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Pepsi is a co-presenter of Mary J. Blige's "Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit" during Mother's Day weekend in Atlanta.

Shopping for kitchen items like pots and pans may not be your idea of fun. But when you're looking to update your kitchen gear, these tools are a must. Having a versatile frying pan, also called a skillet or sauté pan, is something every cook should have in their kitchen. But even for the most experienced cooks, it can be tough to know where to begin and what's worth the price tag. These are our picks for the best frying pans for various stove tops, family sizes, and budgets.

Helping your independent restaurant profit and grow.

Atlanta’s restaurant scene is growing more diverse. If you want a little fame with your food, there are several celebrities who own which restaurants in Atlanta. In this article, we’re going to show you which Atlanta restaurants are owned by famous people.

Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the word “pivot” has become the cliched descriptor for the restaurant industry’s quick, collective investment in technology to make their businesses delivery-friendly in the face of shuttered dining rooms.

This upscale, inventive, and exceptionally friendly spot in the Cascade area is owned by Gocha Hawkins, the celebrity hairstylist. The attention to detail in dishes like fried jalapeno shrimp and grit cakes, Cajun-Creole lump crab fish and grit plate, and smoked salmon BLT shine through. The menu is vegan and pescatarian-friendly. Don’t skip out on dessert, especially fruit pies...

What should a restaurateur do when wait times for in-house orders are increasing and take-out orders are exploding? For Gocha Hawkins, head chef of Gocha's Breakfast Bar, the answer was easy: Set up a food truck next to her Cascade, Atlanta location, one of her two breakfast bars in Georgia. The Atlanta store launched in 2019 and her Fayetteville bar opened in January 2020. The food truck, which operates the same hours as the Atlanta location, is 22-feet long and wrapped with an image of Hawkins' face and a logo...

If you're looking for a simple way to prepare juicy meat for dinner, try cooking a sirloin tip roast in a slow cooker and serving it up with a side of vegetables. Using a slow cooking method helps break down this tougher cut of meat so that it comes out tender every time.

For nearly three decades, Gocha Hawkins was a hairstylist, counting celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé and Serena Williams as clients. But it’s her second act that’s drawing the attention of hungry diners in Georgia. While working at her hair salon in Atlanta’s Cascade Heights neighborhood, Hawkins noticed that the area was underrepresented by restaurants...

Who run the world? Girls. And who run the Atlanta restaurant scene? These inspiring women who own their own businesses. Celebrate Women’s History Month with an outstanding meal at a women-owned restaurant, owned by the ladies who are currently making history in the Atlanta restaurant industry!

Rising to meet and overcome challenges - whether in life or in business - is what Gocha (pronounced 'go-shay') does exceedingly well. It takes strong will and determination to be successful, and even more so when you've been on your own since the age of 14. Gocha Hawkins has allowed herself to be led as life unfolds before her. She's known for having the confidence and courage to 'pack up and go' every few years or so; and wherever life takes her, she creates something beautiful, meaningful . . . and delicious.

February is national sweet potato month, so instead of having tacos this Tuesday, maybe consider having sweet potato nachos for dinner instead. Gocha Hawkins, the owner of Gocha's Breakfast Bar, shares her take on the classic dish with a sweet potato flair.

Eating brunch anytime of day is so popular now that even McDonald’s decided it was worth offering in select locations. In a city like Atlanta, where folks like to have a variety of dining options on the table, there’s one surefire way to remind people that ATL is indeed a Southern city — all-day brunch restaurants. And Atlanta has cornered the market on serving the meal that combines breakfast and lunch all day, everyday — not just on the weekends. Check out these restaurants serving brunch all day in and around Atlanta.

There’s no better time to support Black-owned businesses than Black History Month. Before you next make the difficult decision of what restaurant you should go to, or where to get takeout from, check out this list of some of the best Black-owned restaurants in the ATL. Perfect to support during BHM, and beyond!

Gocha Hawkins, owner of Gocha’s Breakfast Bar, has plans to open a tapas bar in April. The new restaurant will be located at 5829 Campbellton Rd. in the Sandtown Crossing development anchored by Publix. The restaurant will have a 1,500-square-foot interior and a 2,100-square-foot patio. Among the items planned for the menu include shishito peppers, Impossible sliders, stuffed crab mushrooms, fried green tomatoes with crab salad, cauliflower tacos and lobster rolls. The tapas bar will also have a full bar and cocktail list.

Gocha Hawkins, the owner behind popular Cascade Road brunch restaurant Gocha’s Breakfast Bar, plans to open a tapas restaurant this spring on Campbellton Road in the city of South Fulton. Located in the new Publix-anchored Sandtown Crossing complex, look for dishes like shishito peppers, vegan sliders, stuffed crab mushrooms, fried green tomatoes with crab salad, and cauliflower tacos served on the menu at Gocha’s Tapas Bar.

