Atlanta chef Kevin Rathbun in a state of Euphoria

Kent Rathbun (above) with brother Kevin / Kevin Rathbun (right) with a foodie fan from Florida

Mayor Knox White, of Greenville, South Carolina, welcomed great chefs, master sommeliers, food and wine enthusiasts and a few great musicians to the fourth annual Euphoria--a higher state of food, wine and music. 

The three day festival kicked off this past Friday with a "Taste of the South" showcasing the    culinary skills of Greenville's finest chefs at a river-front  ampitheater that was perfectly situated for socializing. At $100, finger lickin' good low country favorites included the likes of savory shrimp and grits, lamb sliders, she-crab soup, oyster shooters, banana pudding creme brulee, pecan pie, Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka cocktails and so much more. Live entertainment graced the stage throughout the balmy summer night with plenty of beer on tap, wine and water by Fiji. Afterwards, more food, more wine, more live entertainment and lots of free Fiji water. Also worth honorable mention, the weekend entertainment lineup included Edwin McCain, Don Braden, Anders Osborne and Mark Rapp.

Saturday began with wine seminars conducted by master sommeliers like Tucson, Arizona's certified wine educator, Laura Williamson, who conducted an excellent class on wine pairing that included a lamb slider, seared tuna on flatbread and baked macaroni and cheese combined with barbecue lamb---all of which was so good that I can not recall the names of any of the six wines we paired. Across the street cooking demonstrations by some of the brightest, most talented chefs in the region and beyond took place at one end of the rain shielding tent, with a wine tasting showcase at the other introduced some of the finest wines spirits available. By night, individual restaurants throughout the city held hosted wine, or champagne paired dinners at $125 a plate. My experience at Northampton WInes, where executive chef Elizabeth Bardsley prepared her culinary excellence with fine champagnes by France's Duval LeRoy, was concluded with a trifle that would raise Julia Child from the dead to have a taste! And at the end of the rainbow was a $45 Taste of New Orleans Sunday brunch (think awesome crab cakes, jumbalya, bread pudding and all other brunch traditions).  

The rock stars of each day included a stellar lineup of chefs from near and far with Guy Savoy (restaurants in Paris, France and Las Vegas) coming from perhaps THE farthest. On the near side, there were more than a handful of chefs making clear that Greenville is indeed a foodie town. What really did it for me was running into Kevin Rathbun. At first glance, immediately it came clear that something was missing---something like, 120 pounds! 

"Weight Watchers was the diet of choice this time," explains Rathbun, whose new lifestyle habits began back on January 6th of this year. "I followed the points program and wrote down everything I ate in a food diary using weight watchers e-tools program," 

In addition to diet, the star studded chef--whose name is sure to come up anytime you ask any Atlanta foodie to name his/her "fav-five" chefs--incorporated an exercise program including elyptical equipment, swimming, biking, weight training and his love for squash--the sport.

"My advice is to start a plan and stick to it. Weight Watchers has been good for me because there are no limitations. You can eat anything you want as long as it fits in the points program. Its really all about the combination of portion control, fueling the body 4 to 5 times a day and exercise. I was a non believer of the age old pyramid of food, but i know now that it works and most likely with a lot of determination and faith I will keep it off. Realizing it took a long time to gain the weight and it takes a long time to lose and most of all to keep it off, consistency is the key to success," are the pearls of wisdom Rathbun uses to encourage others.

With new newfound respect for healthy living, naturally I wondered if and what may have changed at either of his Atlanta restaurants-Kevin Rathbun Steak and Krog Bar. "There are many options at my restaurants that work for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Then there are the more indulgent options. At Rathbun's we have some small plates that can actually keep you on target: the ahi tuna crudo with blood orange and olive oil; Thai rare beef; Flat Iron Steak with arugula and Heart of Palm salad. All kinds of fish are often paired with local seasonal vegetables, light vinigrettes and broths," he explained. And his mini desserts and sorbets make for perfect portions of dessert---so long as you eat just one!

While I enjoy cooking and think I'm good at it---no where near as talented a cook as Kevin Rathbun, or his Texan brother--Kent, who also presented at Euphoria---I enjoy experiencing the food of other fine chefs, as do you too, I'm sure. So, I asked Kevin Rathbun some of his favorites...

"One of my go to's is Figo Pasta for light tomato sauces, whole wheat pastas and light salads. I also eat egg white and feta cheese omelettes at Thumbs Up Diner, 2 to 3 times a week. Breakfast, I've learned, is the the most important meal of the day. It's all about metabolism building and brain food," he explained.

Kevin Rathbub's Fav Five list Chefs/Restaurants in Atlanta: 

1. Jerry Klaskala,  Aria Restaurant

2. Ann Quantrano,  Float Away Cafe

3. Ford Fry, of JCT Kitchen

4. Rumi's Kitchen 

5. Ricardo Ulio,  Sotto Sotto Restaurant