Gary Mennie Executive Chef

Sure, Chef Gary Mennie likes food, but he loves possibilities, the promise of, say, locally raised lamb or fresh Swiss chard. Chef Gary is a passionate innovator who's adamant that food be flavorful. It's a passion he developed growing up in rural Pennsylvania enjoying homegrown vegetables and eating out frequently with parents who made a point of encouraging their kids to try new tastes.

By 15, Gary Mennie knew he wanted to cook, and he became familiar with life in a kitchen—like many great chefs—by washing dishes. He soon got a formal education at the renowned Culinary Institute of America then continued his classical training by studying under French master chef, Maxime Ribera, at Maxime's in New York.

Soon, however, the young chef went west to train under another French master at West Hollywood's five-star legend, L'Orangerie. In California, the trend that would become known as farm-to-table was budding, and young Mennie signed on for an intense stint at the iconic Spago, under Wolfgang Puck. Using a wood-burning oven changed Gary's thinking and his cooking style; he began to follow a whole new set of culinary rules that stressed local products and simple preparation.

Another impromptu move, this time to the east, and Chef Gary found a place in the kitchen of Gunter Seeger at the Mobil Five-Star Ritz Carlton Buckhead where he continued to refine his personal style. When his true Atlanta debut came in 1995 he was ready. Atlanta visionary, Chef Gerry Klaskala, handpicked Chef Gary to lead the culinary team at Canoe.

During his ten-years at the restaurant, Canoe gained Mobil Four-Star status, which catapulted Chef Gary—as one of the youngest chefs in America to receive this award—into regional stardom himself. Taurus, Chef Gary's solo venture, a new American Chophouse, came next.

Like Livingston itself, Chef Gary's innovative American cuisine celebrates the Atlanta of today and yesterday. At Livingston, his cooking bursts with surprising, sexy, savory flavors. Chef Gary admits that as a thirteen-year-old he had a penchant for surf and turf. His palate has developed well beyond that childhood favorite, but the thrill he felt whenever his family forewent a home-cooked meal for a new dining experience still fuels Chef Gary's desire to deliver fresh excitement to his guests at Livingston, night after night.