-d’s show when you walk in to their establishment. Instead of being glad to see you, they act like you are an intrusive rube who wouldn’t know a butternut squash from a beet. I have eaten out in large cities and small towns all over, and met wonderful, cool, friendly staff, and I just don’t get the strange bad attitudes that I encounter here!
I think that right now, Atlanta is very much a wanna-be city – it wants to be New York or L.A., but it has a painfully long way to go. But I do think it’s on the right track, and I think the saving grace in the restaurant biz will be the ‘new blood’ – the folks from far outside the Southern U.S. who are coming here and deciding to give it a go here. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.

airport worker

January 17th, 2011
11:25 am

yes, i love stupid food

airport worker

January 17th, 2011
11:26 am

almost as much as reading this stupid blog

Patience Turner

January 17th, 2011
11:29 am

Fantastic article! Let’s hope our chefs in Atlanta will take heed to this article. At the very least, let’s hope enough influential diners (those with discriminating tastes) will demand more from the Atlanta cuisine-scene. Atlanta is in a unique position to reassert and earn a prominent place on the culinary map.

nativeAtlantan

January 17th, 2011
11:30 am

I hate myself.

patty

January 17th, 2011
11:30 am

Like

Real Meat

January 17th, 2011
11:31 am

Totally spot on. Atlanta deserves more than a handful of inventive, excellent restaurants.
How about a follow-up Open Letter To The Dining Public?
1. Let go and let Chef… Try abandoning your “I don’t eat that” list for a night…
2. We Don’t Have Mac-N-Cheese. Really. We don’t. It’ll be ok…
3. A truly independent Chef-owned restaurant differs from a restaurant “group” in that…
4. “Casual” does not necessarily mean “comfort food”…
5. “Creative” does not necessarily mean “gimmicky”…
and so forth…

JoeV

January 17th, 2011
11:31 am

Wow. A tad arrogant?

Repsonse from Atlanta Chefs…Grab a spatula and get in the kitchen; let’s see what you’re made of John.

Atlanta Native

January 17th, 2011
11:34 am

I agree, but note that I am constantly surrounded by people with a fear of different food. This is why big menu/small flavor chains are so popular here. Branching out from meat+three is hard for many diners. That is why the hanger steak w/ frites sells so well at most upscale restaurants.
Most people would be downright scared of the soups mentioned in #9, but actually consider butternut squash soup rather special. I believe the chefs are often stuck with their “special” specials and get sick of it. When I cooked at a restaurant years ago, anything “different” I made as a special didn’t generally get eaten.

Sam Bruni

January 17th, 2011
11:37 am

This article is about 4 years too late. But still a good wake up call. Innovative and inspiring food is not going to happen any time soon, the audience will not allow it. Most of the great cooks have all left this town, what’s left are the ones who crave for their 5 minutes of TV fame and that 5 minutes is almost up as with their career. These self proclaimed top chefs care not about food, it’s evident in the cooking or their line cooks’ cooking. To them is about how many same old dishes they can send out. It is a business but that does not mean you compromise on what this business was built upon, the food. Begging people to patronize a place so that it will stay open in the neighborhood is not how you run a restaurant. We know being a cook (the term chef is elitist) is a hard job but if all they care about is making money, become a stock broker then. I hope this article inspires some passion.

Both ways

January 17th, 2011
11:49 am

Atlanta is a tough town. Most folks want incredible food, but freak out when they see the price. Then, they see what many perceive as a small portion (in their eyes). They want Applebees prices and portions, but the Ritz for plates and service. Then they rip apart restaurants online.

I agree salt is an issue, and less than perfect plates leave the kitchen at high level restaurants too often. These two things are the biggest issues. They should know better! and I think they do.

Cacuth

January 17th, 2011
12:02 pm

Restaurants are a business like any other if the people don’t like the product it goes out of business. Foodies cry and cry about all their favorite restaurants closing. They close because they are not supported by the public. Atlanta is not a foodie town. People have to remember that when a restaurant closes its a painful thing. Peoples lives get put through the ringer. So if you love that little restaurant with wit, execution, and the certain feel that what you eat separates you from the “herd” go there regularly. Remember special occasion restaurants die off like dinosaurs.

Chief Wiggum

January 17th, 2011
12:04 pm

We like what we like, Atlanta Native. Berating and insulting others because they don’t want “edgy” food is worthless. Comes across as arrogant and elitist.

I can happily say that I don’t care for “edgy” food. The meat and three is fine by me. If you want to have a foie gras milkshake, knock yourself out. Don’t rant about how stupid we southerners are if we don’t care to join you. I’d tell you the old Lewis Grizzard line about Delta, but you were born here. Still, I think there are multiple daily flights to NYC, where that attitude would be welcomed.

Robert

January 17th, 2011
12:13 pm

I think John Kessler is painting his picture with an overly broad brush. There are a number of Atlanta restaurants and chefs doing great jobs right now, more than I can ever recall despite the loss of those once-a-year spots like Joel and the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room. While Kessler only gave it three stars (and made me think his palate is aging in a negative way) to Miller Union, I think it is outstanding and is something distinctly Atlanta. You would never get that food in NYC, Paris, SF, etc. The other local chef who doesn’t get enough acclaim is Chef Piero Premoli over at Pricci. He is doing some wonderful, creative Italian cooking these days.

Now, the economic problem for restaurants in general is that there are only so many people willing to pay what it takes to do really good stuff. There are far too many customers who require a big quantity on the plate at a low price and want to show up in tennis shoes and ragged blue jeans for dinner. You will never be able to satisfy these folks in a fine dining establishment, regardless of how casual it is.

memerror

January 17th, 2011
12:14 pm

Check out Peter Chang’s on Power’s Ferry. Your faith in culinary artistry will be restored.

Mary

January 17th, 2011
12:19 pm

This is why I don’t dine outside the home. I HATE restaurants……over cooked food, over priced, and not that good, rude wait staff, etc.

I would rather cook at home.

JoeInAtlanta

January 17th, 2011
12:20 pm

Under #10: “The customer’s always right.” When will that insipid phrase die? It was invented as a marketing gimmick by Harry Gordon Selfridge to publicize his department stores — and in one of the true realizations of poetic justice, it (among other mistakes) drove him to ruin. Selfridge died penniless and insane in 1947.

But John, if you really believe in this drivel, then I hope you get to spend eternity trying to make ends meet, and to keep your sanity, in an environment where customer cannot be challenged and you are ceaselessly at the mercy of her or his whims.

As for myself, I’m always the customer. I don’t own a business and for all practical purposes there’s no customer service aspect of my job. But even so, I’m smart enough to understand that if we truly believed the customer was ALWAYS right, the engines of commerce would grind to a halt under the weight of clueless, demanding, or fraudulent customers.

You’re smart enough to understand that too, John. But, unlike me, you’re not smart enough not to write it anyway.

As long as we’re holding people to higher standards, John, why don’t you put a little more intellectual integrity into your advice in the future.

Atlanta Native

January 17th, 2011
12:25 pm

@ Chief Wiggum: I am not berating anyone. I am a businessperson and know that restaurants want to stay in business. To do so, you give the public what it wants. Often the pubic wants sameness, not new experiences, which is why burger chains always thrive. That was my point.

I detest “edgy” food, as it is generally a chef trying too hard to make it “edgy” instead of taste good..
Also, I never said or implied that southerners are stupid. I am one. I know the “one of those restaurants where they cook the tomatoes and not the green beans” line from Grizzard by heart and understand it completely. Meat and three is great when I go to Matthews, Collonade or other such places, and I do. In the summer I live off tomato sandwiches rather than eat out for lunch and, yes, I have a jar of bacon grease in the ‘fridge.

Note that I never said “southerners” when referring to the meat and three or scared of food portion.

What I mean is what my mom always said – “Eat whatever you are served and do not complain. Try something new at least once a week, the worst thing that can happen is you won’t like it, and then you know.”

So get the chip off your shoulder, man up and try something new occasionally, or just keep eating the same few things over and over and you will continue to look like your namesake, or become him if you are not there.

HCat

January 17th, 2011
12:29 pm

Dear Food Critic,

As I read your article-I loudly replied with witty comebacks to which I’d love to serve you. But the bottom line is this, Atlanta is a food town. If you drive a minimum 45 minutes out of this city in any direction, you won’t find an eclectic mix of interesting, fun, and yes, standard fare that those who live in this city have come accustom to. I have traveled this country, and have had some great meals, too.Im proud to be married to a popular Chef in Atlanta. We have dined at all your fore-mentioned restaurants-you are giving the Chefs and Owners of those restaurants too much credit. Having a restaurant doesn’t just mean whipping up a plate of food, it means being a brilliant business owner, adored manager, time keeper, superior R and D, and absolutely no personal life. In other words, you have to be obsessed. Work on Mother’s Day-don’t see your own mother. How about New Years Eve, sorry-gotta work. Chefs sacrifice a lot. I for one am very pleased that most of the public does not appreciate you and Meredith Ford’s attempts to creatively rip apart a restaurant. That’s right, you don’t, in all your charm or wit, own this city. I know you have an Editor that probably rips you a new one on occasion. But what about “baby editors” AKA-bloggers who claim to know $%^& about food? What if they sat at your desk and took pictures of what you did all day, and then, in front of you, loaded the pics onto the blog? All the time? How about annoying. Ask anyone in the food industry-they kiss your critic ass, but just as you walk out the door-they begin to despise you, Meredith, Cliff-you name it. You are not a Chef, your livelihood does not depend on this article “working out”. For once in your career, just stop. Cook your own food. I remember your review of Joel years ago-or maybe it was Meredith’s-you dropped $400 a person for that meal. Did that come out of your pocket, or did the paper pay for that? I am guessing that you make about 100K a year-how many fine dining establishments could you afford to dine at, if the AJC didn’t catch the bill?

Dave

January 17th, 2011
12:30 pm

To the Chefs. Humility is a virtue. Get your heads out of your backsides and stop looking at your customers as if we are a band of howler monkeys who want to throw poop in your restaurants.

HotlantaHobo

January 17th, 2011
12:34 pm

The problem with trying to create a “new” Southern cuisine is that many of these chefs never mastered or understood the “old” Southern cooking, which really wasn’t all that great in the inland south. Atlanta never had a tradition of great restaurant dining until well into the latter part of the 20th century and very few places of the past have survived here unlike Antoine’s (1840, same family), Galatoire’s (1905, same family), Arnaud’s (1917 2nd owner) and others in New Orleans. Atlanta was not a city of people of continental European extraction who would bring those dining traditions. The Protestant wealthy ate at home and frequently didn’t drink. (Need a bottle of wine on Sunday?) In not having this restaurant tradition there was no pool of multi-generational service personnel resident and waitstaff had to be imported or trained. But hip restaurants probably wouldn’t hire age 60+ waiters no matter how good they were as they just wouldn’t be cool. I’m sure old Atlanta people would never dream of doing service work anyway, no matter what their background, since it would seem beneath them.

Old southern cooking simply would not cut it in today’s culinary world. I imagine if Mrs. Dull came back to life and did a cooking show at the AJC like she did in the 1930’s people (and some critics) would turn up their noses at it. But she did codify Georgia’s cuisine as it was and so far, no new local chefs have managed to create a new “guide culinaire” for the future. We do get novel creations, but they seem to be ephemeral and not dishes that will go down as classics. Paul Prudhomme created a new technique (blackening) that became not only a staple, but so popular that it nearly wiped out the redfish populations in the Gulf. Blackened anything is now a cliche to critics but was once cutting edge. What might our chefs create?

Add the fact that the puritanical business folk of today are petrified of complicated or sauced food, (I don’t eat seafood, fats, sugars etc.) and would demand that many complex dishes be deconstructed to suit their bland tastes so it’s a wonder a chef would want to create anything when they just end of being short order cooks for an unsophisticated clientele. The youth-oriented culture here does not bring tradition or experience to the restaurant world, but it does seem to think restaurants are steeped in the meanness of the mindless “reality” TV cooking competitions.

Ironically, we have several very prominent food writers here (Alton Brown, Shirley Corriher, Damon Lee Fowler) but they have no involvement in the restaurant world. In fact they seem to avoid much discussion of this scene.

Given the provincial nature of the market it’s a miracle there are any major places left. I’d hope that if anything our chefs could somehow find something creative and something comfortable for the dining public, but I’m not sure the public will have anything to do with it.

Clem Porcinack

January 17th, 2011
12:38 pm

@HCat

Such grace. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen…literally.

Will

January 17th, 2011
12:44 pm

Mediocrity rules, but exceptions do reign. Immigrant populations are increasing and bringing new flavors and wonderful new dishes to the Atlanta restaurant scene. If you’re not afraid to try these exciting new cuisines, there are plenty of great places to eat all over town. And to nativeAtlantan, I’m truly sorry for you if you’re really a native and you’ve never had some great fried chicken.

face it

January 17th, 2011
12:56 pm

Atlanta is NOT an international town with varying tastes and a worldly attitude. Atlanta is the capital of the South. Nothing wrong with that, but most folks like to stay conservative. Look at the fashions in this town – conservative and slow to change.

Most of these SEC types won’t visit Miami because it’s too Spanish. They stick with the Marriott, Katz Deli, and Times Square when visiting NYC. The backwoods of the Highlands in NC is more of an aspirational destination, if not Saint Simons. The general population here does not travel to cosmopolitan destinations (NYC, Paris, Rome, BVI) and don’t intend to. They think that 2-buck chuck is a hoot. They drink Firefly flavored vodka and think the flying biscuit is a splurge.

To try and be an innovative chef, introducing globally-influenced cuisine with top-shelf service is a noble idea – but it is lost on 95% of Atlanta diners. 5% of the diners cannot carry 50 4 & 5 star restaurants.