Growth is on the menu from Owner Gocha Hawkins’ restaurant ventures. The Detroit native who has lived in Atlanta since 2010 announced today that her new food truck from Gocha’s Breakfast Bar is officially open for business, and, even better, she has plans to bring a new tapas restaurant to Sandtown Crossing.

Gocha Hawkins, who opened Gocha’s Breakfast Bar in January 2019, with a second location in Fayetteville opening in 2020, plans to debut Gocha’s Tapas Bar in April. Located at 5829 Campbellton Road SW in the Sandtown Crossing development, the restaurant will have a 1,500-square-foot interior and a 2,100-square-foot patio.

To make cream cheese at home, most people already have the ingredients in their refrigerator. “Cream cheese can easily be made by combining whole milk with salt and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar,” said Gocha Hawkins, Owner and Head Chef at Gocha’s Breakfast Bar. From that point on, you can add different herbs, spices and more to your liking. You can also add macerated strawberries and blueberries for flavored cream cheese. “When the mixture turns solid (the milk reacts to the lemon juice), strain it so you have curds left. After that point, a food processor will make it nice and creamy,” said Hawkins. Instead of just using milk, you can mix milk with heavy cream for a rich, thicker yet fattier texture.

Gocha Hawkins, owner and head chef of Atlanta-based Gocha's Breakfast Bar, describes Carote Nonstick Granite Cookware as her favorite cookware for everyday cooking. “You can use these over and over, with no issues,” she says. “It is extremely easy to clean — you can simply use a paper towel and water to clean them off.” This cookware heats up quickly and works well on any cooktop. It's also sturdy and durable, so Hawkins says even if you are “a little rough with your cookware,” you won't have any problems.

When food costs rise, your best bet is either increasing the price of your menu item or remove the menu item until prices decrease. I recommend making small increases or increase the items with the most margin room to increase without making a huge difference. Another way is to create a seasonal menu with slightly higher prices. When you do this, you are offering some items at a higher price but for a limited time. When you do this, you can gauge how it affects your customers.

We predict that plant-based foods are becoming more popular due to the growing demands of being healthy; people are learning how to make vegan food just as good as eating steak and potatoes. — Chef Tashala Hawkins, Gocha's Breakfast Bar (Atlanta)

The ride outside I-285 to Cascade Road is nothing when it ends with anything-but-boring dishes at Gocha's. Owned by celebrity hairstylist Gocha Hawkins, the menu is inventive and totally satisfying. There's no question that the golden brown-fried jalapeno shrimp and grit cakes not only sound good, but are good. The same goes for Gocha's Cajun-Creole lump crab fish and grit plate, fried green tomatoes sprinkled with feta, and smoked salmon BLT. Desserts here, such as a fruit-filled fried pie, offer even more brunch sustenance. There's also a location in Fayetteville.

It all began with Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, from the TV show Parks & Recreation. She created the holiday to “just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas.”
What better way to celebrate Galentine’s Day than with a meal at a woman-owned restaurant, right here in Atlanta? Grab your besties and try one of these 13 delicious women-owned restaurants or adventures.

Atlanta has always been known as the Black cultural hub of the South. But especially since the start of the pandemic, Atlanta has seen an increase in Black-owned businesses, from health and wellness shops to unparalleled restaurants. Come enjoy some of the best new Black-owned local tours, eateries, and cocktail bars in town.

March 8 marks International Women's Day, "a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women" according to internationalwomensday.com

Here, we list some of the women-owned restaurants, and culinary and beverage businesses throughout metro Atlanta.

For Gocha Hawkins, the secret to success is in the sauce—quite literally. And for the time being, the owner and chef of Gocha's Breakfast Bar is keeping that sauce recipe under lock and key.

"I make all my sauces from scratch and the problem is, the more that I grow, the harder it's becoming for me to make all the sauces for the restaurants," Hawkins says. "The only part I struggle with is trying to find the balance of not having to be in the restaurant all the time."

...Hawkins is also starting to franchise Gocha's Breakfast Bar, which, she admits, will compound her secret sauce conundrum. It's going to be a busy and demanding road ahead, but for the hair stylist-turned-chef/restaurateur, the effort is always worth the end result.
“You've got to have passion for this industry. I tell people, this is hard work—no lie,” she says, “but the gratification is seeing your guests happy and seeing great reviews and things like that.”

Brunch can be indulgent, where mimosas reign and the pleasure of dining unhurriedly is the general rule. But the Black communities of Atlanta, especially Black women and younger generations of chefs and diners, have put their own stamp on brunch, which has as much to do with an electric vibe soundtracked by hip-hop and R&B music, spontaneous dance parties, and endless fashion parades as it does Instagram-worthy food and groups of jubilant people gathered around tables. It’s not just brunch, it’s a celebration.