The word “porridge” brings to mind a picture of an 18th century European peasant eating gruel out of some rustic wooden bowl.

But several Atlanta chefs are re-imagining the dish for modern palates , including David Bies of Ticonderoga Club, Todd Richards at White Oak Kitchen and Brant Banda at Lure.

AJC food and dining editor Ligaya Figueras looks at the history of the dish and explores why so many upscale Atlanta restaurants are including it on their menus.

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Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport domestic terminal on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, the first day of the Federal Aviation Administration cutting flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com