Chefs Robert Butts (left), Chryss Lewis (center), and Gary Caldwell (right)Photograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Just before golden hour, on a hot summer night in September, stylish dinner guests search for parking along Fort Street, near the corner of Auburn Avenue, while others hop out of Ubers and Ly fts, all under the shadow of the Downtown Connector. They are headed to Auburn Angel, a hidden gem in the Sweet Auburn district, for an “Intimate Dinner.” It is one of three such dinners planned at restaurants across the city to celebrate opening night of the 2025 Atlanta Food Wine Festival. Like the others, the Auburn Angel ticketed event has a corporate sponsor. The night is not just a marquee festival event: It’s the sixth in a dinner series hosted by The New South collective, a dynamic group of distinguished Black chefs in Atlanta, including Auburn Angel chef and co-owner Robert Butts. It’s also The New South’s one-year anniversary. Chef Rodney Smith, mic in hand, leads after-dinner toastsPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Kan kan (pork) chops on their way to New South dinner guestsPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon The group banded together officially in 2024. Its popular, semiregular themed dinners (dinner number five was titled “Smoke”) are announced on social media and sell out quickly. They include a multicourse menu, paired wines, and dessert. Various chefs take turns hosting at their respective restaurants. Before forming the group, the founding members were friendly and had collaborated occasionally. But it was after one well-executed dinner that the group fell into place. “It was an organic moment after the Edna Lewis [tribute] Dinner at Bread Butterfly,” says executive chef Gary Caldwell of Marcus Bar and Grille. “We were in the kitchen, and Rodney [chef Rodney Smith of pop-up dinner series SouthernChild] started talking about the concept, and I asked if I could be a part of it. Something about family and food always sits near and dear to my heart.” Chef Butts explains, “There were a series of conversations, because we realized, from hearing things at festivals, from other restaurants, from other chefs, that Black chefs were not respected. You know, a lot of us came from fine dining backgrounds. We would try to do our own spin on, let’s say, Hoppin’ John, and we were being told people didn’t want it. It made us think, Do you have any respect for what we do in our culture? So, we just said, ‘We’re going to go for it. We’re going to try and see what happens.’” As for the name, Butts says, “We were like, ‘We are from the South, and we’re going to do it in a modern type of way. So, we’re just going to be The New South.’” Chef Carlos Granderson of Southern National with culinary student Cameron ShawPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Chef Charmain Ware-Jason assembles her spiced plum tortePhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Scallops with succotash and champagne foamPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon This union of accomplished chefs went beyond a desire to collaborate on themed dinners and other projects; it was also motivated by frustration. “We wanted to show the South was more than just soul food,” says Caldwell. “The dishes we create pay homage while still being innovative and modern.” The collective of 11 people includes: Demetrius Brown of Bread Butterfly, India “Sauce Queen” Johnson, and Jon’nae Smith, seen on Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship. Among the newest members is executive pastry chef Charmain Ware-Jason of Tiny Lou’s. The chef noticed the collective’s Instagram posts while attending the Food Wine Classic in Charleston. Ware-Jason immediately wanted to be a part of it. “It’s seldom that we are recognized for what we do. As Black chefs, we have to work a thousand times harder. Some GMs [general managers] just see us as ‘the help’ and want us kept in the kitchen, behind closed doors. But we’re going to kick the door in and share the spotlight.” In a city that prides itself on Black excellence in higher education, music, the arts, political activism, and more, there is a historical lack of equal representation for these accomplished culinary players. What’s been missing, in a word, is “inclusion,” says chef Christan Willis, a personal chef and recent champion on the Food Network show Chopped. “There’s not a lot of that when it comes to chefs of this caliber. But we’re turning that negative into a positive.” In a text, Willis writes, “The New South represents a shift in Atlanta’s culinary culture, one where Black chefs can come together in powerful, collaborative ways. It’s about celebrating diverse culinary styles, championing inclusion, and strengthening the spirit of hospitality across the city.” Chef Christan Willis pauses before platingPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Intern Tianna Tillman checks chops for donenessPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Chefs cut up between coursesPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Sofrito braised lamb with plantain gnocchi and an Oregon pinot noirPhotograph by Lynsey Weatherspoon Behind the scenes of the Auburn Angel dinner, chefs work in pairs, having developed recipes weeks before, taking inspiration from “shared stories and memories” to create evocative dishes: a large pan-seared scallop with summer succotash; gumbo with lobster, burnt-end sausage, and crisp okra; sofrito braised lamb; and kan kan chop with heirloom tomato caviar. A plum torte with citrus mascarpone ice cream and pistachio crunch ends the first festival night on a sweet note—as did an impromptu round of toasting from chefs, glasses of Moët Rosé in hand. The mutual admiration and heartfelt, sometimes teary, speeches were unfiltered as diners recorded the moment with their phones. They returned the love later in Instagram reels. Later in the Auburn Angel kitchen, chef Dené Lynn presents pins to her New South comrades to mark their one-year anniversary. Asked about the moment, Lynn says, “Lapel pins are like trophies to a chef. I wanted them to know how special these dinners are and how incredible each and every one of them is.” After the dinner was over, Ware-Jason says, “I sat in my car and cried: There was so much joy on the inside.” This article appears in our November 2025 issue. The post The New South’s got something to say appeared first on Atlanta Magazine. ...read more read less