February 18, 2008 United Culinary Chef Association’s Atlanta. For more information, visit www.unitedcca.org.

Three Madison Avenue restaurants are coming to Buckhead. The diverse eateries skew young, like the trendy Japonais; to traditional, like the Northern Italian homage to wine-lovers, Bottega del Vino; to just about everyone, like the French bistro La Goulue. These restaurants are the first three to be announced for 14 Buckhead village restaurant slots. At 7,000 to 8,000 square feet each, the three restaurants will have hundreds of seats. Buckhead village is not the only Atlanta area getting “big city” names. Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Steak is slated for the W hotel downtown; Jean-George Vongerichten is lined up to bring the crowds to the W hotel in Midtown; and The Mansion on Peachtree is counting on Tom Colicchio’s Craft to bring diners to that luxury condo and hotel project. Il Mulino, another New York eatery, will go downtown in the office tower at One Ninety One Peachtree.

After much success in its Midtown location, Vinocity moves east, to one of the hippest neighborhoods in Atlanta, the Victorian and Bungalow style home lined streets of historic Kirkwood. Good food and good times all within a local, neighborhood feel make up the space and vibe in this intimate restaurant. Vinocity is a critically acclaimed restaurant opened since 2002. The Vinocity Kirkwood team is owned and operated by John Turpin, whose love for all things food, wine, and music related drive his latest venture.

Virginia Highland favorite Alon’s Bakery and Market opened a second location in Dunwoody in February 2008. This sister Bakery and Market is located at 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd NE in Atlanta across from Perimeter Mall in the Park Place Shopping Center.

Chef/Owner Chris Yeo in partnership with GRAMMY award-winning artist and actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges open Straits Restaurant in the former Midtown location of Spice at 793 Juniper Street. “I love Atlanta’s charm, architecture, food and, most of all, the people,” said Yeo. “Chris Bridges’ commitment to his community and his family sealed the deal for me – this market is ideal for Straits and likewise Straits is perfect for the city.” Yeo opened his first Straits Restaurant in San Francisco. Yeo was attracted to Atlanta because it is among the fastest growing cities in the nation, and he grew to truly appreciate the city’s amazing hospitality.

Renowned veterans of the Atlanta restaurant industry, owners Maureen Kalmanson and Pamela Furr, opened the new Peasant Bistro in the Luckie Marietta development of Downtown. Housed in two stories, the earth-toned eatery overlooks Centennial Park and the Atlanta skyline, giving diners a cosmopolitan feel. Peasant Bistro is located at 250 Park Avenue West in Atlanta, Georgia 30313.

Metrotainment Cafes, Inc., announced the restructuring of it’s training and marketing departments through the creation of the Director of Communication position. Frank Bragg, a seven-year senior executive has been named to this post. Bragg is a twenty-year veteran in the hospitality industry. He has held posts at Houlihan’s Restaurant Group (formerly Gilbert-Robison) – Kansas City, MO; A Southern Season, Inc. – Chapel Hill, NC; and Peasant Restaurants – Atlanta, GA. In his spare time, he is the President-elect of For the Kid in All of Us, a non-profit that serves to brighten the lives of Georgia’s children in need. Also, Bragg serves as Board Chairman of the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus, currently in its 27th season. The Director of Communication will be responsible for crafting all messaging for Metrotainment Cafes both internally and externally. Combining both departments will provide for consistency and efficiency in sharing the Company’s vision.

A new group dedicated to increasing the publics appreciation for locally grown food has formed in the north Georgia Mountains. The Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance, which includes growers, consumers, small businesses and community organizations among its membership, is now busy planning a series of events for 2008 to be held in Rabun County. The group’s first event this past October featured a formal dinner at Whitehall Inn in Dillard, Georgia, prepared by Chef Michael Tuohy of Woodfire Grill using seasonal ingredients from local and regional growers. The next day, herbalist Patricia Kyritsi Howell (author of Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians) led a hike to forage for edible wild plants followed by a dinner that featured an eclectic mix of wild ingredients. Both events were a huge success. For more details on North Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance events: info@botanologos.com or 706-746-5485.

Shane’s Rib Shack is the fastest-growing barbecue restaurant concept in the industry and has blazed a 1,994 mile trail from Georgia to North Las Vegas, NV, where it makes its debut this month at 6584 N. Decatur Boulevard. “Vegas is now recognized as one of the world’s great dining destinations – and we couldn’t live with ourselves if we didn’t offer Shane’s in that mix,” says Bret Eldridge, vice president and brand leader of Shane’s Rib Shack.

Share Our Strength launched a new brand identity in February 2008. The new logo has an iconic value illustrating the invisible hunger by using the power of an optical illusion of positive and negative space. The new identity represents strength to battle childhood hunger.