THIS SATURDAY: Holiday Artist Market

Shop for holiday gifts from local artists this Saturday!
Join us at the Market on Nov. 27 and again on Dec. 18 for our annual Holiday Artist Markets! In addition to all of your favorite farmers and food producers, we'll have over 20 different local artists to help you get all of your holiday shopping done in one place! The Market moves inside the Cathedral for both holiday markets so you can shop in comfort. Reminder: Please leave your dogs at home for our inside Markets . . . thanks!

El Sol Warms the Market

This week’s Chef Demo features
Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol – 10:00 am on 11/20
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

If you haven’t experienced a Taqueria craving yet, it can only be because you haven’t yet been to one of Chef Eddie Hernandez’s popular locations of Taqueria del Sol. Those folks you see lined up outside aren’t just standing there for their health. Though we’re convinced that all that standing must burn off the calories of at least one delicious tortilla chip dipped in some mighty fine guacamole. The real reason they’re standing in line is that Hernandez’s authentic Mexican and Southern-inspired tacos, enchiladas and daily specials are fresh, tasty expressions of fine dining ingredients meeting fast-casual prices. Hernandez prides himself on offering something for everyone. And everyone agrees that Taqueria just hits the spot!

Like all great Chefs, Hernandez’s passion runs deep. He was born in Monterrey, Mexico, where he grew up helping in the kitchen at his grandmother’s restaurants, and moved to the US at the age of 17. After moving to Texas, Hernandez began working as a chef at El Chico Mexican Restaurants and playing drums, another passion of his, to support himself. Eager to have more creative freedom, he moved to Georgia on the suggestion of a friend. Working at the Azteca Grill in Clayton County, Hernandez met then-operator, Taqueria del Sol CEO Mike Klank, setting the stage for the Klank-Hernandez partnership that would take Atlanta’s culinary scene by storm. The two moved on from Azteca Grill in 1991, opening Sundown Café off Cheshire Bridge. Inspired by the taco stands and flavors of the West, the two opened the first Taqueria del Sol in 2000. The rest is line-worthy history.

Today, you can find Hernandez at one of the four Taqueria del Sol locations or at the sister company, Sol Catering. You’ll thank him for favorites like the Memphis (smoked pork with spicy jalapeño coleslaw and tequila BBQ sauce), Fried Chicken, and Fish tacos, and warm up with a cup of Shrimp Corn Chowder. And you’ll probably also want to thank his team for being so fast delivering these goodies to your table.

What’s next? Hernandez is motivated by a strong desire to continue learning and to stay ahead of the culinary curve. He is continually researching new ideas and enjoys reinterpreting fine dining dishes to make them approachable in price without sacrificing quality. Stop by this week’s demo to find out what Chef Hernandez has in store to warm your heart (with a little Sol).

Save the Dates: Nov 27 & Dec 18: Holiday Artist Markets
Are your jingle bells at the ready? Save the date for this year’s Holiday Artist Markets where you can get all of your holiday gifts from local artists—join us inside as we welcome over 20 artists to the market to help you with your holiday shopping!


- Jennifer Maley

Y’all Come

Join Virginia Willis for this week’s
Chef Demo – 10:00 am on 11/13
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

You won’t want to miss Saturday’s Chef Demo with acclaimed cookbook author Virginia Willis! Her Bon Appétit, Y’all! Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking is full of heirloom recipes, beautifully written anecdotes, and dishes grounded in quality ingredients. Virginia brings a delicious blend of Southern roots and French technique to all that she does in the food world, which is quite a lot—producer, author, editor and food stylist, to name a few.

Now, about that French technique…Virginia is a graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine and Ecole de Cuisine LaVarenne, the famous French cooking school. She then honed her skills as the Kitchen Director for Martha Stewart Living TV where Virginia also prepared meals and events for Martha and her guests including President Clinton, Aretha Franklin and Julia Child. Virginia’s passion for food and eye for detail led her to join Epicurious as Executive Producer, traveling the world to tape fantastic stories about food—from harvesting capers in the shadow of a smoldering volcano to making authentic mustard in Dijon.

