Chef residency program Brick and Mortar will take over the Dailies & Sides space at Pullman Yards in Kirkwood this summer.
Brick and Mortar was developed following the success of Pullman Yard’s Chefs Market and Bazaar, Pullman Yards co-owner Adam Rosenfelt said. The markets feature burgeoning food vendors and have been the breeding ground for successful eateries like Zarate at Dailies, which will remain open on the Dailies & Sides patio at Pullman Yards.
“We realized the impact (the market) was having on the independent vendor or the aspirational restaurant,” Rosenfelt told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
They decided to take it a step further with Brick and Mortar. The eatery will offer chefs a space to create their own menus and run a restaurant for up to three months. Chefs Market attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite food vendors. Voting has already begun, and food vendors who actively participate in any of the Chefs Markets, including the Asian Night Market and Mercado de la Noche, are automatically entered in the contest, Rosenfelt said.
The winning residency will be chosen based on the number of votes and the concept’s viability as a stand-alone restaurant. In the case of a tie, the Pullman Yards and Brick and Mortar management will make the final decision.
Credit: Courtesy of Stephanie Heath at Smiling Eyes Media
Credit: Courtesy of Stephanie Heath at Smiling Eyes Media
The first residency winner will be announced the third week of July, and will open on Aug. 10. Voting will continue on a rolling basis throughout the year to get a “consistent reaction from attendees,” Rosenfelt said. Each chef will remain in the residency for up to three months with service taking place Wednesdays through Sundays.
When the next chef starts their residency, the previous chef will have an opportunity to win again.
Rosenfelt hopes including market attendees in the selection process will make them invested in the outcome.
“It’s like, ‘Oh, I picked that, I can’t wait to go, I can’t wait to see what they do,’” he said.
During the residency, each chef will have a full front-of-house and back-of-house staff, as well as marketing and promotional support and a beverage program. Culinary director Alan Somphonephakdy, the founder of Asian street food pop-up Salty Smiles, will develop a base menu for the restaurant that will accompany menus from the resident chefs. The chefs do not have to pay rent and will earn a share of the revenue from sales. Pullman Yards will front other costs like ingredients.
“It’s meant to be assisted and guided,” Rosenfelt said. “But definitely we want to be allowing the resident to express their culinary journey.”
The restaurant space will remain the same between residencies, but Rosenfelt said the chefs can use decorative accents to represent their cuisine.
Located at 225 Rogers St. NE, Pullman Yards is an entertainment venue that’s home to seafood restaurant Fishmonger and beverage-focused, food hall-style concept AlcoHall, and also hosts a variety of markets, rotating exhibits and events.
Brick and Mortar will be open 5-10 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
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