(left to right) Katie Rice - General Manager, Walker Brown,
Executive Chef and Jason Hill, Chef and Owner
Katie Rice
Katie Rice was born and raised in Ohio and has been in Atlanta for six years. She graduated from Miami University and has been working in the fine dining restaurant business for thirteen years. She has spent the last four at Wisteria. She began her career at Wisteria as a server and bartender and after two years was promoted to General Manager. She has a passion for food and wine. She loves to travel and go to the movies. She is responsible for the day to day operations of the restaurant as well as the wine buying at Wisteria. She has a commitment to seeking new and exciting wines and building her palette, she also enjoys offering notable wine pairings to her guests.
Chef Walker Brown
Executive Sous Chef Walker Brown has been with Wisteria since it's conception in 2001. Beginning with the influence of his mother's cooking and vegetable gardening, this "self-taught" chef became interested in food as a child. Starting his career working in his father's restaurant in Sewanee, Tennessee, Walker has spent over 20 years honing his skills in southern kitchen including Harvest Restaurant where he and Jason first met. After finding common ground in their culinary pursuits, Jason invited Walker to be his right hand man at Wisteria as has been there ever since. In his free time, Walker enjoys hosting his own dinner parties, symphony, wine tasting and gardening.
Hadi Joyce
Originally from upstate New York, I've been in the restaurant business for the past seventeen years. I have spent the last six years at Wisteria and can honestly say that they have been the best. You can usually find me behind the bar dispensing drinks and giving unsolicited advice or opinions about wine, one of my greatest passions. Chef owner Jason Hill and I have put on some memorable late nights at the Wisteria bar in our younger days. But with both of us becoming parents and semi-responsible members of the community these have become much less frequent. You never know however when an ordinary night might turn legendary! When not at Wisteria I am usually playing with my daughter or running Clik Simple a new event service conceived by my wife and I. www.cliksimple.com. I look forward to seeing you the next time you are in.
Randy Parks
Randy Parks has been working at Wisteria since the beginning. Before Wisteria, Randy worked at Cosi in Decatur with Justin Ward. Randy is from Alabama and has been in Atlanta since 1999. He enjoys all outdoor activities, spending time with his fiancé and dogs. After the first year and a half at Wisteria he moved to Colorado to become a ski bum, and was very successful. He moved back to Atlanta to luckily get his job back. He loves his co-workers and restaurant and takes great pride in what he does. Randy has recently started his own home inspection business called "360 Home Inspections". www.360homeinspecionsgeorgia.com
Patricia Davis
Patricia Davis was raised in Kennebunk, ME. She has lived in the surrounding neighborhoods of Wisteria off and on for the past ten year and has been with Wisteria since 2004. Patricia has worked in the fine dining world for over seven years and had the pleasure of working with Chef Donald Link at Herbsaint Restaurant in New Orleans. She has a passion for food and wine. She assists Katie with the wine program at Wisteria, bartends and waits tables. When you can't find her at Wisteria she is most likely enjoying her love for jazz, travel and photography. Next time you are in for a visit she can not only give you a recommendation for the best Pinot Noir but also for the hottest jazz album.
Buffy
Originally from Richmond, VA, Buffy moved to Atlanta in 1999 with her band, Hell Mach Four, in effort to be closer to their record label, Moodswing Records. Since the band's birth in 1995, Buffy has worked in all facets of the restaurant business ranging from server, bartender, assistant manager, general manager, and partner, all culminating into ownership of her own cafe. After a long successful run as a drummer with Hell Mach Four, the band ended after 14 years and Buffy decided to sell her interest in her cafe and pursue a degree in nursing. Since 2007, she has made a home at Wisteria while completing her studies and is enjoying again, the freedom and lifestyle that is maintained by fine dining service. Feel free to visit the still active band website at www.hellmachfour.com
Christopher
Hailing from the mean streets of suburban New Jersey, Christopher relocated to the south in the early nineties with visions of rock and roll glory. Ten years of dashed dreams later, he went back to school, earning a B.A. in Psychology, and Summa Cum Laude honors from Georgia State University. Christopher draws upon a rich history of people pleasing - both from the stage and prior stints at Feast Restaurant and the Dark Horse Tavern - to provide exemplary service with a jovial touch. When not at Wisteria, you can usually find him at a coffeehouse, ruthlessly editing a memoir chronicling his late teenage years. He swears the book will be completed, "any day now."
Ian
I was born and raised in Bakersfield, California but found my way to Atlanta in 2007 after eight years in Seattle. Upon my arrival in Atlanta both through my involvement with the Atlanta Rollergirls (www.atlantarollergirls.com) and my work at Wisteria I quickly learned that southern hospitality is alive and well. Living in California and Washington for the lions share of my professional career has given me a great appreciation for wines from both regions. So if you want to talk west coast wines, food or roller derby, please come see me.
Julie:
Julie hails from Southern Georgia, but after 15 years in the city she considers herself a native Atlantan. Julie has worked at Wisteria since 2005. When not at work she enjoys going to concerts, jogging, and hanging out with her mutt Esther. Julie prides herself on her knowledge of wine, which she procured after much research after hours.
Grace
Grace was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Her family moved to Atlanta at the end of 1988 when her father was offered a job at Emory University teaching at the Candler School of Theology, where he taught for 20 years. Grace's mom was also a teacher, she taught biology in India. Grace attended Druid Hills High School and then continued on to Emory University, where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in French. Grace can speak 4 languages: English, French, Spanish and Tamil. Grace loves tennis a little too much and used to be a tennis instructor at the Emory tennis camps. Her restaurant experience include: Wisteria, South City Kitchen, La Tavola, Redfish and Rathbun's. Grace has a passion for food and wine and counts eating as one of her favorite pastimes.
Alison
Born and raised in Conyers, GA, Alison Joe began working at Wisteria in February 2010 and is the newest member of the family. She has been in the restaurant industry for 8 years, enjoying the camaraderie of the business, learning about wine, and meeting new people. Having lived in Boston, she moved back 3 years ago and is currently a student at Georgia State University. She will be finishing her degree with a BS in Psychology in August 2010. If Alison is not hanging out at her awesome home in Pine Lake, she is probably enjoying a good book, spending time with her family/Lucca her gorgeous golden retriever, playing tennis, traveling, or eating dim sum.