Atlanta chef Ford Fry struck gold when he merged modern Southern with French bistro cuisine at Westside eatery JCT Kitchen. Then came the wildly successful Italian restaurant No. 246, situated just outside of Atlanta in quaint downtown Decatur, Ga., followed by The Optimist, which was selected as Esquire‘s Restaurant of the Year in 2012. Now comes King + Duke, slated for a March 2013 opening in Atlanta’s upscale Buckhead area. We got the scoop on the new, wood- and coal-cooking endeavor from the man behind it all.
How is the King + Duke concept different from your other three restaurants?
King + Duke’s food will be all about cooking over burning wood and coal, and our ability to marry flavors to create a complete plate. For example, we may have ducks hanging and slow roasting above a roasting pan of great local potatoes or even plums — in season — to capture the drippings. K+D is inspired by the technique of cooking primarily with wood and could very well have larger cuts of meat or fish for two or more.
How will the former Bluepointe space be transformed?
The former Bluepointe will go from modern/curvy to more classic/Euro. The different levels — other than the private dining area — will also go away, along with the carpet, which will be replaced by wood and interesting tile.
Is there one dish that will epitomize King + Duke?
There will be two dishes that speak to K+D. One is The King, a one-kilo, bone-in rib-eye for two, slow roasted over coal with marrow bones. Two would be The Duke, a premium burger — a house blend of aged beef — on brioche with coal-caramelized onions.
Are there any names we’ll recognize that will be joining the King + Duke team?
Petro is our famous porter (dishwasher). It’s just not the same without him!
Photo Courtesy of Richie Arpino
