StarChefs.com, the nationally acclaimed online magazine for culinary insiders, is thrilled to announce its 2012 Atlanta Rising Stars. The award winners will be showcased at the 38thStarChefs.com Rising Stars Gala on June 13, 2012, from 6 to 9:30 p.m., at the Goat Farm Arts Center, a historic site housing an acclaimed visual and performing arts center.
Hosted by chef Zach Meloy of PushStart Kitchen, the tasting gala will allow local food lovers the opportunity to experience the talents of Atlanta’s Rising Stars and sample beverage pairings from the awarded sommelier and mixologist.
Through its partnership with the Goat Farm Arts Center, StarChefs.com will showcase the city’s highest regarded cuisine in conjunction with acclaimed local artist David Baerwalde.
For his most recent arts center exhibition entitled “delicious objects,” Baerwalde reclaimed and reconfigured anonymous bits of scrap material and waste including wood, sawdust, honey, and coffee grounds, transforming the detritus of the Goat Farm’s recent evolution into simple, elegant pieces that express the locale. The installation perfectly complements the celebratory evening of local culinary talents, products, and daring creativity.
“We've found a creative, eclectic, and burgeoning culinary landscape in Atlanta,” says StarChefs.com editor-in-chief Antoinette Bruno. “It’s the heart of farm-to-table, artisanal product and historical cooking. This city is the epitome of Southern cuisine.”
Chosen from more than 80 Atlanta culinary professionals through in-person tastings and interviews, the 2012 Atlanta Rising Stars Award Winners include:
CHEFS
Andy Carson, Bacchanalia
Shane Devereux, The Lawrence, The Sound Table and Top FLR
Adam Evans, JCT Kitchen
Robert Phalen, One Eared Stag
Ryan Smith, Empire State South
Tyler Williams, Abattoir
Guy Wong, Miso Izakaya
PASTRY CHEFS
Aaron Russell, Restaurant Eugene
Chrysta Poulos, Woodfire Grill
SUSTAINABILITY
Terry Koval, Farm Burger
ARTISAN
Todd Immel, Star Provisions’ Meat Department
HOTEL CHEF
Anthony Gray, Southern Art and Bourbon Bar at the InterContinental Buckhead
CONCEPT
Richard Blais, HD1 and Flip Burger
COMMUNITY
Taria Camerino, Sugar-Coated Radical
RETAURATEUR
Brian Lewis, STG Trattoria andBocado
SOMMELIER
Seth Roskind, 4th & Swift
MIXOLOGIST
Miles Macquarrie, Leon’s Full Service
ATHENS CHEF
Peter Dale, The National
SUSTAINABILITY CHEF
Whitney Otawka, Farm 255
HOST CHEF
Zach Meloy, PushStart Kitchen
In Atlanta, StarChefs.com will present its Restaurant of Distinction Award, presented by Steelite International, to recognize a Rising Star who demonstrates beautiful plating with singular style.
Additionally, the craftsman spirit of Atlanta inspired StarChefs.com to augment its existing culinary and restaurateur awards with an Artisan Award presented by Hobart, as well as Rising Star Brewer and Coffee Awards.
The Mentor Award, presented by Vitamix, will also be given to one influential chef who has shaped a new generation of local culinary talent. The Mentor, Brewer, and Coffee Awards will be announced at the gala.
In keeping with a long-standing tradition, guests will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite dish of the night. The Rising Star who garners the most votes will receive a brand new Jade Range 18” commercial plancha.
General admission tickets are $85 per person. VIP tickets are $125 and include a private reception with champagne and Petrossian caviar beginning at 5:45 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.starchefs.com/tickets.
The proud national supporters of 2012 StarChefs.com Rising Stars Awards include Steelite International, Meat & Livestock Australia, Hobart, Jade Range, Cervena Venison, Vitamix, Fresh Origins, and Verterra/Aspenware.
