Aaron Phillips talks Lazy Betty changes
April 21 — Happy Tuesday! Welcome to the table.
For this edition of “Family Meal,” I spoke with Chef Aaron Phillips about his departure as executive chef of Michelin-starred Lazy Betty this week.
For my “Editor’s Pick,” I’m taking you to Tucker and Lawrenceville Highway to indulge in momos (dumplings) and Nepalese hospitality at Everest Gorkhali Kitchen.
I also have updates on the bankruptcy proceeding for IPIC movie theater at Colony Square, the expansion of a Colony Square restaurant to Dunwoody, and the launch of Atlanta’s first permanent open-container district.
Finally, as we head into the warmer months, Your 3rd Spot provided you with a recipe for its grilled Gulf shrimp toast made with Calabrian chili butter sauce.
Cheers!
🍸 Beth
🎹 Experience a magical night with Grammy Award Winner Jon Batiste and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra on Sat., April 25, at Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park. An unforgettable night under the stars awaits—secure your tickets now before they’re gone. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Aaron Phillips Talks Lazy Betty Changes
🧑🍳 The Atlanta Business Chronicle (paywall) reported on Monday, April 20, that Lazy Betty co-founder Aaron Phillips had left the Michelin-starred restaurant in Midtown.
As of Monday afternoon, Lazy Betty no longer listed Phillips on its website as the executive chef of the tasting restaurant he helped found with Chef Ron Hsu. The website then briefly listed Chef de Cuisine Austin Goetzman as executive chef. By Monday evening, Goetzman’s name and photo also disappeared; the site now lists Hsu as executive chef and owner. Hsu’s title prior to April 20 was culinary director and owner.
Phillips retains ownership stake
I spoke with Phillips on Tuesday morning about the changes at Lazy Betty. When asked, Phillips confirmed that he’s no longer the executive chef, or involved in daily decision-making for the restaurant – and hasn’t been for a few weeks. However, he still retains an ownership stake in Lazy Betty, something Phillips said he takes as seriously as he did his role as executive chef.
🤝 “Whether I’m in operations or not, as an owner, I have a fiduciary responsibility to our investors and a moral obligation to that restaurant and its staff,” Phillips said.
“I’m proud of what we all accomplished, and am grateful for the relationships built and of the team I helped nurture for closing in on a decade now,” he added. “I feel really, really blessed. Lazy Betty is something that will always be a part of me. My heart runs through it. I can say that with a lot of positivity.”
I also reached out to Hsu, who confirmed his new role as executive chef and Phillips’s ownership stake in the restaurant. Both chefs declined to comment on what prompted the recent changes at Lazy Betty, including Goetzman, who started as a sous chef at the Candler Park location when the restaurant opened in 2019.
In March, Phillips told Discover Atlanta (the city’s official travel guide operated by the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau) that Goetzman was “a major creative engine” in the Lazy Betty kitchen. At the time, Phillips and Goetzman were taking part in a one-night collaborative dinner at Avize with chefs Karl Gorline, Freddy Money, and Nicolas Grosse.
What’s next?
When asked what’s next, Phillips said more will be revealed and that he’s focused on the future and energized about potential opportunities. He didn’t elaborate any further.
⭐ “I’m in the efforts business, not the results business. That’s my philosophy. I’m proud of Lazy Betty, of the people there,” said Phillips. “Awards like Michelin are great, but the greatest achievement for me was my Lazy Betty experience and growing into a leader and mentor.”
“Just because I’m not there in the kitchen, or at the restaurant day to day, doesn’t mean that I’m not still those things to people,” he continued. “My phone’s on. My door is open. I’m available.”
I plan to continue following developments in this story.
Founding Lazy Betty
Hsu and Phillips first met while working for Chef Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin in New York City. Their time with Ripert at the three-star Michelin restaurant would lay the foundation for Lazy Betty, which Hsu and Phillips opened in Atlanta’s Candler Park neighborhood seven years ago.
Named for Hsu’s late mother, an Atlanta restaurateur, the “lazy” in the name refers to a family joke about the matriarch’s need to stay busy, even after retirement. Betty Hsu died just three months after Lazy Betty opened in 2019.
🚛 In 2024, Hsu and Phillips relocated Lazy Betty to the former Empire State South space at 999 Peachtree in Midtown. By that time, the restaurant had already earned one star from Michelin in 2023. Michelin awarded Lazy Betty one star again in 2024 and 2025.
Last month, Hsu debuted his first cookbook, “Down South + East,” based on his childhood growing up as a Chinese-American and Southerner in metro Atlanta.
