Bryan Voltaggio Kicks Off New Season of Gunshow’s Hired Guns On Jan. 31

For more information:

 Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

BRYAN VOLTAGGIO KICKS OFF NEW SEASON OF GUNSHOW’S “HIRED GUNS” ON JAN. 31

Kevin Gillespie Welcomes Top Chef Comrade Jan. 31 and Feb. 1

as First Guest Chef of 2016

ATLANTA (Dec. 22, 2015) – Chefs Kevin Gillespie and Joey Ward of Gunshow are bringing back their popular “Hired Guns” series for the third year and the lineup is full of great talent. This year’s guest chefs will cook dinner on Sunday and Monday, nights Gunshow is normally closed, with a limited number of tickets sold for each night. Kicking off the series is Gillespie’s Top Chef friend and one of DC’s most recognizable culinary talents, Bryan Voltaggio. Tickets for his Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 dinners are $95 each and go on sale Dec. 31, 2015 via Xorbia. For those who want to attend all six dinners in the series, season tickets are available for $75 per person through Dec. 31, 2015 and for $85 per person starting Jan. 1, 2016 at RedBeardMerch. (Drinks, tax and gratuity are additional.)

Voltaggio’s  family of restaurants includes VOLT, Lunchbox, Family Meal, RANGE and AGGIO, and is a collection of experiences from fine dining culinary adventure to casual comforts and grab-and-go. He has won accolades for his ability to merge tradition and innovation using fresh, local ingredients.

“I have long admired Bryan’s skills and look forward to having him in the kitchen at Gunshow,” says Gillespie. “I’m really excited about all the chefs who are coming this year. At these dinners, the show is the food. We're going to be graced with rock-star chefs giving some of their best performances. Make sure you get your tickets to this show." 

“With only 100 guests dining each night, the setting is intimate and will allow the guest chefs more time to mingle throughout the room,” says Ward. “Hired Guns will still present their signature dishes for all guests to sample alongside favorites from the Gunshow kitchen dudes, including Kevin and me.”

Future additions to the "Hired Guns" lineup are:

• March 13-14, Vishwesh Bhatt, executive chef of Snackbar in Oxford, Mississippi, is coming to town with his French brasserie fare and Creole Southern flair.
• May 22-23 will bring Brian Baxter from HUSK in Nashville, Tennessee.
• June 12-13, mark your calendar for Kenny Gilbert of Gilbert's Underground Kitchen in Fernandina Beach, Florida.
• Vivian Howard of Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, North Carolina, is lined up for October.
• And one more surprise chef!

Hired Guns began in 2013 as a way to lure some of the country’s most talked about chefs to Gunshow for a two-night showcase of their signature flavors and personalities alongside the restaurant’s featured items. For the past two years, this creative collaboration with chefs from around the nation has brought in award-winning talent like Chris Shepherd of Underbelly, John Currence of City Grocery, Joseph "JJ" Johnson from The Cecil, and Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton of Ox. 

"Each chef has blown us away with creativity and passion for what they do, bringing their 'A' game and inspiring us to match it," says Gillespie.

Gunshow is located at 924 Garrett Street. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not required. Guests may park in the Glenwood Park parking lot and on the street. For more information, visit gunshowatl.com or call 404-380-1886.

About Red Beard Restaurants

Red Beard Restaurants is the parent company that oversees Atlanta chef, restaurateur, speaker and cookbook author Kevin Gillespie’s food and beverage ventures, including his restaurants Gunshow and Revival, his BBQ pop-up Terminus City and all of his merchandise. The management company allows Gillespie to set comprehensive standards to ensure smart expansion, offer more internal growth opportunities for his team members and provide consulting services to other food and beverage start-ups. With the 2015 establishment of Red Beard Restaurants, Gillespie is able to continue his day-to-day interactions with diners while also pursuing his creative visions and impacting the culinary landscape of the South. The company’s offices are located in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, call 404-380-1886 or visit redbeardrestaurants.com.

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Eat, Drink and Be Merry this Holiday Season

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Atlanta Restaurants Serve Up Exceptional Christmas and New Year’s Specials

ATLANTA (Dec. 11, 2015) – The holiday season is officially here, and between decorating the tree and shopping for everyone on your list, the last thing you want to do is figure out how to feed your friends and family on Christmas Eve or what you’re doing to ring in 2016. Not to worry: many of Atlanta’s best restaurants and nightspots have you covered with holly jolly specials, events and takeout options. Spaces are limited and sure to disappear faster than St. Nick up the chimney, so make your reservations today!

Christmas Eve:

10^th & Piedmont is hosting a Christmas Eve dinner party that includes lobster bisque; cranberry and Camembert salad; an entrée of seared coffee-dusted duck breast with Chambord demi-glace or almond pesto-crusted Scottish salmon; and red velvet cake. This special menu is available from 5 to 10 p.m. for $29.95 per person. Beverages, tax and gratuity not included. 404-602-5510; 10thp.com.

