Mac's Anniversary Lookback
Take a bow, Brian and Jess.
What a night. What a restaurant.
Last week, Mac's Kitchen & Bar celebrated its one-year anniversary with a "Farm and Fire" night that contained everything you want in a Saturday night: a long table of friends, cozy lights strung through the trees, warm fire pits, Lon Eldridge on the guitar and, most of all:
Mac's food and drink.
Brian McDonald and Jess Revels are doing some of the most beautiful work we've encountered.
"Thank you for coming," they said.
We wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Mac's is true farm-to-table, with the night full of locally-sourced meat and produce – mostly from Bertus Vandermerwe of Big Sycamore Farms – that was so gorgeously good, I'd fall silent mid-bite, just ... savoring it all.
Bertus Vandermerwe, Big Sycamore Farms, Brian McDonald, Mac's Kitchen & Bar, Rossville, Ga.
McDonald grew up in Boston with family meals that had a healing, restful quality to them.
“You could lay down all of your burdens and dine together," he said in our fall feature. "You set down all your differences and your hard days and enjoy comfort food."
Pork belly, beets, Brian McDonald.
Revels was raised just a few blocks away from their McFarland Ave. restaurant, with "five generations of women alive when I was born," she said.
Together, they are creating something indescribably special.
The famous Mac's Kitchen cornbread
Mac's Kitchen & Bar "Farm and Fire" celebration, Rossville, Georgia.
Food as a Verb thanks Chattanooga Area Food Bank, our sustaining partner, for its generous work.
The Chattanooga Area Food Bank believes that no one should go hungry, and through our network of over 250 hunger-relief partners, we provide equitable access to food and resources to end hunger today and build pathways for a healthy, hunger-free future tomorrow.
Pickett's Trout with Crabtree Farms kale, "Farm and Fire"
Overhead, a flock of geese flew by and the spring wind blew as the stars came out. The fires grew warm, the conversation richer.
Over Pinot, our end of the table talked about the special and rare beauty that comes when folks find their calling, when work aligns with identity.
Spatchcock chicken, Mac's Kitchen & Bar, Rossville, Georgia.
Take a bow, Brian and Jess. What you're doing? It's a gift.
"There couldn't have been a more special way for Brian and me to celebrate making it a year," Jess said as the night ended.
Here's to many more.
Mac's "Farm and Fire" celebration, Erric Unger, Lon Eldridge, Radish Salad, FaaV Team, Rossville, Georgia
All photography by Sarah Unger (sarah@foodasaverb.com)
All design by Alex DeHart
All words by David Cook (david@foodasaverb.com)
Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities? Email us: david@foodasaverb.com and sarah@foodasaverb.com.
This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.
Food as a Verb thanks our sustaining partners for their generous support.
Female-and-locally owned, Divine Goods offers beautifully curated gifts for every occasion. Be divine and send someone special a Divine Goods gift - locally sourced when possible, and always thoughtful. For more than 25 years, Lupi's has served locally-sourced, creatively made and award-winningly delicious pizza pies from five nearby locations. Main Street Meats is a modern neighborhood butcher shop and restaurant in Chattanooga’s Southside deeply committed to animal care, local farms and land stewardship that promises an experience “as farm-to-table as it gets.” Tucker Build offers Chattanooga a commercial construction firm made up of design-build experts specializing in the planning, building and managing process. Niedlov's Bakery & Cafe, a Main St. anchor, has elevated our city's bakery experience to beautiful levels while strengthening community in immeasurable ways. Society of Work is a shared coworking space designed with business flexibility in mind and the resources to help like-minded people connect and create amazing things together. From private offices to 24/7 coworking memberships, we provide the space you need to get work done.
Regional Farmers' Markets
Regional Farmers' Markets
- Main St. Farmers' Market
Corner of W. 20th and Chestnut St., near Finley Stadium
Wednesday, 4 - 6pm
- Brainerd Farmers' Market
Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave, Chattanooga, TN
Saturday, 10am - noon
- Chattanooga Market
1820 Carter Street, Sunday, 11am - 4pm
- Fresh Mess Market
Harton Park, Monteagle, TN. (Rain location: Monteagle Fire Hall.)
Every Thursday, 3pm - 6pm, beg. June 6 - Oct. 3
- Ooltewah Farmers' Market
The Ooltewah Nursery, Thursday, 3 - 6pm
Pre-order online for Thursday pick-up between 4 - 6pm at Bachman Community Center
- South Cumberland Farmers’ Market
Sewanee Community Center (behind the Sewanee Market on Ball Park Rd.) Tuesdays from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m. (central.) Order online by Monday 10 am (central.)
- St. Albans Farmers' Market
7514 Hixson Pike, Saturday, 9.30am - 12.30pm with a free pancake breakfast every third Saturday
- Walker County Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 2 - 5 pm, Rock Spring Ag. Center
Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm, downtown Lafayette, Georgia
To include your farmers market, email david@foodasaverb.com