The two female chefs who launched Chatt-a-Foodie are now focusing exclusively on catering, and, despite several changes in 2009, they had one of their best years yet.
Chrissie Batts and Claire Horton first had a home base in North Chattanooga and also offered "gourmet on the go."
They moved out of their space on Tremont Street in the spring of 2009 and shared kitchen space with Deli Man & The Cake Lady in Highland Park for most of 2009. However, they began looking for a new site when Ruth Reynolds decided to close her operation.
Ms. Batts said, "We are now working at Kitchen Access, which is a commercial kitchen that is rented by caterers and bakers from all over the Chattanooga area. It is a great fit for us.
"Catering has always been our passion, and we are now able to focus on that and grow that side of our business. We are very excited about the changes that we have made and feel that they are allowing us to take our catering to the next level."
Ms. Batts actually lives in Knoxville now because of her husband's transfer, but she commutes to Chattanooga.
Ms. Batts and Ms. Horton both grew up with a passion for food. Ms. Horton, a Chattanooga native, attended the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and did her internship at The Food Network. She gets her passion for cooking from her close-knit, very large family. She has grown up around food and attributes her passion for the culinary field to mother and grandmother.
Ms. Batts trained with White Hat Catering in Portland, Ore., before heading back to the South. Originally from Little Rock, she likes to keep food simple and homegrown, showing honor to the South with a slight twist.
To contact Chatt-a-Foodie:
chattafoodie.com/contact
423-432-9092 Chrissie Batts, Owner
423-580-1264 Claire Horton, Owner