Long before Steve Nygren was recognized by the Georgia Restaurant Association with it 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award, he was a pioneer in Atlanta’s restaurant industry. He first opened The Pleasant Peasant in 1973, the city’s first fine dining restaurant that was casual enough you didn’t need to make a reservation, and it changed Atlanta’s dining landscape forever. He eventually grew the restaurant group to multiple concepts, including The Public House in Roswell and Mick’s, across 34 restaurants in eight states before retiring from the restaurant life in 1994.
Today, Nygren is the founder and CEO of the biophilic community Serenbe south of Atlanta. Founded in 2004, it’s a community that is threaded with nature, from its 25-acre organic farm and edible landscaping throughout to the outdoor performance space. It’s also home to five restaurants and countless other food and wellness businesses.
Major take-aways from your years in the hospitality industry?
You are only as good as your last meal served.
How do you feel the hospitality industry has changed since 2013?
Hospitality operations are more diverse and innovative, partnering in many cases with the growers, creating an emphasis on fresh and local. The post-pandemic period has expanded the acceptance of sidewalk cafes, with many cities converting and now leaving the cafe seating that was crafted out of street parking spaces.
More Restaurateurs Featured on Restaurant Informer’s Cover
(click the image below)
