Honeysuckle by Hamilton Johnson

Step into a world of dining that spans cultures, an alchemy of flavors and textures that blend southern comfort food with Scandinavian riffs: that's what Chef Hamilton Johnson's creations are made of. Growing up in rural South Carolina, Hamilton was exposed to the rustic classics of southern comfort food thanks to influence from his mother. As a child, Hamilton would watch his mother experiment with recipes she saw on television. "I would help my parents cook a lot," he said. As a result, his
palette was primed at a young age.

After his time at Johnson and Wales University, Chef Hamilton moved up to Washington D.C. to cut his teeth at Vidalia, where he was a cook for over seven years
under Chef Buben.

Chef Hamilton came in second two years in a row. at the world-acclaimed Reykjavik-based Food and Fun Festival, once in Iceland in 2016 and previously in Finland in 2015.

In his latest menu, meringue makes a regular appearance across all courses, from start to finish. He also incorporates ingredients like sea buckthorn, a bright orange tart berry that grows inside the arctic circle and Cloud berries. "All the components of the plate should have different flavors like salty and sweet, so it all kind of melts together. Each bite is a little more different than the one before," explained Hamilton.

But then again, who knows what will be added this time. After all, his decisions are closely led to seasonal offerings.