Pretty Southern

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  • Bistro Off Broad – Winder’s Farm-to-Table Southern Restaurant

    Bistro Off Broad – Winder’s Farm-to-Table Southern Restaurant

    About an hour’s drive northeast of Atlanta is one of the South’s best-kept secrets in historic downtown Winder: Bistro Off Broad.

    Bistro Off Broad Winder Southern restaurant
    Their belief, “Food is meant to be celebrated” is evident from the Bistro’s farm-to-table menu served in a warm yet elegant ambiance. Southern hospitality meets fine dining in this 100-year-old building. Now in its third year, helming the kitchen of Bistro Off Broad is celebrated Executive Chef Alex Friedman (also a former “Chopped” contestant).

    Pretty Southern caught up with Chef Alex and Bistro Off Broad’s owner, Brooke Vankirk, to learn more about their establishment. Read on in the Q&A below.

    Chef Alex Friedman and Brooke Vankirk Bistro Off Broad
    Executive Chef Alex Friedman and Brooke Vankirk, owner + proprietor, of Bistro Off Broad

    Let’s start with you, Brooke! Why did you decide to open Bistro Off Broad?

    “There is so much opportunity in Winder, many beautiful buildings that are just waiting to be given new life. The building that houses the Bistro was one such building. In its 100+ years, this building had been an important part of the lives of the residents of Winder so when we were discovering how beautifully the building renovation was turning out we wanted to make this beautiful space a place where residents could gather – a part of everyday life.
    The concept of The Bistro was born of this idea.”

    Are you a native of Winder?

    “We did not grow up in Winder but have come to love the town and its people. We have lived in the surrounding areas for about 35 years and have had offices in Winder for much of this time. Winder is in the midst of some very exciting changes with a healthy collaboration between the private business sector and city government.” When looking for other exiting options to eat out, see here this blog about the Best restaurant London has to offer.

    What’s the inspiration for the menu?

    “The Bistro is a blended concept of a gathering place inspired by the French bistro restaurants and our fortunate location in Barrow County surrounded by the amazing farmers of our area. We are passionate about fresh, local food. We respect the hard work and passion that it takes to be a farmer and believe that as a community we must support them. It is becoming more and more difficult for small farms, ranches and dairies to compete in this age of the mega-conglomerates and if we lose our connection to our food and the people who provide it we have lost some of our heritage. Being able to eat something that was just harvested and delivered by a local farm is a privilege that we do not take lightly.”

    Bistro Off Broad Winder Southern

    Your team touts a local “farm-to-table” menu – how do you go about sourcing ingredients?

    “Alex has a wonderful relationship with local farmers. Our rural location makes it possible to call them up and get freshly harvested items in hours. We are always on the lookout for more local sources. We just had the privilege of attending the Barrow County Farm to School Booster club fundraising event called “Dining for Dirt”. The Bistro donated food items and Chef Alex volunteered his time to cook alongside other chefs to raise money for the Farm to School program. This program helps our local schools learn how to create and maintain school vegetable gardens. There were farmers in attendance and we were able to make many new connections and look forward to hopefully working with them soon.”

    What are your favorite items on the menu (both food & drink)?

    “Our mantra is Celebrate Food and I am a big fan of our ever-changing menu. Right now, I’m really enjoying the kale salad with burnt baby carrots and cauliflower, goat cheese and Marcona almonds. The Ossabaw Pork Confit is also a favorite—the cannellini beans in the dish are wonderful. The Oxtail Risotta just came off the menu and I miss it. Eric makes an awfully good Paper Plane cocktail!”

    Any specials or events we should know about?

    “We have what we call a Monthly Social. This is where we put the tables out family style and serve a cultural themed food and drink menu. We have had Italian, Irish, Korean, Spanish, Greek, Mexican. We have opened it up to our patrons to choose by way of a Facebook vote. It’s a lot of fun and everyone seems to enjoy it.”

    Bistro Off Broad Winder Southern dining room

    Now let’s chat with you, Chef Alex! Like a lot of Atlantans, I was a big fan of P’cheen. Can you tell our readers why it’s worth the drive OTP to visit Bistro off Broad?

    “It would be egotistical of me to think that Atlantans would drive 45 minutes out of the city just for a meal.”