Lorenzo

January 17th, 2011
12:57 pm

I don’t get worked up over Atlanta restaurants or wish to waste energy pleading with Atlanta chefs/restaurants to change their ways. I live here and eat here–mostly at home–but always look forward to trips to other cities where there is a real restaurant culture. I think the Latin American and Asian joints on Buford Highway (and beyond) are the real gems in Atlanta’s dining scene. I’ve lived here 10 years and just accept that that’s the way it is here.

Kirk

January 17th, 2011
12:58 pm

As always, I’m left with the feeling that people take this “foodie” thing too seriously. I too go to a restaurant because they fix something I can’t or don’t make at home. I want to try to figure out what is in what I’m eating and why it is different than what I fix. As long as it challenges me on some level I usually enjoy the experience. Too much salt and fat leaves me cold. A good article. Keep stirring the pudding.

C3Atlanta

January 17th, 2011
1:03 pm

Here is what I got out of this article. 1) Stop being so bourgeois, lower the price, cook the food and let people eat their faces off, because Atlantan’s don’t give a DAMN about hoity-toity, expensive rent restaurants. 2) Stop it with the salt, people. 3) Expand your palette and make it interesting for people who aren’t so willing to try ” New Things.” Finally, national Chain Restaurants do well here, in ATL because they are simple, cheap, and their customers don’t have time for, ” new things @ the low, low price of $50.” Real Estate prices for Restaurants are the reason your food is expensive, not the Chef’s greed. So take it down a notch, put your restaurant in a truck or a Tent, for all I care… Just make me want to eat $30 worth of food, and when I leave, I should be saying… OMG.. I ate..Wayyyy..Toooo…Much..I’m going to EXPLODE…

C3Atlanta

January 17th, 2011
1:06 pm

I did forget one other thing- Diners… That is, people who dine… You don’t have to go to ” The mall area” or BUCKHEAD to get good food…Support your local restaurant, even if it’s not the pretties place, or around all those OTHER people and THINGS… You’re neighborhood might just have a fantastic Restaurant and you don’t know because you drive by thinking, ” ew I don’t like that shopping center…” Tell me you haven’t done it, 100 times…

Typical Redneck

January 17th, 2011
1:12 pm

Piccadilly hit the spot today.

Winnie Rains

January 17th, 2011
1:19 pm

Did anyone mention the saltiness of the food? It’s really salty.

Joe

January 17th, 2011
1:32 pm

And what about EVERYBODY now serving what they call sushi? Cream cheese in sushi? Please!!!!!!!!!!

Edward

January 17th, 2011
1:59 pm

Anyone who whines like Allie Foster is simply too caught up in their own ego to appreciate excellent cuisine anywhere. How wonderful that you can afford to go to Paris and New York for dinner. Money does not make you an expert, nor afford you class (nor an education in grammar, obviously).

Every American city is filled with the typical chain-restaurant-dreck, even San Francisco and New York. But Atlanta does have a good number of great venues serving some amazing food if you simply take the time to find them. It seems most people choose their restaurant not for the food but for how being seen there will boost their ego and status among their equally-shallow friends. Take a drive up the aforementioned Buford Hwy and visit some of the hole-in-the-wall establishments that can dazzle your taste buds for pocket change. Or enjoy an inventive yet satisfying experience at a place like Feast, Restaurant Eugene/Holeman & Finch, 4th & Swift, Woodfire Grille, etc. Should we, as patrons, keep chefs on their toes, not letting them slack off after gaining notoriety? Of course, crack that whip! But to completely dismiss an entire geographic region is the ultimate in hubris and arrogance.

Kristen

January 17th, 2011
2:07 pm

In this well-traveled foodie’s opinion, Atlanta chefs and restaurants need to take a lesson from Chef Carvel and her team at Canoe, and forget about emulating Eric Ripert and Le Bernandin (which SUCKED, for the record). The food’s outstanding, and creative without being trendy. They pay homage to where we are (which, like it or not, you damn Yankees, is the SOUTH) without going overboard. I appreciate places where I can get not only get New England mussels in a curry broth and Asian-influenced branzino, but also a fine steak with some good old southern sweet potato hash. She’s big on locally grown and raised, but realizes sometimes you have to look elsewhere to expand your menu. And, no, I don’t work there, I’m just lucky enough to be regular.

What I’d really like to see is the Atlanta bashing stop. I don’t understand why you people stay here if you hate it so damn much. It is what it is, you’re never going to change it despite your best efforts. People like me are not going to let you! I love NYC, etc, as much as the next elitist, but it really doesn’t do much in the way for our sense of community here to have a bunch of haters hating all the time.

Don

January 17th, 2011
2:08 pm

“An educated customer is always right”. A very successful business in Michigan taught me that.

Sander

January 17th, 2011
2:08 pm

Wow. I must be living in a different Atlanta. In my opinion the restaurant scene has never been better. It is true that the pinnacle of the heirarchy was chopped off with the loss of Dining Room at the Ritz Buckhead and Seegers but Joel was hardly a loss. If you need to see the pinnacle book a table at the Quinones Room at Bacchanalia or just go to Bacchanalia.

In the meantime, I can’t get enough of places such as Local Three, Empire State South, 4th & Swift, Restaurant Eugene, Abattoir, and Pricci. I know when I lived in Paris I lost weight due to the lack of such places and I certainly don’t have that problem right now in Atlanta.

CocktailHourTV

January 17th, 2011
2:13 pm

Agree about the salt, how about eliminating all the ingredients with high-fructose corn syrup in them? If your condiment/sauce has it, then make it yourself…thanks!

Soupy Sales

January 17th, 2011
2:36 pm

John: I can name several local restaurants that never needed a reminder to be fun, fresh and local. The names of these independently-owned, chef-run establishments include Dynamic Dish, Repast, Shaun’s, and Noon Midtown.

Unfortunately, your memo came too late for them. Hope your “Open Letter to Atlanta Eaters” will soon follow, because – - as you know – - it takes two to tang.

Darin

January 17th, 2011
3:03 pm

At least half the suggestions you list here describe the great qualities I miss in Dynamic Dish. We really lost a special place of inventive cooking with that one. I remember your article about supporting Atlanta’s crazy food geniuses — we could use more of them. I know there have got to be some out there who are ready to break out of their shells.

soon to be gone

January 17th, 2011
3:04 pm

I am a chef who has worked all over the Southeast. My personal experience is that the Atlanta market rewards restaurants which know their customers. The busiest I have been (now, thank God), is running a kitchen that knows its customers, and embraces what they want, rather than being determined to teach them a lesson. For the record, NO single soup sells as well in the winter as butternut squash. So our ambition is to make the best butternut squash soup possible. Seems to be a winning formula. The real measure of the success of a restaurant is not what the critics think; it is how happy the customers are. I don’t work for a chain, but to dismiss them as irrelevant or sub-par is silly. Often their procedures are much tighter, and their ingredients are of a higher quality. They just base what they serve on what customers want to buy, rather than stroking a few critics and feeding their own egos. In my opinion, a smart restaurant operator looks to the successful chains for ideas! At least that’s what I do. I want to cook food on my terms, and still be packed every day. Nothing’s worse less than “integrity” at a failing business. As a 25-year veteran of professional kitchens who loves it more than ever, here’s my open letter to Atlanta chefs: find out what your customers want to buy, and make the best version of it in town. May sound simple, but it’s a mission that can be a very fulfilling life’s work.

eatoutatlanta

January 17th, 2011
3:17 pm

John Kessler has a great point….and Atlanta is NOT food town. It seems to be a “Be SEEN Town” how many restaurants do serve up the same boring dishes? What ever happen to “lets get dressed up and go to a nice restaurant” Atlanta loves jeans & baseball hats…and that’s what you get…
STEP up ATLANTA… If Atlanta wants to compare it self to food cities #1 New York, #2 Chicago, #3 San Francisco and #4 Philadelphia….We need to stop eating Steak & Cabernet……The best places in Atlanta are not the big names in town like Tom & Pano or Amik…. Or the farm to table B$… it is the small family international foods that are not serving the same food as every other restaurant…

Jim R.

January 17th, 2011
3:52 pm

Ten points all well and good worthy to be adopted by any chef wanting to impress. My question is where does that leave traditional restaurants such as The Colonade or Mary Mac’s? To many of us this is the heart and soul of Atlanta. They may be basic and not serve heart or sole, but they make us who we are. While they do set high standards and are casual in their own way they fail miserably in the other catagories. Good point about rather have good food in simple surroundings but leads me to believe that innovation and wit are as important as tradition and quality. It ain’t got to be flashy to be good, but these places and others like them should be treated as a culinary equal. That is why they have been around so long while today’s reality star chef may be here today and gone tomorrow.
Great food but boring headlines.

TopSteakHouses.com » Blog Archive

January 17th, 2011
4:00 pm

[...] letter to Atlanta chefs – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]

Wendy

January 17th, 2011
4:07 pm

John, glad to hear I’m not the only one with a disappointed palate at many restaurants lately. Your critique is spot on and welcomed. And it’s what you were hired for. Thank you for being honest. Your words may sting a little, but definately need to be said. I love eating out, love to try new tastes, love to be wowed, but have been eating at home more and more so that I can ensure freshness and quality at mealtimes.

While the economy has hurt restaurants, including restaurants in NYC and Paris, creativity and taste can still abound. Salt seems to be the go-to ingredient lately to mask lesser quality and freshness.

I love Atlanta and look forward to many fine meals ahead. I do humbly ask our local chefs to “step it up.” I’m a frequent customer and I will pay for creativity, taste and freshness.

Thanks for the open dialog!

g

January 17th, 2011
4:24 pm

mmmmmmmmmmmm…..I’m thinkin Arby’s……….

Kar

January 17th, 2011
4:34 pm

Kessler throws down the gauntlet.

Let’s see what happens. I agree that while I’m not always out for fine dining, I would at least expect some degree of professionalism and food expertise. Seriously, opening up a bag of limp/slimey wholesale lettuce and slapping it on a plate just shows you don’t care. I know that kitchens hate special orders but sometimes we have allergy or health issues behind them.

Also agree with the salt. No wonder we have diners with lazy palates if the chefs simply coat everything with salt rather than develop flavors.

Rebecca Abbott

January 17th, 2011
4:42 pm

You Go Girl
And while you’re at it, Chefs, get rid of your “sea salts” and any other salt you own.
I’m tired of waking up puffy the morning after a fine dining experience because of all the salt in the food.
Use some herbs instead

Sara

January 17th, 2011
4:49 pm

I would add that restaurants should make sure that their staff is WELL trained! So disappointing to go to a new or widely talked about restaurant and have the experience ruined by under-experienced and overly snooty staff.

K-Dawg

January 17th, 2011
4:51 pm

H-Cat, you seem worried that your husband’s restaurant is the next to be axed. As far your hubby having to work holidays, so do a heck of a lot of people like Airline pilots, firemen, police, doctors, nurses etc etc. You’re way out of line with your whimpering and assumptions of what 100k can pay for. For some 100k is a stupid amount of money although it probably wouldn’t bring you home at night.

An open letter to Atlanta chefs | Food and More with John Kessler | Food Critics

January 17th, 2011
4:58 pm

[...] Read the original here: An open letter to Atlanta chefs | Food and More with John Kessler [...]

Andy

January 17th, 2011
5:06 pm

NATIVE ATLANTAN

Andy

January 17th, 2011
5:07 pm

NATIVE ATLANTAN

HOW ABOUT SHARING 4 OR 5 OF THOSE GREAT OFF THE BEATEN PATH RESTAURANTS YOU REFER TO ABOVE.

Tim James

January 17th, 2011
5:12 pm

And just because it’s Atlanta doesn’t mean the ice tea taste good. So many times the tea is pure sugar water.

atlfunlvr

January 17th, 2011
5:13 pm

Yes!! No more designer grits and macaroni and cheese

juice sourcer

January 17th, 2011
5:15 pm

I want to see a place like this gem in Berleley, California.
http://www.gatherrestaurant.com

Big AHall

January 17th, 2011
5:15 pm

WOW….Paris, New York and San Fran??? And we dont compete with these cities dining options?? Well no crap!! It took an article in The Urinal Constipation for you to figure that out??…Typical northern come south to live/teach us rubes a thing or two attitude…so typical.

I am headed to New York for 5 days in May and California for a week in September…so I understand. I vacation in the cities you are all glorifying.

I live off of Buford Hwy and love all of our tasty options. For our population count, we have a fantastic dining scene. Of course we dont compare to the places you name…but if those places are so great, why arent you Einstens living there?? My god….do you have to eat at French Laundry, Daniel or Atelier at every meal?? This is the South…grits, greens and barbecue…..and before you start, Charlie Virgo’s in Memphis is my fave BBQ.

Where we rank in the pecking order of cities….we kill our competition foodwise. Rathbun, Ullio, Castelluci, Blaise, Doty, Hopkins, Seeger….tell me when to stop with the names.

For our size we are one of the best dining cities in the world. And if you got a problem with that…meet me at Antico Pizza Napoletana and I’ll buy a couple slices and we can debate some more.

Now get the hell out of my city!!…NOW… go back from whence you came!!!

bradley

January 17th, 2011
5:19 pm

Dave,
But you are.

Josh

January 17th, 2011
5:21 pm

I moved down here from the north east about a year and a half ago. The restaurant scene definitely can’t compete with the great cities mentioned in the article, but it’s better than I expected. It hasn’t been an easy adjustment, and I’ll probably move back north as soon as my career gives me an opportunity to do so.

But Atlanta is still a much better city than I expected, and at least the cost of living is much lower to offset not having as many quality dining and cultural options.

That said, I agree with most of the article. My one gripe with the restaurants here is things are just much too heavy and salty/greasy most places. But it’s the south and that’s characteristic of southern cuisine. It is what is. All one can do is find and support the places they like and learn to cook some of their favorite dishes they can’t find around here themselves.

Covers Dixie like the Dew

January 17th, 2011
5:30 pm

It’s a tough business.

Danny

January 17th, 2011
5:33 pm

Yes I totally agree. I have an issue with all these boutique restaurants that look fancy, feature high price items but then taste mediocre, example Shout, Twist and all these fancy smancy types. I find it if you go to a small family or individually owned restaurant you get so much better quality.