And Southern roots…Virginia’s worldly food career started right here in Atlanta as an apprentice to Nathalie Dupree. She worked with Dupree on four PBS series and cookbooks, including the James Beard award-winning Comfortable Entertaining. And, if you’ve picked up a copy of Virginia’s Bon Appétit, Y’all, you know through its stories of family and food all about how deep her love is for the culinary South.

To learn more about this nationally recognized culinary professional we’re lucky enough to have in our own city, visit Virginia’s website and blog. What’s next? Keep an eye out for her upcoming book, Basic to Brilliant, Y'all: Recipes and Recollections of a Southern Culinary Journey and product line My Southern Pantry (just in time for the holidays)!

Join us this Saturday for stories, tips and some darn good food.


- Jennifer Maley

Market Update

Fundraising Goal Met!
We’re so excited to announce that we’ve met our fundraising goal for the matching grant from the Zyman Family Foundation! It was the generosity of over 100 people that helped secure the funding needed to cover the police officer and city fees. As the market strives to get better every year, we can still use your support, so please keep us in mind when you plan your year-end charitable giving. Thanks to all of our supporters!

1,000 Pounds of Food
This July, the Peachtree Road Farmers Market began working with Second Helpings to donate food to the Gateway Center. So far, the market has given over 1,000 pounds of fresh vegetables and baked goods to support the 325 people who count on the Gateway Center for their daily meals.

Mark Your Calendars
Nov 12: PRFM on PBS
Tune in to PBS for the Georgia Traveler episode about the Peachtree Road Farmers Market! This 30 min show will air Nov 12th at 8pm on PBS. If you miss it, check out the episode online after Nov 12.

Nov 27 & Dec 18: Holiday Artist Markets
Are your jingle bells at the ready? Save the date for this year’s Holiday Artist Markets where you can get all of your holiday gifts from local artists—join us inside as we welcome over 20 artists to the market to help you with your holiday shopping!


- Jennifer Maley

Fall Comfort at this week’s Market

Don’t miss Saturday’s Chef Demo with
Stephen Herman of HAVEN – 10:00 am on 11/6
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

Chef Stephen Herman fell in love with culinary comforts from an early age in his mother’s kitchen—her talent for baking inspired him to pursue a culinary career and the rest is history. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Herman traveled up the road to Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, where he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in culinary arts.

While at Johnson and Wales, Herman worked with renowned Chef Bob Waggoner at the prestigious Charleston Grill. Waggoner was so impressed with the passion and skill of Herman that he invited his mentee to cook in some of France’s finest restaurants. In France, Herman gained exceptional experience and great respect for the rich history of French food.

He returned to the States with a renewed passion and honed skills that were perfect for the next step in his career—traveling to Atlanta to work with one of the best chefs to grace our city— Chef Joël Antunes recognized Herman’s abilities and put him to work at JOËL, one of Atlanta’s most iconic French restaurants. Herman’s tenure there developed his focus on classic and modern French cooking even further.

His journey in Atlanta then led Chef Herman to HAVEN at its inception and he now guides its kitchen as executive chef. At HAVEN, he combines seasonal meats and produce with traditional southern ingredients to create a fresh, sophisticated version of comfort food. Herman sources ingredients from farmers and markets as way of guaranteeing guests the freshest produce. With great respect for changes in seasonal harvests, Herman changes the menu five times yearly.

Join us this Saturday when Chef Stephen Herman will bring the warmth of HAVEN’s welcoming atmosphere and good food to our tents at the Farmers Market!

Coming Soon: Holiday Artist Markets
November 27th & December 18th
Are your jingle bells at the ready? Save the date for this year’s Holiday Artist Markets where you can get all of your holiday gifts from local artists—join us inside as we welcome over 20 artists to the market to help you with your holiday shopping!


- Jennifer Maley

Double-Treats: Demo & Parade

Pack your costume and your appetite for
this week’s Market events!

Demo with Chef Thomas McKeown
10:00 am on 10/30
Chef Demos are sponsored by
Whole Foods Market
If you’ve ever joined Chef Thomas McKeown on one of his Market tours, you’ll know what an expert he is in sourcing and creating magic with the season’s best local foods. You’ll also know that his descriptions of food are just as beautiful as the accent he uses to describe it. Not just a pretty voice, Chef Thomas also brings an Irish perspective to his culinary approach. He celebrates heirloom recipes, supports local and regional farmers, and raises awareness for a more sustainable and vibrant food community. Peachtree Road Farmers Market is lucky to have him as our friend – and we think that you’ll agree after joining us for this week’s chef demo!

