Celebrity Chef Jonathan Waxman Is Coming to Ponce City Market

Another day, another big name added to the Ponce City Market lineup. Celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman, who previously ran the celebrated Chez Panisse in San Francisco, placed fourth out of 22 cheftestepants on Top Chef: Masters in 2010, and is launching restaurants across North America, will open an Italian restaurant in the development's Central Food Hall. Michael Phillips of Jamestown Properties, Ponce City Market's developer, confirmed the news in an interview with Atlanta Magazine.

Waxman first gained notoriety as chef at Alice Waters' celebrated Chez Panisse, hailed as the restaurant that put California cuisine on the map. Phillips told Atlanta the menu at Ponce City Market will feature "appetizers around $7 to $15, entrees $18 to $25. It's bistro pricing." The currently nameless restaurant will be adjacent to upscale kitchen shrine Williams-Sonoma. Hinting at what might come next for the market, Phillips noted that it doesn't have a steakhouse on board, and he might like to see something meat-centric on the roof.

Waxman's restaurant is the second Italian concept to join the lineup, following Bellina Alimentari. Dave Berry, formerly of Horseradish Grill, is on board as executive chef at that restaurant.

The majority of Ponce City Market's tenants will open this fall and into 2016. Although, PR for the development says Jia, the Sichuan concept from Tasty China's Dahe Yang and executive chef Jiguo Jiang, is on track to begin service later this month.