    “However, if they did make the drive, I think they would find it worth it. The Bistro is not the only thing Barrow County and Winder have to offer. We are but a few minutes from Fort Yargo State Park (the most visited in the state), and we are only about 30 minutes from Athens. If your readers were to make the drive to the Bistro or decided to join us for lunch while visiting Fort Yargo or come for dinner while staying in Athens, they would have the opportunity to not just enjoy the beautiful ambiance of a restaurant housed in a 100-year-old building or a cocktail prepared by one of Georgia’s most knowledgeable bartenders, but they would also get an opportunity to taste all that Georgia has to offer.”

    “We take great pride in the fact that the Bistro is the sum of its many parts. It is not just the hours we spend preparing the food, it is the countless hours the farmers and artisans of Georgia spend growing, raising, and creating the products that we serve. We take farm-to-table to a level that most restaurants don’t or can’t.”

    “We believe in Georgia grown, and we source as many products from the state of Georgia as we can. From honey, honeycomb, bee pollen, flour, grits, cornmeal, vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, crab, and eggs to charcuterie, cheese, bread, and gelato, we are truly Georgia grown and truly farm-to-table. We have a simple philosophy. Our job is not to manipulate the product, our job is to showcase it – to allow the hard work of our farmers and artisans to shine through in beautiful, simple preparations.”

    What are some of your favorite dishes on the menu? What’s new that folks might not have tried before?

    “Our menu is always evolving. We are subject to the weather, wildlife, and Georgia’s ‘terroir.’ Although our proteins may stay the same for a month or two at a time, the vegetables and garnishes are always changing. One day the berry crop is beautiful; the next day it has been decimated by deer. So, what you print about our menu today might not be available tomorrow. However, these are some of my current favorites:

    Charred raab, chard, speck, balsamic vinegar, feta, extra virgin, preserved lemon. “The raab and chard are from Fry Farm in Bethlehem and are beautiful and fresh with just the right amount of char. The speck is produced by Pine Street Market, smoky and delicious; the feta from The Woodsman & The Wife Creamery adds a creamy and salty kick. Add house-made preserved lemon adds zest, the dish is finished with a drizzle of a peppery extra virgin and the sweetness of a 15-year aged balsamic.”

    Ossabaw pork confit, coriander, cannellini beans, zucchini, purple top turnips like Brook mentioned above!. “I would be willing to say that we are the only restaurant in the country serving pork in this way. We are lucky to have Hamthropology as our main supplier of pork. The Ossabaw hog is like no other and arguably one of the best porks in the world. Hamthropology is one of the only producers of this product. The specialness of the pork requires extra attention. We receive the hogs whole and utilize every part in this dish. The bones are roasted and made into stock that is reduced to a thick, sticky, and robust demiglace. The fat is lightly smoked and rendered into lard in which the pork is slowly cooked for 3.5 to 4 hours. The skin is dehydrated and fried into chicharrons. The pork confit is finished in the broiler with a brown sugar and coriander “brûlée”, served over a ragout of cannellini beans, zucchini, and purple top turnips, drizzled with pork demiglace and finished with a chicharron.”

    Why is this type of “farm-to-table” model so important to the local ecosystem?

    “The Bistro is not an island sitting alone in Barrow County. We are the sum of all the hard work put into the product long before it arrives at our front door. Our job is easy because we have such amazing products with which we work. We believe in the community – and the farmers and artisans that live in it. When you dine at the Bistro, you are not just supporting us, you’re supporting the local economy and farmers. Agriculture is the largest industry in Georgia and by no means the most glamorous. We hope to shed light on what these farmers are doing and the importance of their work.” He also shared that maintenance is a big part of the industry as equipment like industrial rubber products are needed to make the process easier for the farmers.

    “We take great pride in telling our guests exactly where their food comes from, and who the farmer or artisan is that grew/prepared it.”

    “We serve organic, healthy, unaltered food that deserves to be talked about. We hope that we can inspire other restaurants and other chefs to buy local and support the local farmers and artisans all over the state of Georgia. Everyone can do their part and make a difference in the way we eat and perceive food.”

    oysters Chef Alex Friedman Bistro Off Broad

    What does the future hold for Bistro Off Broad and beyond?

