Linton Hopkins is the owner and Executive Chef of Restaurant Eugene [1], named by Atlanta Magazine as one of the city’s “Top Ten Restaurants”. An Atlanta native, Linton studied Anthropology at Emory University and hoped to follow his father into the medical profession. After graduation, Linton was working in a bookstore when he started reading cookbooks to pass the time. These books brought back memories of Hopkins’ grandfather, Eugene Holeman. Inspiration for the restaurant came from Holeman – as well as was conceived from generations of food lovers, cooks, canners, and eaters in the Hopkins and Holton families. Holeman enjoyed beaten biscuits, the art of preserving fruits and the romance of making his own salad dressing from the family garden. Linton shared his grandfather’s enthusiasm for all things Southern, fresh, and flavorful – and respect for the farmers and producers who brought their foodstuffs to the table. This connection to the land and community is exemplified in Chef Hopkins’ support and involvement with the Slow Food Movement, the Southern Foodways Alliance, and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum [2].
Experience[]
Linton graduated the Culinary Institute of America in 1993, where his studies led him to a prestigious externship with Mr. B's Bistro, of the renowned Brennan family restaurant group in New Orleans. Upon graduating, Hopkins worked as a banquet cook and later as saucier for The Grill Room of the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. He then transitioned to Washington's D.C. Coast restaurant, where he rapidly moved up the chain of command, becoming Chef de Cuisine after only four years. In this position, Hopkins' creative freedom allowed him to develop new creations that often reflected his southern roots. He is now Executive Chef and Owner of Restaurant Eugene, which now stands as an amalgamation of his past experience and continued culinary innovation.