When Chris Dupont ’85 relocated his restaurant from Springville, Alabama, to Birmingham’s North End in 2003, the city was quiet. Yet, Café Dupont made downtown a fine-dining destination in the heart of a city that now takes serious pride in its award-winning restaurants.

A day in the life of Dupont relies on a few things – the special events scheduled at the restaurant, the staff that’s coming in, and, most importantly, what seasonal foods are growing.

Every Saturday morning begins with a trip to the Market at Pepper Place so he can stock Café Dupont with fruits and vegetables from Alabama farms. Dupont has always based his work around local growers, and the menu changes daily with the season.

“Everything has a purpose, and the purposing behind it determines our days,” Dupont says.

To Dupont, each dish, representative of local farms and seasonal ingredients, tells a story, one further crafted by his diverse and skilled staff.

“It’s a technical business as well as an inspirational and creative business,” he says.

• • •

BSC alumni in the food and beverage industry are taking Birmingham flavor to the next level. Here are a few of our other connections:

LeNell’s Beverage Boutique
BSC Connection: Owner LeNell Camacho Santa Ana ’91

Called “the first lady of liquor” by Garden & Gun Magazine, Camacho Santa Ana opened LeNell’s Beverage Boutique in June 2018 in historic Norwood. Bringing the same flair as her previous liquor store in Broolkyn, New York, Camacho Santa Ana stocks sustainable and organic beverages from a diverse range of producers. John T. Edge wrote that Camacho Santa Ana brings the future of the American package store into focus: “In the hands of LeNell, a proselytizer of wine, spirits, and the spirits of life, that future looks obsessive and playful and tastes flat out delicious.”

Galley & Garden
BSC Connection: Owner Edward L. Hardin Jr. ’62

Housed in what was once the historic Merritt House on Highland Avenue, Galley & Garden serves American-French inspired, southern cuisine. Hardin, a local attorney who received an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 2019, encouraged Chef James Boyce and his wife, Suzan, of Boyce Restaurant Concepts, to bring their culinary expertise to the Birmingham restaurant scene. Together, they have been sharing a seasonal menu since 2014, driven by the quality provided by utilizing local farmers and foragers.

Rojo
BSC Connection: Co-owner Laney DeJonge ’91

In 2009, music legend Bob Dylan recommended the casual Highland Park bar and grill to his nationwide radio show audience. “That was a song about 12 bars,” he said. “Here’s four more that I like. If you’re in Birmingham, Alabama, stop by the Rojo.” Dylan said what anyone who lives in Birmingham knows – Rojo, opened in 2002 by DeJonge and Clark Lopez, is one of the city’s best spots (especially for outdoor dining). Rojo is also a good neighbor, winning the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s 2018 Restaurant Neighbor Award for Alabama, given to restaurants dedicated to community service and philanthropy.

Bistro Two Eighteen
BSC Connection: Chef/Owner Tom Saab, father of Ashley Rhea ’11

The restaurant offers a mix of French bistro and American bistro traditions.

The Collins Bar
BSC Connection: Manager Lauren Delashaw ’14, daughter of Leigh Anchors Delashaw ’79

The bar mixes perfect flavor combinations at one of the South’s best bars, as named by Southern Living Magazine.

Cahaba Brewing
BSC Connection: CFO and Partner Andrew Pharo, married to Elizabeth Featheringill Pharo ’00

Pharo helped grow the microbrewery into a major Avondale attraction, earning the title of Alabama’s 2017 Retailer of the Year in the Annual Sales $1 Million to $5 Million category.

Good People Brewing
BSC Connection: Sales Team Manager Stefano Daneri ’12

Daneri has been taproom manager, assistant brewer, and brewery sales rep in his nearly eight years at the popular microbrewery in Birmingham’s growing Parkside District, right across from Region’s Field.

Highlands Bar & Grill
BSC Connection: Co-owner and Operator Pardis Stitt, who attended BSC, and Chef Frank Stitt III, who received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from BSC in 2019.

The couple run the award-winning Highlands, 2018 Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation, as well as Bottega and Chez Fon Fon.

Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar
BSC Connection: Owner Joe Phelps ’07

Phelps opened the underground bar, serving craft cocktails and specializing in agave spirits, in Founders Station in 2018.

This story was published in the Fall/Winter 2019 issue of ’Southern, BSC’s alumni magazine.

If you have ideas for our next issue of ’Southern, please email [email protected]. We always welcome stories about outstanding people from the BSC community.