Dinner at Aqua blue is a three-course prix fixe menu of seafood gumbo or house salad; grilled ahi tuna with scallops and shrimp or grilled New York strip with coconut shrimp; and warm chocolate cake or New York-style chocolate cheesecake. This $39 per person holiday dinner menu is available Dec. 18-24. 770-643-8886; aquablueatl.com.

Once you’ve finished wrapping presents and preparing for Santa’s visit, reward yourself with a meal at Aria. Christmas Eve dinner service at Gerry Klaskala’s Buckhead destination for creative American cuisine begins at 5 p.m. 404-233-7673; aria-atl.com.

Article 14 in Midtown is the perfect spot to sip a seasonal cocktail before or after enjoying “Garden Lights, Holiday Nights” at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Holiday cocktail offerings include Portside at Six with Michter’s American whiskey, Carpano Antica Formula, Fonseca port, Bitter End Memphis BBQ bitters and Boker’s bitters; and The Key to the Holidays old fashioned with apple liqueur, Larceny bourbon and a rich “holiday” syrup infused with honey, brown sugar, nutmeg, pecans, cinnamon, ginger and orange zest. The restaurant is open on Christmas Eve. 404-443-8432; article14.com.

"Twelve Days of Biddy" ends on Dec. 24 at Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy with $3 sliders available until closing (2 p.m. at Bantam + Biddy Crescent; 3 p.m. at Bantam + Biddy Ansley; or 6 p.m. at Chick-a-Biddy and Bantam + Biddy Avalon and Lenox Square). This wraps up a sleigh-full of daily deals and specials offered at both restaurants beginning Dec. 13. bantamandbiddy.com; chickabiddyatl.com.

FLIP's burger of the month for December will have you shouting out with glee, and the burger boutique's two Atlanta restaurants will be open until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve for you to come try it. "The Rudolph" is a venison burger with blackberry ketchup, baby kale, pickled grape tomatoes, red onion juniper jam and tomme cheese snow. It’s served with gingerbread-spiced potato twigs - shoestring potatoes with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and clove. Wash it all down with December’s featured shake, "Deer Tracks" - chocolate ice cream, liquid nitrogen whoppers, salted caramel, balsamic reduction and vanilla whipped cream. It’ll go down in history! flipburgerboutique.com.

Stop by Le Fat, Guy Wong's West Midtown Vietnamese brasserie, on Christmas Eve for the addictive garlic chili prawns or a hearty helping of comfort food like the thit kho bowl, brimming with caramelized pork belly, pickled mustard greens, braised egg and grilled scallions. Wong's menu is his personal interpretation of Vietnamese food from his family to yours. 404-439-9850; lefatatl.com.

Chef Kevin Gillespie’s celebrated Gunshow is open on Christmas Eve, featuring a holiday-themed menu of favorites from executive chef Joey Ward and the Gunshow team.  Dine on such offerings as roast beast, Peking duck and ham. Last reservation is at 8:30 p.m. 404-380-1886; gunshowatl.com.

Sometimes you just need a nice adult beverage after a hectic day of shopping. Stop by Marlow’s Tavern, Atlanta’s favorite neighborhood restaurant, for the Holiday Spice martini made with vanilla vodka, rye whiskey, RumChata and St. Elizabeth allspice dram. Served on the rocks or in a frozen martini glass and garnished with fresh grated nutmeg. All Atlanta-area locations of Marlow's are open normal hours on Christmas Eve. marlowstavern.com.

Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar is serving a family-style Christmas dinner on Dec. 24 with such offerings as smoked chestnut with ham hock; crunchy arugula and shaved asparagus salad; a selection of oysters, crab claws and steamed Georgia white shrimp; braised lamb shank; roasted Cornish hen; baked and stuffed flounder; assorted macaroons and more. This special menu is available from 5:30 to 10 p.m. for $65 per person. 404-745-5000; saltwoodatlanta.com.

Christmas Day:

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland is serving a classic Christmas dinner on Dec. 25. The prix fixe menu features a Big Green Egg-smoked turkey breast with caramelized apple and sage stuffing in a cider gravy; braised pork shoulder with roasted root vegetable in a bourbon glaze; green bean casserole with crispy onions and roasted mushrooms; roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sweet potato biscuits. Don’t forget to leave room for a delectable slice of Southern pecan pie or peppermint cheesecake. The price is $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for children under 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended. 404-876-7249; atkinspark.com.

After a day of trekking back and forth to visit family, give yourself the gift of a fun, relaxing evening at Johnny’s Hideaway. The legendary Buckhead nightspot is opening on Christmas Day starting at 7 p.m., serving up its popular menu of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, entrées and more. 404-233-8026; johnnyshideaway.com.

