The Atlanta Foodcast: A Food Podcast

I had a chance to catch up with Chef Ian Winslade of Mission + Market in Buckhead. He was on the podcast last season and shared a lot of his story. Here’s our conversation.

This morning, I caught up with Tal Baum of Oliva Restaurant Group. Her group runs Aziza at Westside Provisions, Falafel Nation (next to Aziza), Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market, and Rina — just across the Beltline.

In case you were wondering where the marketplace is that Tal mentioned in this episode click here.

This afternoon, I caught up with the guys from Word of Mouth Restaurant Group in Brookhaven. Many of you know Ron Eyester (Rosebud, The Family Dog, etc) and I also have Michel Arnette and Stephen Herman on from their team as well. The guys are fighting, as we all are, each day to keep things going.

Life is insane. Things move fast on any given day, but we all know this is different. We are creatures of habit and our daily routines have been completely turned upside down. It’s uncomfortable. Unknown. Unfamiliar. Damn hard and filled with hardship — and Hardship hardly captures what is going on right now. It’s hard not to feel heartbroken. The restaurants and coffee shops and businesses you, I, we all love — we all just want them to be there when all of this is over. More than anything.

The reason this podcast as started in the first place was to offer a place for local businesses, restaurants, and people to share their stories. Well, now this is part of everyone’s story — much to anyone and everyone’s chagrin. Though, distress and defeat don’t have to be the only overwhelming thought on our minds. We’re a resilient bunch and I have faith that we’ll find a way through all of this. However, there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

This morning, I caught up with Neal Idnani from NaanStop. The guys have three locations and, much like everyone else, are adapting as fast as they can to keep their business going. Here’s our chat.

So, I caught up with Kevin Ouzts of The Spotted Trotter. Here’s our conversation from this morning, March 24th, 2020.

We’re excited to bring you a special episode which took place at the Georgia Organics Conference in Athens. It’s an annual event that takes place in a different city throughout Georgia where farmers, members of Georgia Organics, partners of the organization, and many others meet for hands-on sessions, learning opportunities, and where friends gather to connect — all centered around the Good Food Movement. We stopped by to chat with a few attendees and listen to what this special has meant to them this year, the past decade, or longer…

So, it’s clear that this conference holds a special place for many and the relationships forged due to their attendance. The work of Georgia Organics touches all corners of our great state through multiple programs — one being Farm to School. The program started back in 2007 and the work has continued to impact over 90 school districts throughout the state of Georgia. So, here’s Erin She started and ran the program for many years for Georgia Organics. We dropped by tho hear some of the it’s origin.

And that brings us to lunch, but not just any lunch. Lunch with Alice Waters, chef/owner of Chez Panisse in Berkley, California and founder of The Edible Schoolyard and Chef/Farmer, Matthew Raiford . They allowed us to take part in a meal that was made from produce and ingredients from Georgia farms where we all had to work together to gather all materials — plates, cups, drinks, prepared dishes, utensils, and everything without using words. All of this was modeled off of what is possible in a school lunchroom. Let me tell you — it was wonderful (and incredibly delicious).

Immediately following, we had a chance to sit down with Alice Waters and hear more from her perspective on food, our education system, and the impact of Edible Schoolyard and Farm to School.

So, who better to give us perspective on how the impact of growing and cooking local food, let alone working with local farms/farmers in our schools? Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Alice Waters.

BOCADO is one of those restaurants that has aided in defining dining for Atlanta. The restaurant has been been a part of westside for 10+ years and continues to hold a place of dining reverence in our city — and will for many to come.

Chances are you’ve seen the guy in charge throughout the restaurant during your last visit — Mr. Brian Lewis. This gentleman’s story is one that I love and appreciate very much. We sat down at the restaurant pre-service so I could hear things from his side, how BOCADO and BOCADO Burger came to be, and to have a chat about the industry.

Steve Nygren is one with a long history here in Atlanta. Back in 2004, the first house at Serenbe was built in realization of a community in Chattahoochee Hills — just a short drive outside of Atlanta proper.

There’s a quote that stuck out to me before I got to hear Steve’s story — “If you want to change the world, you should start in your own backyard.” What Serenbe is, especially in such close proximity to everything happening in Atlanta, is truly remarkable. Here’s Steve and his story.

Urban Agriculture. This might sound like a bit of an oddity to some, but with over 80% of Americans living in metro areas we’re now more dependent on others producing almost all of the food we consume.

Thus, welcome Rashid Nuri to the show. His work has been paramount to Atlanta throughout his entire career — and life. Committed to developing knowledge, resource, and love around “seed to table.” How food is grown, nurtured, and made possible in the earth around us — regardless of living in the city.

He founded Truly Living Well back in 2006 to develop a conduit for connecting communities and culture through training, education, and nutrition. He now works as an Advisor and Elder for the organization.

Rashid and I caught up so I could hear his story ahead of the Georgia Organics Conference — happening in Athens February 7-8th — where his the keynote speaker.

Back in 2008, George and his partner, Jason Mann, set out to change the makeup of what makes a burger joint. The idea was simple — Bring together communities of ranchers and growers and supply the restaurants with they raise, grow, harvest, and produce. Then, there was Farm Burger.

George has spent the greater part of his life in the hospitality industry and he’s been a part of the good food movement throughout Atlanta for some time now. We sat down at the Decatur location so I could hear more of his story. Here he is.