Two Ten Jack photo courtesy Two Ten JackTwo Ten Jack, a new Japanese restaurant and bar scheduled to open in mid March across from Tupelo Honey in Warehouse Row, has named George MacEwan as chef de cuisine for the new Chattanooga location.
Two Ten Jack will be Chattanooga's first first izakaya and ramen house, and is patterned after the Two Ten Jack restaurant in Nashville.
"Two Ten Jack Chattanooga will have its own identity unique to the city's culture," said Patrick Burke, CEO of Seed Hospitality, which owns Two Ten Jack. "That's why George is the perfect fit for us. He's a remarkably talented chef and he has been taking the pulse of Chattanooga's evolving and expanding culinary scene for years, so he really understands the nuances of the landscape, the people who call Chattanooga home, and the universe of local ingredients that are so critical to our culinary philosophy."
Originally from England, MacEwan has worked in the restaurant industry since he was 15 years old. In 2006, he moved to Chattanooga where he worked his way up through the restaurant ranks, first working in Chattanooga at The Pickle Barrel as kitchen manager. Most recently, MacEwan served as the executive chef at the chef-inspired grocery store, Grocery Bar.
MacEwan first fell in love with Two Ten Jack's izakaya concept as a patron. Now, he is eager to introduce Chattanooga to a new kind of Japanese cuisine and dining experience from the kitchen.
"I've never encountered this level of energy, detail and authentic inspiration for Japanese comfort food in the South," MacEwan said. "Even down to the ramen broth, which takes three full days to make, Two Ten Jack is clearly committed to the integrity of the food, the bar and the entire experience. I'm looking forward to being part of a concept that's bringing so many firsts to Chattanooga, such as shochu a Japanese distilled spirit- and agedashi tofu a traditional Japanese fried tofu dish- in such an approachable way."
MacEwan has been training under Jessica Benefield, the chef of Two Ten Jack's Nashville location, to execute the izakaya's small-plate driven menu, which features sushi and sashimi, yakitori skewers and signature kodawari (artisanal, handcrafted) ramen.