Kevin Gillespie’s New Atlanta Restaurant, Nàdair, Is His Most Personal Yet – Garden & Gun

In Scottish Gaelic, Dòigh Nàdair translates to “the way of nature”. Chef Kevin Gillespie’s Nàdair, opening later this month, seeks to honor that phrase. It begins with the restaurant’s location on the edge of Atlanta’s Zonolite Park, an urban area of ​​old-growth forests and streamside trails, and ends with Gillespie’s use of local produce and return in the kitchen over an open fire.

Photo: Ed Carter

Chef Kevin Gillespie.

The inspiration for Nàdair (pronounced nuh-DARE) first came to him after he opened Gunshow, a bustling spot known for its bar cart service, almost eleven years ago. Gillespie, who previously owned the now-closed Woodfire Grill, realized how much he missed wood-fired cooking. It was only when the former home of Anne QuatranoThe Floataway Cafe became available about two years ago, when the idea really took shape, and the once blue-gray space has since transformed into something that reflects Gillespie’s Scottish heritage and his doubles love for the South and Maine (where he spent about half his life). year).

The opening of Nàdair marks a milestone for Gillespie: “I haven’t been a full-time chef anywhere since the cancer diagnosis,” he says. (Gillespie underwent surgery for kidney cancer in 2018.) Once he decided to run the kitchen, the restaurant became more personal, and now every inch, from design to menu, connects to him. Here’s a look inside.

The restaurant’s custom carpet is inspired by the regimental tartan worn by Gillespie’s great-grandfather. “I still have his kilt from World War I that he fought in, and that’s what he became,” Gillespie says of the blue and green plaid. He sent photos of the kilt to a factory in Scotland, which reproduced the design as a rug.

“It may sound silly, but my favorite color is green,” says Gillespie, who knew he wanted to incorporate the hue throughout the restaurant. He opted for a deep green-blue called Tarrytown Green by Benjamin Moore for the walls and paneling which highlight the tartan carpet as well as the green setting in front of the bay windows.

Speaking of green, Gillespie hopes to win a Michelin Green Star, which recognizes a restaurant that is making strides in sustainable practices. “It’s not just what we serve food-wise,” Gillespie says. “It’s also a question of choice so as not to throw things away. So reusing and recycling items was another important element for us. This included reusing banquettes from the previous tenant, using tables made from recycled wood pulp, and incorporating vintage and antique furniture and silverware (including family heirlooms).

Gillespie plans to offer a six-course tasting menu and a three-course prix fixe option with dishes like pan-roasted diver scallops with black pudding, crushed peas and Scottish cheese balls with gravy. ash-roasted Vidalia onion.

When guests enter the restaurant, they enter a beautiful bar area. This first-come, first-served bar offers limited seating and an a la carte menu of Scottish pub fare such as meat pies and bacon sandwiches.

“Whiskey plays a pretty big role here,” Gillespie says of his bar’s stock. “I have a very large collection of whiskey from Scotland, and we are bringing some of that alongside others that we have acquired specifically for (Nàdair).”

When Gillespie’s father, a former special forces operator, died, Gillespie found a box containing his ammunition. “I decided the world didn’t really need more bullets, so I melted them down and made them into something beautiful,” he says. The result was the sign that welcomes visitors at the door.