    “We look forward to the Bistro’s continued growth in popularity. We hope to set an example to other business owners and restaurateurs – if we succeed in Winder, they can succeed here too, or in other beautiful small towns in north Georgia. We will continue to source the best local products we can and present it in a way that showcases the work put into it before us. We’ve opened our second restaurant, Lobby at the Maddox, in the historic Peoples Bank Building in Winder. The Lobby is a “from scratch” Italian Chop House with a focus on fresh pasta made daily with local flour and a selection of grass and grain fed beef both wet and dry aged, pork, veal, and lamb.”

    Burger frites bistro off broad

    Editor’s note: a big thanks to Brooke and Alex for their time! We would love to hear from our readers if they’ve dined at Bistro Off Broad and what they enjoyed!

    Bistro Off Broad is open for lunch + dinner daily from Tuesday to Friday, and open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in addition to dinner service on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

    Bistro Off Broad is located at 16 E Candler St, Winder, GA 30680. For more information, check out Bistro Off Broad’s website plus stay connected on Twitter at @bistrobroad, on Instagram at @bistrobroad, and on Facebook.

  • MLK Day 2019 – Hopeful in Atlanta – Trinity Community Ministries

    MLK Day 2019 – Hopeful in Atlanta – Trinity Community Ministries

    “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

    On Martin Luther King Day 2019, we are hopeful for our future. There’s a lot of negativity in the world right now, a lot of which we can’t control. However, one thing we can do is control how we feel and how we use those feelings to impact the world around us.

    It’s one big lesson we can all learn from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said:

    “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

    It’s interesting to think about ‘creative altruism’ in these dark times we live in. Everyone is struggling to get by, even those who seem to have it all. Yet we have a choice, to walk in the light or remain in the dark with our own self-destructive thoughts.

    So from here on out, dear reader, I’m choosing to be hopeful.

    I’d like to share a story of hope.

    In the summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to join the mission of Trinity Community Ministries in downtown Atlanta. Trinity (or TCM) is housed in a historic building on the same block as Ebeneezer Baptist Church. The building itself was once Hanley’s Funeral Home, where MLK’s body was prepared after his assassination.

    Towards the end of his life, Dr. King’s message shifted to encompass the broader question of economic inequality, the “juxtaposition of skyscrapers among the slums.”

    The tragedy of socioeconomic disparity is broadcast in broad daylight walking through Downtown ATL, especially since the shuttering of the Pine Street Shelter. Men and women are sleeping on the streets while the affluent commute to the glitzy office buildings towering above. I saw this poverty every day that I worked Downtown.

    Atlanta is not alone in this problem, but with our keen focus on Southern hospitality, we should be expected to do more.

    It’s why I wanted to help raise awareness for the good work happening at Trinity. And on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, over MLK weekend, Trinity graduated 17 men from the Trinity House-Big Bethel program.

    Trinity Community Ministries - Kolanji name ceremony
    This photo was taken before the Kalonji name changing ceremony. With every graduating class at Trinity, men are selected to be given a Kalonji name which will represent a new life after having been through so much. Kalonji means “Men of Victory” in Swahili, and all names are given in Swahili.

    “The significance of graduation represents the beginning of a new life… Graduation for our guys means that they have made a commitment, to fighting a good fight against addiction. The fight wasn’t easy but to understand that you have an addiction, made the step to understanding you are suffering from addiction, and making the step to fight it.” –Trinity Lead Case Manager, Clyde “Ali” Wilson.

    Each year the goal for Trinity Community Ministries is to successfully return residents to their families and communities as mentors and leaders. The vision is to help attain a future based on peace and justice, which would eliminate violence, racism, and poverty in order to establish what Dr. King called the “Beloved Community.”

    The staff, clients, and volunteers working in Trinity’s programs are actively working to eliminate poverty, build community, and foster peace through nonviolent social change.

    When a man is accepted into Trinity, he has to go through a phased approach to rehabilitation. Through his months at Trinity, he will focus on his recovery, become reunited with his family, and define his belief system.

    It’s important to note Trinity is non-denominational and does not preach one faith. All that is required is a man discovers his own spirituality, which is why the program gleans inspiration from African influences.

    Another example is the use of the word “hotep” throughout the program. It means “at peace” or “peace and blessings”.

