Even when this site was on hold for the last few years, I’ve kept up on news from the strangers I met. And today’s update is about the last interview before pausing Dining With Strangers due to the pandemic and other things.
Deborah VanTrece, the 130th stranger I dined with, is the chef and owner of the Atlanta restaurant Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours. She’s on a quest to reinvent soul food, taking her experience traveling the world as a flight attendant and experiencing different cultures to inform her venue’s dishes. In February 2020, she talked with me about how she prioritizes the use of fresh and healthy ingredients with her creative take on what soul food means.
In great news, the 2024 Michelin Guide to Atlanta released in late October includes Deborah’s restaurant for the second year in a row, as noted in an article by Rough Draft Atlanta.
“Grab a seat at the bar, a free-standing table or slide into one of the banquettes for a taste of local chef Deborah VanTrece’s Southern and soul food. Just don’t expect your grandmama’s cooking. Instead, Southern staples are showcased in unique ways,” says the Michelin Guide entry for Twisted Soul.