A veteran Atlanta chef has found a new home for his take-out meal service.
Chef Lance Gummere has signed a lease to bring Mercer Street Meals to the East Atlanta Village. The go-to meal service will come to 845 Flat Shoals Avenue. A permit was recently filed in Atlanta to build out a commercial kitchen at the location.
The hope is to open later this year.
Gummere started Mercer Street Meals after losing his job during the pandemic, said a spokesperson.
“He found himself at home with his family, a rare gift for a restaurant chef,” said a statement to What Now Atlanta. “His neighbors reveled at having this star chef hanging around. They were also at home, juggling work and childcare, and begged him to cook for them.”
So, Gummere launched the meal service and quickly grew a following, serving from his home kitchen. The AJC profiled Mercer Street Meals in 2021, calling it a “thoughtfully prepared and well-executed meal.”
It offers meals five days a week. An order includes an appetizer, entrée, side and dessert. The cost is $25 for two people and $45 for four people. Customers order the meals online.
Some menu highlights include Gummere’s fried chicken, eggplant parmesan and his whimsical takes on classic snack cakes, such as star crunch and oatmeal crème pies.
“We offer value, convenience and the same great food I’ve been cooking in restaurants for decades,” Gummere said in a statement to What Now Atlanta. “I, along with my wife, look forward to getting out of my home kitchen and serving my customers from a proper location in the heart of the vibrant East Atlanta Village.”
Gummere has a long history in Atlanta. He co-founded Southern restaurant Bantam & Biddy, as well as The Federal, which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2017.
Prior to that, he served as executive chef for The Shed at Glenwood. He also worked at eateries including Mumbo Jumbo, MidCity Cuisine and Shaun’s. And, he’s catered for celebrities such as Dolly Parton, Jay-Z, Iggy Pop, Cyndi Lauper and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, according to an online bio.
