Hugh Acheson

Early Life and Culinary Beginnings

Hugh Acheson was born on November 5, 1971, in Ottawa, Ontario, the youngest of four children with three older sisters. His father was a professor of economics at Carleton University, and his mother worked as a reading tutor. After his parents divorced, Acheson was raised primarily by his father in Ottawa's Manor Park and Centretown neighbourhoods. He spent two formative years living with his mother and stepfather in Clemson, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, which provided his first exposure to the American South. His culinary journey began at age fifteen with a dishwashing job at Ottawa's Bank Street Café. He later worked at other local restaurants before moving to Montreal to attend Concordia University, where he briefly studied political philosophy. Acheson left university to immerse himself in Montreal's Italian restaurant scene, honing his skills before returning to Ottawa in 1994 with his future wife, Mary Koon.

In Ottawa, Acheson began working at Café Henry Burger, a restaurant that operated for over 80 years before closing in the 2000s. There he learned about French cuisine, wine and etiquette under chef Rob McDonald. This period of formal training was crucial in developing his foundational culinary skills. Later in the 1990s, Acheson moved with his wife from Ottawa to her hometown of Athens, Georgia, so she could attend graduate school at the University of Georgia. This relocation, based on his experience in French and Italian cuisine, allowed him to become the head chef and manager at the Last Resort Grill upon arrival, marking the start of his deep professional connection to the Southern United States.

Career Development and Restaurant Empire

Following his wife's graduation, the couple moved to San Francisco, California, where Acheson took a job at the restaurant Mecca. He subsequently worked as the opening sous chef for San Francisco chef Gary Danko, helping him launch his eponymous restaurant. After approximately two years in San Francisco, Acheson and his wife returned to Athens at the request of Melissa Clegg, the owner of the Last Resort Grill, who wanted Acheson to help her open a new restaurant. This return set the stage for Acheson to launch his own ventures. He opened his flagship restaurant, Five and Ten, in Athens in March 2000, establishing a style that merged Southern ingredients with European techniques. In 2012, he introduced Dean Neff as its executive chef.

Over the next decade and a half, Acheson expanded his restaurant group across Georgia. He opened The National in Athens in 2007 in partnership with chef Peter Dale, followed by Empire State South in Atlanta in 2010. In 2014, he launched two more concepts: the modern Mexican restaurant Cinco y Diez in Athens, which operated from January to October of that year, and the Italian-inspired The Florence in Savannah, which sourced local vegetables and seafood. Other ventures included the coffee shop Spiller Park, opened in Atlanta's Ponce City Market in 2015 with Dale Donchey, which grew to five locations by Spring 2024. In January 2018, he opened Achie's at the Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta, serving Southern fare and ballpark snacks, though it closed in November of the same year. By 2024, Acheson had stepped back from the daily operations of his restaurant group, selling his remaining stake in Five and Ten to Peter Dale in April and focusing on a calmer life as a private chef. His most recent restaurant opening was Ovide, a French-influenced coastal cuisine restaurant in Sandestin, Florida, which debuted as the signature restaurant of Hotel Effie on February 2, 2021.

Key Restaurants and Ventures

• Five and Ten (Athens, GA), Opened March 2000, sold in April 2024.
• The National (Athens, GA), Opened 2007, a partnership with chef Peter Dale.
• Empire State South (Atlanta, GA), Opened 2010, closed February 2023.
• Cinco y Diez (Athens, GA), A modern Mexican restaurant operated from January to October 2014.
• The Florence (Savannah, GA), Opened Spring 2014, featured Italian cuisine, closed June 2017.
• Spiller Park Coffee (Atlanta, GA), Opened 2015, expanded to multiple locations, Acheson is no longer involved.
• Achie's (Atlanta, GA), Opened January 2018 at the Omni Hotel, closed November 2018.
• Ovide (Sandestin, FL), Opened February 2, 2021, at Hotel Effie.

Television Career and Public Persona

Hugh Acheson's television career began in 2011 when he competed on the third season of Top Chef Masters, a reality competition for experienced celebrity chefs. He was eliminated in the first round but returned in the second episode after another chef withdrew, ultimately finishing in fifth place out of twelve competitors. His performance led to an invitation to join the judging panel for the ninth season of the flagship Top Chef series later that same year, which aired from November 2011 to February 2012. He served as a regular judge on Top Chef for seasons 10 and 11 as well. In 2013, he returned as a judge on Top Chef season 11 and served as host and judge of the Battle of the Sous Chefs segment during Top Chef Masters season 5. His acerbic yet knowledgeable critique style made him a recognizable figure in competitive cooking television.

