If the phrase ‘bottomless mimosas’ can snag your attention in a loud, crowded room, you’ve probably heard about the brunch buffet at The Chattanoogan’s Broad Street Grille.
Over the years, the hotel’s main restaurant has acquired quite the loyal brunch following, and it’s easy to see why. It’s the kind of brunch spot you can take your girlfriends after a crazy bachelorette party or your grandma who’s visiting for the weekend—though we don’t recommend combining the two (unless G-Ma’s down to party, then by all means…).
Though the Chattanoogan has been a local staple for years, this spring, they named a new executive chef, Tanner Marino.
Chef Marino has worked as a professional chef for the past 12 years, most recently as the banquet chef at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, N.C., a five-diamond and five-star property. He developed his love of cooking as a teenager, preparing meals with his mother while they enjoyed quality time together in the kitchen.
Upon news that Chef Marino had recently launched an updated brunch menu, I knew it was time for a return visit to The Chattanoogan.
Our Visit
Before digging into the colossal buffet of brunch deliciousness, we sat down to chat with Chef Marino and asked him what foods we absolutely needed to try.
“Fried chicken,” he said without missing a beat. “The fried chicken is amazing.”
In addition to the fried chicken, he mentioned the Frittata, made with Boursin cheese and tomatoes; the seasonal salads and vegetables, which are ornately displayed along the side of the buffet; the plates of freshly prepared pulled BBQ pork nachos drizzled in queso (often by Chef Marino himself, as pictured in the first photo); and, my personal favorite, the “super delicious” pimento bacon mac and cheese.
So, basically, it’s all yummy. And that’s without mentioning the dessert table—a sweet sight for sore eyes, indeed.
According to the chef, brunch is an exciting menu to serve because of the culinary creativity it allows. “We have a really stable breakfast crowd that come for the staples, so brunch builds on that and adds some pizzazz—like chicken and waffles,” Chef Marino said. “You can get savory and sweet.”
While he enjoys the “flexibility to not just be stuck to one thing” and the culinary creativity of weekly menu tweaks, he is careful to balance his desire to push the “cuisine forward” with a simultaneous focus on perfecting the breakfast classics—you know, eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, etc.—that The Chattanoogan is known for.
“The first time I changed the menu for brunch, I had a little kickback because we shortened it down a little just to emphasize some of the dishes. And a lot of people, while we were walking around the tables, were like, ‘Oh, we miss this this,” or ‘We miss that,’ and ‘Can you bring this back?’” Chef Marino said. “So it’s been a growing maturation between our desire to improve on things and our customers’ desire for consistency in the menu.”
Along with new food items, he has adjusted the layout for a more interactive flow, an effort he has furthered by an increase in made-to-order stations.
Additionally, they now have a Bloody Mary bar, where you can decorate your own Bloody for only $5. (That is, of course, in addition to the unlimited mimosas that already come complimentary with your meal).
After Chef Marino returned to the kitchen, my fiancé and I finally began our feast. We left the hotel full—full and happy (and a tad buzzed). The perfect segue to that lazy Sunday afternoon catnap.
Check it out yourself, and let us know your thoughts!
Leave a Reply