    During my first visit to Trinity, I spent about an hour with a “senior brother” who was in prison before he came to TCM. He was facing felony charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. Instead of jail time, the judge introduced him to Brother Ali (quoted above) which was basically a vetting process to be sure Trinity was the right fit.

    After getting into Trinity–and there is always a waiting list–after getting on a path to healing for overcoming his addiction, he learns more about self-care. Eventually, the guys are ready to go back to work and Trinity helps them with finding jobs. In order to graduate, the man must have a certain amount of money saved in his own checking account.

    So how can we scale Trinity’s success model?

    First, it’s important to see how far TCM has come since it was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization in 1988. In response to the growing homelessness in Atlanta, TCM began as an emergency overnight shelter in the basement of Trinity United Methodist Church (UMC).

    Over time, this community outreach expanded to provide food and subsequently added a Sunday soup kitchen known as Trinity Table. While TCM and Trinity Table are no longer affiliated, Trinity Table is still the only regular source of free food on Sundays in the area and now serves approximately 200 guests per week, aided weekly by volunteer residents of Trinity House.

    During the 1990s, TCM evolved into a transitional, residential recovery shelter with the mantra of “A Tough Program for Tough Times” and a reputation for helping men who truly wanted and were willing to work for sobriety, stability, and self-sufficiency.

    For guys on the street, Trinity has a reputation for being known as a tough program.

    In 2004, TCM entered into partnership with Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the owners of the former Hanley Building in the Sweet Auburn District of Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s body was prepared for his funeral, and where TCM’s administrative offices and Trinity House-Big Bethel program (the 36-bed supportive housing and rehabilitation) are still housed today.

    Trinity Living is TCM’s newest initiative. Launched in November 2012, and serves homeless men with disabilities, many of whom are veterans, in a permanent supportive housing environment. The program features eight, two-bedroom apartments leased in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) together with supportive services such as job readiness and placement, addiction counseling and rehabilitation, financial and life skills mentoring and management.

    And Trinity’s program works. Every three out of four men who come through the program never go back to the streets.

    So how further the success of Trinity and Dr. King’s mission to help everyone who is homeless and needy in Atlanta and beyond?

    Y’all know it all comes down to three things: money, dedication, and time. There are a lot of people who have donated to Trinity over the years, and good work has been done, but there’s so much more we can do.

    First, there’s a GoFundMe campaign to replace all the windows at Trinity House, which have become even more problematic this chilly winter.

    We’re very close to meeting the $75,000 goal for all the repairs. You can also donate to Trinity here.

    Next, every Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Trinity hosts a fish fry. And as a food blogger, I can tell y’all this is some of the best fried fish in Atlanta.

    Your group, Bible study, or tribe of friends can also bring dinner to Trinity for a T.E.A.M. dinner.

    There’s also the Trinity Combine coming up in May 2019 so stay tuned for more details.

    Because y’all, my big ole Pretty Southern heart just has to do more. And then there’s this…
    Trinity House - empty lot - sweet auburn district - downtown atlanta

    On my most recent to Trinity for a fish Friday, I got to go on the roof of the building with Trinity Community Ministries Executive Director, Derek Duncan, and Lauren Priest, Trinity’s Director of Development. Derek shared his vision for how Trinity could build a new center on this vacant lot.

    “First one building, then another, the whole block, then multiple campuses throughout the city,” Derek said. I love this vision and am honored to be part of this mission.

    Because we are better than homelessness. Our generation has to step up and find new ways to fix this very old problem. It’s one thing we absolutely can do: to help by focusing on our “creative altruism”. Because as Dr. Kind said:

    “There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we now have the resources to get rid of it. The time has come for an all-out world war against poverty … The well off and the secure have too often become indifferent and oblivious to the poverty and deprivation in their midst. Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation. No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for ‘the least of these.’”

    Want to be part of this story of hope at Trinity?

    If you want to join me for a fish Friday lunch or a T.E.A.M. dinner, comment below.

    Our hopes for Atlanta and our country are high, especially when we see miracles happen and lives restored,

    P.S. – if you want to read the full transcript of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech, you can do so, here.

