Internationally acclaimed chefs Ari Taymor and Michele Minchillo chart their next course in Savannah with their pedigrees and philosophies in tow.
Written by Kiki Dy
As a port city, Savannah’s culture, cuisine, and curiosities have always been shaped by new arrivals. Our restaurant scene increasingly reflects that exchange.
This year alone, diners have tucked into hearth-fired whole snapper at Fishbar (2026 Winner, Best New Restaurant), caviar and country pâté from James Beard Award-winning chef Jacques Larson at Lester’s, and Colombian sancocho at Palo Quemao.
That banner stretch of openings has shifted the conversation. It’s no longer simply whether ambitious restaurants can succeed here but what kind of chefs Savannah can attract. Here, we speak to two tenured culinarians new to town about their restaurants, résumés, and growing affinities for the Hostess City.
Chef Ari Taymor // Photo courtesy Thompson Savannah
Ari Taymor
Executive chef, Thompson Savannah
Ari Taymor doesn’t describe himself as self-taught — he’s “restaurant taught.” After graduating with a degree in international affairs, Taymor briefly tried a desk job before abandoning it for professional kitchens. At 25, he opened Alma in Los Angeles, earning national acclaim, a Food & Wine Best New Chef honor, and recognition from the James Beard Foundation. His career since has been, in his words, “very nomadic,” leading him through California, Mexico, and Miami before bringing him — and his young, nature-loving family — to Savannah this year. At Thompson Savannah, he leads the team overseeing dining at Fleeting, Stevedore Bakery, Bar by Fleeting, and Bar Julian (2026 Winner, Best Nonalcoholic Menu; Runner-up, Best Rooftop Bar; Runner-up, Best Cocktails; Runner-up, Best Girls’ Night Out).
How does a dish begin for you?
I think a lot about sense memory. I didn’t really grow up with a strong relationship to food, so my creativity usually comes from memories rather than from another dish I ate. If I’m working with tomatoes, for example, I don’t necessarily think about the tomato itself. I think about visiting my grandparents and the smell of the tomato vines in my grandfather’s garden — the leaves, the flowers, that really distinctive aroma. Those kinds of memories are usually where ideas begin for me.
Some of the Bar Julian menu items // Photo by Michael Hrizuk // Courtesy Thompson Savannah
What has excited you most about cooking in coastal Georgia?
The quality of the local products has been incredible. The farmers here are excellent, and the Forsyth Farmers’ Market reminds me a lot of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. It’s a place where farmers, chefs, and the community all come together, and people plan their weekends around it. The oysters have been one of the biggest surprises. I expected a warmer-water-style oyster, but the Tybee Island oysters have this incredible salinity that reminds me of the Pacific Northwest. I was lucky enough to tour the operation and meet the people behind it. It’s a really exceptional product.
How do you put your own stamp on four established restaurant concepts?
I think about each restaurant individually. Rather than reinventing them, I wanted to understand what each concept was supposed to be. Bar Julian already had a strong southern Mediterranean identity, so we focused on sharpening that rather than changing it. We introduced dishes like our fried chicken shawarma and Turkish eggs. At Fleeting, we gave the menu a more comprehensive refresh built around sharing and seasonality. Right now I’m especially excited about our tomato salad with Bradford heirlooms, smoked house-made ricotta, several varieties of basil from our garden and a plum-and-tomato vinaigrette. Every bite changes depending on which tomato, basil, or cheese you get. More than anything, I wanted each restaurant to make sense in the room, make sense in the city, and reflect the original intention of the concept rather than becoming a collection of different chefs’ personalities over time.
One last question: What’s your comfort food?
Burger and fries, without question. We actually reworked the burger at Fleeting around what I love: a thicker Wagyu patty with white cheddar, caramelized onions, dill pickle, arugula, and a brown butter Béarnaise steak sauce. Pair that with fries and any kind of mayo-based sauce, and I’m happy.
Chef Michele Minchillo // Photo by Aman Shakya
Michele Minchillo
Executive chef, La Vetta
Michele Minchillo wasn’t looking for Savannah. Savannah was looking for him. Earlier this year, Southern Cross Hospitality owner Anthony Debreceny revealed he’d spent years searching internationally for “a chef from Italy with a pedigree accustomed to culinary awards,” predicting that “eyes of envy” would soon be fixed on Savannah’s culinary scene. That chef turned out to be Minchillo, whose career has taken him from Michelin-starred Vitium in Italy to acclaimed kitchens in New York (Aska, two Michelin stars) and Abu Dhabi before leading La Vetta.
What were your formative food memories?
My formative food memories are deeply rooted in Puglia, watching my grandmother preparing dough and taralli in the morning, or making the ragù alla Genovese that I am now featuring on our menu here, inside the ravioli. Cooking and sharing food have always been about family and moments of togetherness. To this day, it remains a profound moment of respect and an essential part of my day and life. I truly hope to share this emotion with every guest who visits La Vetta.
Southern hospitality has changed alongside Savannah’s dining scene. What do you appreciate about the city’s culinary lineage and how do you hope to honor that at La Vetta?
I truly appreciate this gem, Savannah, for its hospitality, its warmth, and its beautiful historic location. I’ve tried to explore the city and the surrounding areas as much as I can, to learn about the culture and traditions here. I’ve come to deeply appreciate the local produce and ingredients, and intend to honor that by selecting the very best materials that this region and its surroundings have to offer.
La Vetta // Photo by Michael Hrizuk // Courtesy Southern Cross Hospitality
What are some of your favorite places to experience old-school Savannah — or simply enjoy a nightcap?
Truthfully, I’ve been so busy with the opening that I haven’t had a chance to explore as much as I would have liked to. Some of my favorite spots that I’ve discovered so far are in the Starland District, Brochu’s Family Tradition (2026 Winner, Best Oysters and Runner-up, Best Fried Chicken), where I really enjoy the more traditional Southern fare, and then the izakaya food and sushi at Ukiyo (2026 Runner-up, Best Japanese). I’m looking forward to trying more places soon. I always love experiencing food traditions and local dishes during my travels. It helps me feel a genuine connection to the place that I’m visiting.
Like Aska and Vitium before it, La Vetta may become a destination in itself. how do you balance evolution with preserving the dishes that define the restaurant?
The goal for La Vetta is certainly to become a sought-after dining destination, but we’d also love to serve as a reference point for the living and evolving culture of Italian cuisine here in the States. The menu will naturally evolve: looking toward the future, while keeping its feet firmly planted in its roots as a personal dialogue between innovation and tradition. Culinary art is a nonstop journey; it grows, and I evolve right along with it. I may not know exactly who I will become down the road, but I know my values, and the menu will reflect the changing seasons and respond to the exceptional local ingredients we discover around us now, and in the future. Always with an Italian focus.
What’s your comfort food?
The simple ones I love to enjoy at home with my family at the end of the day — like spaghetti alle vongole, always paired with a nice glass of wine.
Find this feature and so much more in the September/October
“Best of Savannah” issue of Savannah magazine.