Celebrate family-style at Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar with Christmas dinner served from 5:30 to 10 p.m. for $65 per person. 404-745-5000; saltwoodatlanta.com.

New Year's Eve:

10th & Piedmont welcomes guests with a complimentary glass of Champagne and a four-course prix fixe menu including country ham and black-eyed pea soup; pan-seared crab cake and wild greens; a surf-and-turf “three way” with filet mignon, lobster bound salad and grilled gulf shrimp; and salted caramel crème brûlée parfait. Cost is $45 per person; beverages, tax and gratuity not included. 404-602-5510; 10thp.com.

Toast to midnight at Aqua blue while enjoying a three-course prix fixe menu of lobster bisque or lobster and shrimp salad; seafood-stuffed Maine lobster tail or Angus beef rib-eye and tempura shrimp; and warm chocolate cake or chocolate mint crème brûlée. This $55 per person dinner menu is available Dec. 26-31. 770-643-8886; aquablueatl.com.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Aria in Buckhead with a four-course meal for $95 per person.

404-233-7673; aria-atl.com.

Gunshow is open for extended hours on New Year’s Eve, seating every half-hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. through 10 p.m. The restaurant is offering its singular dining experience, with chefs rotating selections tableside, and guests can also enjoy premium wines and cocktails. 404-380-1886; gunshowatl.com.

Gypsy Kitchen is featuring a New Year’s Eve menu of family-style pinchos (almonds, olives, chicken croquettes and pickled beets), plus a supplemental course of uni-stuffed eggs (add $10) and foie gras (add $15); a mixed green salad and tortilla Espanola; and an entrée of cod pil-pil or braised beef chunks (add burgundy truffles for $15). Price is $65 per person. 404-939-9840; gk-atl.com.

Johnny’s Hideaway rings in the New Year with a special celebration for $40 per person. The price includes your seat for the evening and party favors at midnight. Guests must arrive by 9:30 p.m. or forfeit their seats. Reserve in person or by phone. 404-233-8026; johnnyshideaway.com.

Usher in 2016 at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern with all-you-can-drink SweetWater 420 and all-you-can-eat pizza from 10 p.m. to close. Guests will also enjoy live music and DJ tunes from James Patrick Morgan and a midnight Champagne toast and balloon drop. The restaurant is also serving its regular dinner menu until 10 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 at the door and may be purchased here; limited to the first 100 guests. 404-968-2288; hobnobatlanta.com.

Le Fat is open from 5 to 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve for a Vietnamese fix of shaking beef and other favorites. 404-439-9850; lefatatl.com.

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails is open until midnight to ring in the New Year and is serving a $65 prix fixe menu from 5-10 p.m. Live music begins at 8 p.m. with party favors and a complimentary Champagne toast when the clock strikes 2016. 770-817-0161; miltonscuisine.com.

Dance the night away at a New Year’s Eve masquerade ball at Ray’s on the River. This elegant event, held in the Grand Pavilion, features live music, an open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a Champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. The ball takes place from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Price is $130 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required. 770-955-1187; raysrestaurants.com/raysontheriver.

Ray’s on the River, Ray's at Killer Creek and Ray's in the City are also all serving a limited dinner menu alongside a $65 three-course prix fixe menu on New Year's Eve. Selections are subject to change but may include a broiled seafood platter, filet mignon, Bay of Fundy salmon Oscar, pan-seared Chilean sea bass and rib-eye. raysrestaurants.com.

In Decatur, Revival is serving both a family-style and à la carte menu of house favorites and traditional Southern dishes such as black-eyed peas, cornbread, pork, roasted prime beef with caramelized onion jus, local greens and fried chicken. Dinner reservations are available from 5 to 10 p.m. The restaurant's cocktail, wine and beer list will be poured, along with Prosecco for celebratory toasts. 470-225-6770; revivaldecatur.com.

Feast on the Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar special bar menu featuring lobster tempura; shaved salmon gravlax; Kentucky smoked ham; fried wild mushroom bread pudding; pan-seared foie gras slider; and French nachos with papas, duck confit, Reblochon cheese, bacon, caramelized onions and fleur de sel. In the main restaurant, guests can enjoy delicious selections from prix fixe stations serving chilled seafood, charcuterie, salads and grains, butcher chops, fish, side dishes, and desserts and petit fours. This menu is available from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. for $110 per person. 404-745-5000; saltwoodatlanta.com.

Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar in Marietta are both offering four-course prix fixe menus, as well as an à la carte menu for New Year’s Eve. $69 per person plus $25 per person wine pairings at Seed, $79 per person plus $29 per person wine pairings at Stem. 678-214-6888; eatatseed.com; stemwinebar.com.

