Chef Rob McDaniel is an Alabama native. He grew up in Hayleyville, graduated from Auburn, sharpened his cooking skills at ‘Bama standbys Jim N’ Nicks and Hot & Hot Fish Club, and was the longstanding chef of SpringHouse at Lake Martin. So a couple of years ago, when he told me he was opening a place of his very own in downtown Birmingham, named Helen after his granny, I knew it was going to be good, and I knew I had to visit. His passion for Southern foods, foraging, and sustainability informs his culinary style and is showcased through his dedication to simple recipes enhanced by flavorful ingredients. McDaniel is a five-time James Beard Foundation nominee for Best Chef: South , and he makes the best tomato pie I’ve ever had outside of the Carolinas. Taking a precise chef’s eye to Southern classics is what he does best, and he’s interested in his next chapter as restaurateur.