  • It’s Fall, Y’all! City Winery Launches New Seasonal Menu

    It’s Fall, Y’all! City Winery Launches New Seasonal Menu

    City Winery, a restaurant, urban winery, private event space and intimate music venue, has unveiled a new seasonal culinary menu just in time for the season. Located in bustling Ponce City Market, the popular Atlanta destination is now serving Atlantans and visitors alike a bevy of mouthwatering dishes perfect for fall and winter.

    All_Winter Menu_1

    YUM!

    While the leaves are changing, City Winery invites guests to explore rich, robust autumn dishes, while taking advantage of the urban winery’s expansive wine list, which includes a diverse selection of house-made varietals by Atlanta’s only winemaker, Travis Green.

    Chicken_1
    Featuring vegan, vegetarian and gluten free offerings for all patrons, City Winery’s new lunch and dinner menus welcome an array of seasonal soups and salads, large plates, small plates, flatbreads, and sweets. Salads include: Grilled Head of Romaine — Candied Pecans, Bosc Pear, Goat Cheese, Champagne Vinaigrette; Bibb Lettuce and Prosciutto — Ricotta, Clementine, Toasted Hazelnuts, and Fig-Balsamic.

    Risotto Ball_1

    Small plates include: City Winery Deviled Eggs — Turmeric Aioli, Fried Capers, Tobiko Roe; Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto Balls — Pepita Sauce; Braised Duck Tacos — Hudson Valley Duck, Guacamatillo Salsa, Cabbage Slaw, Corn Tortilla. Large Plates include: Seasonal Farro “Risotto” — Butternut Squash, Black Kale, Pumpkin Seeds; Ricotta Raviolo — Tomato, Broccolini, Smoked Mozzarella Toasted Breadcrumbs; Shrimp Piri Piri — Pepper Sauce, Couscous Salad. Made in house with residual yeast leftover from City Winery’s  winemaking process, the Flatbreads include: Baked Eggplant — Crushed Tomatoes, Pecorino, Ricotta; and a special Seasonal Culinary Selection.

    Lemon Bar_1

    Those with a sweet tooth can take advantage of the Chocolate Mousse — Milk Chocolate and Matcha Crumble; Olive Oil Cake — Pistachio Gelato, Blood Orange Marmalade; and a daily house-made Sorbet Gelato.

    26233074_1795368427202743_5291963498673417353_o_preview
    Imbibers can also take advantage of City Winery’s extensive wine list, including wines on tap, wine flights, and wines available by the glass, growler and bottle, handcrafted cocktails created by Beverage Director JR Smith, frosty beers and much more. City Winery is located at 650 North Avenue NE, Suite #201, Atlanta, GA 30308. Finally, for more information or to make a reservation, visit www.citywinery.com/atlanta or call 404-946-3791.

  • Atlanta’s Annual Saints & Sinners Ball on Saturday, Oct. 27

    Atlanta’s Annual Saints & Sinners Ball on Saturday, Oct. 27

    Partygoers can revel in all the ghosts, ghouls and goblins they can handle this Halloween when ALT 105.7 and Park Tavern bring their devilish tradition alive at the fifth annual Saints & Sinners Ball on Saturday, Oct. 27.

    Saints & Sinners Ball Park Tavern Atlanta

    Kicking off at 8 p.m., music fanatics are invited to descend upon Park Tavern in their most creative costumes for the annual Halloween bash. Featuring live music performances from Elle King, Albert Hammond Jr., and Camera Box, the high-energy night will also feature themed drink specials and plenty of surprises.

    105.7 Atlanta Saints & Sinners Ball Park Tavern

    ALT 105.7’s Saints & Sinners Ball is for ages 21+. Tickets are available for $20, plus applicable fees at FreshTix.

    King of Pops Halloween costumes

    Park Tavern is located in the heart of Midtown on the corner of 10th Street and Monroe overlooking Piedmont Park and the Midtown skyline. To purchase tickets, visit www.parktavern.com or call 404.249.0001.

  • Q & A with Daren Wang – “The Hidden Light of Northern Fires”

    Q & A with Daren Wang – “The Hidden Light of Northern Fires”

    Daren Wang is not a native Southerner but his roots run deep.

    daren wang southern author hidden light of northern fires

    Wang is the author of The Hidden Light of Northern Fires. While this is his first novel, he has a unique vantage point on what makes a successful story since he served as the executive director of the Decatur Books Festival for 12 years (he’s also the founder).