Rusan’s is Japanese but it seems like anybody can be a sushi chef, if I want authentic I don’t want my japanese food cooked by a a non japanese, yes they can be trained but in my experience they just get by.

Quality always suffers for the masses. Focus on making good food all the time not every once in a while and I would go out more. I used eat out 3x a day but no longer find it worth it, I can get better food at home.

Big AHall

January 17th, 2011
5:34 pm

Josh nailed it people. Better than expected. Atlanta is great city…easy to get to the beach, all 4 major sports, the college football capital of the world and plenty of good places to eat. I had dinner at 4th and Swift the other night and thought it to be very good. I am realistic and do no expect sexual type gratification at every meal. If you cant find a good meal in Atlanta….you aint looking in the right places.

BTW there is a nice 4th and Swift offer on Half Off Depot.

jess

January 17th, 2011
5:42 pm

Atlantans have always been fickle restaurant patrons. One week we love you, next we hate you. If the quality was consistent we’d likely always love you or hate you.My pet peeve with all restaurants, chef owned or otherwise, is the obvious lack of concern for patrons health. Entering a $$$ or $$$$ restaurant I expect to see, prominently displayed, a health department score of 98-100. Any score below a 96 and you see me walking out immediately. Even the $ fast food restaurants can, and do, obtain a score of 100.

An open letter to Atlanta chefs | Food and More with John Kessler | Monterey Reviews

January 17th, 2011
5:47 pm

[...] Helen wrote an interesting post today Here’s a quick excerpt It’s about young cooks who make brilliant pizza, or serious ice cream, or bizarrely original tacos. Every chef needs a signature dish that is all hers or his, a lure to the restaurant, a mouthful of nothing-else-like-it that diners dream of days later. 9. Surprise us: I recently went to a restaurant I ….. About Food and More with John Kessler. Discuss Atlanta restaurant reviews and food news with John and the AJC’s dining team. Food and More with John Kessler RSS feed … [...]

An open letter to Atlanta chefs | Food and More with John Kessler | TOPCOOKINGREVIEW.COM

January 17th, 2011
5:48 pm

[...] the original here: An open letter to Atlanta chefs | Food and More with John Kessler Uncategorized better-reflect, career, new-fusion, paper, pocket, reality, the-country, [...]

P Deez

January 17th, 2011
5:51 pm

I agree with a lot of Mr. Kessler’s challenges. However, he is out of touch with what restaurants are trying to do as businesses. While purist chefs are truly interested in “art” and “craft” they still have payrolls to meet and rent to come up with. I’ve been dreaming of the day I hit the lottery to open the most creative, stylish, comfortable, delectable, fun, invigorating…….place I can. With over 25 years as a chef and manager (chef is not an elitist title) I know what all this means. Like art, music, literature, women, men, whatever, “taste” is realitive!

Scott

January 17th, 2011
5:53 pm

While there is an ocean of mediocrity in this and every town. This seems to be a glass is half empty article. Go to Hankook and try…..everything. Have the cracker-jack salad at JTC, or the pumpkin ravioli at Valenza, the crispy cream doughnut milkshake at Flip, the grilled pork sandwich at Lee’s bakery.The BBQ in this town is finally solid. There’s far too may treats to name.
I will miss The salmon sashimi with mustard ice cream at Joel but nothing at Seegars or The dining room.

Jeus H. Christ

January 17th, 2011
5:53 pm

It must be tough trying to impress these obese southerners with anything other than fried foods, oily vegetables, and over-sweetened desserts. And turn a profit! I feel sorry for these chefs who try and impress the “masses.”

George P Burdell

January 17th, 2011
5:55 pm

Ratatouille, the movie: Restaurant critic meets chef who does one thing well.

Quit being different for differences sake. Pay attention to detail. Train your staff. Listen to your customers. It’s a dining experience, not cooking school…make it happen.

Josh

January 17th, 2011
5:59 pm

In response to Scott’s comment, there is definitely a lot of good barbeque and other meats, fried food, southern style places like Mary Mac’s, JCT, South City Kitchen etc. in town.

What’s lacking here is a nice variety of upscale places (or whole in the wall joints) with tasty AND healthy food for those of us that love dining out but are also very health conscious.

Big AHall

January 17th, 2011
6:08 pm

Obese southerners???? HAHAHAHA….I laugh at how fine my obese southern wife is compared to what passes for good looking on Manhattan or in Chicago. Just go to a Yankee’s game Jesus H. and you will see the epitome of the fat/ugly combo in action. The most shocking thing to me about New York was not how good the food was but how freaking disgusting the natives are. Very suprising that the horrible attitudes and even worse looks were, as it was told me, the native New Yorkers. If they were either semi attractive or somewhat of a decent human type, they were from somewhere else.

Betti Harrison

January 17th, 2011
6:29 pm

John, you and I know each other and I am sad to say your comments are puerile. This coming from a true eater.

Jim R.

January 17th, 2011
6:41 pm

John..
.I don’t know you but I’ll bet you can cross puerile off the list of things you have never been called..
@Betti..Just curious what part of JK’s homily did you find peurile?…Did you mean it in it’s childlike or in it’s trivial connotation? How can I tell if I am a true or a false eater? A fry detector test?

Just Damn…

Brad

January 17th, 2011
6:41 pm

It’s not hard to turn this article back at it’s author. Certainly Journalism has taken a nose dive too wouldn’t you say? That said I agree with most things here especially about more “hands on” chefs at the wheel of quality control.

Biggest problem is review websites that let people who have terrible taste and articulate writing dictate what owners think of chefs.

Beatriz

January 17th, 2011
6:48 pm

Well, someone had to say and I’m glad it’s said. I can’t believe that I was just talking about this very subject at my last dinner party. As a chef and food historian, I can’t seem to impress upon people how utterly boring the food has become here. Every day I’m reading about these phenomenal dishes that the chefs in New York and Europe are turning out and I’m wondering if any of the chefs in Atlanta are taking the time to read the same stuff. Myself, I’m trying to create something different everytime I cook partly out of boredom, partly out of sheer desire for something fresh and new. Thank you so much for this John Kessler. I hope Atlanta will come to its senses. I salute you!

Rockerbabe

January 17th, 2011
6:49 pm

I do hope this new food critic will spend a little more time in places other than Atlanta proper, Buckhead and points north. When one reads the restaurant critic listings, the impression is that the only restaurants worth visiting are in those places. There a lots of ethnic places in Dekalb, Clayton and Gwinnett counties. I hope you come to our locale for a visit. Also, it would be nice if the sanitation scores are also part of your critique. . .I only eat at places with a 90 or better and have quickly left any number of restaurants because their scores were low. If the kitchen isn’t clean, then the food isn’t worth eating.

FormerChef

January 17th, 2011
7:01 pm

Multiple Comments to share:

1) “eliminating all the ingredients with high-fructose corn syrup” Why? are you allergic to it? Either enjoy the food or don’t order it. Don’t criticize an ingredient that you really, truthfully know nothing about. (Don’t listen to the hype, find out for yourself, you are a big uhhhh… person….)

2) Salt usage. Agreed. But you have to have mass appeal or the dish will tank. It is expensive to produce a special that is not widely known or popular. If you know more than we do, then by all means open a restaurant and see how quickly you make money…. ( or rather go out of business).

3) In most cases, IT IS JUST A MEAL! Are you paying $35.00 a plate for dinner? $20.00 for lunch? No? Really? huh….. then please remember that you ate two other meals today and will eat 3 more tomorrow. and the next day and the next. Is it really that bad? Do you really need to rake a poorly paid server over the coals because it wasn’t what you expected? And if you complain and we take it off the bill, please remember that the server neither cooked it nor created it. Tip them for your free meal too. (Cause you always eat some of it and I am sure you didn’t leave hungry.)

4) Oh, yeah, did I mention that it is simply a meal. Didn’t like it? Then don’t order it. You all expect every meal to appeal to your particular palates. Get over yourselves….. It is a meal. Tomorrow you will have another. Or….. don’t……………… your choice……………….. sheeeesh

former native

January 17th, 2011
7:02 pm

Mr. Kessler–I thought I’d give you an example of what you were looking for. Once upon a time, in the East Point/College Park area, there was an interesting little restaurant called Kosmos. In its kitchen were trained chef and cooks from Jamaica, Mexico, Brasil, the U.S., and several different parts of Asia. The cuisine was fusion–totally fresh and seasonal, occasionally even making use of the leaves of the banana trees that grew on the beautiful back patio. In fact, the food included many of the ingredients you cite in your open letter above. Plates were gorgeous, and the staff were friendly, fun and a bit eccentric. The place was great–awsome food, great crowds, great cocktails, a staff that felt like family. Imagine my horror when I read the review/hatchet job by Meredith Ford. She made fun of the host for highlighting the local art in the restaurant, and criticized the food for not having “direction”. When the owners contacted her, they were told to find one direction and stick to it–not to try for this “global fusion thing” as it was just confusing. The restaurant closed shortly afterward. So I suggest you look to your own archives and assess the damage that you and your colleagues have done to the innovative, if not perfect, restaurants in the area.

For those of you who have moved to the South and continue to criticize southerners, I have only one thing to say: Va t’en!!!

Ted Striker

January 17th, 2011
7:05 pm

This article claims to be an “open letter” written to the restaurant owners/managers/chefs but it’s published in the AJC.

Low rent, low class move, food critic. Very unimpressed with this. Cannot emphasize this enough.

Ted Striker

January 17th, 2011
7:07 pm

p.s. Have been unimpressed with the level of professionalism of AJC food critics since M. Ford discussed her theft of menus from restaurants she reviewed. Hopefully you don’t do that like she did.

Josh H

January 17th, 2011
7:13 pm

Such a joke considering 1) 75% of your reviews have been of ethnic restaurants where these rules don’t apply, and 2) the new emphasis on reviewing restaurants that aren’t in Atlanta. I support the sentiments in your ‘open letter’, but it gives you even less credibility considering your hypocritical actions.

Josh

January 17th, 2011
7:19 pm

I’m surprised so many people are upset over this. At the end of the day it’s just one critic’s opinion. It’s not like he’s suggesting that every restaurant should try all those things, just that he’d like to see more take some of those chances.

And to some of the other comments, yes there’s a lot of good food on Buford Highway, Decatur and other places outside the city.

But I took this as more about Atlanta restaurants, not the whole metro area. The great thing about cities like NY, Chicago etc. is that you don’t have to venture out of the city to find all the great food options you could ever want. Which is great for us city dwellers who don’t like venturing out into the burbs or beyond any more often that we have to–especially in a metro area like Atlanta with a pretty limited public transit system.

Chef Angelique

January 17th, 2011
7:28 pm

This article is WELL over-due and I am glad someone is calling out to all these chefs / restaurants in Atlanta. I am AMAZED at the lack of taste, quality and presentation of the food been served in these restaurants, more so, I am surprised at the price and the LACK of taste to back it up, SHAME!!! Yes Atlanta, you guys REALLY need to BRING IT all the way up!!! Way to go Johns Kessler for telling them like it NEED to be told!

Mel

January 17th, 2011
7:35 pm

The most wonderful restaurant I’ve eaten at in Atlanta was Houstons. Everything complemented the palate, not too much food but out of this world flavor. Well worth the price.

regular business guy

January 17th, 2011
7:50 pm

eating out a lot i have noticed that many of the new restaurants are more fascinated with creating the newest hip atmosphere and decent kitchy trendy food, but totally missing the noise and comfort of the interior- loud concrete lofts with concrete walls and floors may be less expensive to decorate but food is meant to be enjoyed in a comfortable relaxing environment! even if i love your food if i cant hear my companion or guest (music is cool unless i want to hear myself think) i am not coming to your – no matter how popular- restaurant! and speaking of interior features why do i have to keep a small key fob light in my car to take in when i go to dinner? because the lighting is so dark i cant read the menu. now i know i am getting to middle age and surprise those people still spend money in restaurants so why do many of the restaurants miss this entirely? cute menus on grey and brown paper matched with cute font of similar colors are annoying- what 25 year old graphic artist is designing your menus and lighting consultant?

Jason

January 17th, 2011
7:51 pm

HAHAHA The atl food scene (all of ga for that matter) is mediocre because THAT IS WHAT SELLS IN THIS MARKET!!!!!!!

Artless bland protestant heritage gets you a long and fine tradition of…what? cuisine? nope, art? no, one museum in the state.

I’ve been here for 20 yrs and until all of the native atlantans die out or leave this city will always be a weak pretender with bad traffic. Dam, how nice would it be to have a great cuisine and cultural hertitage like New Orleans?

PS all you “native atlantans” get out of MY city and go back to the woods from wence YOU came!!

guy

January 17th, 2011
7:54 pm

gluten free sux

Jim R.

January 17th, 2011
8:06 pm

Hold yer horses there Jason..20 yrs doth not a native make..As they say Delta is ready when you are…how can a comment on a fine article by JK turn into a wish you were dead litany of nonsense?
Dam (as you spell it), how nice it would be for us both to get our wish and you end up in N.O….
Not that they would want you.

Jim…52 yrs ITP..Look it up Jason

chef jesse bell

January 17th, 2011
8:16 pm

im very dissapointed in what im reading im dissapointed because ive personaly experienced a lott who am i kidding all of theese problems and people chefs dont make theese decisions owners do we fight day in and day out for quality ingredents we constantly present new flavors to our bosses to be told there too expensive atlanta is also suffering a brain drain owners who demand $10,000 nights as a baseline with all the work that goes into that food cost labor equipment testing design durability and these people want us to hand them 300,000 per month these same people tell us our job only pays 40,k a year most of the fine chefs of atlanta have moved away and honestly atlanta is being fed by prep cooks and scrubs thats why your food is unrefined and precotious , most embarrising of all there buying packaged foods and phoneing it in because they cant produce the basics its too easy to just buy what they need @ restrant depot i wish you all bon apitite for i must return to my job here in phoenix @ barret jackson aparently i was too pricey to do the boat show .

