Savoring Stories in Every Bite: A Rare & Unforgettable First Night at Maria ATL Buckhead!
If I was a food blogger (which I am not yet 😉 ) here’s what you could expect… In fact, I’ve probably NEVER shared the countless pictures and videos of the AMAZING, UNIQUE, and RARE places I’ve dined much less the one-of-a-kind food and drinks I’ve tried! Until NOW…
If you’ve never been to a multi-course food tasting event with your own private chef, and you’re a foodie then you’re missing out on something BIG! So BIG I decided to write a blog about it!
This whole event was a treat and test but also a delicious surprise! If I could give you an edible rose and a golden ticket for your taste buds this would be it! Think Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but on an EXCLUSIVE and LUXURIOUS Ride… Chef Trevor Shankman tells a story with his food and menu that will not only captivate you but have you CRAVING for more even after the last course! Don’t worry you’ll leave his table feeling full of flavor and love! Maybe even a new friend! Plus you can see the PASSION and CREATIVITY that this chef and entrepreneur has bursting out from the inside! Once you hear his story and taste his food, you’ll be ranting and raving too! Not to mention Trevor is only 22!
This was the first night of his Maria ATL Buckhead dining event in Atlanta Georgia!
On a side note: Even better we did it at our place to test out the space and location as a pilot test run since Trevor doesn’t usually come to the city unless it’s for a private event, these more “public” yet still very intimate tasting tables have to have a place to actually happen!
Plus there is so much that went down behind the scenes to make this event even happen! And more exciting things are brewing… or should I say that Cheffie is cooking up!
Welcome To Maria ATL Buckhead
Welcome,
I’m glad that you’ve found your way here today. Tonight you will go on a journey… an imperfect slightly chaotic, yet poetically nostalgic trek through my mind.
Forged through the loss of someone who I held so dear, my grandmother… Maria has taught me that maybe the universe makes sunsets so breathtaking to show us that there is beauty in things coming to an end…
To endure the pain of loss ignites a deeply engrained passion within us to relentlessly pursue that which we’re predestined.
I’ve learned through this journey that everyone has two lives and they begin living their second once they realize that they have just one…
Thank you for your continued support and please enjoy!
-Trevor
What’s On The Menu Maria ALT Buckhead (Night 1)
Maria (Buckhead)
October 2024
“nostalgia in sequence”
- Course 1: Birth… how it all began ..
- Course 2: … can you order for me…? Shy and meek…
- Course 3: Mischief, audacity and rebellion… the birds and the bees .
- Course 4: A tribute to my mother … Melissa… a little bit sweet. a little bit spicy..
- Course 5: A cycle of life … 13 hrs. of grief…
- Course 6: Never be so kind that you forget to be clever, and never be so clever that you forget to be kind…
- Course 7: Richie rich… future … dreamscape
- Course 8: Simplicity… in the spirit of Aya
What to expect…
In case you’re not sure what happens at a “Dinner Club” event — I promise you’ve never been to one like this! Let’s just say this event is something for all my Foodies!
One Thing You’ll Notice When You Walk In…
Is Chef Trevor Preparing, Cooking, and Plating the food! (The smells will instantly attract you)
First, expect @ChefTrevorShankman to explain each dish before diving in…
This menu had no descriptions of the dishes and it was a story for your taste buds to travel through Trevor’s chef mind plus how this “Maria” event ever happened! So he not only told you the story for each course, but he broke down the ingredients and how he cooked it.
Course 1: Birth… how it all began ..
Since the menu had no description I can’t tell you all the ingredients but I can describe them! Just by the looks of the dish you can imagine how this is the story of how it all begins.
At least I see things symbolic of a half moon maybe a baby with an egg yolk looking (but not) more like an autumn fall maybe pumpkin paste along with some bread crumbs and a little onion. Think stuffing mix for a turkey dressing at Thanksgiving. And then the dumpling on the other side — think of it having a harder outside coating and soft inside again like an egg or baby chick but a cooked matured one.
Again I don’t remember the story except that this is a resemblance of how it all began. And the way that you were supposed to eat this dish was with a little bit of the dark-cooked “ball” of goodness dipped into the flavors of fall in the bowl.
And if you think about it it’s almost like a forged relationship the two meet. Maybe Trevor and his Grandmother or even his mother his love for cooking this is where the story began and also started to become “intertwined” with the patterns weaving into his life…
Course 2: … can you order for me…? Shy and meek…
I don’t want to butcher the story for this dish, but what I will say from my memory is that Trevor told me he named it after his relationship as a kid and ordering in. Saying in his household they had very diverse taste buds growing up and that instead of cooking at home they would usually end up ordering take-out food to please everybody. So this dish was a play on “take out food”
This was a SEA Scallop with a creamy white sauce as the base. There were so many other things from gold to green onions, edible leaves, and dollops of tasty goodness all over the plate! I have never eaten a scallop before (neither had some of the others at the table) so all I can say is that it was very good. The flavors all paired very well together.
