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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
James Beard vs. Top Chef
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HUGH ACHESON OF ATHENS’ FIVE & TEN: He should have won the Beard award this year.
t’s a huge disappointment that our three chefs nominated this year for the Beard award lost to Robert Stehling of Hominy Grill in Charleston, SC (the JB Foundation seems to have it bad for Charleston).
It was a total shut-out for Hugh Acheson of Athens’ Five & Ten, Linton Hopkins of Atlanta’s Restaurant Eugene and Arnaud Berthelier of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. But for me, it is Acheson who has truly lost: nominated last year as well (so was Berthelier), this guy embraced the farm-to-table concept long before it became a trend, and his restaurant embodies the gracefulness of the Southern table. Five & Ten long ago became a destination restaurant, but Acheson runs it like it’s just part of the neighborhood. Nothing against Stehling, but this should have been Acheson’s year.
On other fronts, chef Richard Blais (a new dad) of Atlanta’s Home finishes his stint on Bravo’s Top Chef tomorrow night. It’s pretty clear that Blais is the only guy with any chops in this competition. His skills and experience seem far above the rest of the pack, who (as usual) gripe about sabotage regularly (an attitude Colicchio rightly kicks to the curb).
Will you watch? Will he win?
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