Dinner Lab – Atlanta Goat Farm

A couple months back, I found out about a cool idea for relatively new chefs to try out fresh ideas for multi-course meals on small groups of people – Dinner Lab. And while I’m certainly no foodie, I jumped at the opportunity to eat a five-course gourmet vegetarian dinner. Yes, they had plenty of food for meat-eaters but let’s stay focused, people! I mean, it’s so entirely rare that I get to have full gourmet meals…let’s just say I was excited. Not to mention, it was held at one of my most favorite places in the city…the Atlanta Goat Farm – a haven for art studios and actual livestock.

The dinner venue was a beautifully decorated room of a dilapidated building with exposed beams. Long tables were complete with candelabras, palmetto leaves and small wreaths entwined with baby’s breath. Guests were initially treated to wine, beer and a pretty tasty coral-colored concoction. About 20 minutes after our arrival, gulf-coast based chef, Ryan Hegler, proceeded to quickly tell the selectively small crowd how he chose the fresh foods for the evening before we were ushered in to our seats. When I tell you that all of my courses were scrumptious, it’s only because I can’t think of a better word to describe everything. Course V was a peanut butter and jelly cheesecake…listen…I’m a self-professed sweets connoisseur. I. Had. A. Moment.

My night ended with a drive down Peachtree St. and we spotted a regal gentleman adorned with a crown and robe seated on a city bench getting down on his own royal feast. I named him King Peachtree. He gave me a look like I better NOT ask for any of his meal…I completely understood his sentiment.