Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Grossman.
Christopher, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My start to the culinary field was a combination of right place at the right time and the wrong events at the right time. I was working masonry construction saving money to return to finish my computer science degree when I injured my back. I wasn’t able to work and spent my school savings during rehabilitation. I needed a job, once I was well enough, and had always been the cook when hanging out with my friends, or cooking for my roommates in college. I had washed dishes in high school, so I figured I’d apply at a restaurant. During my first interview, the chef of the restaurant asked me the derivative of x^2, which I answered correctly (2x) and subsequently got a job.
It turned out that he had graduated from the same school (Michigan tech) that I had been attending, with a degree in physics. We talked a lot about the science of cooking, the scientific method used in a kitchen, and he opened my eyes to truly cooking from scratch. After that, I worked in a very small kitchen outside of Detroit and was able to work side by side with the executive chef day in and day out. It was a very good restaurant for the area (restaurant of the year) and it was an excellent learning opportunity working directly with the chef. When my wife graduated college, I told her to get a job anywhere, because I could obviously cook anywhere, and we felt it was time to bridge out from Michigan. She got a job in Atlanta, and that’s what brought us to the area.
I researched and applied to all of the top restaurants in Atlanta, and when I knocked on the door of the Aria, Chef Gerry Klaskala answered (literally) and the next 6 years flew by. I worked my way up to running Aria directly under Chef Klaskala, and he mentored me, and really drove my personal and professional growth in ways far exceeding the kitchen. After about 4 years I felt I should finish my degree and regain taking classes in the mornings before going into work at Aria. The mornings would be spent in class, I would stop at the farmer’s market after class and then run Aria. After I got out of work, I would do homework and study, and hopefully get a few hours of sleep before starting again. It was my time studying math and computers, that I realized I belonged in the kitchen.
When I looked down at my class notes and saw sketches of dishes and menu ideas, and dish development I realized that it was time to give in and follow my passion. I knew I hadn’t learned what I needed and wanted to learn, however, I didn’t think I’d be able to find that in Atlanta. So I began applying and staging at restaurants that I would move anywhere to work at. When I received the phone call from the french laundry, it was one of those moments, that I still remember fondly and I will probably never forget. We moved to California with no place to stay I was lucky enough to have family in the area to help the first few nights, we managed to find an apartment, and get moved in enough for me to start work on time.
I would probably still be there if about 4-5 months into my work at The French Laundry Chef Gerry hadn’t called me with the opportunity of a lifetime. I had just been offered a promotion and it was the hardest decision of my life. It took me 2-3 months to really come to the decision to leave the french laundry, and part of that was realized during the 20th anniversary out there when Thomas Keller was talking about the inception, and growth of the company over the previous 20 years. I understood my true goal was not working and running the best restaurant, but building the idea, concept, and culture. It was then I left to open Atlas, and it has been an incredible run and learning experience.
However, we still have not realized our potential, and I am yet to achieve my goals. There is more work to be done.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think I covered most of this in the previous story. However, after a year and a half into my work at an atlas, I re-aggravated my construction back injury, to the point that I could barely walk. I was in severe pain, could not stand up straight, was on a walker for longer than I can remember, and still going into work and doing as much as I could. I could barely drive home some days because the pain was so intense. Finally, I woke up one morning in so much pain that I could not move…
My wife had to call an ambulance (I was still on the phone with reps and my sous chef in the ER) and shortly thereafter while still on a walker at work, my friend dr. fishman that I had met and gotten to know at Aria stopped in just to say hello and saw me. He then got me into a great neurosurgeon within days, and I have been running strong ever since. However, it made me realize that my body could not necessarily keep up with my ambition anymore.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about atlas restaurant – what should we know?
We just want to make good food. We want to offer fine dining in a non-pretentious atmosphere with all the attention to detail, just allowing our guests to relax and fully enjoy the experience and their company.
Our menu is dynamic and changes on the drop of a dime. We source as much as we can locally because I feel fresh is the best and easiest way to have great food. So much so that I pick up a lot of our produce from the farmer’s market myself on Saturday. And our menu always starts with what our farm partners have coming in at the moment.
I like to think that food is the perfect way to catch the moment and the season at their finest.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Attention to detail, and surrounding your self with good people that care, are eager to learn and take pride in their work
Contact Info:
- Address: 88 West Paces Ferry Road NW Atlanta, GA 30305
- Website: atlasrestaurant.com
- Phone: 404.600.6471
- Email: chrisgrossman@atlasrestaurant.com
- Instagram: atlasbuckhead willcookforfood (personal)
- Facebook: atlas buckhead
Image Credit:
Tomas Espinoza, Heidi Gelhauser
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