Chef Angelique

January 17th, 2011
8:18 pm

@Mel Houstons is GREAT, limited choices on the menu, but good food!

Linda

January 17th, 2011
8:18 pm

Hopefully, Atlanta chefs will read this article and take it to heart. I was in town for the Atlanta Gift Market this past weekend and had told my buyers that a certain restaurant adjoining the Merchandise Mart was all they needed after a busy day of buying. I was terribly embarrassed at the quality of food that was served. Overpriced and almost inedible. No finesse, poor quality ingredients, poorly prepared. When I pay $34.00 for Chilean Sea Bass, it had better be amazing. The meal was forgettable, and we have now “forgotten” this restaurant, a long-time institution.

Chris F

January 17th, 2011
8:24 pm

I am a hardworking father and I do not get to eat out as much as I would like. When I do get a chance to dine at one of our great restaurants, I want to have a great experience just like anyone else, but you do have a responsibility to be respectful as a customer. I do notice quite a bit, customers who think because they watch Top Chef, they can act like an ass. I think restaurants should respect there customer’s opinions, but there are many “types” of customers. Some people like to complain just to show off, some people do it in hopes of getting something free. If the food is fresh, cooked correctly, seasoned right, and presented as portrayed on the menu, then you really shouldn’t complain. I read reviews all the time on yelp and other review outlets and I see people complaining about the dumbest things. For example, if you go to a restaurant that cooks every course to order, you are gonna be there longer than Longhorn.

On the other hand, if the establishment obviously could care less about what they put out and they have a crappy attitude, tell people about it. I previously loved SFU, but the last time I went I had half a cup of oil in the bottom of my Fried Shrimp basket and the waiter thought it was the worst thing in the world I had a problem with it. Just because your restaurant is a cool hang out spot, doesn’t mean you can give up on consistency. I guess that is why I love Hal’s and the Capital Grill so much, every time I dine at these places, it feels like an event and I feel like i am the only customer there, even though I may not be ordering 200 dollars bottles of wine.

Needabailout,too!

January 17th, 2011
8:44 pm

Ummm…could you also send an open letter to another Atlanta community draw–our professional sports teams–and ask them to ‘Step It Up’ and to ‘Bring It’? I’m emotionally exhausted from the recent season-long ‘certainty’ of post-season, successful Championship outcomes, first from the Hawks, then the Braves, now the Falcons. Always the bridesmaids and never the Bride. Signed-Another Disappointed Customer (…And hold the salt!)

Jason

January 17th, 2011
8:47 pm

Jim R, my wish is for you and your cultureless ilk to ‘die off’ or just leave on your own…

pattymelt

January 17th, 2011
8:51 pm

If any of you super fine restaurateurs would support overly priced edgy cuisine and put your money where your mouth is, then maybe people like Joel, Seager, and the Ritz Carlton dining room would still be around. People like solid comfort food even in New York the restaurants that are still kicking ass are the neighborhood restaurants with straight forward food.

Jean

January 17th, 2011
8:53 pm

Spot on, and a big reason why I enjoy my trips to New Orleans so much.

Jason

January 17th, 2011
8:53 pm

hey, Jim R, tell what you have to be proud of in being a native atlnatan?? I’m proud to not be from here originally. Now go get a cheeseburger on your way to delta you inbred

Kemp

January 17th, 2011
8:56 pm

While all of us foodies would love to see restaurants in Atlanta push the envelope, enough people aren’t out there eating adventurous food. Take a good look at the restaurants in Atlanta that are the most financially successful…you will find fried chicken, pizza, and bbq. The high-end restaurants that do well…expensive steak and mashed potatoes. I have worked in the Atl restaurant scene for almost a decade, I have also worked in NYC. The difference isn’t the talent, its the taste.

pattymelt

January 17th, 2011
9:07 pm

If I was trapped in my cave for 5 years eating my moms crappy cooking, I would probably be pretty bitter about life and food myself.

Sophie's Choice

January 17th, 2011
9:13 pm

Edward @ 1:59 & Kristen @ 2:07, beautifully put, both of you. My sentiments exactly!

Wow

January 17th, 2011
9:15 pm

What a rude and arrogant letter. Here’s a better idea: Step up your game Mr. Food Critic. Your lack of ability is appalling and your lack of understanding of what Atlanta truly is sad at best.

Please, crawl back into your hole and stop trying to ruin good, honest people who are cooking with passion.

luckydog

January 17th, 2011
9:49 pm

If it ain’t fried, it ain’t Atlanta!

Jim R.

January 17th, 2011
9:53 pm

Jason…My bad…Thought you were talking about Atlanta, Not atlnatan…isn’t that somewhere between The Garden of Good Grammer and the Sea of Spellcheck? Hmmmmm….cheeseburger, not a bad idea. Sorry JK….Will stay on topic….Maybe we can get Jason to be positive and list some restaurants with childrens menu’s that meet his approval.

itpdude

January 17th, 2011
9:53 pm

The good news is there is better eating at the more modest places now. This economy has really put fine dining in a pinch.

Though a lot of these guys could learn a thing or two about salt. If we want more salt, we can add it.

JacobLocke

January 17th, 2011
9:53 pm

There are good restaurants out there, but they’re not necessarily the ones with all the glitz and glamour – stay away from the fru-fru Midtown and Buckhead spots. Go eat on Buford Hwy, hit up a place like Parish on Highland, get some wings at the Local, grab a brisket sandwich at the EAYC or pick up some Ethiopian cuisine on Piedmont. To hell with the panache of “five-star” dining.

R Pratei

January 17th, 2011
10:03 pm

John
This is by far the best article regarding the Atlanta food scene that I have seen in a long time. The restaurants in Atlanta have lost their edge. Even our premiere chefs no longer produce the quality or interest they did just 5 years ago. They produce pedestrian fare that the majority of home cooks could prepare and then they charge too much for it. Atlanta was once a great restaurant town but has lost it. I sincerely hope that the Atlanta chefs will heed your warning.

Chef Angelique

January 17th, 2011
10:04 pm

@Wow, I’m sorry dude, they may be cooking with a passion, but if the food sucks, it sucks!!! I’m sorry, you must have NOT have GREAT food yet, I mean food where once you taste it, you just and simply DONT settle. Thats the reason I dont go to most restaurants, i will try them once, but for the most part I am ALWAYS shaking my head cause I ALWAYS do better at home and those who have tried my food have told me so, hands down!!!

sasquatch

January 17th, 2011
10:06 pm

If you don’t like the food, I will tell you what the Cordon Bleu chef said to a regular at the table next to us, over 25 years ago: “I don’t know why you eat here, because you always complain. Please don’t come back if you are going to complain about how I cook.”

Anthony

January 17th, 2011
10:07 pm

Mr. Kessler’s comments are really symptomatic of the problems with Atlanta restaurants. The taste buds of many Atlantans are that of someone raised on fast food and barbeque. So, they are naturally wowed by rich sauces and fancy presentations and take to comfort food, butter and crème, like a baby does to Gerber’s. The best food in the world is simple, fresh and delicate. It takes far greater skill to create something delicious than “interesting”. Remember, herbs and spices are tools to achieve a desired flavor, not flavor itself. Some of these so-called gourmet chefs could not prepare a proper plate of spaghetti al sugo pomodoro e basilico if their lives depended on it.

Veronica

January 17th, 2011
10:10 pm

This is why I only dine at ethnic family-owned restaurants and many of them do not necessarily look like a hole in the wall. I’ve never left hungry from a Korean or Vietnamese restaurant. Peace.

CaptainLefty

January 17th, 2011
10:11 pm

Bravo John for stepping out on a limb a tad and firing a shot across the bow of Atlanta’s chefs. Obviously, from the comments above you’ve struck a nerve – both positive and negative. But as a native Altantan who’s spent the past 20 yrs entertaining clients from around the U.S. in the fine dining establishments of Buckhead and beyond, I think our number one foul is our definite lack of Southern hospitality and grace. You find the restaurant that combines that with a chef who is just on the cutting edge, with a focus on quality ingredients and classical preparation, and I’ll beat their door down over and over again.

Chanch

January 17th, 2011
10:16 pm

Thank you for communicating so effectively what a lot of locals are thinking. I have been a loyal “foodie” for 7 years and whenever I have been able to spend the big bucks I have enjyoyed places like Restaurant Eugene or Canoe. However I feel we are lacking in places that can provide flavorful food coupled with seamless service even if we aren’t “high rollers”. Living in the Brookhaven area I am very pleased that I have been able to venture out to various places off Buford Highway and leave satisfied. However it would be nice to find more places that fall in between. I still think Atlanta is a GREAT place for dining and going out for a tasty meal paired with the perfect vino is a definite treat!

JRS

January 17th, 2011
10:25 pm

Metro Atlantans, with their strip mall aesthetics and red stater sophistication deserve the spate of mediocre restaurants that serve them.

Gator Actual

January 17th, 2011
10:35 pm

Since I don’t have the $$$ to go to all those fancy restaurants, I’ll continue to go to the Marietta Diner and have regular food, and lots of it, at a price I can afford.

Ansley Denihan

January 17th, 2011
10:35 pm

Amen!! 100 times Amen!! I would like to be wowed in my own hometown like I am when I visit Chicago, New York, San Fransisco, and even Birmingham. We have way too much talent here to be serving such mediocre food.

pajama pants

January 17th, 2011
10:36 pm

Foodie’s are last decades metro sexual, get a grip and get over yourselves. Today’s food is tomorrow’s excrement. Eat to live, don’y live to eat.

Kevin

January 17th, 2011
10:45 pm

All this talk from self-proclaimed “foodies”.

In reality, you people sound like a bunch of bitter, angry, pretentious people whom I would rather stick a salty fork in my eye than spend time with in a restaurant.

Recessions force people to cut back. Restaurants must step up and show creativity and value. I could list a dozen places that have thrived during the recession, but you miserable lot would complain about the salt, the portion size, or the clientele.

Atlanta has amazing diversity in dining that doesn’t have to cross $100 a head. But many of you will never find them because they don’t fit your scene. Oh well. I wouldn’t want to run into you hateful people in there anyway.

Georgia Born, Georgia Raised....

January 17th, 2011
10:50 pm

BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! Several of you sound like a bunch of bogey children, Atlanta isn’t this, why aren’t we NY that… Well, this is the South (proud to say) and frankly we are NOT trying to be like your hyped up cities, we didn’t make you come here and personally I been to NY and L.A. and I will honestly tell you that it isn’t all that!!!! The difference is that it has second, third, fourth generation immigrants who have developed the food scene in those cities for years; in comparison, Atlanta has several generations of individuals from African descent(to name a few) so it is only natural that our Southern cuisine comprises of salty, fried, etc.(you know the unhealthy dining foods)… I truly try to avoid some of the Restaurants due to the unhealthy content. Atlanta is just like any other city(metro area), a person just needs to go out and find what dish/restaurant that they are looking for, Atlanta is a major city that has several different diversities, along with many transplants, so YES there are places for the high minded food critics to indulge in…. Please, as stated various times by the Natives here, if you don’t like our great city then please ride your high horse out of town!!!!!

Betti Harrison

January 17th, 2011
10:50 pm

@Betti..Just curious what part of JK’s homily did you find peurile?…Did you mean it in it’s childlike or in it’s trivial connotation?

@ Jim R. – I have written many novels, books and articles for the AJC. I do not require snot nosed brats like you questioning my use of the English language.

ahoy polloi

January 17th, 2011
10:57 pm

please pass the grey poupon

suwanee guy

January 17th, 2011
11:00 pm

Great comments.

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January 17th, 2011
11:01 pm

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Steve

January 17th, 2011
11:01 pm

Food Joints have been reducing the size of their portions, ie; the sandwiches have been getting smaller, yet the cost goes up and I walk out of the restaurant hungry and paid more for it, too.

Mongo

January 17th, 2011
11:01 pm

Mongo says if you want to eat fancy grub then come over to Mongos house. We will go out in the woods and shoot some little tender baby deers, you knows they are tender when you shoot them off the titty and they still have theys mommas milk dripping out of their mouth, rabits and possums. Then we will put on a big pot of greens and throw a peace of streeked meat in thar for flavor. Also a big cast-iron skillet of corn bread and a vadillia onjin. Then to wash it all down we will pass around the gallon jug of shine, not that crap they call wine. Oh one final thought, YANKEES SUCK!!

long duck dong

January 17th, 2011
11:08 pm

donger need food

JB Harrison

January 17th, 2011
11:08 pm

Right on, Mr. Kessler. I am not a native nor am I a food expert but cities like Dallas, Birmingham, Kansas City, St. Louis have The ATL beat. One doesn’t even need to go as far as comparing the restaurants here to NYC or Paris!

Sam Bruni

January 17th, 2011
11:14 pm

The misspellings and grammar of these comments are baffling. Especially, the spelling of the cooks’ names and the restaurants. Also, naming cooks and restaurants that do not exist anymore in Atlanta as if they’ve dined there recently is equally perplexing.

As for native Atlantans that hate New Yorkers or anyone from a major city that have moved here for one reason or another, why do you vacation or travel to these cities then? If your answer to non-native southerners is “move the hell back” (which includes most of the cooks still here in ATL), Atlanta will surely die a quick death. All the companies that opened a location and brought new jobs and transfers here keeps Atlanta alive. If all the non-natives moved the hell back to where they came from, the “amazing” Atlanta restaurant scene now as we know it will cease to exist. Maybe, all these northerners and their companies should take their 1,000’s of jobs and move to a more welcoming city and leave Atlanta to their self-righteous selves.

If Atlanta is such an incredible food town, then why is there so much debate? Restaurateurs should be dying to open new places everywhere, not shuttering them and leaving. One thing I know is that NY, LA, CHI or SF isn’t comparing themselves to Atlanta.