The Southern Gentleman gastropub in Buckhead is serving up a suitably sophisticated prix fixe menu on New Year’s Eve for $65. Start off the evening with deviled egg with applewood-smoked trout caviar before enjoying a first course of either salt-and-pepper corn fritters or confit pork belly; a second course of roasted kabocha squash salad, beef tartare or Belgian endive-and-apple salad; and an entrée of Gulf shrimp, skillet-roasted young chicken, braised Creekstone Farm beef cheeks or foraged mushroom risotto. Finish with a dessert of foie blonde (liquid graham cracker, vanilla bean ice cream and essence of foie gras) or the Southern Gentleman candy bar with chocolate crémeux, caramel and roasted peanuts in a butter crust. 404-939-9845; thesoutherngentlemanatl.com.

New Year's Day:

10th & Piedmont is serving its regular weekend menu of brunch favorites and cocktails.  404-602-5510; 10thp.com.

Visit Aqua blue for your first dinner of 2016.  The Roswell restaurant is serving its regular dinner menu from 4 - 11 p.m. on New Year's Day. 770-643-8886; aquablueatl.com

Chick-a-Biddy and all locations of Bantam + Biddy are open normal hours on Jan. 1. The regular brunch menu is served until 3 p.m., and a special New Year’s dish of honey-glazed ham, stewed black-eyed peas, braised collard greens, cornbread and country gravy for $16 is on the menu all day, while supplies last. Guests can also enjoy $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas. bantamandbiddy.com; chickabiddyatl.com.

At HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern, enjoy brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a choice between the regular brunch menu or a special $12 New Year's Day dish of scrambled eggs, black-eyed peas and collard greens. Regular dinner service follows. 404-968-2288; hobnobatlanta.com.

Not a believer in hoppin' John for New Year's? Le Fat is open normal hours on New Year's Day. 404-439-9850; lefatatl.com.

Ray's at Killer Creek and Ray's in the City will be open regular business hours on New Year's Day. In the mood for brunch? Ray’s on the River is offering their famous brunch buffet from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. and will be open for dinner from 5 - 10 p.m. raysrestaurants.com.

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The South Rises Again with New Menu at The Southern Gentleman

For more information:

 Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

THE SOUTH RISES AGAIN WITH NEW MENU AT THE SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN

Popular Buckhead Gastropub Offers Sophisticated Southern Fare

ATLANTA (Dec. 1, 2015) – Now that Matthew Ridgway has made his mark as the executive chef of The Southern Gentleman, the Buckhead gastropub known for its simple yet sophisticated take on regional cuisine, he is ready to introduce his contemporary interpretation of Southern fare to the menu.  Ridgway is simply not a fan of heavy fried food or kitschy fare, so his seasonal offerings are filled with local meats and produce and prepared with a light touch. The new lunch and dinner menus are now available at The Southern Gentleman.

"It’s critical for a restaurant to continue evolving, and I think we're exactly where we need to be right now as we add fresh new flavors to our menu,” Ridgway says.  “There's such a rich diversity of produce grown here - like Gold Rush apples, which are a personal favorite. We have incorporated them into our pork cochon and just can't get enough of their distinctively rich taste." 

At lunch, he’s hoping people will be eager to taste the new Dixie bacon carbonara with turnip greens and thick spaghetti. “We’ve replaced pancetta with our house-made bacon, which is cured with blackstrap molasses, black pepper and brown sugar for two weeks before being smoked over hickory.  It brings incredible balance to the dish.”

Ridgway found inspiration in tastes that pair well with a chilly fall or winter evening. “One of my favorite new evening dishes is the braised beef cheek,” Ridgway says. “It’s braised in red wine and spices and topped with Creole mustard. Given the fermentation process involved, the shaved Brussels sprouts and apple salad is almost like a kimchi slaw.”

Of course, some traditions are not meant to be tampered with, such as the chicken-fried chicken salad sandwich, a lunchtime favorite. Still, Ridgway and his team believes guests will be delighted with newcomers like field pea hummus, which can be found alongside house-made farmer cheese on griddled benne seed toast. 

Other examples from the new menus include the following:

Lunch Firsts

·         Italian burrata, grilled broccoli spears, red onion, spicy peanuts, salsify and egg dressing

·         Chicken liver & pork terrine with heirloom apple beignets

Lunch Seconds

·         Boston Bibb lettuce salad, pickled shrimp, red onion, green goddess dressing

·         Country ham Reuben, Edwards prosciutto cotto, Brussels sprout slaw, Creole mustard

Before Supper

·         Roasted winter squash salad, petite arugula, Georgia pecans, onion vinaigrette

·         Crisped Heritage pork belly, marinated dried plums, sherry vinegar, Kentucky bourbon barrel soy

·          “Chicken-fried” sweetbreads, house-made Parker rolls, parmesan shaker cheese, house-made hot sauce

Supper

·         Braised Cheekstone Farm beef cheeks, bread dumplings, pickled Brussels sprout salad, red wine-black pepper jus

·         Riverview pork cochon, baked Gold Rush apples, brown butter cabbage, warmed torpedo shallots, sherry vinegar sauce

Sides

·         Roasted heirloom carrots with sorghum and sumac

·         Charred okra with ginger, shallots and garlic

·         Salt-and-pepper corn fritters

The Southern Gentleman is located at 3035 Peachtree Road NE in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. Lunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner hours are Sunday – Wednesday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Thursday – Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Reservations can be made online or by calling 404-939-9845. Valet parking is available. To learn more, visit thesoutherngentlemanatl.com, Facebook

Twitter and Instagram. 

