Little Bacch Chef Joe Schafer Is Taking Over the Bacchanalia Kitchen

Having received numerous accolades this year for his work as executive chef at Little Bacch at Westside Provisions District, Joe Schafer is taking on an expended role in Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison's restaurant group. Schafer will add the role of Bacchanalia executive chef to his resume, according to an announcement from Star Provisions Concepts, taking over for David A. Carson.

Carson isn't leaving the company. He's moving into the newly created role of executive chef of operations for Star Provisions. After opening two new restaurants this year — Little Bacch and Dub's Fish Camp at Ponce City Market — Quatrano felt the need to have someone "responsible for all culinary inter-workings, tying all of the concept elements together, and developing new ideas including catering offerings."

"We are fortunate to have such a talented and collaborative team across all our concepts," Quatrano said in a prepared statement. "Our established and uber capable chef de Cuisine Jonathan Kallini with the support of our sous chefs Brian Wolfe, Evelyn Ling, and David de la Cruz who are very much in synch with our philosophy, standards and mission, the transition should be seamless."

One of Shafer's first moves at Baccanalia is to add a steakhouse dinner option to the prix fixe menu. It features a Summerland Farm salad course, Bacchanalia crab fritter, dry-aged steak and potato entree, and chocolate soufflé for dessert.

"Of course I'm humbled to be a part of the team at Bacchanalia, in addition to Little Bacch," Schafer said. "We will always retain the standards for excellence put forth by Anne and Clifford, and I'm eager to remind Atlanta that Bacchanalia isn't just an option for a special occasion — it's just a great meal for a night out, any night of the week."