2nd Annual Halloween Market Parade
Step-off at 11 am
Pull out your ghoulish gear for a morning of Halloween fun at the Market! We welcome kids of all ages, dogs and their people. Prizes courtesy of The Cookie Studio and Taj Ma-Hound Bakery. RAIN OR SHINE!

People Costume Prize Categories include:
* Most Farmers Market Inspired
* Best Use of Recycled & Green Materials
* Too young to protest (under 18 months)

Doggie Costume Prize Categories include:
* Most Farmers Market Inspired
* Best Duo Costume (person/dog in complementary costumes)
* Most Original


- Jennifer Maley

This Week at the Market

Market Mash-up – Better Together
This Saturday, Oct. 23, at 10 am
It’s going to be a “monster” mash-up! Your Market vendors will team up to create a dish combining their products into one delicious recipe. A lucky 150 shoppers will get to vote for their favorite dish. Who will join forces to have the best mash-up? Will it be jam and sausage? Pesto and pasta? Chicken and cheese? Join us to find out – root for your favorite vendors and try some great new dishes! Judges on hand to help include former AJC dining critic Meredith Ford Goldman and Atlanta Magazine’s local food expert Deborah Geering.

This Saturday is also Bike to the Market Day with special bike parking! Grab your bike and come enjoy the fall air, live music, autumn produce, and Market Mash-up this Saturday!

Coming next week: Halloween Fun at the Market:

2nd Annual Halloween Market Parade
Oct. 30, Step-off at 11 am
Pull out your ghoulish gear for a morning of Halloween fun at the Market! We welcome kids of all ages, dogs and their people. Prizes courtesy of The Cookie Studio and Taj Ma-Hound Bakery. RAIN OR SHINE!

People Costume Prize Categories include:
* Most Farmers Market Inspired
* Best Use of Recycled & Green Materials
* Too young to protest (under 18 months)

Doggie Costume Prize Categories include:
* Most Farmers Market Inspired
* Best Duo Costume (person/dog in complementary costumes)
* Most Original


- Jennifer Maley

All Treats, No Tricks

Get your sweet tooth ready for
this week’s Chef Demo with
David Jeffries of David Jeffries Kitchen – 10:00 am on 10/16
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

What kid wouldn’t want an Italian cookie in their treat bag come this Halloween? If you’re that kind of kid at heart, don’t miss this week’s Chef Demo with Market vendor David Jeffries! If you haven’t already come to love his sweet and savory biscotti, don’t worry, that just means that you haven’t tried them yet. Jeffries has been perfecting these twice-baked goodies since he was a young boy in his grandmother’s kitchen. His love of baking led him to an acclaimed career as a pastry chef working in some of the country’s finest restaurants. Over the past 20 years, Jeffries has delighted sweet teeth everywhere from the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta’s Park 75 restaurant to high-profile events like the Emmys and Grammy award shows. He now focuses on his signature dessert, the light-as-air biscotti he creates with local, sustainable, all-natural ingredients. With fun flavors including Orange Spiced Hazelnut, Chocolate Chocolate-Chip, Savory Pear & Rosemary and Gorgonzola & Walnut (plus gluten-free options), you won’t want to miss the creative cookie tips David Jeffries has to share this Saturday – don’t forget your treat bag!

Coming up later this month at the Market: Dust the cobwebs off your calendar and check out these events:

Oct. 23, 10 am: Market Mash-up – Better Together
It’s going to be a “monster” mash-up! Your Market vendors will team up to create a dish combining their products into one delicious recipe. A lucky 150 shoppers will get to vote for their favorite dish. Who will join forces to have the best mash-up? Will it be jam and sausage? Pesto and pasta? Chicken and cheese? Join us to find out – root for your favorite vendors and try some great new dishes! Judges on hand to help include former AJC dining critic Meredith Ford Goldman and Atlanta Magazine’s local food expert Deborah Geering.

Oct. 30, Step-off at 11 am: 2nd Annual Halloween Market Parade
Pull out your ghoulish gear for a morning of Halloween fun at the Market! We welcome kids of all ages, dogs and their people. Prizes courtesy of The Cookie Studio and Taj Ma-Hound Bakery. RAIN OR SHINE!

