February 2026 archive

Velvet & Vine’s Hassan Gooden wants to bring a new kind of Sunday dinner to Birmingham

By Chanda Temple

Hassan Gooden takes one bite of his three-layer seafood lasagna and jumps up and down like he’s struck gold.

In a way, he has. As the executive chef of Velvet & Vine BHM, a new restaurant slated to open in downtown Birmingham in March, he’s been testing recipes to get them just right before opening day.

On a recent Tuesday morning, he’s already cooked one lasagna full of shrimp, crawfish, fish stock, and a blend of Gouda, aged cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano, placed in between his homemade lasagna pasta sheets. Fresh out the oven, the lasagna continues to bubble. Hassan takes a spoon and cracks the slight crust of cheese topping dotted with fresh parsley, thyme and rosemary.

The seafood lasagna. (Photo by Chanda Temple)
The seafood lasagna by Hassan Gooden. (Photo by Chanda Temple)

He scoops out a serving, tries it and smiles. It’s good.

But in his mind, Hassan wonders if it can be better. He whips up another version and leaves it in the oven just a little while longer. The extra cooking time makes all the difference.

The flavor is even more deep and robust.

“This is it!” he exclaims while wearing an apron dusted in his rolling pin flour power. “This one was better than the first.”

As a youth, Hassan Gooden wanted to be an OB/GYN. But after growing his talents in restaurant kitchens, he found a different kind of delivery to make people happy. "For me, cooking is the only thing that matters,'' he said. (Photo from Hassan Gooden)
As a youth, Hassan Gooden wanted to be an OB/GYN. But after growing his talents in restaurant kitchens, he found a different kind of delivery to make people happy. “For me, cooking is the only thing that matters,” he said. (Photo from Hassan Gooden)

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Birmingham’s On a Bun celebrates flavor, community and Crystal Peterson’s creative touch

By Chanda Temple

Crystal Peterson gets it.

Layoffs. Rising food prices. Unexpected expenses. They all came in like a fury the last few months of 2025, leaving wallets stretched for many. And as 2026 continues to unfurl, money remains tight.

To help ease the pain of what to eat for just one meal, Crystal Peterson, owner of On a Bun in downtown Birmingham, will give away 200 free hamburger and cheeseburger meals on Monday, Feb. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. She’s also partnering with a non-profit organization to distribute 100 additional hamburger and cheeseburger meals to the unhoused in Birmingham.

“We want to care about the citizens just as much as anybody should,” she said. “Sometimes, you have to step in and be that person. It’s called good will.”

“We just hope that this one meal can maybe make your Monday.”

The plain cheeseburger from On A Bun. (Photo by Chanda Temple)
The plain cheeseburger from On A Bun. (Photo by Chanda Temple)

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How Jennifer Smith lost weight by focusing on food first

By Chanda Temple

When Jennifer Smith’s best friend asked her to be in her 2001 wedding, Jennifer accepted.

But deep down, what Jennifer couldn’t accept was anyone knowing her true size: 18/20. Since the other women in the wedding were under a size 6, Jennifer ordered a size 12. She figured her dress order wasn’t a “lie” because she had five months to become that size 12.

She didn’t make it.

At one point in Jennifer Smith's life, she weighed nearly 280 pounds. She never thought it was a problem until she couldn't fit into a dress for her best friend's wedding. (Photo provided by Jennifer Smith.)
At one point in Jennifer Smith’s life, she weighed nearly 280 pounds. She never thought it was a problem until she couldn’t fit into a dress for her best friend’s wedding. (Photo provided by Jennifer Smith.)

The week of the wedding, a seamstress had to add an extra panel to the back to make it fit. And even though the alterations worked, the experience forced a then 24-year-old Jennifer to get serious about her weight, which had fluctuated since she was a child.

“More than anything, I was embarrassed,” Jennifer said. “And I just got tired of being sick and tired.”

First, she started walking in her neighborhood. Then, she tried fad diet after fad diet. The weight went up and down until she finally reached a size 22/24.

Today at age 48, Jennifer Smith weighs 160 pounds, a weight she achieved by remaining consistent with exercise and her diet. (Photo provided by Jennifer Smith)
Today at age 48, Jennifer Smith weighs 160 pounds, a weight she achieved by remaining consistent with exercise and her diet. She’s a certified trainer now doing public speaking engagements about her weight loss.(Photo provided by Jennifer Smith)

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Kathy G is back! Birmingham, come hungry

By Chanda Temple

As Jason Mezrano worked in the kitchen at the Birmingham Museum of Art earlier this month, everything felt familiar to him.

Real familiar.

The chocolate torte from the new cafe at the Birmingham Museum of Art. (Photo by Chanda Temple)
The flourless chocolate torte from the new Cafe BMA by Kathy G at the Birmingham Museum of Art. (Photo by Chanda Temple)

He’s part of Kathy G. & Company, which once used to run the café at the museum. The company’s museum café closed more than 12 years ago. But this month, the company returned to run the cafe again, which is now called Café BMA by Kathy G. Within one hour of its soft opening, people were at tables, ordering house salads, angus beef burgers, chicken salad, quiche and more.

“It’s an honor to come back. I feel at home at the Museum of Art,’’ said Jason, executive chef. “We are so glad to be here.’’

Jason Mezrano (Photo by Chanda Temple)
Jason Mezrano (Photo by Chanda Temple)

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A national nod meets a normal day for LaFete Chef Kristen Farmer Hall

By Chanda Temple

On Jan. 21, 2026, it didn’t take long for word to spread that Kristen Farmer Hall of the La Fete French bistro in downtown Birmingham had been named a James Beard Award semfinalist for Best Chef in the South.  

Her DMs, text messages and voicemails were full of celebrations about her shot at receiving the highest honor in the food industry. Finalists will be named on March 31, and the winners will be announced on June 15 at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony in Chicago. 

The Steak Frites from La Fete. (Photo by Caleb Chauncy)
The Steak Frites from La Fete. (Photo by Caleb Chauncey)

“It’s been a wonderful day for me, for La Fete and our city because of all the other nominations,” said Kristen, who is one of five Birmingham chefs/professionals/restaurants named as a semifinalist. Such news came two months after LaFete and 10  Birmingham restaurants/chefs were named in the MICHELIN Guide’s first-ever MICHELIN Guide to the American South. (La Fete made MICHELIN Guide’s Bib Gourmand List, which recognizes restaurants for “good quality, good value cooking.”)

“So, Birmingham continues to crush,” she said. “It’s been a big year.” 

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