Atlanta's 'Top Chef' contestants have innovative tastes

Family situation: Married to Callie Gillespie, a manager at the restaurant.

How long in current job: Just more than a year, but was chef de cuisine for two years when Michael Touhy ran the kitchen.

Style of cooking: "Progressive, light, ingredient-driven, simple, understandable but surprising. I think tradition is the starting point for innovation."

Signature dish: "Everyone assumes pork is my thing. I guess it is, kind of."

One item on the menu that doesn't/didn't sell: Roasted rabbit loin with a terrine of smoked rabbit belly and a croqueta of braised rabbit with pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and dried chili/fruit sauce. "We sold one order in three days, then took it off the menu."

Three things that are always in your fridge at home: "Arden's Garden juices, my homemade 'Terminus City' barbecue sauce and eggs. We eat a lot of eggs."

Last food item you bought from a vending machine: "A Kit Kat bar at a bowling alley."

Beer, wine or cocktails? "My tastes are split down the middle. I definitely like beer. But I think my drink of choice really is bourbon. Good small-batch bourbon or even a Maker's Mark and ginger ale."

Favorite thing to eat after getting off work: "The entire menu at Holeman & Finch. I always over order."

Favorite dive in Atlanta: "The Highlander. As far as crappy bars go, they definitely have better food. I like their music — old school metal — too."

Favorite restaurant(s) in Atlanta besides your own: Restaurant Eugene, Vatica, Pho #1.

Eli Kirshtein, chef at Eno

Age: 25

Family situation: Single

How long in current job: Just more than a year.

Style of cooking: "I like to use the term 'techno-organic.' It's about pristine product that we tweak and manipulate in a modern way."

Signature dish: "We don't really have a signature because I change the menu all the time. But I swear by Banyuls vinegar as a signature ingredient in my cooking."

One item on the menu that doesn't/didn't sell: Octopus cooked sous vide with watermelon, nasturtiums and a French lemon vinegar."

Three things that are always in your fridge: "A bottle of yuzu juice, a block of Echiré butter, a bottle of Sriracha sauce."

Last food item you bought from a vending machine: "A Twix bar. There's something about that specific candy bar I freak out for."

Beer, wine or cocktails? "I've been known to drink a whole lot of PBRs, but I also like a Moscow Mule [vodka, ginger beer and lime]. Alcohol is totally mood dependent for me."

Favorite thing to eat after getting off work: "Late-night Chinese at Hong Kong Harbor on Cheshire Bridge Road. I also haunt the bar at Holeman & Finch. I'll eat whatever [they] end up throwing at me."

Favorite dive in Atlanta: "The Clermont, of course."

Favorite restaurant(s) in Atlanta besides your own: "Holeman & Finch, Nuevo Laredo Cantina, Pho #1 and Hae Woon Dae."

Hector Santiago, chef/owner at Pura Vida Tapas & Bar

Age: 40

Family situation: Married to Leslie Santiago, his partner in the restaurant.

How long in current job: 8 and a half years.

Style of cooking: "Latino American cocina de autor ["author cooking"] — it's very personal."

Signature dish: "Duck maduros [duck confit with ripe plantains]; shrimp cocktail with diablo blanco hot sauce."

One item on the menu that doesn't/didn't sell: "Malanga gnocchi with huitlacoche [corn fungus] sauce and cotija cheese."

Three things that are always in your fridge: "Hot sauces, beans, cilantro. We always have a pot of beans."

Last food item you bought from a vending machine: "A dark chocolate Snickers bar."

Beer, wine or cocktails? "Beer most of the time — something bitter like a Sweetwater 420. I like a Dark and Stormy, but I'm not a big mojito guy. And always wine with dinner."

Favorite thing to eat after getting off work: "Anything somebody makes for me. I particularly like the salt-and-pepper spare ribs at Hong Kong Harbor. You know, it's fried pork — just like Puerto Rican food!"

Favorite dive in Atlanta: "The Righteous Room."

Favorite restaurant(s) in Atlanta besides your own: "Repast, Hong Kong Harbor, Shaun's, Krog Bar."