People Costume Prize Categories include:
* Most Farmers Market Inspired
* Best Use of Recycled & Green Materials
* Too young to protest (under 18 months)

Doggie Costume Prize Categories include:
* Most Farmers Market Inspired
* Best Duo Costume (person/dog in complementary costumes)
* Most Original


- Jennifer Maley

It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

Saturday’s Chef Demo features

Hector Santiago of Pura Vida – 10:00 am on 10/9

Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

It’s one of Atlanta’s favorite chefs! As though his restaurant Pura Vida and street food phenomenon Burro Pollo weren’t enough to tempt Chef Hector Santiago’s devoted following, our food hero just opened Super Pan, too! These three delicious destinations combined are enough to vanquish any size hunger foe. And it’s quite a tasty battle indeed.

You might recognize Chef Hector from another tasty battle, Bravo’s “Top Chef: Las Vegas,” where he represented Atlanta and his fans by showcasing his signature Latin flavors with a passion for what he does best – cook with soul. Viewers also caught a glimpse of Santiago’s sense of adventure. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., he’s worked with some of the world’s most respected forward-thinking chefs, including José Andrés, Andoni Luis Aduriz and Wylie Dufresne.

It was nine years ago that his journey led Chef Hector and his wife Leslie to open Pura Vida, which means “pure life.” The heart of this Poncey Highland favorite is in the playful experience of casual meeting upscale, interesting ingredient combinations meeting modern technique, and above all, warm service. A native Puerto Rican, Santiago’s menu is inspired by all of Latin America and he is constantly studying, researching and experimenting with new flavors. His travels to Spain, Latin America and Peru are evident in the bold, creative dishes represented at Pura Vida. And you’ll want to be on the look out for Gastro Treks with Chef Hector – you can join in his travels for some tasty research, too! The 2011 schedule will be posted on Pura Vida’s website soon.

In the meantime, you can travel through your taste buds at this week’s Market. At Saturday’s demo, don’t be surprised if you see peppers in the mix. Inspired by a trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua where he foraged for local peppers, Santiago has planted a chile garden on Pura Vida’s rooftop. He’s also committed to sourcing from local produce vendors – just another couple of reasons why this multiple James Beard Award nominee is one of our local foodie heroes!

- Jennifer Maley

Pure Craft

Check out Saturday’s Chef Demo with
Adam Evans of Craftbar – 10:00 am on 10/2
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

Chef Tom Colicchio. Oh, you’ve heard of him? Well, regardless of whether or not you’ve followed Chef Colicchio’s rise to fame, let’s just say that this internationally lauded chef doesn’t pick just anyone to lead his restaurants’ kitchens. We know for a fact that Adam Evans, Chef de Cuisine at Atlanta’s Craftbar, represents the best of Colicchio’s vision for American cuisine: fresh, simple, stunning.

It didn’t take Adam long to discover the beauty of carefully crafted food — he began at the source, as a boy growing up in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, picking Muscat grapes in the backyard with his brother, peeling potatoes with his mother and catching fish to fry during summers at the lake.

Evans went on to hone his culinary skills at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, and with The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group in New Orleans. He widened his perspective and palate further through three months of travel in Europe, where he experienced the cuisines of London, Italy and France.

When Adam returned to the U.S., he moved to New York City and joined Colicchio’s Craft family. He worked his way through the line at Craft and was eventually promoted to sous chef in the New York location before he was selected to head up Atlanta’s outpost of Craftbar.

We’re glad to have Chef Evans back here in the South where he brings his dedication to quality ingredients and well-balance flavors to his role as Craftbar’s Chef de Cuisine. When he’s not in the kitchen, he enjoys fishing, golfing, watching college football and water skiing — And, lucky for us, he also enjoys leading delicious Chef Demos like the one coming up this Saturday — join us under the tent for a taste of Fall flavors!


- Jennifer Maley

Market Media: Thanks, Y’all!

