Do you know your chef?
Wilson Gourley, sous chef at LUSCA shares his foray into food, favorite place to eat in Atlanta and more in the new "3 questions with" series. And, yes, LUSCA is still open--at least until June. After that, he'll heat things up in the kitchen at the forthcoming restaurant, Ama.
What made you decide to become a chef?
I was always interested in food since age 11 or 12. I was a picky eater until that point. My dad ordered sweet breads and I didn’t know what they were, but he wouldn’t tell me until I tasted them. When I did, I liked them. Eventually I ended up going to culinary school at the New England Culinary Institute.
If you could invite any chef—living or deceased—to cook in your kitchen, who would you invite? Why?
Julia Childs. I grew up watching her show and it was entertaining. Plus, my sister does a really funny impression of her.
Is there an item on the menu that you introduced? If so, has it been successful?
It’s not on the menu currently, but we offered goat tacos with goat meat from Decimal Place Farm from May to October 2015. First, I cold-smoked the meat then braised it with guajillo and pasilla chiles. After, I turned that into a rich mole with a bit of the braising liquid.
BONUS: Where do you like to eat in Atlanta?
I like to eat at any restaurant on Buford Highway. I also frequent Busy Bee. It is, by far, the best fried chicken that I've had in the city.
Read the AJC Fall Dining Guide, Atlanta Around the Clock, here .
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