Chef Ford Fry signs lease to open 2nd new Buckhead restaurant during 2013 in former Bluepointe space

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Chef Ford Fry, owner of JCT. Kitchen &Bar, No.246 and The Optimist and Oyster Bar at The Optimist restaurantsin Atlanta, has signed a lease to open a new restaurant in The PinnacleBuilding, at the corner of Peachtree and Lenox Roads, in the fall of 2013.

This new restaurant, which will gointo the space previously occupied by the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’sBluepointe restaurant, will be the second Fry will open in Buckhead in 2013.

Chef Ford Fry

Earlier this yearBuckheadView announced that Fry would open an early American motif restaurant,named King + Duke, in March in the space previously occupied by Nava in OneBuckhead Plaza at the corner of Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads. Nava alsowas a Buckhead Life restaurant that closed.
Regarding the cuisine this newlyannounced restaurant, Fry said, “From a food perspective, we are currentlyinspired by the coast of Europe, and plan to incorporate techniques andflavors from Italy, Spain and possibly France.
“This inspiration will blend withour American heritage of sourcing ingredients locally and cookingrespectfully,” Fry explained. “What I am most excited about is anoversized classic European bar with clear sight-lines into a wood burninghearth and even a dramatic crudo bar mounted with just harvested shellfish andseafood."

The Pinnacle building across from Phipps Plaza

Fry also said hefeels privileged to be selected by TIAA-CREF to develop the restaurant “in sucha unique and dynamic space. The natural light is such a plus and will accent acreamy color palette and timeless design.  This will be far different thanany of our other restaurants and will offer a completely unique diningexperience in Buckhead,” he added. 
Fry plans to announce a name andchef early next year and is planning for a late Fall opening.  Meyer Davisof New York has been tapped to handle the design of the restaurant.
 As a result of the Peachtree Boulevardtransformation project by the Buckhead Community Improvement District, therestaurant will have unprecedented street presence. A large patio will takeadvantage of the newly accessible streetscape.
Participants in thelease include landlord agent Penelope Cheroff of The Cheroff Group and RocketFarm agents Chris Carter & Gene Rice of Vantage Realty Partners.Cheroff said, “We feel that ThePinnacle Building is an iconic building in the Buckhead skyline and deserves to host one of the  best chefs in America.”

The former interior design of Bluepointe  when
it occupied the space in Pinnacle Fry has leased 

JCT.Kitchen & Bar, No. 246 and The Optimist and Oyster Bar at The Optimist areowned by Fry’s Rocket Farm. It is a privately owned restaurant managementgroup specializing in creatingrestaurants that are relevant, timeless and inspired, in spaces that are uniqueand soulful.
King + Duke, one ofthose on the plate for a spring opening, is being billed as a Colonial Americanrestaurant complete with an open hearth where early American cooking techniqueswill be employed. Chef Joseph Schafer,currently chef de cuisine at JCT. Kitchen & Bar, will lead the kitchen inhis new role as executive chef at King + Duke.
The restaurant’s nameis inspired by characters in the novel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”According to a press release, the characters’ deceptive nature alludes to thedeception that the Buckhead restaurant is far more playful and casual thanmight be expected. It will be more American Tavern than fine dining.