What dishes do notable Atlanta chefs make for brunch at home?
Are you looking for some inspiration in the kitchen? Here’s what eight of Atlanta’s most lauded chefs like to cook for brunch when they're not cooking for you.
<< Click here to read the AJC's Ultimate Guide to Brunch in Atlanta
"I love doing Spanish tortilla with potatoes, peppers, onions and eggs maybe some tomato. I love making omelets. I love flipping through the Joy of Cooking (That cookbook has every recipe in there.) looking for a recipe to with my son. It's the only cookbook actually in my kitchen." - Todd Ginsberg, chef and partner, The General Muir, Yalla, Fred's Meat & Bread, TGM Bread
"Joke. It's a Thai dish. It's a congee but Thai style. It's basically rice soup with pork dumplings. Once it gets boiling, you add a raw egg to it and it creams out the whole dish. It's pretty neat." – Doug Turbush, chef-owner, Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar, Drift Fish House and Oyster Bar
"I usually do savory Dutch babies. It's like a cast-iron skillet pancake made with a loose, eggy batter. You take a 10- or 12-inch skillet. Preheat it in an oven at 425 degrees. Drop the batter in. (Oil the skillet so it doesn't stick.). You pop right into the oven. It puffs like 3 inches on top of the pan. You cut it into wedges like a pie. The kids like it with strawberries and a little syrup or whipped cream. We (my wife and I) like it with fried eggs and crispy ham and broiled cheese on top." – Drew Belline, executive chef, No. 246
"My wife Doria [Roberts] is a vegetarian. When we sit down and have brunch together, I will make her my tofu scramble or a vegetarian version of what I am making for myself: green eggs and Iberico ham on her homemade buttermilk biscuits. It is so good. I make a green chile sauce and incorporate into hollandaise into it and serve it over two poached eggs over crispy Iberico ham. For her version, I take Portobello mushrooms, season it with our house-made smoky seasoning. That way it has the same smoky ham texture and flavor. It's fun to make a vegetarian version of things that are meat." – Calavino Donati, chef-owner Madre & Mason, Urban Cannibals, Tipple & Rose
"I make grits, puree kimchee and do kimchee grits. I put a soft-poached egg on top, a little Parmesan cheese and hot sauce. Serve it with crispy bacon. My kids love that. It's not very fancy." – Mihoko Obunai, executive chef, Nexto
"My wife Nicole and I will make pancakes and bacon and eggs. She is a line cook at Gunshow so we both work the same hours. When we have time to cook at home, it is very straightforward." – Chris Edwards, executive chef, Restaurant Eugene
"Typically, it's some type of pancakes with really good bacon. Or it could be French toast – something that requires really good syrup. I am a big fan of Cosco. They have an A Grade of organic syrup. It's the best price you can ever find for A Grade organic syrup." – Marvin Woods, chef-owner, Asante
"My wife is seven months pregnant. Our doctors were very specific it was my job to make sure she was fed. On my day off, I have to cook breakfast pretty quick. We eat variations on avocado toast with a scrambled egg. Getting protein into her pretty quickly is important. And always fresh fruit." – David Carson, executive chef of operations, Star Provisions
About the Author
Ligaya Figueras is the AJC's senior editor for Food & Dining. Prior to joining the AJC in 2015, she was the executive editor for St. Louis-based culinary magazine Sauce. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1999 and holds degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan.