We all want Atlanta to be a great food town but the cooks and customers both need to step it up first.

USMC dawg

January 17th, 2011
11:16 pm

First of all…. ATLANTA IS NOT NEW YORK! Get over it.
If you want “New York”, go to New York.

Secondly, WE ARE IN A RECESSION.
Naturally restaurants are having to scramble to stay afloat-like the rest of us.

Third, THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!

Fourth, People, Restaurant staff ARE NOT there for you to beat up on and send food back for the most ridiculous reasons.
I just broke up with my girlfriend because every time we went out to eat, she was RUDE as H&!! to the staff and ALWAYS sent her food back.

Rik Roberts

January 17th, 2011
11:24 pm

As a person that eats out almost every meal up here OTP, I have to say that I AM afraid to try new things at nicer restaurants. If I am ponying up the kind of bucks to eat at a really fine restaurant, then I want to leave fat and happy. I hate few things more than paying for a meal that wasn’t really what I wanted or was just OK. I guess it’s a good thing that these restaurants are not relying on my dollar.

oy vey

January 17th, 2011
11:24 pm

sbarro’s pizza in nyc is to die for

Mongo

January 17th, 2011
11:27 pm

Mongo thinks that there are no food experts on this bolg either, just a bunch of want to be food critics and big city retards.

salt police

January 17th, 2011
11:34 pm

I heard a rumor that the chefs in Atlanta use way too much salt in their food. Can anyone comment on the salt issue?

Thanks!

ccccwwj

January 17th, 2011
11:38 pm

I live in The Virginia Highlands and eat out 2-3 days a week, and can say without a doubt in the last 5 years have seen a decline in our restaraunt scene for example
1. Floataway Cafe- no menu change at all, service has gone down, last time there our food was terrible.
2. El Taco, DBA BBQ, Goin Coastal, Diesel — All bad, they try but are just not good restaraunts
3. Yeah Burger – two people spent 38.00 on two burgers fries 1 beer and a water , it was good but not that good
4, Noche, La Tavola, Rosebud, Ma Li, Highland Tap — All good, they have there hiccups but overall reliable

Overall a decline in neighborhood dinning and no real blow you away Restaraunt (I would say 4th and swift but not really in VH)
I am sure this story is the same in The Vinnings, Buckhead ,Midtown, but in our defense the last two times I was in New York and Los Angeles I had some large checks and bad food/service!!!

Harold

January 17th, 2011
11:39 pm

PUT AWAY THE STUPID GRITS FER CRYIN OUT LOUD

Jason

January 17th, 2011
11:55 pm

“native” Atlantans, is there such a thing? love things to be mediocre…that’s why the food is the way it is here. Atlanta doesn’t even have it’s own style of BBQ, think about that. The people who lived here “back in the day” were devoid of culture and placed little value on education, remember that ga was founded as a prison colony.

This is a huge issue which is about more than just food – traffic, entertainment, sports, community (rude natives talkin to you) everything needs to step up.

Atlantaphotog

January 18th, 2011
12:03 am

I’m a bit surprised that “service” wasn’t mentioned as one of the things that’s wrong with so many places in Atlanta. Far too many times I’ve gone to a supposedly “nice” restaurant, only to be waited on by a 20-something that seems to have come fresh from a local Friday’s or Taco Mac. No offense to those places – they have a place, but when I’m spending three times as much as I do there for a meal, I do expect the employees to be older than a “barely legal drinking age” and not stand in a corner texting their boyfriends instead of checking on our table. And this happens FAR too often in this town.

Pay your people more, and hire ADULTS who actually want a job in the restaurant business, please.

Betti Harrison

January 18th, 2011
12:06 am

I have written many novels, books and articles for the AJC. I do not understand why people are afraid of posting under their true names. Smacks of cowardice. I had enough of that from my ex-husband Mike D. Harrison

Grillmaster

January 18th, 2011
12:10 am

Nice sentiments, but I think the “better” restaurants in this town need to get away from the get rich quick mentality of “$28 for 6 oz. of filet mignon”. I know, I know, it isn’t cheap to operate a dining establishment in Atlanta, but c’mon!

Many of us who enjoy fine dining are no longer on expense accounts, and those that are can only write off 50% with the IRS so………$29 per lb. for grain or grass fed beef tenderloin on the grill makes more sense. Besides, we can surround ourselves with people of our choosing and not have to put up with the “I can’t live without my cell ‘phone” crowd just so we can be waited on by disinterested and often poorly trained wait staff.

Dinner parties are coming back into vogue – overpriced restaurants are not attractive to the true gourmets anymore!

Logical Dude

January 18th, 2011
12:11 am

Rik,
I’m just the opposite. When I try a new restaurant, and it has a house special that I’ve never tried before, I’ll try it. It is extremely rare that I’ll be disappointed, so usually I am pleasantly surprised.
You might be surprised at what you like!

Otherwise, for the food critic to toss the gauntlet down to the restaurants. . . who do you want to read this article and get anything out of it? Chef’s ARE creative, and sometimes they are successful, but usually are not. Based on blog comments, it’s the eaters that define much of the cuisine. Since I don’t read the food critic, I don’t know which restaurants are the usual kind that get reviewed. Do you review only the top tier restaurants so that those who can afford the $50-$75 entree know the best places to go? Or do you review more causal places where anyone around Atlanta can afford any given month? ($20-$35 per entree)

Hey, I’m fine with a bunch of tacos from the cheap taco shop around the corner, but I would like to know who has the BEST tacos in town, for a reasonable price. No way I’m spending more than $20 for plate of tacos, no matter how much the chef works at it. Now tell me where I can spend $20 or more for a plate of tacos and say “okay, THAT was worth it!”

Mike

January 18th, 2011
12:12 am

Joe (12:20pm) – the customer IS always right. If they don’t like what a restaurant offers, they go somewhere else.

Harry Selfridge died broke because he kept living a gilded age lifestyle through the Depression. Selfridge’s is still around and still highly regarded for its merchandise and service.

The Chicago store where he got his start, unfortunately, has been bought out by a Cincinnatti group whose slogan seems to be “the customer is an annoyance.”

I get tired of the mantra that something has to be new and edgy to be any good. There are a lot of good restaurants that have been around more than 25 years. In the last few weeks, I’ve eaten at La Grotta, Trader Vic’s, and the Colonnade, and I’ve never had a bad meal at any of them. If I want “trendy,” I’ll go to Atkins Park for “small plates” and a microbrew.

Kaiser Souze

January 18th, 2011
12:18 am

Betti,
Must be keeping it real right? Not being mean, just being honest right? Smack of BS Betti and just guessing here but I think Mike D Harrison got tired of your weak a__ wit. Now go make me a sandwich! Selah!

jd

January 18th, 2011
12:26 am

Give it a rest, Kessler! Your requests are so general as to be meaningless. The fact is that Atlanta fine dining is non-existent, no matter how much you and Meredith try to pretend it exists. Case in point: Miller Union–the most hyped restaurant in Atlanta in 2010. Went there two months ago. Tiny bar with no space to stand. Unappealing decor. Bad industrial area (yeah, near Bacchanalia, where I wouldn’t eat either). The rabbit dish was served to me SWIMMING in juices. I nearly fell out of my chair. You recdommended it along with 10 other entities. Pathetic. Not only does Atlanta suffer from bad dining choices, it also lacks PROFESSIONAL food critics.

SophyB

January 18th, 2011
12:37 am

@Sam Bruni
I think if you read back over the comments making the “Delta is ready…” statement, you’ll find they’re responding to someone making a “dumb Southerner, hick, redneck” remark most of the time. As a native Atlantan, I have no problem with the majority of the people who have moved here from other parts of the country (I’m married to one) and appreciate all the jobs they brought with them. Southerners react when they are stereotyped, as most people will. Not all of us are redneck, grit-loving, hog jowl sucking morons, just as all New Yorkers and Chicagoans are not sophisticated, art-loving high brows (I’ve had the displeasure of living by a few VERY low brows). I honestly think the worst comments are from trolls, e.g. Jason, just trying to stir things up; it’s best to just ignore them, folks. Of course trying to maintain a civil discourse on the internet is pretty much impossible no matter what the topic.

That said, I agree with your last paragraph. Both diners and chefs need to be open to new ideas and new things. If Atlanta is ever going to be a true food destination, the chefs in particular need to step out of the box, but diners also need to willing to support them. If you truly love a place, eat there, take your friends there, and talk it up! Don’t cry over a closing when you weren’t in there laying down the bucks.

Bette Harrison

January 18th, 2011
12:43 am

My name has been posted incorrectly by AJC, it is

BETTE HARRISON

GingerBoy

January 18th, 2011
12:48 am

Thanks Sophy – I feel more welcome already!

Speaking of Jason, where the h*** ARE your from, man, that’s so great and wonderful compared to here? I’ve been here 5 years and like it a lot. The weather’s generally great, most people are friendly, I like a lot of the restaurants here and it’s not too far from the mountains or the beach. Now the traffic and the sports teams are pretty sorry, but I like Atlanta and I LOVE what I paid for my ITP house!

theArsonist

January 18th, 2011
12:57 am

I just returned from Chicago after cooking at a restaurant that was Michelin recognized. Chicago has plenty of mediocre, if not outright awful, restaurants. Yes, it has Alinea, Trotters, L20 and Blackbird; but they are at best yearly destinations. Chicago, LA and NYC all have 10 million plus in their metro area; Atlanta might have 5 million tops. And there traffic is 10 times as bad (there is a reason why they call it Chicagoland). While the top restaurants in each of these cities are beyond what is currently going on in Atlanta, I can confidently say that any of our monthly destinations can hold their own against theirs.

Bill Ficke

January 18th, 2011
1:09 am

John:
Perhaps you are missing the point!
In the last however many years you since have actually visited and rated restaurants in the Atlanta metro area is that things have changed and what really rules is ethnic food from all around the world!
My wife has (2) Thai restaurants, one for (11) years (both OSP) that are not pretentious, but serve really good food!
When ever we go to dinner we explore the full spectrum of restaurants, not based on the particular location or chef, but on finding something unique!
Bill

Menu Makers

January 18th, 2011
1:15 am

John, you act as if simply putting something on a menu is going to make people try something. You have to realize that the menu is made by chefs but staying on the menu means that more than one food critic and his far and few between followers is going to have to order it. Kohlrabi? Might as well call it turnip and cabbage soup. Yuck. Sure, a few folks will appreciate it while the rest of it spoils in the walk-in. You can’t run a business like that. Restaurants are not in the business of making food for its own sake. They are trying to make a living for the owners and their employees. You can criticize the average consumers palate all you want, but in the South we love our comfort foods. You being all high-and-mighty isn’t going to change that. Me? I’ll try anything once as long as someone I trust recommends it. Heck, I even tried natto when I was in Japan. Try getting away with that in any American town. Sorry, we don’t eat mucus that smells and tastes like gym socks. It’s a fact. Your article does little more than incite the faithful few that don’t understand that you write about restaurants but don’t know jack about running one.

artist

January 18th, 2011
1:25 am

Can someone define Atlanta Cuisine?

Chicago meat & potatoes.
San Fran, LA mostly California Cuisine.
New York about anything you want.

What is Atlanta’s Cuisine? By defining it we can better assist people from other areas to understand it. But if we’re not sure ourselves than how can we compare ourselves to other cities.
Are we southern / not southern? Low brow / high brow? Comfort food / sophisticated dining?
Just a big bowl of everything?

Even Charleston, which is a smaller market, has a defined coastal Carolina cuisine.
New Orleans, cajun & creole.

What are we known for?

Andy

January 18th, 2011
1:27 am

John, if the point of your critique is to start a discussion on the state of the restaurant industry. Good job. Clearly, reading the comments there’s lots of strong feeling on both sides. I don’t really have a problem with the sentiment of the review. But I would like to take issue with the specifics.

Is it right to generalize to this degree? All Atlanta chefs? Really? 4 months, 13 weeks, 3 or 4 restaurants a week. So what’s your sample, 50 or 60 restaurants, maybe a 100 meals? So you can really give a state of the business review? Zagat’s Atlanta review has 700+ restaurants. That’s a lot of places and dishes you haven’t considered.

Sure there is lack of execution and finesse, nobody is perfect. I know there are plenty of places with high standards and good training that shoot for constant improvement with their food and service. To think otherwise is ridiculous.

Most if not all restaurants have incorporated healthy choices into their menus. Could there be more, sure. That being said, menus of successful restaurants reflex what people will buy and not what they won’t. If guest demand healthier choices chefs and restaurateur will offer them. If you eat so much you’re uncomfortable, pretty sure that’s on you, not the chef. Eat less, have the leftovers for lunch. Some folks might consider that a good value.

If I hear one more expert carry on about “the narrative” of this or that I think I’ll lose my mind. Will the beets tell a better story in rounds as opposed to wedges, I doubt it. Technique, ingredients, presentation, seasoning, this is what make a dish special. Is the story better with poorly prepared fresh local organic beets and local goat cheese, as a opposed perfectly executed fresh beets and goat cheese from Sysco?

Sauce? Atlanta………the city that can’t make a sauce. Not sure if this is puerile, maybe. Or perhaps some of that wit food critics break out from time to time to tell their “story”. Maybe those out of town chefs at the Food and Wine Fest will show us shoemakers how to make a passable beurre blanc.

Make one thing really well? Or maybe take a risk with with ingredients that you and your guest may not be familiar with? Tough questions. How about execute what ever your serving, well! People want choices, and they want the choices they want. If it’s butternut squash soup, so be it. There’s room for creativity, but you better know your guests. People vote everyday at restaurants on what they want, with their wallets, and chef and owners ignore them to their detriment.