    Before launching the festival, Daren had a 20-year career in public radio, both national and local. He’s also written for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Paste Magazine, and Five Points magazine, among other publications.

    Editor’s note — I could gush on about how much I loved The Hidden Light of Northern Fires, but instead y’all can read my Amazon book review.

    Daren and I were introduced by a mutual connection, Decatur’s own Susan Wietsma. We connected over coffee at Dancing Goats on a hot summer morning where we talked about writing, the South, and the state of our world. He was kind enough to let us publish some of our Q&A on Pretty Southern.

    Read on to learn more about Daren Wang and The Hidden Light of Northern Fires.

    Tell us your story and what led you to the path of writing your first novel.

    “I grew in the little rebellious hamlet where the book is set, hearing stories about how the town had seceded from the Union. The firemen all wore patches that said ‘Last of The Rebels’. People always talked about our house, and once, the local news came and did a story about it being part of the underground railroad. The weight, the uniqueness of the story didn’t strike me until I’d come south and spent a lot of time with Southern authors. After I found an oral history of the Willis family, the people who built the house, I started researching and eventually had to write.”

    What’s the elevator pitch for your book?

    “In the only secessionist town north of the Mason Dixon, a young woman risks everything to run a stop on the Underground Railroad.”

    Your home is in Decatur where you founded the Decatur Book Festival. What do you see for the future of your city and the South?

    “Decatur has so much going for it. I think it’s going to grow and prosper moving forward, but I think some of what makes Decatur unique will be lost. Of course, that’s the story with so much development these days.”

    How has the Southern literary scene changed over the years?

    “The term ‘Southern Writer’ gets fuzzier every day. In the 1960s, the defining list of Southern writers was so clearly Southern, there was no question: Faulkner, O’Connor, Welty, etc. You just knew. Today, the term gets applied loosely. I wrote a book about a young woman on a farm 15 miles from the Canadian border in Western New York, and it is largely considered a Southern Novel. If something is rural, people think of it as Southern.”

    “I’m not sure what Southern means anymore.”

    What advice would you give to an aspiring writer? Would you share some of your secrets to success?

    “Your first draft will suck. They all do. Get in the chair and write, then rewrite, then rewrite again. The difference between you and a great writer is the work. The number one writing skill is patience.”

    What are your favorite books / who are your favorite authors?

    “Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude looms large, along with Frazier’s Cold Mountain and O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find. Chuck Rosenthal’s The Loop Trilogy is the funniest thing I’ve ever read, and heartbreaking too. Natasha Trethewey’s Native Guard. Ask me again tomorrow, and I’ll have a different list.”

    You have an incredible, eclectic taste in music that’s showcased in the mixtape you put together for The Hidden Light of Northern Fires. What inspired you to publish this and share it with your readers?

    “I grew up a vinyl junkie and ran record stores for years. Songwriting, as much as anything, inspires the sentences I write, and the way I tell stories. I planted dozens of little musical nuggets, you might call them ‘Easter eggs’, throughout the novel. I wanted to give credit to the source of so much of went through my head as I wrote.”

    Who are some of those folks you’d like to give shoutouts to?

    “I’ve got a long list of acknowledgments in the book, but this week, I want to give a shoutout to Julie Wilson, who took over for me at the helm of the Decatur Book Festival. She’s done a great job wrangling that, and I’m really proud of the work she’s done.”

    What comes next? What are your goals for 2018 and beyond?

    “I’ve been tooling around with the next novel, but the structure, the spine of it just came clear to me over the last week or two. I’m hoping to settle in and get this next one written.”

    The Hidden Light of Northern Fires is now available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and audiobook via Amazon. Keep up with Daren by following him on Twitter. And while you’re at it, follow Pretty Southern, too. #LoveTheSouth.

  • Q & A with Lauren Fernandez, President of Origin Development Group

    Q & A with Lauren Fernandez, President of Origin Development Group

    Let’s get to know Lauren Fernandez, President of Origin Development Group and Atlanta’s Chicken Salad Chick locations.

    Lauren_Fernandez Chicken Salad Chick

    Tell us your story and what led you to the path of launching Chicken Salad Chick in Atlanta?