Time to raise a glass of freshly made juice and toast the Peachtree Road Farmers Market! This week, on the heels of being voted Georgia’s Favorite Farmer’s Market, we were also named Creative Loafing’s favorite! Here’s what the fine folks at CL had to say about us in their annual “Best of Atlanta” issue:

Best Outdoor Farmers' Market:
Peachtree Road Farmers Market
The Morningside Farmers Market used to be the only exciting produce spot in our city. That was until the PEACHTREE ROAD FARMERS MARKET pitched its tents in the Cathedral of St. Philip parking lot a few years ago. Ever since then, the market — which has garnered the support of über chefs like Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene — has steadily grown into a massive operation full of popular vendors like the H&F Bread Company, the Spotted Trotter, Moto Bene: Wood Fire Oven Craft Street Pizza, and around 50 other stands selling everything from fresh eggs to heirloom tomatoes to Savannah-caught shrimp.

Hungry for more? You’ll want to check out the footage that CNN’s “Eatocracy” shot at this week’s Market. The piece will run nationwide all next week.

Thanks to all of the volunteers, vendors and shoppers who support Peachtree Road Farmers Market each Saturday — good food for all is made possible because of you!


- Jennifer Maley

Laissez Les Bon ‘Tastes’ Rouler, Y’all

Join us for this week’s Chef Demo with
Scott Serpas of Serpas True Food – 10:00 am on 9/25
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

You don’t have to go far from your front step in Atlanta to reach a world of cuisines. And though New Orleans isn’t too many miles away, we’re glad Chef Scott Serpas brings its flavors a little closer to home at his namesake restaurant a mere drive, bike-ride or walk away. His bold take on regional favorites, highlighted through classical technique and global influence wows not just the regulars at Serpas, in a space that was once a cotton storage facility in the Old Fourth Ward, but critics alike – since its opening in January 2009, Serpas True Food has received local and national acclaim and was named one of the 10 “Best New Restaurants in America” by GQ magazine.

Scott’s love for cooking began at an early age, but it was working as a busboy in his hometown of New Orleans when he knew he wanted a future for himself in the restaurant world. He later attended Delgado’s Culinary Institute in New Orleans and completed an externship at both Mr. B’s Bistro under executive chef Gerard Maras, and in Le Meridien Hotel’s pastry department.

After graduation, Scott’s career took him to Dallas to work with Chef Kevin Rathbun at the popular Baby Routh’s, which introduced him to Southwestern cooking techniques and flavors. After four years in Dallas, Rathbun asked Serpas to move to Atlanta to become sous chef at Nava. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now a proud expatriated Atlantan, Scott went on to lead the opening team of Sia’s, garnering praise for his fresh take on the Asian and Mediterranean flavors that continue to influence him today. He then lent his talents as executive chef at TWO Urban Licks, where his bold approach led to creative wood-fired meats, fish and barbecue.

Today, when he’s not in the kitchen at Serpas True Food, Scott spends much of his time volunteering with organizations like Share Our Strength, the American Liver Foundation, Camp Twin Lakes, the March of Dimes, Dining Out for Life and the James Beard Foundation.

In addition, Scott participates in community demos like ours, coming up this Saturday! Join us under the tent for his recipes, tips and tastes. Oh, and did we mention that Serpas also offers Sunday brunch? After this demo, you might just be making plans.


- Jennifer Maley

She’s Souper, Thanks for Asking

Don’t miss Saturday’s Chef Demo with
Jenny Levison of Souper Jenny – 10:00 am on 9/18
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

Fall’s so close you can almost taste it. Actually, you can taste it this Saturday when Souper Jenny takes over the Chef Demo tents to show you how she makes her soulful soups. Jenny Levison’s mission at Souper Jenny is to treat customers like guests in her home and, if you’ve ever stopped by her Buckhead café or picked up soup, sandwiches, salads or spreads from her bright red Farmers Market truck, then you know what it feels like to be a member of the family — warm and delicious!

Levison has owned Souper Jenny for 12 years and makes a consistent effort to support local farmers and artisans, even maintaining a small community garden in her own front yard. Everything is made fresh daily, with new menus posted online, via phone and through Souper Jenny’s handy email newsletter.

Jenny and her team don’t just sling soup, either. They’re all members of Atlanta’s acting community, too. When they’re not serving you yummy soups, sandwiches and salads, they’re serving up entertainment whether in the café or on the stage. And we’ve heard that if you sing and dance with the staff, there might just be a fresh-baked cookie in it for you!

