Killer Tomatoes Return to Attack Atlanta

Craft Restaurant

They’re ba-ack! The summer food festival season is in full swing and one of my favorite festivals from last year is coming back around again. Last year was the inaugural Attack of the Killer Tomato festival. All proceeds benefit Georgia Organics, a non-profit organization whose mission is to working towards integrating healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians.

Andy Minchow, of Holeman & Finch

Gerry Klaskala of Aria

Ryan Smith of Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch

Hector Santiago & crew from Pura Vida

Chef Ford Fry and JCT Kitchen & Bar is returning as host of the event, and featured chefs will be paired with a local farmer to create a tomato dish to prepare as samples for the crowd. Mixologists will also be whipping up their own signature cocktails. We’re not talking BLT’s and bloody marys here.

A few dishes from last year — Hector Santiago’s heirloom tomatoes “ceviche” with silken cuajada de cabra & puffed grains, Hugh Acheson’s pickled tomato salad with ham dust and buttermilk dressing,  Kevin Gillespie’s gazpacho three ways, and Joe Truex’s winning dish – summer tomato composition- local heirlooms, tomato parfait, tomato sorbet and tarragon.

Miles Macquarrie of Leon's Full Service

Daniel Morrison of Watershed

Oh, and yes — the cocktails. My favorite last year was a creation by JCT’s Lara Creasy, titled “Ginger was a Sweet Tomato.” Lara’s concoction included 209 Gin, heirloom tomato, pickled local peaches, lemon, ginger/clove syrup, bitters with a pickled sungold tomato garnish.

Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appetit restaurant editor returns this year as one of the judges

Not only are Atlanta’s top chefs competing, a number of highly regarded chefs from nearby states are joining in as well, including Chris Hastings of Birmingham’s Hot and Hot Fish Club, Mike Lata of Charleston’s FIG and John Currence of Oxford, MS’s City Grocery. Judges include Andrew Knowlton, restaurant editor at Bon Appetit and Kate Krader , restaurant editor at Food & Wine.  The event will be held on August 8th, from 1 to 5p.m. Tickets are $50 per person if purchased by August 1 and $65 thereafter, available online at the Georgia Organics site. The list of 2010 participants are listed below.

Chefs

Jay Swift of 4^th & Swift

David Larkworthy of 5 Seasons

Anne Quatrano of Abattoir, Bacchanalia, Star Provisions, Floataway Café and Quinones

Gerry Klaskala of Aria

Todd Ginsberg of Bocado

Carvel Grant Gould of Canoe

John Currence of City Grocery

Kevin Maxey of Craft

Matt Palmerlee of Farm 255

Mike Lata of FIG

Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten and The National

Ford Fry of JCT. Kitchen & Bar

Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club

Craig Richards of La Tavola Trattoria

Bruce Logue of La Pietra Cucina

Gary Mennie of Livingston

Steven Satterfield of Miller Union

Keira Moritz of Pacci Ristorante and AltoRex Rooftop Lounge

Mark Alba of Paces 88

Hector Santiago of Pura Vida

Kevin Rathbun of Rathbun’s, Kevin Rathbun Steak and Krog Bar

Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House

Ron Eyester of Rosebud

Scott Serpas of Serpas True Food

Jenny Levison of Souper Jenny

Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol

Joe Truex of Watershed

Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill

Mixologists

Andy Minchow of Holeman & Finch Public House, Lara Creasy of JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Miles MacQuarrie of Leon’s Full Service, Cara Laudino of Miller Union, Kevin Bragg of Prohibition, Kysha Cyrus of Repast and Nick Hearin of Restaurant Eugene