Atlanta boasts many accomplished chefs, yet perhaps one of the most up and coming is chef Jared Hucks. He has trained in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens including Denmark’s Noma, Spain’s Arzak, Thailand’s Baan Rim Pa Restaurant group and Guillaume at Bennelong in the Sydney Opera House. Exposure to these great chefs and cuisines has helped Hucks build a culturally saturated culinary profile. Now he has come full circle to his hometown of Atlanta where he helms the fine dining pop up supper club Dogwood Table together with mixologist and sommelier, Adam Fox. For the past year, these gentlemen have been silently charging through Atlanta’s culinary scene, serving up a confluence of art and food that breach the definition of modern cuisine. We sat down with Hucks and got schooled on his extensive gastronomic resume.
On his inspiration
I'm from a family of artists and I consider my culinary work to be art. My mother was an art teacher and my brother, Rob Stern, is one of the top glass artists in the world. Both of them inspire and motivate me to move forward in an artistic way.
On returning to Atlanta
I’ve spent 18 years away from home, working at restaurants in Colorado, New York and overseas. So I thought about my family and friends, and I wanted to catch up with them. Also, I got to the point in my career where I knew it was time to start a new chapter. When I was at Noma there was a new generation of chefs that were much younger than I was. It occurred to me that I was ready to run my own kitchen so that I could begin to teach others what I have learned (and still learning!).
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
On culture
What sticks out to me most about my travels are all the diverse cultures. Living and working in various countries opened my eyes to many ways of life. I saw how different cultures interacted with one another and how they enjoyed their days. Traveling around the world has given me the opportunity to see first hand how important it is for people of all cultures to come together and enjoy the bounty of the earth.
On Dogwood Table Supper Club
I cook and create dishes using a simple equation and of course it starts with great, quality ingredients. Following closely behind are the 5 flavor elements on our palate (and in our olfactory) and our senses as human beings. You have to feel it and that’s what Dogwood Table does. We take the approach of tying together art and food. In order to create an experience, it has to be touching and provocative.
Dogwood Table's next pop up is this Sunday. Register for the "Ham Party" here.
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