Georgia Trend Magazine. May 2022. If you frequent some of the farmers markets around Atlanta, you may have had a chance to taste the fresh baked cinnamon rolls and cheddar scallion scones from Just Bakery Atlanta (JBA). Since 2017, this unique bakery has been serving customers baked goods via delivery, pickups and at the Grant Park, Morningside, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. May 2022 print. Absent a lobby, the entrance to the culinary-themed Epicurean Atlanta hotel in Midtown has an expansive leather-wrapped zinc bar against the backdrop of a bustling kitchen. The restaurant’s host stand doubles as a fridge and offers a welcome drink. You’ve arrived at the Reverence restaurant and the hotel’s check-in […]

Khabar Magazine. May 2022 print. The mixed-use State Farm building on Hammond Drive in Dunwoody has a new addition. Sankranti Indian Kitchen is a fast-casual restaurant, aspiring to deliver “Chipotle style” healthy made-to-order Indian cuisine. Walking in the modern and clean space, there are subtle hints of the restaurant’s Indian origins. Flower motifs, stenciled in […]

Zagat. March 2022. Okan Kizilbayir is executive chef of Salt restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, one of the only 2 AAA Five Diamond rated restaurants in Florida.  Growing up, my family had a summer home in the woods an hour outside Istanbul. My dad grew vegetables, my grandfather made old Turkish style one-pot stews, and I […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. March 2022. Located at East Atlanta Village is a new hip and casual brewery and restaurant. The exterior recalls beer gardens where you can just hang out with your two- and four-legged companions, while the cozy inside feels like the tasting room of a working brewery. With sacks of malt flour on […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. January 2022 print edition. Located in one of Savannah’s oldest buildings that dates back to the 1890s, St. Neo’s Brasserie is not your typical hotel restaurant. For starters, the interior is a dream come true for decorators and makeover enthusiasts. What was an eyesore of an abandoned building that once housed American […]

Travel+Leisure. January 2022. Pristine beaches, miles of biking paths, plenty of outdoor sporting activities, and friendly southern atmosphere attract families to vacation on Hilton Head Island year-round. The island also has a great dining scene, with a focus on fresh sustainable seafood and Lowcountry cuisine. You can find casual footwear-optional beachfront cafes, restaurants with live music, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. December 2021. The holidays are a time to come together with family, create new memories and be grateful for the years past. But it’s easy to get stressed by the thought of planning the perfect meal that meets every dietary need. We leaf through cookbooks and magazines that show beautiful dinner spreads […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. November 2021. Overlooking the colorful downtown, swaying in my rocking chair, sipping a blueberry sour cocktail, I feel I could be in any Southern small town. But this is no ordinary place, building or porch. It is the same spot where global heads of state and accomplished billionaires have wined and dined. […]

Georgia Trend. October 2021. Tis’ the season! With pumpkins, turkeys and candy on our minds, the last quarter of the year is all about celebrations over food. Restaurants and bars across the state are getting creative with food and drink items to get customers into the celebratory spirit. Whether you’re tickled by edible ghost candies, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. Sept 2021. Whether it is a childhood memory, a family reunion or a first date relived, we all have a special place for a specific dish or a restaurant. This month, I spoke to four elected officials from Georgia about their favorite food memories. Rep. Kasey Carpenter, (R-Dalton) is a second-generation restaurant owner. […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. August 2021. As we mask up again, you don’t need to give up eating out and meeting friends entirely. Fortunately, restaurants across Georgia have set up relaxing al fresco dining, where you can enjoy the late summer breeze and beautiful views in a safe environment. Graze and sip at some of these […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. July 2021. Though the past year has unfolded as a rocky road for most food businesses, frozen desserts have continued to be a low-churn industry. Think about it – no one is in a bad mood after eating a cup of banana pudding ice cream! “Making gelato makes me happy,” says Atlanta-native […]

AAA The Extra Mile. July 2021. As you embark on a road trip across the U.S., your choices to eat are no longer limited to fast food and gas station snacks. With the rise of South Asian truck drivers on American roadways, a demand for Indian cuisine has also surmounted. As a result, Indian fast-food restaurants have […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. July 2021. On a corner of Memorial Dr. in Atlanta is an obscure sign that simply says “GD.” From the street, you can see a bustling patio with casual tables and live pop and jazz music (on the weekend). An indoor-outdoor bar opens the small space to a cozy dining room with […]

Greatist. June 2021. The Juneteenth season is about remembrance and celebration. We remember the day Union troops arrived in Texas, announcing that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. And we celebrate the cultures that have been preserved and reborn out of that time.  One such culture is that of the Gullah Geechee people, one […]

Georgia Trend. June 2021. Juneteenth, celebrated June 19, is the oldest national celebration of the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. It is not only a day of reflection, but also a day to celebrate African-American cuisine and culture. This week, cities around the state are hosting parades and festivals. Some businesses are […]

The Infatuation. May 2021. Upscale Indian restaurants are moving past white tablecloths and spinning their own version of Indian food as a sincere, personal experience. For more than a century, the traditional American understanding of “fine dining” meant white tablecloths and French (or at least European) cuisine and modes of service. Fine dining might have […]

Cuisine Noir Magazine. Feb 2021. Keisha Rucker spent her entire life in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. This is where she went to school at Kenwood Academy and DePaul University, developed her entrepreneurial skills, and now serves her community. After studying cosmetology and working in hair, fashion, commercial real estate and customer service, Rucker […]

Khabar Magazine. June 2020. The relentless march of Covid-19—and our measures to contain it—have ravaged the restaurant industry. From reinventing themselves and staying relevant to protecting customers, employee interests, and managing their suddenly shaky finances, here’s a look at how some eateries in the Atlanta area are coping with the effects of the pandemic. The […]

Cuisine Noir Magazine. April 2020. As a serial entrepreneur, Ebony Austin knows a thing or two about business cycles. “I am confident we will be ok,” she says after closing her new College Park restaurant for a few weeks during the COVID-19 crisis. The restaurant opened in November 2019 and has seen growth every month, […]

Atlanta Magazine. Feb 2020. At age 13, Kalsang Lama was already a skilled enough cook to prepare dinner for her family when they returned home from work each night. She grew up in a Tibetan settlement in Mussoorie, a popular hill station in northern India. Her parents were refugees who had fled religious persecution in Tibet, walking […]

For Chowhound. February 2018.  Airport food doesn’t always have to be greasy fast food, pre-packed sandwiches, and run-of-the-mill chain restaurants. Over 100 million passengers fly through the world’s busiest Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport each year, and they have several options where they can taste local flavors. While most travelers don’t have enough time to step outside the airport […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta. December 2017.  Seewai Sayavong welcomes me into a 12,000-square-foot Victorian mansion overlooking 15th street. “Tennessee Williams has lived here!” she says. Upon further research, I find that no one is quite sure whether this factoid is true or not, but the building, often referred to as “the castle,” was indeed a […]