When Jenny’s not behind the soup stove, she’s acting, taking care of her son Jonah, and creating more ways for Atlantans to come together over a common bowl. This fall, look for the return of her popular Underground Supper Club, and don’t miss weekly favorites like Tuesday Taco and Tamale Night, and Thursday Grilled Cheese Night.

Learn more about Jenny and her team on Souper Jenny’s website by watching “Jenny TV” and also check out a clip from her spring demo on the Today show. And don’t forget to stop by this Saturday for her live demo with us!

Remember, Fall hours have begun! The Market is now open 9 am -12:30 pm, every Saturday through December 18.


- Jennifer Maley

Sun upon our face and wind at our back

Last Friday’s “Don't hang up your canvas shopping bag just yet” post from Atlanta Magazine’s blog “Covered Dish” reminded us of the joys of late summer/early fall. Now’s the time to savor peppers, okra, tomatoes and eggplants, and to welcome figs, green beans, muscadine grapes, pears, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens and winter squash. Check out our summer post on okra or Chef Gerry Klaskala’s recipe for Skillet Roasted Okra with Eastern Spices and Lime (featured on the Chef Demo Recipes page of our website) for some great ways to celebrate late summer’s bounty. And stop by this week, with a cool breeze at your back, to peruse the beautiful beginnings of fall produce.

PLEASE NOTE: Fall hours have begun! The Market is now open 9 am -12:30 pm, every Saturday through December 18.


- Jennifer Maley

Grapes to Gravy

Saturday’s Chef Demo features Steven Hartman
of Le Vigne at Montaluce – 10:00 am on 9/11
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

Looking for a mountain respite complete with gorgeous scenery, local food and house-made wines? Well, look no further than Dahlonega, Georgia, home to Montaluce Winery and Estates. And look to Chef Steven Hartman to bring your favorite flavors of the south, expressed using the best local products on offer, straight to your plate at Montaluce’s Le Vigne Restaurant.

Chef Hartman understands that fresh is better and local is best, not just because of the unparalleled taste, but also for the chance to foster true community. The food and wine shared at Le Vigne is deeply rooted in that community, including wine produced from grapes grown at Montaluce and many vegetables grown directly on the property. Chef Hartman also sources from local artisans and farmers to complete his regularly changing menu.

Though Hartman received his Culinary Arts Degree from Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, his heart’s always been in the south. Shortly after completing his training he returned to Tennessee where, prior to coming to Le Vigne, he worked as the Chef de Cuisine at the five star, five diamond Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. He brought with him to Montaluce over a decade of experience spent honing his skills in southern kitchens. At Le Vigne, his focus is on using local produce and seasonal ingredients from area artisans in an effort to give back to the community and to help promote a more sustainable lifestyle.

During a time when cool breezes are beckoning us Atlantans to hop in the car and head to the hills, you’ll want to check out Le Vigne at Montaluce for their vineyard views and local, seasonal fare. You don’t just have to take our word for it – take a look at this recent review from Creative Loafing. And don’t miss this week’s demo with Chef Steven Hartman!


- Jennifer Maley

Tenacious Taste

Check out Saturday’s Chef Demo
with Julia LeRoy – 10:00 am on 9/4
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

Chef Julia LeRoy believes in the tenacity of nature. We believe in the tenacity of a chef who brought us locavore Mondays and put a grass-fed burger on the menu of a pub on Ponce. At The Bookhouse Pub, Julia proved that it’s cool to support local, sustainable, good food whether you’re sitting on a bar stool, in a fancy restaurant, or at your own kitchen table.

Before her work at The Bookhouse, LeRoy honed her considerable skills at Atlanta heavyweight restaurants like Seeger’s and The Dining Room at The Ritz Carlton Buckhead. She applies her classical training and healthful approach to a culinary inspiration that comes more from an old Southern family or church cookbook than the latest foodie trends.

That inspiration now guides Julia’s plans for a chef-driven, Southern-themed restaurant called LeRoy’s Lunch and Dinner. Looking at spaces in Decatur and Avondale Estates, her vision is for a fifty-seat, upscale, Southern spot to open within the next eight months. In the meantime, Julia is also collaborating with the folks at Fellini’s and LaFonda to develop a frozen yogurt product. Our forks and spoons are at the ready!

