DeKalb County Showcases Diversity at Inaugural Dine and DeKalb Event

Food from Sweet Potato Cafe. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

*Chef Tiffinee McGilbery of Especially Yours Catering. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice*

From the heart of downtown Atlanta to the surrounding metropolitan areas and counties, every corner of the city offers diverse culinary experiences that suit every palate. Some of these most unique and diverse experiences take place in DeKalb County, a mantle marked by corridors such as Buford Highway, which takes locals and visitors on a culinary journey around the world without ever leaving Georgia .

Discover DeKalb, DeKalb County’s marketing organization, hosted its inaugural Dine and DeKalb event Thursday to highlight that diversity in neighborhoods including Doraville, Chamblee, Tucker, Stone Mountain and Stonecrest. The event was an opportunity to spotlight county businesses and for DeKalb chefs and small business owners to showcase their dishes and promote their businesses.

It featured businesses from Kamayan ATL in Doraville, a Filipino restaurant that has received James Beard Award and Michelin Guide accolades, to the Spice & Sky Hotel in Chamblee, which has a bar and restaurant on the roof.

For personal chef and caterer Tiffinee McGilberry, it was an honor to be invited to the event. McGilberry, based in Stonecrest, owns Especially Yours Cuisine and sells gourmet popcorn at the city’s New Black Wall Street Market.

“It was a great opportunity for me to get more exposure and networking,” McGilberry said.

Chef Karen Patton of Sweet Potato Cafe (above in green). Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Sweet Potato Cafe has been serving DeKalb County for 12 years, just minutes from Stone Mountain Park. Chef Karen Patton and her husband own the farm-to-table restaurant, which features Southern dishes such as creamed collard greens, sweet potato soufflé, sweet potato marmalade, cornbread and pulled pork.

“It’s nice to have something like this outside of downtown because that way people know us and see us,” Patton said. “I always feel like downtown restaurants get most of the publicity. I think something like this is really beneficial because it helps us.

This sense of appreciation was evident throughout the event, with organizers and partners emphasizing the importance of DeKalb County to the cultural makeup of Atlanta and how it creates community through its history, its gastronomy and attractions.

“I love it,” Chef Isaac Foster, owner of Isaac’s Gourmet Catering, said of the event’s mission. “I don’t think many people know that Dekalb County has a multicultural diversity of restaurants that can be found from all over the world. And it was interesting that we had that in this area.

Chef Isaac Foster, owner (above) of Isaac’s Gourmet Catering at Dine and DeKalb. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Adesola Sokunbi, Hospitality and Consulting Manager, is the owner of Dishful Thinking, a catering service specializing in event catering, family meals, meal preparation and diet plans. Their initiative, Boxes for Better, ensures that profits from the restaurant will be used to support the culinary education of youth from underrepresented communities.

Sokunbi said DeKalb holds a special place in his heart.

“Atlanta has a lot of outreach, but you have to understand the size of DeKalb County, the size of its larger region and the variety of food types,” Sokunbi said. “We love our city, but it’s not within the boundaries of Atlanta, and so people need to understand that when you delve into all things culinary, there’s a lot to offer outside of the city.”

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