Many Americans find hosting holiday meals stressful, with a recent OnePoll survey indicating that three out of four people feel anxious about entertaining during the season. In response, several Georgia chefs have shared practical tips to help home cooks manage their kitchens more efficiently and enjoy the holidays.
Olivier Reedholm, Executive Chef at Ecco Buckhead, suggests separating cold and hot meal preparation. “Prep cold items the night before – leave only final touches for the day of – and toss slow-cooked braises in the oven early to ‘set and forget,'” he advises. Reedholm also recommends using holiday beverages in cooking: “Use Beaujolais for red meats, a beurre blanc for fish, or dark beers in your pan gravies to boost flavor without extra effort.”
Gizzy Rawlins, Executive Chef of Ela in Virginia-Highland, emphasizes advance preparation. “Marinate, blanch, chop, and make sauces ahead of time. Label everything, store in Ziplock bags and delegate sides to guests. This keeps the kitchen calm and allows you to enjoy the celebration,” she says.
Mark Jeffers, Culinary Director of Fifth Group Restaurants, offers advice on turkey preparation: “Spatchcock your turkey.” He explains that removing the backbone and flattening the bird leads to even cooking and crispy skin while freeing up oven space. For gravy, Jeffers suggests: “Use the browned bits left in the pan (known as fond), deglazing with wine or stock, straining, and finishing with cold butter to get a rich, silky gravy.”
For smoother kitchen operations during busy times, chefs recommend using sheet pans lined with parchment paper for roasting or reheating meats. They also suggest including side dishes like stuffing or braised greens that can be made ahead and hold well if there are delays.
Suzanne Barr, Executive Chef of South City Kitchen in Atlanta, encourages making food preparation part of the festivities: “Baking cookies or assembling desserts with friends and family. Music, laughter and hands-on prep keep the kitchen relaxed and make the holidays feel special,” she says.
For those who prefer dining out rather than hosting at home this year, many Atlanta restaurants will be open on Christmas Eve. Fifth Group’s restaurants—including South City Kitchen’s Buckhead, Midtown, and Vinings locations—will serve a three-course pre-fixe menu for $85 per person. Ecco Buckhead will offer a family-style dinner at $75 per person; Ecco Midtown will serve a three-course pre-fixe menu priced at $95 per person; La Tavola will feature a similar offering; Ela and South City Kitchen Avalon will operate on regular hours with their standard menus.
Other local establishments open on December 24 include Aria (4:30-8 p.m.), Omakase Table (offering a 20-course tasting menu), The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill (with seafood specials), The Southern Gentleman (serving brunch and dinner), The Ashford on Dresden (regular service), Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar in Alpharetta (last seating at 6:30 p.m.), and Milton’s Cuisine and Cocktails (prix fixe dinner from 2-8 p.m.). Mary Mac’s Tea Room will be closed but offers Family Feasts To-Go available for preorder online.