In the garden with Chef Parnass
SPONSORED BY FRESH HARVEST
🧑🌾 Join us for a special spring gathering Sat., April 25 in the Fresh Harvest Garden featuring James Beard-nominated Chef Parnass Savang of Talat Market!
We’ll kick things off with Farmer Cody, harvesting fresh spring vegetables, then turn it over to Chef Parnass, who will transform the harvest into a seasonal dish from his new restaurant, Some Luck, opening later this summer. Expect a laid-back, slightly hands-on morning, plus a chance to enjoy bites from one of Atlanta’s most beloved chefs.
➞ Tickets are limited! Grab yours now.
Editor’s Pick
🍽️ Main Street in Tucker may be home to some of the city’s most popular (and walkable) restaurants, but just around the corner on Lawrenceville Highway is where you’ll find me restaurant hopping.
From Taquería Oaxaqueña de la Gueleguetza and Carla’s Pupuseria to Donut City, Mint Coffeehouse, and new restaurants like Cafe Chirag Ali, Tucker’s other main drag is a treasure trove of locally owned restaurants.
One of Tucker’s best and brightest is Everest Gorkhali Kitchen, located in the Handy Ace Hardware complex. It’s a Nepalese restaurant doing a steady takeout business, but equally known for the warm hospitality by the owner, who often acts as the server here.
🍜 On a recent visit, my husband and I indulged in a lunchtime feast of pork and chicken momos (dumplings, $11.99 each), spicy hot Nepalese vegetable chow mein ($9.99), and Nepalese aloo kauli ($11.99, potatoes/cauliflower curry). Yes, the momos at Everest Kitchen live up to their reputation as some of the best Nepalese dumplings in the metro. Filled to near bursting with savory minced meat, momos come served with a thick and tangy tomato-based dipping sauce packed with umami. Even on a warm day, the aloo kauli hit the spot, as did the squiggly chow mein noodles tossed with crunchy vegetables zhuzhed with fresh Nepalese herbs.
Get the full rundown of my visit to Everest Gorkhali Kitchen on Instagram this Saturday in my latest “Rough Cut” restaurant review for Rough Draft.
A La Carte
🍻 Open-container district: Atlanta’s first permanent open-container district officially launched in South Downtown over the weekend. The boundaries include Alabama Street south to Trinity Avenue and Peachtree Street west to Ted Turner Drive. Restaurants and bars licensed to sell alcohol within the district are permitted to serve alcoholic beverages for consumption on the streets within the boundaries of the district.
🍿 IPIC at Colony Square: The IPIC movie theater and its Italian restaurant Serena Pastificio were spared from closing, at least temporarily. Atlanta News First reports the theater and restaurant will remain open as the company goes through the “court-supervised sale process” per the Chapter 11 bankruptcy agreement. After the sale, the fate of both is still unknown.
🍹 50 Best Bars: Global restaurant and bar guide 50 Best will announce the top 50 North American bars on April 22, which includes bars in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Earlier this month, we reported that Ticonderoga Club landed at number 85 in the back half of the ranking (51-100). Will any Georgia bars be in the top 50 this year?
👏 Spring reopens: After closing Spring for renovations earlier this year, Chef Brian So and Daniel Crawford announced that the refresh of the Michelin-starred restaurant was on hold and Spring had reopened for limited dinner service. However, it appears So and Crawford are exploring relocating the Marietta restaurant to another space nearby. For now, you can continue to dine at Spring’s original location on Mill Street. Stay tuned for updates.
🆕 Saints + Council in Dunwoody (paywall): Owner William Pitts will open a second location of the Colony Square restaurant and social club next year at Perimeter Mall.
🎹 Experience a magical night with Grammy Award Winner Jon Batiste and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra on Sat., April 25, at Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park. An unforgettable night under the stars awaits—secure your tickets now before they’re gone. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Recipe: Grilled Gulf Shrimp Toast
From Your 3rd Spot
🦐 This week, we’re sharing a recipe for grilled Gulf shrimp toast from Your 3rd Spot.
While the preparation is simple, the result has enough pomp to feel special enough for company or an al fresco meal on the patio. “The Calabrian chili butter sauce does the heavy lifting,” said Your 3rd Spot chef Juan Lopez.
➡️ Get double the Atlanta food and dining coverage with “Family Meal,” edited by Beth McKibben, on Tuesdays at 5 p.m., and “Side Dish,” edited by Sarra Sedghi, on Thursdays at noon. Subscribe to both here.