It’s great to have a POV. If you’ve been serving the same “sorry” dish for 10 years, maybe you’re doing something right. Might even be your signature dish. I’m sure there are dishes that chefs are tired of serving, but their guest demand them, so you better leave it on. The POV that is important in this economy, is staying in business, turning a profit, and keeping folks coming back. If you as a chef are in a position to experiment, be super creative, introduce your guest to new ingredients, you are in the minority and in a great situation. When high profile chefs choose to close cutting edge restaurant or not to open fine dining places, and decide to do upscale burger joints instead, there’s a POV there too.

Nothing wrong with much of you criticism, but I think you’re missing a big part of the picture. 5 years ago, there was lots of money, restaurant companies were growing, owners and customers had money to spend. It was a very different environment. Now restaurants have been struggling for several years. Chefs have been asked to do more with less. Less expensive ingredients, less employees, less sales, less everything. Except hours worked and businesses shuttered. That the industry is struggling is no surprise. Hopefully times are getting better. I imagine they are. But there are changes that may be permanent. Is the demand going to be there in fine dining that we’ve seen in the past? I don’t think so, but hopefully the shake up will improve the food and service of the restaurants that make it. It is already making chefs think about ways to offer creative, less expensive, delicious options. Can Atlanta restaurants improve? Of course. Are they as bad as you think? I doubt it. But you’ve certainly made people in and out of the business think…..and that is a good thing.

Eat Me

January 18th, 2011
1:32 am

This guy is an idoit. Terrible article. There is many great restaurants around, just don’t be overly picky. And this whole article is about an arrogant critic who is probably not good enough to cook anywhere and complains about anything that is put in front of him. If he knew anything about a true kitchen, he would be a part of one instead of tearing everyone down. Critics need to get a life and find a real job. Cat people suck! Also, take a SEAT!

Doggie

January 18th, 2011
1:32 am

Sander — Not sure which reality you’re dining in, but 4th & Swift and Local Three (both chef’ed by Chris Hall) have mastered the art of over-salting dishes. Seafood or otherwise, Chef Hall’s creations have left a lot to be desired. His staff has screwed up the rest of the experience. Pass.

Ron

January 18th, 2011
2:27 am

Enter your comments here

Bette Harrison

January 18th, 2011
5:00 am

@Eat Me -This guy is an idoit. Terrible article.

LOL I have been a writer all my life (inc AJC) and never have seen the term “idoit”. But I digress. The article is superb! If you do not believe it is so, email Cliff Bostock of Creative Loafing/Atlanta my very close friend! Who among you can can supply my level of insight?

bgreek

January 18th, 2011
5:19 am

This isn’t a terrible article, and I’m sure the writer has had experience working/running restaurants in the past…which is probably why he is writing about this topic. Food critics are odd people…period. I wonder how many really good restaurants have had their reputation tarnished by some snotty “food critic” ?

schippe1

January 18th, 2011
5:27 am

The best Restaurants in Atlanta for eating out are W/H and Mickey Ds. With so many people out of work, AJC spends time writing about eating out. Get a life!

David Beall

January 18th, 2011
5:44 am

Are you serious? The song “Too Much Time on my Hands” by Styx comes to mind.

BOO GOT SHOT

January 18th, 2011
5:49 am

snarky comments for the snobby crowd that would eat fired goat nuts if someone told them it was trendy!!!

Stephen

January 18th, 2011
5:49 am

As a longtime Atlantan, it’s been a pleasure watching our dining scene grow and diversity. In the era up until the Olympics, it seemed like the only trajectory was upward.

The economy has reminded us that scenes can move downward, too.

I think much of what John wrote about was about realizing of potential, not about a lack of talent. We’ve seen what talented people can do in this town and it has been rightly celebrated.

Blogs and comments have resulted in a new democratization of food discussion, and revealed a “just gimme the basics” mentality that has always been present among a certain segment of the town.

But a huge part of Atlanta’s growth and culture has been its aspirational nature – we aspire to take our place among the great cities of the continent. Maybe we’re having a few bumps in the road right now, but the talent (and the foodies) are still here, and both want great things. I think John’s comments were focused on getting us back to that.

LizinSarasota

January 18th, 2011
5:56 am

Oh, oh, oh. I was back up in Atlanta after a hiatus of 10 or so years, and was too disappointed to find that both Bien Thuy and August Moon were gone.
Who out there still remembers Honto?
Perhaps it’s the nature of restaurants, but even the great ones up on Buford Hwy. always seem to go the way of the condor. Still, what I wouldn’t do for salt and pepper squid and panfried pompano from Honto. I can still taste it!

bgreek

January 18th, 2011
6:01 am

This article is a joke. This is how YOU should run YOUR business lol….

John's Girl

January 18th, 2011
6:15 am

Can we puh-LEASE get away from serving good food in MONSTROUS portions? I’d rather have excellent food and just enough of it. Marietta Diner has some excellent, interesting and unique dishes but it’s always enough for an army. Always leave ‘em wanting more….

stephen

January 18th, 2011
6:38 am

I would also add two things: 1. Please serve your wines at the correct temperature. 2. Look at your wine lists and serve more than a Kendall Jackson Chardonnay and a cheap Merlot.

BIRDAWGONE

January 18th, 2011
6:54 am

LizinSarasota: I remember Honto and August Moon (ate my first meal there in 1983), good memories.

Ted M

January 18th, 2011
7:00 am

August Moon is still there at least it was a few months ago. I remember Honto’s… I liked the mussels in a hot pot but I think the health department closed them down.

I Hate Com Grill

January 18th, 2011
7:15 am

Its the service I think has taken a turn for the worse lately. Com Grill in Dunwoody for example. Food is iffy, mainly because the fish smells like it might have come from the Georgia Aquarium., but I’ll never go back because they are the rudest people I’ve ever seen restaurant workers. Avoid Com Grill!

Bill Johnson

January 18th, 2011
7:18 am

Y’all pay waaaaay tooo much for food in those places.

Ronnie McDonald

January 18th, 2011
7:23 am

This article should be titled “Tips for Going out of Business but Getting a Good Review in the AJC on Your Way to Chapter 11.” Isn’t it interesting that all the restaurants that you used to love and that made fine (see expensive) food are out of business? We are in a recession. Our real estate market is a mess. People haven’t gotten a raise in two years assuming they are lucky enough to still have a job. But butternut squash soup is the real problem. If only they would have made something more exotic like turnip green soup with raccoon meat balls for $35.00 to start your meal, the city would be a better place.

drew

January 18th, 2011
7:25 am

Totally agree. I used to go out at least twice a week to eat out – about six years ago. Now, I maybe go out once every two months. I certainly can afford it. But, I make better food at home with ideas from watching the Food channels. So, why bother? Also, I cannot remember the last time I was served a CRISP salad. Everyone’s salad is so drenched in dressing it’s a soggy mess.

Baltisral

January 18th, 2011
7:28 am

John…..very interesting and spot on article. I most liked #10. Keep your special steak and hamburger but show us a twist of your Chef majic. Meat and 3’s do keep the lights on. Can’t forget, you must stay open!!!!

susan

January 18th, 2011
7:31 am

Wow- I think Atlanta has some great restaurants and some not so hot but to group them altogether is grossly unfair. I agree that as diners people need to be more open to new things but the wait staff can play a big part in that by knowing what they are serving, trying it themselves so they can make intelligent, informed suggestions. It’s hard to get excited about anything when the wait staff is uniformed. I love to try new and different things but I love my comfort food too. I don’t think we should have to chose between the two..Atlanta needs both and they need good choices for both.

PepperIsACondiment

January 18th, 2011
7:33 am

As well as lower salt, some people don’t eat pepper. Have you tried to find any food in ATL that isn’t covered or battered or crusted in pepper ? Enough already. There’s a shaker of it on the table, let them add it if they want it. I can’t stand pepper.

Ted M

January 18th, 2011
7:36 am

I’ve never had butternut squash soup is it good?

Try “Silk” downtown. I had this 5 coarse meal called something that translates to “chef’s choice”. Very good.

Lobosolo

January 18th, 2011
7:38 am

Didn’t mind that five year hiatus from your pretentiousness one bit there, John… Reading books and taking a short course do not a chef make… get over yourself…

Ron Mexico

January 18th, 2011
7:42 am

Great article!

Jim R.

January 18th, 2011
7:50 am

Bottom line..If you like a place tell your friends about it and go back as often as you can. If you don’t like it don’t go back. Nuff’ said.

Bette Harrison

January 18th, 2011
7:55 am

My EX Mike D. Harrison ate at Honto…and died of heart disease. Let’s spend a moment praising Honto. NOT.

Ted M

January 18th, 2011
7:56 am

What does “Meat and 3’s” stand for?

Sonny

January 18th, 2011
7:57 am

Hmm..so the ATL at one time was a mecca of fine dining? And we need to return to the halcyon days? Hmm…Interesting or weird? Hmm… Oh well, I guess I’d be a little worried too if I was a big Foodie and was getting ready to host a big frou-frou. Maybe we should just invite Paula Deen and quit trying to be so pretentious. Good luck!

Alecia

January 18th, 2011
8:03 am

I am tired of getting a salt bath on my food. Yesterday I went out to eat and the vegetables had so much salt on them that no other flavor was distinguishable. What’s the deal with the salt? Also, please don’t over cook the vegetables into oblivion or consider gobs of cheese a cure all. I have been to a few places in town that consider their signature dish a baked chicken breast with 3 melted slices of provolone on top. Also, we can tell when the chicken breast came from a frozen bag and popped into the microwave. As I tell my husband, there’s grub, food, and cuisine. Most restaurants nowadays are serving up grub.

Mrs G

January 18th, 2011
8:04 am

Great article! Keep us restauranteurs on our toes!

Come up to Hendersonville NC to sample some of the things you talked about. Our restaurant uses rice instead of bread crumbs in our meat loaf, making it great for gluten free diets. An easy fix and has brought us some great publicity!

We also have a fabulous assortment of vegetarian dishes. Butternut squash soup? No way. We did a Butternut Squash and Peanut Stew. Got lots of compliments, many thanking us for doing something OTHER than soup with the butternut squash.

We now think outside the box. That, combined with good price points (in this economy) means we are seeing sales increases every month!

@Hcat

January 18th, 2011
8:07 am

Honey, you are one bitter wench. Maybe you need to go back to your meth-smoking roots in the kitchen.

GK

January 18th, 2011
8:15 am

Great letter! Like some have said before, my complaint isn’t as much with the food but with the condescending and arrogant service. I ate at WD-50 in New York last month and expected the same dismissive treatment that I receive in Atlanta – but the service could not have been better. It was obvious that the servers were not just extremely well-trained but truly excited and inspired by the unique dishes on the menu. I don’t dine out very often in Atlanta anymore – primarily because I’m tired of being treated like I’m intruding on something.

Jules

January 18th, 2011
8:18 am

This dude is a perfect depiction of the Atlanta restaurant scene. All over the place without any clear focus. First he tells reader that Chefs need wow us with exotic ingredients and complex preparations. Then he states that diners want value. Sorry John, the 2 don’t go hand in hand. When you cut a shortrib into a perfect square, you waste a lot of meat. Someone has to pay for it and it ain’t going to be the restaurant.
Example 2. He first tells readers that diners want food that they can’t cook at home and then he acknowledges the growing popularity of the simple burger. So John, which is it? Cause even a mediocre home cook can put together the most exotic of burgers.
The reality is this. Atlanta dining scene has shift away from exotic foods and fancy white table dining. In today’s economy people want value out of their hard earned dollars and that value better not be wasted in a fancy sauce or some geometrical cut of meat. Things like burgers, tacos, hotdogs and gourmet pizzas are coming back in a big way. This is because those dishes are economical, cost effective and when well prepared quite satisfing.

Cayce

January 18th, 2011
8:20 am

While you have some good points, I simply don’t think you can level those charges at all of the high end restaurants in this city and I actually believe they’re better and more interesting across the board than when I moved back to Atlanta 6 years ago. Just as an example, there’s not a night of the week where I wouldn’t be happy to eat at Cakes and Ale.

I do, however, look with weariness at #7 – the supposedly “new” fusion. After living in LA & Vancouver BC through the 90’s and early 2000’s, I don’t care if I EVER see another plate of Asian, Southeast Asian, whatever Asian fusion food again. There’s nothing new about this and unless you live in an area blessed with bountiful seafood, it’s just an attempt to mimic the flavors of other regions.

From reading your column, it’s clear you like Asian food, Korean in particular. That’s fine. But go to restaurants that specialize in it instead of asking the chefs from the local food scene to cater to your desires. What I really like about the current restaurants is what they’re doing with food they could have been grown out back. While that might seem limiting to you, it’s an honest and harmonious pursuit. It’s also one that’s likely to work in the long run in this city. There’s a reason why Seegers, Joel and the Dining Room are no longer with us. It simply wasn’t worth it to most people to go there on a regular basis. If everything they were doing was so right, then what went wrong?

Carla

January 18th, 2011
8:38 am

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? I’m PROUD to be born and raised in the ATL and I LOVE my city…warts and all. I was raised by simple people with simple tastes…flavoring food exsisted in the form of salt, pepper, fat back and bacon grease. The first time my mom made spaghetti it was out of a chef boyardee box and we thought we were really living. Fast forward to today…I started expanding my tastes as soon as I had my own income and have tried all kinds of new things…some I like, some I didn’t. With this economy my family just cannot eat out like we used to. However, when we do..we try to frequent the few small, privately owned restaurants around our house. We live OTP and just don’t see a reason to go downtown to eat. Our favorite breakfast spot was (just closed) in a small little strip next to a gas station. And the best tacos I’ve ever had we found in a mexican convience store…they have a little market and sell fresh meat and at the back of the store they have a little spot to order and eat and you can have taco’s made with anything from steak and chicken to tounge and intestines if you are so inclined. My advice is look at the local scene…there are people out there who know how to do it right.

