June 2025 archive

Birmingham Chef Frank Stitt is focus of new art and photo exhibit

By Chanda Temple

Some chefs make meals. Frank Stitt made a movement.

For more than four decades, Stitt has been a quiet force behind Birmingham’s rise as a culinary destination. Long before the awards, the cookbooks, and the national attention, there was just a man in a kitchen, committed to honoring local farmers, Southern heritage, and the belief that a great meal can change everything.

Because of the role he’s played in the city’s food scene, local artist and photographer Arden Upton has created an exhibit in his honor. The exhibit is on display at Birmingham City Hall on the second floor near the elevated crosswalk as part of Birmingham Restaurant Week, which will take place July 17 – 26. The exhibit, which is the first time Birmingham Restaurant Week has had such a showcase, will remain up into August.

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Homewood’s Ironwood Kitchen Launches New Menu That Redefines Southern Comfort

By Chanda Temple

Last night, Ironwood Kitchen and Cocktails in Homewood, AL did something special.

They debuted a brand-new menu by Executive Chef Kirstyn Bielawa, who is giving Southern hospitality a whole new flavor.

Upon my arrival, I was escorted to the patio, where I sat under a golden Alabama sky and watched a firepit flicker and a guitarist strum familiar tunes. As a breeze settled in, servers began floating through with trays filled with Gulf oysters, shrimp cocktail, candied bacon, and corn and cheddar fritters crowned with tomato jam and roasted corn.

Now, here’s a confession: this was my first time trying a raw oyster straight from the shell. I’ve had them fried, and even charbroiled. But raw? Never. I stared at it, unsure of my next move, until a kind stranger leaned over and said, “Just swallow it.” So I did. And I’d do it again because those oysters? They deserve a standing ovation. (See photo below.)

Then came The Hanger, which is a smoky candied bacon coated in chipotle brown sugar, presented dangling from a wooden stand. Before it even made it to my plate, a server hit the bacon with a flame. Fire or no fire, that oh-so-pretty piece of pork didn’t last long. To this day, I still think about it. Yum!

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