And I am NOT a fish person although I’m down to try almost anything good!
Course 3: Mischief, audacity and rebellion… the birds and the bees .
I have to be honest I don’t remember the story that came along with this dish! But, there was a gold theme as we carried on with the next course which was a piece of Cornbread covered with a strange but TASTY chicken stock clear pillow topper(think muffin top) covered in gold. The gravy on the side was so delicious and the perfect side for this little southern dish! If you’re from the South and enjoy cornbread you would love this!
Course 4: A tribute to my mother … Melissa… a little bit sweet. a little bit spicy..
I know this looks like poop on a platter, but I want you to think of it more as a painting representing Trevor’s relationship with his mother which has had its ups and downs. He said it was more of him throwing food on a plate to represent his feelings and emotional state at times over the years. Saying that his mother was Cuban both a little bit sweet and also spicy at times.
I kept referring to this as a plate of beans because that’s what it looked like to me. TBH looks can be deceiving as the taste of these Pine Nuts and some type of divine whipped creme dollop of goodness on the side was AMAZING! (yet very filling)
Course 5: A cycle of life … 13 hrs. of grief…
This dish was something I expected to be cooked for a long time just by the name itself. I was thinking slow-roasted BBQ or something similar. And while I can’t tell you exactly what this is I can describe it plus the taste of it!
Trevor had mentioned the name of this dish came from his “day of grief” and that the day his Grandmother passed away he spent 13 hours grieving in pain.
This dish was cooked for a long time think “Southern” deep dark and earthy. The inside was almost like a slow roasted pulled pork (but I’m pretty sure it was maybe Wagu Beef?) crusted and cooked in a hard outer shell of something else tasty!
The sauce that was used as a base was also very complimentary of the other flavors and it was garnished with some other things like edible flowers aka rose petals!
Course 6: Never be so kind that you forget to be clever, and never be so clever that you forget to be kind…
Let’s be honest on these last two dishes we were pressed for time, so they ended up being combined! But I had no complaints because, for my taste buds, it was still a tantalizing time! Plus dessert is my favorite part of every meal!
TBH I don’t remember the story for it 🤦♀️
Course 7: Richie rich… future … dreamscape
So courses 6 and 7 were a few different parts. The tin was filled with coconut ice cream and the dollop of what looks like poo was actually part of a deconstructed “REESE’S Peanut Butter Cup” type dish. So it was chocolate and peanut butter on the main dish. And if I remember the word coconut fat crossed my mind?! Let’s just say all the flavors were divine!
Course 8: Simplicity… in the spirit of Aya
The last dish was based on Trevor’s mother and that with her Cuban roots, she loved flan. If you asked me the rest of the story at course 8 I’d tell you that you’re too late!
The dish was severed a little different to Nvington than me (as you can see) — my little plate was cute, but not practical for eating. There was a ball of almond paste and a whipped mint topper to help be a final palate cleanser for this entire tasting!
The end (and a new beginning…)
And that was it the whole event! We talked with Trevor, laughed, and reflected on the evening!
One Last thing…
I wanted to say that Trevor told me as he cooked for his Grandmother until the day she finally passed away she had one last thing to say to him which was:
Don’t let your talents go to waste – Maria
After the first taste of anything Trevor touches you’ll know — he didn’t let them go to waste!
BIG Thanks to @ChefTrevorShankman for cooking + @NVington (from @EightHourEnergy via 8-hour energy patches) for providing the place and the parking!
Stay tuned for Maria ATL Buckhead Night 2 event deets! Coming soon… 🔜
🎟️ WANT TICKETS for Trevor’s next Tasting? Get the deets and GRAB A SEAT: www.MariaATL.Info
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🙋♀️ ABOUT ME:
If we haven’t officially met Hi, I’m Blogging Brandi, an EX-Corporate Kool-Aid Drinker, born to be blogger, Female Entrepreneur, and Digital Nomad who LOVES RV Living, since it keeps me close to Nature! All though you can catch me from time to time on an airplane, in a hotel, Airbnb, as I can WORK FROM ANYWHERE not just my RV. I’m also an all-natural, introverted, God Fearing, Rescue Dog + Cat Mom, but most importantly a Writer and Creator! Plus, you might not know I have a Finance Degree and am licensed in Master Cosmetology! I believe you can have many passions, create multiple streams of income, and don’t have to conform to the norm! Learn more ABOUT ME!
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