Haywood Jablowme

January 18th, 2011
9:19 am

John you remind me of that kid at school whose parents gave you everything….. walking around like you where born with a silver spoon in your mouth telling anybody that would listen that you know everything about everything. What you don’t know is what it takes to work in a restaurant.You have never peeled a pound of potatoes let alone sacks off them….you just get your maid to do that! That’s right these truly great restaurants that you crave.. Seegers last time I checked he closed living in NY enjoying his life teaching other people how to cook Joel left to open a restaurant in NY did you see his review? He left with his tail between his legs and moved to London. What you really need to write is a letter to your BFF’s and beg them to come back and try again and open a restaurant that is going to blow us all away a place that you can spend your fathers trust money everyday. No that’s right you just write a blog for a crap news paper in a town that doesn’t like food! So what’s your point John did the editors ask you to write as much dribble as you can to try and keep their paper a float? Good luck getting a table next time your out in the city! you might try NY

Richard Rhodes

January 18th, 2011
9:32 am

S&S Cafeteria on Chamblee Tucker Rd has home cooked food like Mama use to make and is very reasonable. It also has the best iced tea in Atlanta.

Bette Harrison

January 18th, 2011
9:35 am

From @Hcat: Honey, you are one bitter wench. Maybe you need to go back to your meth-smoking roots in the kitchen.

Honey, MY drug of choice is NOT meth.

Chip Shoulder

January 18th, 2011
9:36 am

Point 11:

Wouldn’t it be great to see a chef throw caution to the wind and close a neighborhood restaurant featuring solid, reasonably priced, creative bistro fare in order to focus his or her efforts on an upscale burger joint?

Rick Day

January 18th, 2011
9:40 am

As the owner of a restaurant in Midtown Atlanta, I’d respond to the critic with a simple: YOU REPRESENT EVERYTHING THAT IS PRETENTIOUS ABOUT DINING OUT.

If you don’t think our fennelgreek is fresh enough, then OPEN A DAMN RESTAURANT yourself.

Needs more sauce? YOU NEED MORE SAUCE. uppity=you

LawDawg

January 18th, 2011
9:47 am

I guess being a food critic is not as good a job as I thought, what with all the terrible food you are subjected to (woe is me). Here is an idea: avoid bad restaurants and go to the good ones. Within the last month, I have had fantastic meals at Abbatoire, Holeman and Finch, Kyma, and Bistro Niko. And, really, Joel was that big a loss?

LawDawg

January 18th, 2011
9:47 am

Oh, and JCT Kitchen, which seems to hit almost all of your points.

Vanilla Latte

January 18th, 2011
10:10 am

Dear Chef,

It’s simple…if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! Shut up and COOK…(with love, passion and conviction) and we’ll taste it in your food. That is all.

S/N …..THANK YOU Mr. Food Critic (*muah-muah*)…BRAVO!!!!

Jed

January 18th, 2011
10:48 am

BURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andy

January 18th, 2011
10:55 am

John, if the point of your critique is to start a discussion on the state of the restaurant industry. Good job. Clearly, reading the comments there’s lots of strong feeling on both sides. I don’t really have a problem with the sentiment of the review. But I would like to take issue with the specifics.

Is it right to generalize to this degree? All Atlanta chefs? Really? 4 months, 13 weeks, 3 or 4 restaurants a week. So what’s your sample, 50 or 60 restaurants, maybe a 100 meals? So you can really give a state of the business review? Zagat’s Atlanta review has 700+ restaurants. That’s a lot of places and dishes you haven’t considered.

Sure there is lack of execution and finesse, nobody is perfect. I know there are plenty of places with high standards and good training that shoot for constant improvement with their food and service. To think otherwise is ridiculous.

Most if not all restaurants have incorporated healthy choices into their menus. Could there be more, sure. That being said, menus of successful restaurants reflex what people will buy and not what they won’t. If guest demand healthier choices chefs and restaurateur will offer them. If you eat so much you’re uncomfortable, pretty sure that’s on you, not the chef. Eat less, have the leftovers for lunch. Some folks might consider that a good value.

If I hear one more expert carry on about “the narrative” of this or that I think I’ll lose my mind. Will the beets tell a better story in rounds as opposed to wedges, I doubt it. Technique, ingredients, presentation, seasoning, this is what make a dish special. Is the story better with poorly prepared fresh local organic beets and local goat cheese, as a opposed perfectly executed fresh beets and goat cheese from Sysco?

Sauce? Atlanta………the city that can’t make a sauce. Not sure if this is puerile, maybe. Or perhaps some of that wit food critics break out from time to time to tell their “story”. Maybe those out of town chefs at the Food and Wine Fest will show us how to make a passable beurre blanc.

Make one thing really well? Or maybe take a risk with with ingredients that you and your guest may not be familiar with? Tough questions. How about execute what ever your serving, well! People want choices, and they want the choices they want. If it’s butternut squash soup, so be it. There’s room for creativity, but you better know your guests. People vote everyday at restaurants on what they want, with their wallets, and chef and owners ignore them at their own risk.

It’s great to have a POV. If you’ve been serving the same “sorry” dish for 10 years, maybe you’re doing something right. Might even be your signature dish. I’m sure there are dishes that chefs are tired of serving, but their guest demand them, so you better leave it on the menu. The POV that is important in this economy, is staying in business, turning a profit, and keeping folks coming back. If you as a chef are in a position to experiment, be super creative, introduce your guest to new ingredients, you are in the minority and in a great situation. When high profile chefs choose to close cutting edge restaurant or not to open fine dining places, and decide to do upscale burger joints instead, there’s a POV there too.

Nothing wrong with much of you criticism, but I think you’re missing a big part of the picture. 5 years ago, there was lots of money, restaurant companies were growing, owners and customers had money to spend. It was a very different environment. Now restaurants have been struggling for several years. Chefs have been asked to do more with less. Less expensive ingredients, less employees, less sales. Less everything except hours worked and places closes. The problems in the industry is not a surprise to me. Hopefully times are getting better. I imagine they are. But there are changes that may be permanent. Is the demand going to be there in fine dining that we’ve seen in the past? I don’t think so, but hopefully the shake up will improve the food and service of the restaurants that make it. It is already making chefs think about ways to offer creative, less expensive, delicious options. That is already happening, and might even be worth writing about. Can Atlanta restaurants improve? Of course. Are they as bad as you think? No way.

EveO

January 18th, 2011
11:01 am

Thanks for writing this, John. I consider myself a “foodie” and I completely agree that the culinary vibe in Atlanta has gotten a little stale. For a few months, I have been mourning the loss of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton… truth be told, I only ate there once just before they closed. However, I consider that dinner to be one of the culinary highlights of my life so far. Either the diners have changed, or the economy has had a great effect on the changing of the industry. I don’t think these suggestions were arrogant. Rather, it is a plea for chefs and their staffs to deliver the best food and service in the South — something we are known for. Chefs, take on the challenge! Diners will be ready to support you.

M'Karyl

January 18th, 2011
11:38 am

Indeed…this is so true. I used to wait tables in the ATL during the late 80’s and early 90’s…there were mos def some great places to not only work back then, but to eat at as well. I most especially remember the chef at Van Buren’s in Buckhead. Will was the bomb…a lot like what John mentioned as missing today in the ATL eatery market…mayne, what I would do to be able to eat his cuisine today…indeed.

notaguy

January 18th, 2011
11:42 am

Dear Restaurant Managers:

* The servers need to start treating their guests properly and address females as ladies and males as gentlemen.

* make sure your employees STOP calling everyone “guys”

* Ladies really enjoy going out to eat AND being treated like a lady….Make it Happen!

blurp

January 18th, 2011
11:51 am

i eat cause i’m fat and i’m fat cause i eat

Gurgaon

January 18th, 2011
11:53 am

Open letter to John Kessler: Stop taking five years off from reviewing restaurants.

Jim Warren

January 18th, 2011
12:06 pm

Well, I would just appreciate menus where the font size is actually readable with sufficient lighting to read it. Mood lighting that makes it impossible to see a menu puts this customer in a bad “mood”.

Oh…and PLEASE stop putting bell pepper in EVERYTHING and not listing it in the ingredients. Many are very allergic to bell peppers. My partner is tiring of sending things back because bells have been placed “in the mix” for “color”.

Intown

January 18th, 2011
12:26 pm

The Chef vs. the Critic: folks, you don’t need to attack Kessler for stating his opinion. He does what food critics do. He critques restaurants. He can’t do his job without you. And your customers use critics as a reference point to decide where to spend their money. It has been that way for as long as there have been newspapers and restaurants. Deal with it.

Ronnie Reagan

January 18th, 2011
12:40 pm

Only two spoons to the food critic! He could have done a better job pointing out the problems & been more positive about what things are being done well!

Glenn

January 18th, 2011
12:50 pm

Allie Foster

January 17th, 2011
10:20 am
Unfortunately, Atlanta has the WORST restaurants in America! I continually shake my head in disbelief when dining out at the local “hot” fine dining restaurant – Perhaps these hubris fools should take a week or two and visit true 5 Star dining in say Paris, NYC, SF????
———————————————–
Well Allie, your credibility fails when you incorrectly use “hubris”. HUBRIS is a NOUN not an adjective. I’m sure you’ve travelled to Paris quite often. Braggers never exaggerate or self aggrandize. I’m glad I never asked you out.

Roekest

January 18th, 2011
12:56 pm

Those who can, do; Those who can’t, critique.

Cekker

January 18th, 2011
12:59 pm

Dear John,

All these suggestions and not a single word about price?

Really?

I guess that’s what dining on an expense account does to your common sense.

Just an Everyday Folk

January 18th, 2011
1:19 pm

Atlanta needs more onion rings. Damn good onion rings.

EX-Chef

January 18th, 2011
1:24 pm

Through all the comments, most are true and most are also wrong. Atlanta has had and hs good chefs and good restaurants. Buford highway is a good source for diverse eating choices. I had worked in several restaurants and hotels in Atlanta for over 20 years. The business is a business. There to make money. The staff of most kitchens is a Chef and a Sous chef and a bunch of cooks. The majority of those cooks are Mexicans, untrained in the true and fine nuances of Culinary Arts. Most restaurants here are chains of garbage. The vegetable issue? Well , mostly par cooked then microwaved to toxicity, or boiled to death, and being called “blanched” or steamed. Most restaurants here employ staff they can over work and underpay. All the great cooks and chefs I worked with have either left the state or gone into another career, like myself. Quality food is not cheap to purchase, but if it is not some fad food or the latest “exotic” find then it can be obtained reasonably. The point is this. If the food is not good, demand better or do not eat at the restaurant. You are paying for it, get what you want. The other issue is, not everyone understands good food or was even raised eating good food. John Kessler is absolutely correct in his statement about a restaurant that serves good food on mismatched plates etc.. Good letter though, but people need to know before they speak as though they do. Yes, there have been losses of chefs here, but, life goes on.

globeflyer

January 18th, 2011
1:34 pm

One thing to keep in mind is that with restaurants, even more so than other businesses, the marketplace speaks loudly. If the food is not good, it won’t last. The margins are so small in the food business that only the good/popular survive. If a place doesn’t suit your taste, but has been there for long while, accept that your taste is not the same as their regular’s and go somewhere else!

Frank

January 18th, 2011
1:37 pm

Chef-owners/restaurateurs reveled in a good review but scream bloody murder in a poor review. Local rag critics have been reduced lower than the average Yelper by the industry. No better example of this is the flagrant use of 5 star Yelp reviews by restaurants or some PR junk mail, posting it everywhere from Twitter to Facebook. If the authority on all things culinary stem from a bunch of kids’ palate on Yelp whom recently gave Arby’s a glowing review as well, then there is no hope for Atlanta’s food industry.

All these industry people whining and complaining about some critic’s overall opinion is as productive as a Top Chef contestant. See how far restaurants get without coverage from local rags. If you think Yelp, some dinky PR group or some wet behind the ears food blogger will gain you wider publicity and more business, think again.

Restaurants need critics whether we like it or not. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen and the business. You’re obviously not that good of a cook or a businessman. If all you’re sending out is garbage, the sanitation dept is hiring.

Vidalia Jones

January 18th, 2011
2:01 pm

AMEN to more onion rings! And GOOD ones like Everday Folks says. You want a good meal….go to your aunts, friends and grandmothers. Or learn to cook it yourself. Go to a restaurant when you want to meet friends or for business. All’s you are doing at a restaurant is renting the table’s floor space to eat. What do you think the food cost is for 150.00 meal? Me: I would like a 30.00 steak. Waiter: Sure, but the table rental is 78.00 plus 500 percent wine markup. Going to a popular or well reviewed restaurant expecting to be wowed is not a very realistic expectation anymore than expecting your blind date to be Jennifer Anniston and Snooki shows up. Pass the onion rings!!!

Foodgeek

January 18th, 2011
2:10 pm

Great article, Kess. The only thing different I have to add is that I actually welcome the death of “fine dining,” which customers are leaving in droves because not only can they not afford it, but more and more they realize that there isn’t a steak in the world that is worth $50.I wish we could see the end of expense account dining, too, but until congress gets a reality check, that’s not going to happen any time soon. Too bad.
Keep up the good work, as always.

Foodgeek

January 18th, 2011
2:12 pm

@Frank: Thank you for spelling “palate” correctly.

An open letter to Atlanta diners from a chef | Food and More with John Kessler

January 18th, 2011
2:30 pm

[...] I published my open letter to Atlanta chefs, asking them to up their game. While there are some amazing chefs here making memorable food, I [...]

Jack

January 18th, 2011
4:44 pm

Some good discussion, all the insults and bickering aside.

I agree with a lot of the article–I would like to see more dining options–both fine dining and places with unique ethnic food in Atlanta. Particularly within the city. I shouldn’t have to go outside the perimeter to find good ethnic food and so on.

With most cities, especially in the north east or west coast, a benefit to living in the city (on top of not hassling with traffic as much) is having a world of dining and culture at your finger tips. Atlanta’s a bit lacking in that front that the larger and more cosmopolitan cities out there.

And it’s a shame that there doesn’t seem to be more effort to get more dining options out there along side all the great southern food/comfort food/bbq joints etc. Which is why I think some have over-reacted to the article–wanting more dining options of the type Kessler rights about doesn’t mean wanting them instead of everything else! Variety is the spice of life.