About Southern Proper Hospitality

Southern Proper Hospitality is an entrepreneurial organization that values innovation, creativity and attention to detail. The mission of the team of industry leading professionals is to help shape the cultural fabric of Atlanta. Southern Proper provides a “short term escape” for diners by creating unique and distinct dining experiences that appeal to customers’ sense of adventure. Each restaurant offers a high energy, fun and entertaining atmosphere coupled with genuinely hospitable service and exceptional, high quality food.

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Atlanta-Area Restaurants Cater To Your Holiday Needs

For more information:

 Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

ATLANTA-AREA RESTAURANTS CATER TO YOUR HOLIDAY NEEDS

Feast Without the Fuss

ATLANTA (Nov. 30, 2015) – As in-laws come into town and holiday shopping season swings into full force, cooking a big turkey or a holiday ham with all the fixings might sound like an insurmountable task. Save yourself the headache of planning large meals for the family and place an order or book a private party with one of these restaurants instead.

Chef Shaun Doty caters farm-to-plate entrées and sides at Bantam + Biddy (Avalon, Lenox Square, Crescent Ave., Ansley Mall). Fried chicken warms up hearts and conversations along with macaroni and cheese and vegetables like Brussels sprouts and collard greens, all conveniently picked up or delivered to you. To place an order, email wecater@bantamandbiddy.com or call 404-725-5059. Sister restaurant Chick-a-Biddy offers a similar selection at Atlantic Station.

Bellina Alimentari at Ponce City Market caters parties that Italian dreams are made of, from an antipasti bar and panini platter to primi, secondi and dolci courses. Orders must be placed 48 hours in advance; allow a week for parties of 30 or more. Private event space is also available at Bellina and includes family-style meals, cocktail events and guided tastings of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and wine. For more information and reservations, email events@bellina-alimentari.com or call 404-330-9933.

Whether it's at your home or one of the restaurant's locations around town, FLIP burger boutique can plan a remarkable event for your holiday season with sliders, burgers, chips, vegetables and more. The team is ready to cater anything from a holiday party to holiday cheer around the office. For information, email stephanie.shaw@flipburgerboutique.com or call 901-355-9323.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown provides small bites like soft pretzels and warm dip to wings and more substantial meals to share. Your place or theirs, HOBNOB will make your party a success with a full catering menu. Call 404-968-2288 for more information.

This year, do Christmas to-go with Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails’ bundle package. Comes with your choice of an Applewood-smoked turkey with Madiera gravy or go with the classic and do a spiral ham with bourbon-orange glaze. Both come with one side and feeds 6-8. $85 each plus tax. Additional sides available upon request for $20 a quart.  Order yours at www.miltonscuisine.com by December 18. Available for pick up on December 23 and 24. You can find a photo here.

For those who can't get enough of Kevin Gillespie's barbecue, Terminus City provides a Southern-style feast of smoked wonderment. With whole-hog barbecue, country-fried steak, and homemade sides like fried okra, Brunswick stew and creamed corn, these meals will make your holiday hosting skills a family favorite for years to come. Visit the Facebook page for more information, and place orders by emailing terminuscity@gunshowatl.com or calling 404-380-1886.

Check out Tin Lizzy's Cantina for a spicier holiday fiesta with a variety of fajita fixings, grilled chicken, pulled pork, cantina salads and margarita mix (sorry, tequila not included). Deliveries require a $100 minimum order; $25 delivery fee within 10 miles. Prices exclude taxes and gratuity, and 24-hour notice is appreciated. Book your $500 or more holiday party now and receive a $100 Tin Lizzy's gift card to use for future purchases. For more information, email cculbreth@tinlizzyscantina.com or call 404-668-8757. You can find a photo here.

Consider Twin Smokers BBQ for meats like brisket, pork ribs and pulled meat by the pound or half pound with a variety of sides like "Burnt Ends" chili and potato salad. Several pricing options are offered, and drop-off catering is available with 48-hours notice for parties of 25 or more. View the menu at twinsmokersbbq.com/catering, and call 404-698-4707 for more information.

Willy's Mexicana Grill provides cheese dip, guacamole, salsa, chips, burritos and crowd-pleasing catering options like build-your-own taco, fajita or nacho bars. Ten-person minimum on catering orders. For a full list of Tex-Mex flavors, view the menu at willys.com/catering-menu. Order online or call 404-422-7107.