Learn more about Chef LeRoy’s food philosophy in her beautifully written article for Local Planet. And don’t miss her delicious demo at this week’s Market!


- Jennifer Maley

Coming up Rosebud’s

Join us for this week’s Chef Demo with Ron Eyester
of Rosebud – 10:00 am on 8/28
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market



As with any good calling, Ron Eyester had a feeling he would make his career in the restaurant business the minute he stepped onto the line. Ron was exposed to great food from his childhood growing up in New York to his college years at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. His addiction to the way of the stovetop was evident beginning in his late teens, when he took his first restaurant job, but it was while working on his Masters Degree back in New York that Ron experienced an epiphany of sorts and decided to pursue a career in the kitchen.

A 16-year restaurant veteran, Eyester credits his bold, creative cooking style to his diverse path in the restaurant world; his nomadic journey ultimately lead him to Atlanta’s Food 101 then to open highly-acclaimed Rosebud one year ago. His skills come not from formal training, but through watching mistakes made in the kitchen and by making a few himself, resulting in a keen sensibility and rockin’ sense of humor. His cuisine is clean, precise and all about enjoying the season’s best at it’s best.

Chef Ron explains his approach to food in his recent feature in Local Planet, “I’m a businessman, a chef and a convinced advocate for local food – in that order. I support buying local, provided it allows me to run my restaurant profitably, take care of my staff and serve the best food possible. Anything else is not sustainable in the long run” according to Eyester. “In the end, it all comes down to individual choices, guided by a sense of community. If local product of equal quality and at a reasonable price is available, then it wins hands-down. As it should.”

Check out Eyester’s fresh take on local food at his demo this Saturday. You know that a Chef who does dinners inspired by the Grateful Dead and the Beatles, and who brings Atlantans Monday night brunch, will get your Saturday started in style!


- Jennifer Maley

The More You Grow

Georgia Organics is partnering with Anthony-Masterson Films to help produce GROW!, a film about Georgia’s young, sustainable and organic farmers. Since April, the filmmakers have interviewed 22 farmers and have traveled 2,000 miles of Georgia dirt. They hope to wrap production in November and show the film at next year’s Georgia Organics conference.

A quick word from the filmmakers: "Our hope for GROW! is to encourage young people to take up farming, to offer a good argument for people with land to turn it over to young farmers, and for communities to support these endeavors."

Follow the film’s progress here and watch clips here!


- Jennifer Maley

Atlanta Tested, First Mom Approved

Don’t miss this week’s demo with Chef Linton Hopkins
of Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch Public House
and H&F Bread Co.



10:00 am on 8/21
Chef Demos are sponsored by Whole Foods Market

It’s been quite a year for one of Atlanta’s favorite chefs. Linton Hopkins was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Southeast, named by Food & Wine magazine as Best New Chef, and invited to a little home & garden operation known as the White House. He and wife Gina were among a select group gathered this summer to launch “Chefs Move to Schools,” part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign to provide healthier food in schools, to help kids become more physically active and to make healthy, affordable food available in every part of the country.

The Hopkins have long believed in an accessible food community built on support for local farmers and artisans. It’s the same belief that led them to found the Peachtree Road Farmers Market three years ago and to spearhead the movement for local foods in white-tablecloth restaurants like Eugene.

Linton and Gina appreciate food’s history and place in our region’s heart of hearts. Hopkins’ cuisine elevates what are oftentimes thought of as simple ingredients through his thoughtful preparation and technique. As much as can be made in-house, is made in-house. Where folkways traditions meet culinary traditions, that’s where you’ll find Linton and Gina Hopkins.

Come this Saturday to learn about (and taste!) Linton’s famous Pimento Cheese. And stay awhile to talk with him – you can learn a lot from a man who defends the sexiness of a radish.

Keep up to date on all things Hopkins by checking out Restaurant Eugene’s blog. You’ll want to stay tuned for their next addition to the Atlanta foodie community – H&F Bottle Shop is set to open soon!


- Jennifer Maley

In the News

Check out Peachtree Road Farmers Market Manager Lauren Carey, featured in this week’s “Field Notes,” a new Atlanta Magazine online column by Deborah Geering. Lauren reminds us why it’s important to know your farmer and gives great tips that you can take to the Market!




- Jennifer Maley