The Elegant Alabama Eatery Run By A Top Chef Winner

You can call it fancy, but this restaurant certainly isn't fussy. It's more about comforting, Southern fare presented in its prettiest form for Chef Kelsey Barnard Clark, the fifth woman and first Southerner to win Bravo's "Top Chef." On any given night you can tell that EAT KBC is the crown jewel of Dothan, Alabama's restaurant scene, bustling with guests dining inside or out, with everything just so — from the historic building that houses the restaurant to a cozy patio strung with twinkle lights. That's the way things are in picturesque Dothan, the peanut capital of the world, just a short drive away from the quartz sands of the Gulf Coast. Clark grew up in the town, and her restaurant is all about sharing those relaxed Southern vibes where supper (not dinner) is served, along with brunch, lunch, and so much more.

At EAT KBC the focus is on meticulously curated mixes of local seafood and true-blue family recipes backed by French cooking techniques. You'll find plenty of local Gulf Coast delicacies like snapper Ponchartrain, an ode to the classic Creole crabmeat sauce. Oysters are on the menu, too, which features mollusks from a rotation of nearby farms with names like Massacre Island and Admiral Shellfish. Attention to detail is a hot commodity here, so save some room for dessert, because that's Clark's true calling.

If you watched season 16 of "Top Chef," you know Clark is an experienced baker and dessert lover. Her winning dish was a modern take on bread pudding and featured roasted sweet corn and bourbon, combined with a classic French custard. Let this inspire you to get going on the 15 best ingredients to elevate your bread pudding. But first, savor the menu for KBC Bakery, next door to the restaurant. You'll find perfectly pretty sweet treats like artisanal twists on Pop-Tarts and plates upon plates of colorful macarons, along with other specialties like fluffy Southern biscuits.

While she now appears regularly on Food Network shows including "Tournament of Champions," "Chopped," "Bobby's Triple Threat," and "Guy's Grocery Games," Clark still calls Dothan home, where she orchestrates her restaurant, bakery, and booming catering business. We're pretty sure there'd be a waiting list to get a "Top Chef" winner to cater your wedding, but if anyone could create the reception of your dreams, it's Clark. The celebrity chef was nominated for Best Chef: South in the 2024 James Beard awards, one of the highest honors a chef can receive in the U.S. Her latest cookbook, "Southern Get-Togethers" was published in 2024 featuring favorites like her signature smoked brisket and bananas Foster.