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Legacy Ventures Dazzles Diners with Delicious Deals

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

Legacy Ventures Dazzles Diners with Delicious Deals

Article 14 Buy-Outs and Double Value Gift Cards are Just a Few of the Seasonal Specials Available to Kick off the Holiday Season

ATLANTA (Nov.  24, 2015) – Legacy Ventures doesn’t take the holiday season lightly. The owner of Article 14, Der Biergarten, Game-X, Glenn’s Kitchen, SkyLounge at the Glenn Hotel, Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria, STATS, Twin Smokers BBQ, City View Room and Ventanas wants to make it easy for guests to celebrate through a host of appetizing offers.

Serious revelers will relish the opportunity to have the dining room at Article 14 to themselves while saving 25% off the restaurant’s traditional buyout prices through Dec. 31. The reservations require a $5,000 minimum and include a sumptuous chef-designed menu for 30 or more guests. For more information about this special and available dates, contact Bethany Thompson at bthompson@lvmgt.com.

Shoppers who prefer tasteful, frenzy-free Black Friday shopping will be excited to discover that for every $50 gift card they purchase at Legacy Venture restaurants (excluding Glenn's Kitchen and Game-X) from Friday, Nov. 27 through Monday, Nov. 30, they’ll receive one $50 gift card free.  At Game-X, that same $50 earns buyers a $50 game card (only available for in-store purchase).

During the Black Friday sale, diners at Legacy Ventures restaurants who purchase a gift card and enroll in the company's Rewards Program will also receive 100 bonus points. Cardholders earn a point for every dollar spent. Those points add up as diners accumulate $30 in restaurant cash for every 250 points earned in addition to other frequent diner benefits. (Glenn’s Kitchen and Game-X are not part of the Rewards Program.)

“While the holidays are always an exciting time of year, they can also be stressful in terms of trying to find just the right gift for co-workers, friends and family,” says Brian Bullock, managing partner of Legacy Ventures. “Our holiday mission is incredibly straightforward.  We want to make it easy for shoppers to buy gifts of good taste and make sure they have fun doing it.”

Guests who book their holiday party with Legacy Ventures now through Monday, Nov. 30 will receive a bevy of bonuses such as complimentary champagne toasts, parking passes, upgraded bar packages, gift cards and even facility rental discounts.

The menu of holiday party specials includes:

GAME-X 

• 25 additional play chips for each guest 

• 10 complimentary self-parking passes or five valet passes

• $50 LRP gift card ($3,500 food and beverage minimum) 

RESTAURANT ROW

(STATS, Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria, Twin Smokers BBQ, Der Biergarten)

• Complimentary upgraded bar package

• Waived rental fee 

• $100 LRP gift card ($3,500 food and beverage minimum) 

VENTANAS

• Complimentary holiday Champagne toast per guest 

• 25% off facility rental (Sunday - Thursday) 

• 10 complimentary self-parking passes or five valet passes

GLENN'S KITCHEN / SKYLOUNGE

• Complimentary holiday Champagne toast per guest 

• 10 complimentary valet passes

CITY VIEW ROOM

• 5% discount on your organized food and beverage event

• Discounted facility rental 

• 10 complimentary self-parking passes or five valet passes

• $50 LRP gift card ($3,500 food and beverage minimum) 

To book your holiday party today contact Brad Boatner at bboatner@lvmgt.com. For more information, visit lvmgt.com.

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Atlanta Chef Kevin Gillespie Creates 12 Days of Beardsmas to Make Gift-Giving as Easy as Firing up Your Laptop

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

ATLANTA CHEF KEVIN GILLESPIE CREATES 12 DAYS OF BEARDSMAS TO MAKE GIFT-GIVING AS EASY AS FIRING UP YOUR LAPTOP

Limited quantities and value pricing on 12 packages allow food fans to buy private cooking lessons, a pig roast or dinner with Kevin, plus personalized books and more!

ATLANTA (Nov. 24, 2015) - This holiday season, forget about waiting in that long line at the mall to talk to the guy with the white whiskers. Beginning Friday, Nov. 27, Atlanta chef Kevin Gillespie’s own Red Beard Restaurants is offering one-stop shopping for 12 of the most unique gifts and one-of-a-kind experiences for every food lover on your gift list.

“Every year around the holidays, I get bombarded with emails from folks who have dined with us, all requesting gift options revolving around our restaurants,” explains Gillespie. “This year, instead of answering each email one by one, we decided to offer some cool gift ideas for people who love cooking and food as much as I do!”