    “In 2015, I started Origin Development Group with my partners to grow restaurant brands in the fast-casual space. I wanted to leverage my years in product development and in restaurant franchising into the business of restaurant growth. We vetted a number of brands as our first investment and ultimately chose Chicken Salad Chick. The brand’s unique positioning, value and freshness proposition really resonated, especially since it too was founded by a female entrepreneur.”

    What’s the Chicken Salad Chick elevator pitch?

    “Chicken Salad Chick is one of the fastest growing brands in the South, delivering a mix of value, freshness and charming Southern hospitality to our guests. Our team at Origin develops the Atlanta, Augusta, and Athens markets and is the largest franchisee for the brand.”

    Chicken Salad Chick Sampler

    The “Chick Trio” from Chicken Salad Chick

    Chicken Salad Chick has experienced incredible growth since its launch. Would you share some of your secrets to success?

    “At Origin, our whole company is focused not just on brand growth, but growth as professionals and as people. We’re always trying to improve. We also have the most amazing development team at Origin; I view each member of our team as partners. From the very first time we opened a new restaurant, we took the time to document every single step along the way and asked, “What’s best in class?” Now, each time we open a new restaurant, we have a clear understanding of who does what and when. At the end of each build, we ask, ‘What could we have done better or more efficiently?’”

    Your home is in Atlanta but your business ranges from Augusta to Athens to Peachtree City. How is Chicken Salad Chick helping to support the region (creating jobs, etc.)? What do you see for the future of the South?

    “Every time we open a new restaurant, we create 50-60 jobs in the market. We are exceptionally proud of the opportunities that we create and the resulting diversity of our team – we are over 85% female and nearly 40% minority! We are also regularly engaged in giving back to the local community. We have partnered with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, food banks and even started a School Partnership Program —we are very active and involved in all aspects of our neighborhoods for each one of our restaurants. This sense of community is what makes the South so special!”

    99% of startups don’t make it to $1 million in revenue. What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

    “To all entrepreneurs, I’d say it’s vital to stay close to what you know as you build your venture. I was an attorney—not a restaurateur or operator before we formed Origin—but I had an extensive career in food and product development and in restaurant franchising. That experience formed a great base for me that gave me a running head start when we launched. As we prepare to cross another financial milestone year, we still live by our golden rule: people first, process second. When you’re scaling up from $1M to $20MM, you cannot lose sight of your people—both your team and your guests. But you also have to have standards, processes, and procedures in place from the start for nearly every facet involved.” You should also use Socialboosting to grow your following on social media.

    The importance of product-market fit cannot be understated when it comes to having a startup succeed. How has Chicken Salad Chick created its own niche in the busy restaurant landscape?

    “Knowing your customer and your value proposition are vital to growing any brand but knowing what you aren’t is just as important. We aren’t fast food; we do freshly made food and exceptional customer service. It’s also important that you and your team know what the brand stands for, even as you are watching your customer demographics shift over time. We pay attention to feedback; I read every single customer complaint myself.”

    What are your favorite chicken salads? Any other favorites on the menu?

    “I love our Dill-icious Diva chicken salad with diced cucumbers and fresh dill. I do think our scratch-made pimento cheese is one of the unsung heroes on our menu!”

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    Who are some of those folks you’d like to give shoutouts to?

    “I have a number of people alongside me for this ride who provide endless support and encouragement. These major moments in our careers are always not about us personally, but rather looking around us to the team that got you there. Our Chick Operations team has been largely composed of women, and they are the ones deserve the shout out for making Origin so successful.”

    What comes next? What are your goals for 2018 and beyond?

    “I’m looking forward to taking on more coaching and speaking engagements focused on empowering women in their careers. I will be launching a workshop soon to assist women in making career changes under my coaching seminars called Speaking Broadly. [link: thefernandezcompany.com/speakingbroadly]. I am always looking for the next brand to partner with for their growth, either in an operations and development role, serving on the board for other companies or perhaps even jumping back full time into leadership. Stay tuned!”

    For more information, please visit Chicken Salad Chick’s website or call 844-41-CHICK (844-412-4425). Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and special contests from Chicken Salad Chick.

    Editor’s note – photo credit for Lauren’s headshot = Cat Max photography