Atlanta-Based Restaurant Group Names Company

Submitted by Southern Proper Hospitality

More than a decade after their first restaurant and bar success of East Andrews Café in 2002, the gentlemen behind many of Buckhead’s most popular restaurants are introducing their own restaurant group, Southern Proper Hospitality. The concepts range from chef-driven barbecue to farm-to-table gourmet to rustic-yet-healthy Italian, all tied together by a mission to help shape the cultural fabric of Atlanta by creating distinct dining experiences that appeal to customers’ sense of adventure.

“We want to make our restaurants very experiential, almost like a short-term escape,” said Chris Hadermann, one of the three principals of Southern Proper Hospitality, along with John “JP” Piemonte and Mike Evertsen. “We’ve found success in creating exceptional restaurants that are centered around the entirety of the customer experience. Of course, the food has to be good, that’s a given. But time and attention for us is put equally into impressive design, an energetic atmosphere, and genuinely hospitable service with an attention to detail that really delivers to the overall idea in every aspect.”

After launching many successful consumer-driven restaurants including the award-winning, casual Gulf Coast-inspired The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead and Crabapple’s Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails (a Jezebel Top 100 for 2013, OpenTable Top 50 American Dining Restaurants in the United States and TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner 2013), and recent openings like Osteria Cibo Rustico in Toco Hills and Smokebelly in Buckhead, the group is formalizing their privately held company and adding two more restaurants to the group this year. At the helm of the company’s day to day operations is Guido Piccinni, chief operating officer, who previously worked at fine dining restaurant Pricci, the acclaimed Five Diamond Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Cresta & Duc in Italy.

“So far, each Southern Proper project has been one of a kind, and gets our utmost time, creativity and attention in trying to make each feel unique and with its own one-of-a-kind character,” said Piemonte. “While our focus is not necessarily to expand each individual concept, we do look for opportunities where one of them might truly fill a niche in a particular community or market, at which point we would then look to expand.”

One of the new concepts, Gypsy Kitchen, planned for a September 2014 launch, will be a 6,000 square foot indoor and outdoor baroque-style space with live entertainment offering Spanish-style raciones and other cuisine heavily influenced by the regions of Southern Spain, Morocco, India and the Mediterranean. The Southern Gentleman, which is also slated for a September 2014 opening, will be the group’s take on a Southern-inspired gastropub with rustic, farm-to-table fare, Southern fusion influences, and a focus on shared plates. The 3,800 square foot indoor and outdoor space will feature old-school classic décor and modern riffs on Southern style, like seersucker window drapings. Both Gypsy Kitchen and the Southern Gentleman will be in the new Buckhead Atlanta development by Oliver McMillan.

“We are a very entrepreneurial organization that values innovation and creativity, attention to detail and management from industry professionals with serious depth of skill in each concept. We see Southern Proper as our restaurant collection,” Hadermann continued. “What’s exciting for us is having this opportunity in Atlanta to deliver what locals want. Ultimately, we want to create future ‘institutions’ in the restaurant industry. It’s not about being trendy or flashy; we’re creating establishments that are timeless and personable so that we can turn customers into loyal, lifetime guests.”