Recently Jenny Pruitt, along with her husband of 44 years, Bob, joined Anne Quatrano, the head chef and co- owner of Bacchanalia, Atlanta’s most celebrated restaurant, for a quaint weekend of cooking classes.
Nestled just 30 minutes south of the city, they enjoyed a two night stay at the Inn at Serenbe located in the midst of 1000 tranquil acres in Chattahoochee Hills Country. They spent time side by side in the kitchen and at the dining table with one of the South’s best chefs. They worked together to create some of Anne’s favorite dishes and to hear the stories her culinary journeys.
We sat down with Jenny and Bob to hear about their special journey:
What was on the menu?
Day 1: Pickled Shrimp (Jenny and Bob both name this top pick)
Duck Breast with Fresh Lady Peas
Cheese course with Figs
Blueberry Torte
Day 2: Gazpacho
Vegetable Frittata
Chocolate Popsicles
What did you learn?
Jenny: I was able to really hone my chopping skills and learned several blending tips.
Bob: true gourmet cooking requires lots of preparation and very fresh ingredients.
What are your top 3 favorite Atlanta restaurants?
Interestingly, Bob and Jenny share the top two faves-
1)Bacchanalia (“My favorite restaurant in perhaps the whole world!”says Jenny )
2)Bones
3)Sotto Sotto (Jenny) /Rathbun’s (Bob)
Cooking fresh healthy meals is tough for many busy executives like yourself, how do you do it?
Jenny: It helps when you have great partner! I love to cook on the weekends and especially if Bob can do the grocery shopping for me. We enjoy cooking the most when we can be each others sous chef. Bob: I enjoy cooking occasionally and certainly don’t mind doing the shopping AND the cooking… just don’t give me clean up duty!
What is your favorite food to cook?
Jenny: Fresh fish on the grill
Bob: Shrimp with Herbs, Asparagus and Yellow Peppers
Was this weekend your idea of relaxing or something more?
Jenny: It was certainly relaxing, and I enjoyed spending the weekend with Bob, as a part of a surprise birthday present. I have two personal goals right now: to become a fabulous chef and a wonderful dancer. I’d love to do a two week cooking class in Napa Valley later this year and I am taking 2 dance lessons a week.
Bob: I found the Inn to remind me of someone’s well maintained small country home. The community was very surprising and a unique asset that is a wonderful offering to those who want to live in an sustainable community just south of our city.
Bacchanalia’s seasonal menu and the community of Serenbe share an organic connection. Bacchanalia relies entirely on organic ingredients, many sourced from Anne and Clifford’s farm. Serenbe’s ultimate goal is to demonstrate how development can accommodate the need for housing with minimal impact on nature and had done so by creating a community that focuses on agriculture, energy efficiency, green building, walkability, high density building, arts and culture, and community living for multiple generations.