Ian Winslade Departs Murphy’s to Open His Own Restaurant

Chef Ian Winslade announced Wednesday he is opening his own West Coast-style restaurant Mission + Market in Buckhead this March. The restaurant will be located in the Three Alliance Center at the corner of Georgia 400 and Lenox Road.

Winslade departed his executive chef post at Murphy’s in Virginia-Highland after six years last weekend in order to focus his attention on Mission + Market.

“Working at Murphy’s was an amazing experience. It’s an institution in Atlanta,” he told Eater Atlanta by phone. “It’s just time to reinvent myself and move forward. Murphy’s will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Murphy’s owner Tom Murphy said he is “thrilled” for Winslade and is adding him to an impressive list of chefs who have worked for the restaurant over the years including Alon Balshan, Hector Santiago, Gerry Klaskala, Nick Oltarsh, Michael Tuohy, and Shaun Doty.

Winslade is working in partnership with local restaurateur Jonathan Akly to create the 5000-square-foot restaurant designed by Akly’s father, Tony, of Restaurant Consulting Groups, Inc. Mission + Market will include a bar and lounge area near the entrance, a large dining room for up to 100 guests, a 12-seat chef’s counter surrounding the kitchen, private event areas, and an expansive, wrap-around patio with city views. The kitchen will be featured prominently in the middle of the restaurant which Winslade calls the “heartbeat” of Mission + Market.

Murphy’s

Timeless interiors with touches of mid-century modern elements such as light blues, black leather, and antique brass furnishings will give the restaurant an “ageless ambiance”.

As for the menu, Winslade hopes to bring the cosmopolitan vibe of San Fransisco or the California wine country to Atlanta.

“I want the food at Mission + Market to be slightly elevated yet approachable with a little bit of that relaxed, West Coast style,” he said. “I want Mission + Market to eventually become a neighborhood institution, and that comes from also including dishes on the menu that are relevant and current.”

The beverage program will focus on classic cocktails and include a curated wine list with high-end and reserve bottle options.

Winslade brings with him to Mission + Market over 25 years of experience in some of the country’s top kitchens including La Bernardin in New York City, Opus in Los Angeles, and a handful of Atlanta’s former fine dining restaurants such as Bluepointe and chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market.

Mission + Market plans to open in March 2018 for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.

Three Alliance Center, 3550 Lenox Road NE, 
Atlanta.