Southern Comfort: Black Female Chefs, Mixologists Featured at Atlanta Food & Wine Fest

Tiffanie Barriere has not missed an Atlanta Food & Wine Festival since the Southern Cuisine celebration began.

As she recalls it, Todd Richards and Duane Nutter, two of the South’s premiere chefs and members of AFWF’s advisory board, suggested she attend the festival as it was getting its start. She was, at the time, building a name and reputation for herself as a mixologist.

“They changed the game for me,” she told NBCBLK on patio of the Loews Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. “I was just a nerd who wanted to be something and here they were, chefs who at one time wanted to be something like I wanted to be something, providing an opportunity for me.”

Seven years later, the Avion Tequila brand ambassador, is one of few African American woman mixologist. Oh yeah, and she identifies as a lesbian cocktail nerd.

Being one of a few Black woman presenting as part of the festival’s weekend programming is, in a lot of ways, still surreal for her.

“During this one weekend I am a personality. I come into this place and put out a lot of energy,” she said. “It is easy to feel out of place, being one of few black women mixologists in general in the food and wine industry. When I get here I am a personality. But I also get my nourishment because I am surrounded by other food and beverage enthusiasts.”

AFWF is more than simply four-days of programming, sessions, tastings and partying spread throughout Midtown Atlanta during early June.

The festival also provides an opportunity to showcase the vast culinary talent in …

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