The panel of industry experts includes Founder of Taste of Atlanta, Dale DeSena and Head Chef at Wrecking Bar Brewpub, Terry Koval. The panel discusses why Taste of Atlanta is so important to the restaurant scene and how it maintains its relevance.
Dale DeSena shares the inspiration behind her starting the festival and how Taste of Atlanta is unlike any other festival in Atlanta. Where else can attendees taste foods from over 90 restaurants that are based in Atlanta? And if you’re wondering how DeSena keeps the festival “fresh” year after year (the Festival is in its twelfth year) you’re just going to have to listen to the show.
Terry Koval gives chefs advice on how they too can be a featured chef at Taste of Atlanta. Does a chef need to incorporate every food trend to stay relevant? Terry warns listeners not to “get wrapped up in the trends.” Terry’s secret ingredient is cooking “honest food.” We’d listen to him because Atlanta Magazine credited him for single handedly salvaging Wrecking Bar Brewpub’s menu. Dale DeSena suggests that chefs should stick to trends that are easily incorporated into everyday lives.
What can the Taste of Atlanta provide featured chefs besides that obvious massive exposure? Opportunities for marketing, of course! Featured chefs and restaurants can showcase their food and provide incentives for attendees to visit their restaurant (i.e. free appetizers or dessert) which is a surefire way in turning “tasters into diners”
Why does Dale DeSena call Taste of Atlanta “a giant focus group”? Could it be because attendees give the restaurants and chefs instant feedback? Absolutely! After all, it’s all about researching what customers like and what they don’t like.
Do chefs secretly hate other chefs? Terry Koval dispels the common misconception by explaining the camaraderie between chefs and how they all support one another.
In the last segment, “Restaurant Reality”,restaurant brokers, Robin and Eric Gagnon share the realities of buying and selling a restaurant. Why is the hardest part of buying and selling a restaurant the due diligence process? And the easiest part is getting both parties to agree? Restaurants are such a tricky business so learn why the smell of day old grease and stale beer are smells restaurateurs should want to have.
Guests:
Dale DeSena, Founder of Taste of Atlanta
A seasoned foodie and festival expert with experience in marketing, advertising and production for some of the city’s most renowned events (think Music Midtown, the Dogwood Festival, the Atlanta Arts Festival, the Atlanta Opera and the Atlanta Jazz Festival), Dale DeSena wanted to create something Atlanta hadn’t seen – or tasted – before. For 12 years, Dale has been doing just that with Taste of Atlanta.
Terry Koval, Head Chef of Wrecking Bar Brewpub
Like many of the chefs who stumble their way into the business, Terry Koval began his restaurant career at the age of 15, working as a dishwasher at John Paul’s Armadillo Oil Company in Greenville, South Carolina. Rather than head to culinary school after those classically sudsy beginnings, Koval looked west to San Francisco where he had his first introduction to local, seasonal produce and farm to table cuisine.
Koval came back to the South, refreshed and inspired by the culinary prosperity in the west coast. He worked his way up the Georgia culinary food chain to the position of executive sous chef under mentor Chef Gary Mennie at nationally acclaimed Canoe in Vinings. He later joined Concentrics Restaurants as the sous chef of Lobby at TWELVE and became executive chef of Room at TWELVE, which was awarded a three star review from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution under his tenure.
Koval eventually returned to his roots in sustainable cuisine with his expertly crafted, seasonal grass fed burgers at Farm Burger. Named one of the 2012 Atlanta Rising Stars, he helped launch and run the original Decatur location of the growing chain.
He is currently the Head Chef at Wrecking Bar Brewpub and he has continued to grow and learn in the up and coming brew pub.