Cooking with Hugh Acheson

As seen in The Laurel Magazine, November 2011 Edition.

November-2011It’s remarkable how a few humble ingredients can be transformed into such an extraordinary dish but not if you are Hugh Acheson.  Hugh is a five-time James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southeast and was named Best Chef by Food & Wine.  His restaurant Five and Ten was named by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as the best Atlanta restaurant.  Hugh has also been featured in Bon Appétit, Garden & Gun, the New York Times, and Gourmet and competed in Bravo’s Top Chef Masters: Season 3. 

Recently I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon in the kitchen with the team at Five and Ten.  They were in the middle of preparing items for their new bar menu, which pairs sandwich items or small plates with beers.  Dean Neff, Executive Sous Chef was busy putting the final touches to Cauliflower Soup and I decided to try my hand making chicken liver pate with Sous Chef Ryan Sims.  It was like a dance routine and no one missed a step, except for me.  Periodically Hugh does teach a cooking class or two and I plan on registering pronto.  In the meantime Hugh has just launched a cookbook, A New Turn In The South.  An exciting new collection of recipes and illustrations designed for home cooks, featuring a modern take on classic Southern fare, emphasizing local flavors and French inspiration.  Filled with plenty of kitchen tips, shortcuts, and plain old-fashioned know-how, I was assured that my dishes would taste just as good as Hugh’s. 

There is another option for those who are not able to travel to Athens or Atlanta, Old Edwards Inn is hosting a book signing and dinner prepared by Hugh Acheson and the culinary team at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn on December 16, 2011. This will be a dinner not to miss.  Not only will you partake in a wonderful culinary experience but you will also receive an autographed copy of Hugh’s new cookbook.  For more information call (828) 787-2625 or visit www.oldedwardsinn.com/HughAcheson.  The dinner is $160 per person exclusive of taxes and gratuities.  Dinner price includes wine and signed cookbook. 

For those who are not lucky enough to obtain a ticket, you can join Hugh for a cup of coffee and still get his autographed cookbook on Saturday, December 17th, 2011 at Mountain Fresh Grocery. 

Get a sneak peak of one of Hugh’s “A New Turn In The South” recipes by downloading Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs, Capers, and Dilled Whipped Cream recipe at www.thelaurelmagazine.com/extra.php.

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