REVIEW
DRINKS
FOODIE JOURNAL
TA S T E M A K E R
R E S TA U R A N T S
DELICIOUS
Star Turn
BACKED BY A CELEBRITY CHEF, THE AMERICANO DELIVERS SPOTLIGHT-WORTHY FLAVORS
A
STORY: Jennifer Bradley Franklin
tlanta has mixed experienc-
PHOTOS: Erik Meadows
menu isn’t actually in the kitchen.
es with celebrity chefs. Star
An exception to this rule seems to be
toques such as Emeril Legasse,
The Americano, the anchor restaurant at
Jean-Georges Vongerichten,
the Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta.
Art Smith and “Top Chef” host Tom Colic-
Opened in May of 2022 in the space formerly
chio have all tried and failed to make a long-
occupied by Smith’s Southern Art eatery,
term success of restaurants here. Perhaps
the concept is the brainchild of Scott Conant,
with so much homegrown culinary talent,
Scottsdale, Arizona-based judge on Food
Atlantans have a sixth sense for knowing
Network’s “Chopped,” a James Beard Award-
when and if the chef whose name is on the
winner and four-time cookbook author.
64 J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 • S I M P LY B U C K H E A D
➥