Chef owner, Georges Martin and his wife, Tammy opened Emil’s in December of 2001. Georges, a native of France, creates dishes inspired by his roots and heritage but honed through his culinary experiences that span all cultural and social boundaries. Chef Georges specializes in fresh food prepared honestly with finesse and consistency. From the southern boneless fried chicken breast with milk gravy to the more French inspired Chicken Daniel or PEI mussels prepared in a delectable white wine and garlic broth, Georges and Sous Chef, Mason Heath, prepare each dish with sophistication.
Situated in a renovated 1905 home, Georges and Tammy completed an extensive remodeling project in March of 2012. In addition to rebuilding the kitchen, the couple added a beautiful custom-built bar and lounge which has been well received by our local and visiting customers. The ambiance of the bar together with our always improving assortment of craft cocktails prepared by our friendly bartenders, makes the lounge a frequently requested spot. Additionally, each of the four quaint dining rooms offer a unique look and feel appropriate for romantic dinners for two or for business or family dining.
Chef Georges Martin was born and raised in Lyon, France, the gastronomique capital of the world. Following in his father’s footsteps, Georges embarked on a career in cooking after attending the L’Ecole Hoteliere de Thonon Les Bains on the border of Lake Geneva.
Upon completion of his apprenticeship at L’Hotel Bellevue in the Normandie region of France, Georges set his sights on joining his father who had settled in the U.S. Landing his first position in an all French kitchen at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta, he quickly learned that to excel his career he would have to expand his English.
He soon transitioned to the Stouffer’s Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, where he was quickly promoted to Chef Tournant. After elevating through numerous positions at top Atlanta restaurants, such as Buckhead Life Group ‘s 103 West and Pano’s and Paul, and having served as Executive Chef at Chef ‘s Cafe in Buckhead, Georges was recruited by Tom and Ann Cousins to launch the newly remodeled and reestablished East Lake Golf Club.
In 2001, after six privileged years as the Executive Chef at East Lake, serving Atlanta’s top corporate executives and famed golfers and their families, Georges moved to Tennessee with his wife and children for the opportunity to be closer to his wife’s parents and to open his own restaurant.
Since then, Georges has unleashed his creativity to bring a culinary experience to Middle Tennessee that many of our patrons say exceed the expectations they have of a big city restaurant.