Hence, the guy who has encountered diners showing up to his restaurants with doppelgänger Yukon Cornelius “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” dolls this time of year, has come up with the aptly named 12 Days of Beardsmas. Throughout the campaign, Chef Kevin will star in a new 15-second Beardsmas video daily beginning Nov. 30, featuring the deal of the day which is also posted on Gunshow's and Revival’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Starting Black Friday, online shoppers can log onto redbeardmerch.com and snap up cool, limited edition gifts including:

—    Gunshow Guest Chef for a Day: Spend the day with Kevin and crew in your very own Gunshow apron, creating a dish to be served that night alongside the Glenwood Park restaurant’s critically acclaimed dim sum style dishes. You decide what you want to make, Kevin teaches you how, then watch as it becomes a selection on that night’s menu! Then, sit down to dinner with five of your favorite friends and take home a photo with the kitchen staff and personalized copies of Chef Kevin’s cookbooks, “Pure Pork Awesomeness” and “Fire In My Belly.” (Quantity: 2. Value: $10,000, Sale Price: $7,500)

—    Terminus City BBQ Pig Roast: Kevin and crew show up and spend the day cooking a whole pig for you and 99 of your closest friends with all the trimmings, dessert and a cold keg of Chef Kevin’s favorite brew (Quantity: Limited, Restrictions: party must be within a three-hour drive of Atlanta. Value: $7,500, Holiday Gift Price: $6,000)

—    Cooking Class at Home with Kevin: It’s just you two, Chef Kevin and crew, and three other couples learning how to make a four-course meal with Kevin. Then you sit down together and chat while you have dinner, family style. The host gets an apron, a Red Beard Restaurants bag and a photo op for the whole group with the chef and his crew. Each couple gets personalized cookbooks signed by Kevin. (Quantity: 3, Restrictions: Location must be within a two-hour drive of Atlanta. Value: $7,500, Holiday Gift Price: $5,000)

—    Advance Season Tickets for 2016 Hired Guns Dinners: Be the first to grab up a pair of tickets for all six of the special guest chef dinners Chef Kevin is planning to host at Gunshow throughout 2016. Advance tickets include signed menus from each dinner and a photo op with Kevin and the crew; gratuity and alcohol not included. (Quantity: 20 pairs of season tickets, Value: $1000, Holiday Gift Price: $900)

—    Kevin Gillespie Is Your Personal Chef: You decide the theme and the date and Chef Kevin and team will fly anywhere (but you’re responsible for the airfare) and cook for you and 11 guests, complete with beverage pairings, personalized cookbooks for each couple and a group photo op. One is already sold! (Quantity: 2, Value: $15,000, Holiday Gift Price: $9,999)

—    Mixologist Class at Gunshow: Spend the afternoon learning cocktail secrets from award-winning Gunshow mixologist Mercedes O'Brien, complete with 4 drinks from the shaker, nibbles from the kitchen, plus a Gunshow shaker pint, Red Beard Restaurants bag and a set of recipe cards to take home. (Quantity: 90, Value: $120, Holiday Gift Price: $49)

—    Personalized Cookbooks from Kevin: For a limited time, Chef Kevin will personalize a set of his “Pure Pork Awesomeness” and “Fire In My Belly” cookbooks and throw in his “Pure Pork Awesomeness” Lost Chapter plus a copy of “Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey,” Kevin’s favorite book from chef and Hired Guns guest John Currence of Mississippi’s City Grocery.  All this inside a Red Beard Restaurants canvas tote bag. (Value: $120, Holiday Gift Price: $99)

During 12 Days of Beardsmas, Gunshow and Revival fans can also pick up great savings on bundles featuring Red Beard’s Delight Coffee and a set of Gunshow coffee mugs, a buy three, get one free T-shirt bundle of Revival, Gunshow, Pure Pork Awesomeness and Terminus City BBQ Ts, Chef Kevin’s own Gunpowder Finishing Salt, cutting boards, aprons, camo Gunshow koozies and more!

For details, go to redbeardrestaurants.com or redbeardmerch.com.

About Red Beard Restaurants

Red Beard Restaurants is the parent company that oversees Atlanta chef, restaurateur, speaker and cookbook author Kevin Gillespie’s food and beverage ventures, including his restaurants Gunshow and Revival, his BBQ pop-up Terminus City and all of his merchandise. The management company allows Gillespie to set comprehensive standards to ensure smart expansion, offer more internal growth opportunities for his team members and provide consulting services to other food and beverage start-ups. With the 2015 establishment of Red Beard Restaurants, Gillespie is able to continue his day-to-day interactions with diners while also pursuing his creative visions and impacting the culinary landscape of the South. The company’s offices are located in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, call 404-380-1886 or visit redbeardrestaurants.com.