Finally, the other comments I dislike are those that show fear of taking chances on new food for fear of not liking it and wasting money etc. Life is pretty boring if you stay in your comfort zone and never take chances. And I understand that some just can’t afford fine dining, and can’t afford to buy a meal they may not like and then have to get something else etc.

But for those who can afford it, branch out and take some chances! Life’s much more exciting if you’re adventurous and always trying new things and finding out what you like and dislike as often as possible!

Food Localist

January 18th, 2011
5:12 pm

Really surpised at the number of people that have actually taken Johns post serious. Atlanta is full of great food. John is one person voicing his singular opinion looking to get a rise out out of anyone that reads this. He’s not in this for his own charity, it’s his job to polarize people and places. What really matters is the person who supports their local restaurants, and what they think of it’s quality/service/atmosphere. That’s what keeps your favorite places alive and well. I’m making an investment in the lives of the servers, dish washers, chefs etc of the eateries I love. My favorite places are of my own palate and opinion. Everyone is a walking billboard for their favorite places, so when restaurants succeed at balancing flavor and price folks will come. Restaurants like Local Three, 4th & Swift, Abattoir, Miller Union, Rosebud, etc will continue to produce great food for folks that get what they do and are willing and passionate to support them long after the AJC shuts the printing presses down.

Bette Harrison

January 18th, 2011
5:55 pm

What he said.

Lobsterfest

January 18th, 2011
5:58 pm

I travel a lot so I am lucky to dine all over the USA. For our size Atlanta isn’t so bad. We will never compete with NYC, LA or SFO, there just isn’t enough money here to support the level of fine dining you will find there. Our food choices are much better than in places like Dallas, Washington or Tampa for example. We have great ethnic food and good dive resturants. I have never had a bad meal at Aria, it has been here for maybe 10 years. MF Sushi is as good as Nobu in Maimi where I dined recently. It could be a lot worse……

Jason

January 18th, 2011
6:35 pm

Atlanta won’t have any culture until enough people move here and bring it with them. This is really about what the market supports (mediocre food)!

AtlantaFoodie

January 18th, 2011
8:07 pm

Eater followed this story. I think Kessler is for the most part on point. I want something different. I want something that isn’t all about “farm to table”. It’s all starting to feel the same.
http://eater.com/archives/2011/01/18/restaurant-critics-now-dissatisfied-with-entire-cities.php

rebelliousrose

January 19th, 2011
12:20 am

Well said.

Mongo

January 19th, 2011
8:32 am

Mongo dont care if every overpriced, yuppie hang out, cutting edge slop house resturant in the country shuts down. Mongo can cook his own food and not have to worry about some so-called chef stiring the pot with one hand and picking is nose or scratching his nutts with the other hand. The more idiots that have a chance to be around the food and handle it the greater the chance of someone adding some extra seasoning to it by flicking a booger in your fancy meal.

Mongo

January 19th, 2011
8:34 am

Mongo Knows. Oh and one more thing, YANKEES SUCK.

Reality

January 19th, 2011
9:07 am

@LawDawg: Strike out at OCI?

Love food

January 19th, 2011
10:12 am

Just flew to NY to eat at Soto. He once again reminded me of why he is simply the best sushi chef Atlanta ever had. People here were not patient and did not like his prices or attitude. NY is a better environment for him. Atlanta has no one to blame but the patrons for the quality of food currently available. When MF can survive in Atlanta but Soto leaves to go to NY you know there is something wrong with the city. People here seem to be dazzled by fish tanks and fancy lights and hip bars. It is more about what is hot than what is good. Some of the critics are to blame for that as well. The quality of the food and its preparation is not important. They want to be seated now and get there drinks and food. I miss Soto. I miss the Ritz. Atlanta has some great things that keep me here. The food is not one of them.

Love food

January 19th, 2011
10:19 am

For those who complain about the mark up on Alcohol, maybe they should ask their local owner how much the annual fee is for a liquor license. One place I went to recently spent almost 10,000 dollars for the privilage fo serving alcohol to its patrons. The next time you get pissy about a bottle of whine, just remember how much they have to pay the county each year to be able to have that bottle available to you. There is a huge cost to the business. It is also a high risk short window business.

Atlanta’s Outspoken Epicureans | Westside Provisions District

January 19th, 2011
3:54 pm

[...] are debating whether Atlanta’s got game. Last Monday, critic John Kessler published an open letter in the AJC suggesting 10 ways Atlanta chefs need to sharpen their sautés. Today, Creative [...]

Barman

January 19th, 2011
8:28 pm

John why don’t you and your inexperienced, underpaid, we need someone to do reviews anyways, cohorts open a restaurant yourselves and see how you all do! We could all review, blog, or just choose not to return after you have the same problems the restaurants you review have! OH! If you all could run a successful profitable restaurant you all would! Please do Atlanta a favor and please eat at the restaurants you like!

Chef Pierre Van Thrat

January 20th, 2011
4:23 am

Go to el Bulli in Spain first before you critique food and chefs period!

Chef vs. Critic: Internet Food Fight | Atlanta Cuisine

January 20th, 2011
11:45 am

[...] of Rosebud and Angry Chef blogger for Creative Loafing. It all started Monday when Kessler posted an open letter to all chefs in [...]

rt

January 21st, 2011
12:37 am

This article is obviously written by someone who has never worked in the restaurant industry, because if they had they would know what it is like to have to answer to a higher power. I know of very few chefs that have the opportunity or financial backing to be able to accomplish this. Especially in the economy that the average american lives in, when we as a people are looking for the most bang for our buck. How are we supposed to create an optimum food cost while meeting the bottom line while also impressing every single consumer that crosses our path. While the only restaurants that are surviving are the ones that are consistent and are full because of the fact that people go there because they know what they are going to get.

Kevin O.

January 21st, 2011
4:01 am

Hello Atlanta, Pardon me for being “Tardy to the Party” as it were. I’ve been working in the kitchen. I am a chef. I am an Atlanta native yes, all my life, I am in the Rest. Business, I grew up in the Rest. Business, my parents were in the business.

In response to Mr. Kessler’s article (and proposal), my recourse to his comments are arriving a bit earlier than I anticipated but welcomed all the same, and I would like to say for the record………

Let the Gastro Renaissance begin,

In Atlanta our whole, as modern food culture insists in many fields, is not merely the sum of all its parts, but the result of a unique arrangement and interrelation of the parts that have brought about a new “entity”.

Prior to knowing what “entity” is ahead, let us first glance back at overall food history. For Escoffier the “entity” was a “general confusion” of Careme’s old menus, to which he washed away the nuances and counter-intuitive process to reveal some of the finest techniques in classical French cuisine. Though Careme was not forgotten but appreciated for his complex and thoughtful ideas to food. Once Escoffier refined his thinking and executed new thoughts and techniques, food became more approachable and appreciated all over the world. Only through the success and through the failures of culinary pioneers like these, are we able to truly take pleasure in the fruits of any chef’s dedication to food. The city of Atlanta, though quite large has always been bequeathed a small, well suited, high society, restaurant scene, let’s begin in the late 70’s with The Abbey, Nikolai’s Roof, Lark and Dove moving from the days when Panos & Paul, and Buckhead Life had their shot at high society food cents and sense, while leaving it a bit bedazzled it then grew through Rays on the River (big props for anyone that successful , that close to the OTP; of course it was just called the perimeter then), and Canoe, Some other scattered Steakhouse’s with atmosphere throughout , and then an interesting “trend” happened. Another new “entity” shattered the food landscape of our fair city, Annie Q. happened, shortly followed by Linton, and some important others. An “entity” of using the finest local ingredients happened, the need to revisit how we were sustaining ourselves in America both in restaurants and at home. We discovered that the best food is the food grown locally (a conversation for another time). Local-ism and sustainability, a paramount food “entity” now set in stone, brought on by Chez Panisse in the early 70’s, becoming less of a selling point at restaurants and more of an educated consumer’s credence prior to purchasing, an expectation, if you will.

Bring on the 2000 and the need to exceed in both food and the housing market, somewhat of a double entendre, much like the faux housing market was succeeding, the restaurants and chefs began to feel a bit overzealous about their proper utilization of food. As the High-end Restaurants and Chefs in Atlanta begins to feel secure about its abundance of financial freedom, chefs with poor business decisions begin to spend more and forget the most important aspect of running a restaurant, food costs and details. Just as the city became comfortable spending, their tech bubble dividends and home flipping, copious amounts of cash at Seeger’s and Joel, the market as we knew it, took a firm and bitter nose dive, causing any chef or restaurant owner to dance , and dance well. Meaning if you could not reinvent yourself or your menu to compete for the small percentage of restaurant goers in the city, you were out, done, closed for business. Watching failed fine dining restaurants and Chefs, consequently caused any practical efforts at fine dining in this city to come to a screeching halt. Bravo to the ones that made it and they know who they are. In short, and in much fewer words, this brings us to our current culinary landscape.

Now that the history lesson is over, as we approach 2011, there is more exposure, excitement, and intensity in food than there has ever been in the history of the world. Whether you make haute cuisine or hot dogs, food in modern culture is bigger than everything, music, movies, and even the paparazzi efforts to make the lost and talentless “actors” as important, has failed to make a bigger impact in today’s world than food.

Blame it on the economy, closed kitchens, or the excitement of cooking at home, but any way you slice it we are on the verge of a very exciting “entity” in restaurants here in The “New South” A Gastronomy Renaissance, if you will. Fine Dining is not dead; it’s just taking a long winter nap. Stay tuned, it may take a year or two but you will see a return of fine dining like you’ve never seen before in the city of Atlanta. Fine Dining with a vengeance, like a hibernating Grizzly ready to eat, you will see its return (It will be strong). In the meantime, the loss of excessive opulence and over eager purchasing should be pressing chefs to dial into their training. Learning how to make the most of the very least, always striving to understand the details of balance and taste, and where the food is coming from. True pressure exists to offer more and better food even though you may have less to work with. There is an effort to slim the herds of restaurants that are weak and afraid to step up to the new bar, to become the next “entity” in our craft. Thus giving all chefs just cause and justified reason to spend more time in their kitchens, hours and hours, testing, learning and tasting for the educated Atlanta diner. This raised bar and new “entity” celebrates artisans, farmers, butchers, chefs, mixologists, and craftsmen to fully take part in the opportunity to develop food culture in this city to its finest point ever. I applaud you for doing so!

Let’s not forget to outline the expectations for the educators and teachers in food. Lest we forget the food city that Charleston is now because of the food education? These individuals must work just as hard, to expect nothing but the best from the students they are teaching. To consistently let them know how hard it is and what they should expect. Let the students not be fooled, they must know that this is an industry of hard, disciplined, gluttony. It is long hours with little pay, no time for friends, family or fun. The beauty of this industry is simply, to do what we love for a living and to do it well.

Atlanta, quit your squabbling, whether you want it or not we are a contender as one of the fine food cities in the world, and if we aren’t yet, that should only make you excited for the things to come! As you search for the new “entity”, the Gastronomy Renaissance, educate yourselves, be hard on the restaurants, the Chefs I know are ready for you, and they will be set apart from the mindless mouth breather, non-detailed establishments you might have mentioned in some of your rants. Look for it in their food, their flavors, their techniques; their passion should be in everything they do. Watch for the details! Ask for things done the right way. If they aren’t good enough, keep pushing to make them better. As a city, when you go out to eat, think about where we’ve been, where we are, and what we have to look forward to. Expect the best and if you don’t get it, ask again! Raise the bar Atlanta! I for one will be ready for you, and with time; will have my “entity” for you in the future. Stay Hungry.

In Good Taste

It’s Cheesy Link Friday! «

January 21st, 2011
8:06 am

[...] food critic penned this open letter to Atlanta chefs. Read a couple of responses here and here. [...]

Jason

January 21st, 2011
2:55 pm

Atlanta is not a contender for anything except for “worst traffic”. Please stop with all of this whiny BS about how Atlanta is so progressive and so comparable to similarly sized cities. This market won’t support a real-live good value eating scene, probably because Ga is a cultural wasteland.

NPZY

January 21st, 2011
3:51 pm

Maybe you should try reviewing Atlanta restaurants from the perspective of who and what they actually ARE instead of what you wish they were..? If you want NY and LA type dining so bad then why don’t you move there. This is the dirty south ATL! We do things our way and it is what makes our city beautiful and unique. Let NY and LA be NY and LA. Thats like saying all bands should try to sound more like the Beetles or Led Zeppelin. Been there, done that. Our city is moving FORWARD and you can either get on board, or get out of the way! And if you cant see the awesomeness in what is going on in our city then maybe YOU are the one who doesn’t get it sir.

Jason

January 21st, 2011
5:31 pm

So basically fat cat slumlords rent any usable restaurant space out for ungodly amounts of money which destroys already razor thin profit margins which encourages a general trend away from quality which makes all of atlanta’s food basically suck AND explains all of these posters defending these places (cause they don’t want to lose renters). Cmon Gov. Deal help this situation out and help our economy out in the process!

World Spinner

January 22nd, 2011
1:03 am

An open letter to Atlanta chefs | Food and More with John Kessler…

Here at World Spinner we are debating the same thing……

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An open letter to Atlanta chefs

251 comments Add your comment

About Food and More with John Kessler

One Subscription. Total Access.

Search this blog

Recent Posts

Archives

Featured videos

Food videos

More from the AJC

Buy The Atlanta 50: Where to Eat

Search Blog Topic: Reviews, Cooking & More

OUR FALL DINING GUIDE

Our Reviews & Dining Team Members

Mondays & Thursdays: Restaurant Inspections

Dinner & Show? Some nearby restaurant ideas

A few other AJC blogs you'll like

Atlanta Bloggers: Cooking & More

Atlanta Bloggers: Dining Out & More

Atlanta Bloggers: Pinch Of This, That & More

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