Today Shake Shack opens in the Buckhead Atlanta development, drawing in New York transplants and burger lovers alike. For fans of the burger, hot dog, and custard menu, Mark Rosati has a dream job. As Culinary Director, he visited Atlanta in April to work on creating the Buckhead location’s menu. He tasted his way across Atlanta, visiting more than 20 places over the course of just two days. Rosati works with local purveyors in each city to bring a few exclusive menu items, and Atlantans can expect to see H&F Bakery’s pecan pie and Cacao’s chocolate in two of Shake Shack’s custards. Rosati is full of energy and passion, and it radiated throughout our talk as he shared his culinary adventures in the city, his inspiration for the menu, and why he’s raving about Atlanta.
Seriously? 20 places in two days?
Believe it or not, yes! I think I might have hit all four corners of the city. Atlanta has an exciting dining scene and I wished I had more time to explore. Everywhere I did go, I loved. I went back to New York and raved to all my friends about how great it is.
What was your strategy for researching Atlanta’s spots?
With every city that we open, I visit anywhere from one day to one week to just explore and eat. That is what gives me the deep down understanding of the city. I find a lot of times that what I hear is big in a city’s culinary scene is not what the locals actually eat. I would only know that from being on the ground in the city.
How did Atlanta surprise you?
I was surprised how varied the cuisine was. There were a lot of takes that elevate classic cooking, like this rabbit dish I had at Miller Union. Not only is it elevated cooking with Southern influence, but it was a different kind of local flair. I wanted to see both the pinnacle of the local fine dining and the pinnacle of the local comfort food. If I can find something local and unique that I can’t get anywhere else in the world, I fall in love with it.
Name three things that stood out to you here:
- Being a New Yorker, I take my black and white cookies seriously. Star Provisions was probably the best I ever had. And the Westside Provisions District had a great vibe. If I lived in Atlanta, that's where I would hang out. Next time my goal is to go to Bacchanalia.
- I noticed that chefs have their own takes on pimento cheese and bacon brittles. After my first night, I had dozens of bags of different bacon brittles from chefs around town. The bacon here is just so smoky and sweet.
- Ann's Snack Bar is this roadside shack, similar to what we model ourselves after. Their world famous burger is called the "ghetto burger." It took one hour to wait for it, but when I finally took a bite, it was distinct and unique. It would be worth a 2-hour wait.
How are you able to stay in shape while eating at so many places?
(laughs) This is the worst shape I’ve been in two years. Last year we opened in four new international cities: London, Istanbul, Saudi Arabia and Moscow. So I had to do what I did in Atlanta in all four of these cities. I like to eat rich and decadent foods, but I believe everything in moderation. I generally eat healthy, like a simple roasted chicken or fish. I believe if you use great ingredients then it is easy to eat well.
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
Once you did all the research, what inspired the menu?
The two main foods I associate with Atlanta are peaches and pecans. So we blended together H & F Bakery’s pecan pie and custard for the “Pecan Pie O’ My” custard. And I also wanted to pay homage to The Varsity’s peach pie, and there is something so comforting about a milkshake and burger. The “Peachtree” milkshake blends our caramel sauce with peaches. It’s the only shake exclusive to Atlanta. We also sweetened Shake Shack’s exclusive tea, because sweet tea is such a part of the South’s lifestyle.
The “Campfire S’mores” custard uses Cacao’s chocolate. Why Cacao?
When I visited Cacao, I fell in love with it. Everything from the baked goods to the different types of chocolate, the company had a complete vision from start to finish. So this was a twist on s’mores using our chocolate custard, Cacao’s chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers. We also partnered with Camp Twin Lakes, and five percent of sales of Campfire Smore’s custard sold will benefit the local charity.
What strikes you most about Atlanta’s culinary scene?
Atlanta is the type of city that a chef can have a vision, and they can actually try to execute it. Because there are styles and ideas in cooking, an aspiring chef can open a restaurant and take a risk. It’s harder to be unique in other cities. You need to have a vision that is a proven factor because there is a lot of money on the line. I find Atlanta really encouraging for chefs that are looking for an audience that is going to be receptive to new culinary ideas.
Once Shake Shack gets under way, what can we expect at Atlanta’s restaurant?
Eventually we want to work with local craft brewers. We really want to reflect the local community and that is why each Shake Shack’s design looks different. Our goal is for the menu to feel like someone from Atlanta came and opened their own burger restaurant. We want it to have an essence of this city. It’s a difficult thing to do, but we have fun trying.
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