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Southern Chefs and Mixologists Reveal the Hot Trends for 2016

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

SOUTHERN CHEFS AND MIXOLOGISTS REVEAL THE HOT TRENDS FOR 2016

Predictions include carbon footprint-conscious ingredients, quirky proteins, an oyster explosion and the return of the Tiki bar

ATLANTA (Nov. 16, 2015) - With 2016 upon us, food aficionados are already salivating over what trends are on the horizon for diners in the new year. We asked some of the South’s best chefs and mixologists to peer into their sauté pans and mixing tins to predict the next dining and cocktail trends. Will kale finally be obliterated from all menus? Will microscopic $35 entrees become passé? Read on!

Taste buds will be tantalized with a few new and different ingredients in 2016, predicts Southern Gentleman and Gypsy Kitchen chef Matthew Ridgway. “I’m going to be using more Middle Eastern spices - black garlic, black lime, black cardamom, white cardamom, Aleppo pepper and wolf berries - for spice-forward cooking.”

Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails chef Tom Gray in Jacksonville, Florida, says to expect a few new and interesting proteins and grains to land on plates as well. “Alternative forms of protein such as chicken livers, pig ears and flank steak, along with alternative grains with an emphasis on whole and ancient varieties, will be popping up on menus,” he predicts.

Atlanta’s Ray’s Restaurants consultant Chad Crete thinks kale will need to start sharing the spotlight in 2016 as diners continue healthier eating habits. “Vegetables will become highlights on all menus,” says Crete. “It won't be just sides and that one lonely vegetarian option; they’re going to be everywhere. Customers will continue to put a big emphasis on knowing where their food comes from as well, seeking local produce, sustainable fish and free-range hormone- and antibiotic-free meats.”

Moxie’s Gray also sees a focus on sourcing in the new year.  “More guests are excited to learn where ingredients come from, how they are handled and what the backstory is on dishes,” Gray explains. “More urban farming businesses like GYO Greens will flourish; small companies that are producing great intown products with a very small carbon footprint.”

Doug Turbush of Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar and Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar sees a deliciously briny future for oyster lovers. “Oysters will explode,” Turbush says. “The renaissance and rituals of oyster eating will thrive with increasing interest in oyster terroir, growing methods and the nuances that produce oyster varieties.”

And Turbush predicts we can forget all that cloying cocktail sauce and horseradish. “My hope is naked oysters goes along with this trend so the distinct flavors from each region can be appreciated,” he says.

One trend Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy chef Lance Gummere hopes to see fade from menus is pricy plates of artfully arranged food with microscopic portions. “Hopefully we’ll see more customer outrage regarding the absurdity of $35 plates consisting of two small bites of food and a few dots of pureed vegetable garnished with a micro green,” Gummere says. “If you’re like me, you like to share your food when you go out to dinner. But in order to share it, you’re got to be able to identify it on your plate! We need to start feeding folks again.”

Along those same lines, Ridgway sees our love affair with Southern cooking continuing to deepen in the new year. “Everyone needed homier items to wrap their arms around over the past few years,” he says. “But now I believe we’ll see a move to dishes that rely on Southern pathways and local farmers to achieve more refined dishes using specific heirloom varieties of produce, beans and grains.”

Bellina Alimentari creative director Alice Fabi sees sustainability as a critical priority in 2016. “We’re learning more and more about how to use and preserve what our land has to offer in creative ways that follow an ethical, natural and sustainable philosophy,” says Fabi. “There will be a widespread need to go to the essence of food and find prime ingredients.”

Chef, restaurant owner, speaker and cookbook author Kevin Gillespie of Red Beard Restaurants sees an uptick in consumer demand for faster, healthier options in 2016. “It’s going to be a re-do of fast food with a healthy focus,” he explains. “I’m not talking about salad bars but healthful, lighter cuisine at fast food speed.”

That coincides with what Crete of Ray's Restaurants is seeing. “Fast casual will continue to be a growing segment in our industry,” Crete explains. “Millennials 18-35 will soon become the biggest demographic in our country. They want chef-driven and local ingredients delivered quickly and at a price point that will allow for increased visits.”

There’s good news for cocktail connoisseurs in 2016 as bartenders borrow more flavor profiles from the kitchen, according to Johnny’s Hideaway bartender Shawn McCoy in Atlanta. “More and more, bartenders will be utilizing what’s available in their kitchens - freshly squeezed juices, herbs, spices and ingredients like chipotle and balsamic vinegar - to bring out the flavors of the cocktail.”

McCoy also wants better ice options for mixologists. “Right now there are the standard ice machines and hand-carved ice programs. There needs to be something in the middle for high-volume bars so they can provide quality ice for drinks.”

According to Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and The Big Ketch Roswell chef Derek Dollar, food sensitivities are now part of the future, and we need to plan accordingly. “The gluten-free craze will continue to increase,” he says.

Finally, all this forward thinking is fine, but Gillespie would like to see one retro bar trend boomerang back around in 2016. “I’d love to see a renaissance of the Tiki craze,” says Gillespie. “We need more bars like Trader Vic’s!”

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