Chris is both chef and managing partner at Local Three, which is why he has the least hair of the three partners. A self-taught cook, Chris has worked in kitchens from Philadelphia’s Le Bec Fin to Atlanta’s Canoe and 4th & Swift. His culinary style is completely unrestricted and might often be characterized as simple while at the same time a bit irreverent, and always with respect for tradition and method - however you describe it, the net results illustrate imaginative combinations of ingredients, technique and exceptional flavors.
Chris grew up around the corner from Local Three on Peachtree Battle Avenue and thus really is a local. He now lives in Smyrna with his wife Julie, who you’ll see in the restaurant frequently. An avid Georgia Tech fan, Hall considers home game Saturdays religious ceremonies. You have been warned………
Affairs to Remember Caterers’ Executive Chef, Ahmad Nourzad, is responsible for research and development of new food ideas for the company’s product line, sourcing and purchasing, food preparation logistics planning for off-site events, and training and managing all kitchen staff. Chef Nourzad is a hands-on chef who can sometimes be seen working on the line. His love of the kitchen and cooking began at an early age in Tehran, Iran, where he was born. Chef Nourzad came to Atlanta by way of Vienna, Austria, and Austin, Texas, where he worked in various positions in the food industry. He has 25 years of experience in all aspects of a working kitchen.
His knowledge of global cuisine is eclipsed only by his passion for environmental stewardship. Chef Nourzad was using both sides of paper sheets and recycling long before it was considered ‘cool’. His dedication to sustainability helped propel Affairs into taking initiatives that turn refuse into resources. Any leftover foods are donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and monthly, 14 tons of materials (the equivalent weight of four Toyota Priuses!) are diverted from landfills through our Legacy Green sustainability program.
Chef Nourzad is responsible for executing some of Georgia’s most exclusive events, including the opening of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s new International Terminal, the Fernbank Timeless Signature Benefit Gala, and the Buckhead Business Association’s Annual Luncheon and many others.
For 28 years, Chef David Snyder has worked in the restaurant industry. After working in kitchens throughout high school and college, he attended and graduated from the New England Culinary Institute before working in New York City under talented chefs for five years. After working as an executive chef in Atlanta, he moved to St. Simons as the executive chef of J Mac's for 4 years. Halyards opened in 2000 and Tramici opened in 2007.
Through the Halyard Restaurant Group, Chef Snyder buys, sells, and promotes Georgia Grown products in their restaurants and with their guests. He showcase local oils, cheeses, vegetables, and seafood on television shows, websites, and on their menus. He also passionately promotes Georgia Seafood by meeting with U.S. Senators and the South Atlantic Fishermen's Association about national fishing regulations.
He is the Co-Chair for the College of Coastal Georgia’s Culinary/Hospitality Advisory Committee, serves on the Committee of the Wild Georgia Shrimp and Grits Festival, won a silver medal at the ACF Chefs of the Low Country/US Foods Food Show, 2008, category F3, is an active member of the American Culinary Federation, won First Place and a Gold Medal at the ACF Winterfest Competition in St. Augustine Florida in January 2007 in the Signature dish category, and cooked at the James Beard House in New York City in March of 2006 with the Historic Hotels of America.
Farm to table is more than just a catch phrase for Executive Chef Hilary White of The Hil at Serenbe. She lives that ethos daily, having specially selected her restaurant’s location for the proximity to the farm at Serenbe and the community’s collective commitment to sustainability.
Chef Hilary grew up in rural Shelby, Ohio, near expansive farms with an abundance of fresh produce and wholesome ingredients, which has greatly influenced her ideas about the dishes she creates. After traveling extensively throughout the United States, Caribbean, Central and South America — via land and in working with a cruise-line — she was drawn to the creativity and artistry of being a chef. Pursuing only the best, she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 1995.
Hilary began her culinary career at Atlanta’s prestigious Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, in the popular and elegant 103 West restaurant. During her 13 years there, she became the company’s first female executive chef. She opened her namesake restaurant, The Hil, in 2007, with her husband, Jim, and her mother, Sandy Pitsch, at her side. She is part of a unique partnership with Serenbe Farm, spending time tending the farm and growing produce, which serves to further her connection to the Earth and to her community.
Chef Hilary’s talent has been widely recognized, having garnered attention in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, The New York Times, Atlanta Magazine, Creative Loafing and many others. She is an active member of the internationally respected Les Dames d’Escoffier, Southern Foodways Alliance and Georgia Grown. She also lends her time supporting important non-profits such as Share Our Strength and Wholesome Wave. Chef Hilary loves mentoring younger chefs, so she participates in the Culinary Institute of America’s extern leadership program, providing an educational environment in her kitchen.
In her spare time, she likes nothing better than to spend the day with her husband, exploring the open roads of Georgia (and beyond) on her Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
