The Sweet Auburn Curb Market is filled with good food—produce stands, specialty meats, seafood, and restaurants. You can hear cooks from all over metro Atlanta discussing their family recipes for pork, collards, and sweet potato pie. It’s a great place to swap home recipes, particularly classic southern dishes. What you may not know is that it’s also a place to sample international cuisine at one of the many fine restaurants.
While most of the chefs at this downtown market are solid home cooks, one stands out for her classical training and international flair with food. Deborah Kudelka, owner and chef at Ciao Bocca, began her schooling in Fine Art, but topped it off with culinary arts training at Le Cordon Bleu. You can still see the fine arts influence in the way she expertly plates her meals. “I started traveling to Europe early in life. As a result I was exposed to fantastic food and wonderful art,” says Deborah. “I was fortunate to see the works of the great masters in the museums and cites of France, Italy and England. I was also exposed to great food. My palate was developed around Italian, French and Polish cuisine. My Polish father, my Italian Aunt Zia Jeanette and my French cousin Odielle, all had an influence on me. Now I want to share these flavors!” Deborah features her family’s authentic recipes, but adds her own unique twist.
Deborah has cooked professionally for 13 years, both on her own and with other chefs and catering companies. Her Italian restaurant has a following of regulars who share her concern for green practices. “My foods are seasonal, particularly my daily specials. I love to buy local ingredients when possible. I'm a firm believer in taking care of the environment, so no Styrofoam in my restaurant! I also reduce waste by serving my food on plates and using real utensils. If it's a to-go order all the packaging products are earth friendly.”
Her motto, “Eat, Drink, Laugh, Buon Appetto,” reflects an Italian sensibility for the things that matter most in life. I especially love the name of the restaurant. Ciao Bocca translates as “Hello Mouth.”
You can meet Deborah on the Atlanta Culinary Tour of Sweet Auburn Curb Market, the first Saturday of every month.
Sweet Auburn Curb Market
209 Edgewood Ave. SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Open Mon - Sat
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