By Colleen McNally Arnett
Born into a Trinidadian family and raised between Georgia and Rhode Island, Demetrius Brown has discovered a deep connection with his familial roots through cooking. He’s worked in many of Atlanta’s top kitchens, but after Covid shut down the restaurant where he was working, Brown launched his own pop-up, Heritage Supper Club, to keep exploring the African Diaspora on the plate. Today, he’s the celebrated chef/co-owner of the popular Inman Park bistro, Bread & Butterfly, has appeared on Food Network and is planning a brick-and-mortar home for Heritage this year in Summerhill.
What is your earliest memory that first sparked your love for food?
Demetrius Brown: In elementary school, we lived right across the street from a Chinese restaurant and got takeout from there all the time. Even though we were on the same street, they were vastly different in the way they approached food and the way they cooked. That was when my curiosity first began about how different food actually is.
What was the catalyst for your first pop-up?
DB: One day, I just sat down and drew out a business plan. I started working at Georgia Boy, and the food that Joey Ward was doing really inspired me. I wanted to take that same approach, so that’s where the concept of Heritage really started to be a full-fledged tasting menu. The first dinner was inspired by all of my food memories, from eating cucumbers on my aunt’s porch to making a dish that my grandmother would make, but doing my own twist on it.
Why is Summerhill the right neighborhood for Heritage?
DB: Summerhill was always at the top of my list from the very beginning because we wanted to be somewhere that had cultural significance not only in Atlanta, but also for the Black population. Being surrounded by so many great restaurants in Summerhill is a culinarian’s dream. We wanted to add to that experience with something that we felt was missing.
What motivates you to keep growing?
DB: The messages I get from younger cooks or older cooks who say they look up to me—that I’m inspiring or they enjoy the kind of work I do—all of that is why I decided to keep pushing myself forward. I want to show them that as long as you put your mind to it and are a steward of the culinary world, you can achieve anything that you want to.
Where can people find you most?
DB: I’m always at the same places. I really enjoy Breaker Breaker—my son and I go there more often than I’d like to admit. And then I really like Pollo Primo on Moreland Avenue. My wife and I love the chicken and the elotes, but the churros are honestly the reason I go.