In 2020, he appeared as a judge on the Food Network Canada competition series Wall of Chefs. His profile in Canadian television expanded significantly with the announcement that he would join the judging panel for the eighth season of MasterChef Canada in 2025, alongside fellow chefs Mary Berg and Craig Wong. The season features 11 episodes where home cooks compete for a $100,000 cash prize and premiered in October 2025. In discussing his role as a judge, Acheson has emphasized the importance of empathy and encouragement. He has noted the challenge for contestants to maintain poise in a high-pressure, televised environment and sees his role as helping to influence other cooks and bring home cooking to a higher level. His social media presence often promotes his television work, such as encouraging viewers to watch the MasterChef Canada premiere.

Cookbooks and Writing

Acheson is an accomplished author, having written several cookbooks that reflect his culinary philosophy and make sophisticated techniques accessible to home cooks. His first book, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen, published in 2011, won the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Best American Cookbook in 2012. This was followed by a series of focused and practical cookbooks. Pick a Pickle, released in the spring of 2014, offers fifty recipes for pickles, relishes, and fermented snacks. The Broad Fork, published in the spring of 2015, is a comprehensive guide to cooking with a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. In the fall of 2017, he released The Chef and the Slow Cooker, demystifying the use of slow cookers for more complex meals.

His 2019 book, Sous Vide: Better Home Cooking, introduced the precise sous vide method to a home audience with ninety detailed recipes. Another title, How to Cook: Building Blocks and 100 Simple Recipes for a Lifetime of Meals, is also part of his bibliography. Through these publications, Acheson has established himself not only as a chef but as a teacher, breaking down methods from Southern cooking to fermentation and modern precision cooking for everyday use. The success of his first book, in particular, cemented his reputation as a thoughtful voice in American culinary writing.

Published Cookbooks

• A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen (2011), James Beard Award winner.
• Pick a Pickle: 50 Recipes for Pickles, Relishes, and Fermented Snacks (Spring 2014).
• The Broad Fork: Recipes for the Wide World of Vegetables and Fruits (Spring 2015).
• The Chef and the Slow Cooker (Fall 2017).
• Sous Vide: Better Home Cooking (October 2019).
• How to Cook: Building Blocks and 100 Simple Recipes for a Lifetime of Meals.

Awards and Recognition

Hugh Acheson's culinary work has been consistently recognized by major industry institutions. His most significant honours are his two James Beard Foundation Awards. He won the award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2012 for his work at Five and Ten, and his cookbook A New Turn in the South won the award for Best American Cookbook the same year. Prior to these wins, he was nominated for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast for six consecutive years, from 2007 to 2012. He was also a semifinalist for the James Beard Outstanding Chef award in 2018 and a nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2019. Early in his career, Acheson was named one of the Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine magazine in 2002, a major accolade for a chef early in their independent career.

Additional accolades include the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Restaurant of the Year award for Five and Ten in 2007. That same year, he received a Rising Star Chef award from StarChefs.com, and later won their Mentor Award in 2012. Chef Mario Batali selected Acheson as one of the 100 contemporary chefs featured in Phaidon Press's book Coco: 10 World Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs. These awards and nominations chart a career of sustained excellence and influence, from his early recognition as a new talent to his status as an award-winning chef and author.

Hugh Acheson is a James Beard Foundation award winner as both a chef and cookbook author. He has been nominated nine times for James Beard Awards, with two wins. His first cookbook, A New Turn in the South, won the 2012 James Beard Award for Best Cookbook in American Cooking. That same year, he was also the co-winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast. His other nominations include being a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2018 and a nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2019.

Business Philosophy and Industry Shift

Acheson's restaurant philosophy often centred on forging together the beauty of the South with the flavours of Europe, as seen in his critically acclaimed Five and Ten. His ventures frequently emphasized local sourcing, such as The Florence's use of local vegetables and seafood. However, after decades in the industry, Acheson made a conscious decision to step away from restaurant ownership. In an interview, he stated he traded the chaos of the restaurant industry for a calmer life as a private chef. This shift was marked by the closure of Empire State South in 2023 and the sale of his last remaining Georgia restaurant, Five and Ten, in April 2024. His move reflects a broader trend of chefs seeking sustainable careers outside the intense demands of operating their own dining establishments.

His business ventures included more casual concepts like Spiller Park Coffee, which he opened in 2015, and the game-day focused Achie's, which opened in Atlanta in 2018. In April 2024, Acheson announced he was selling his only remaining Georgia restaurant, Five and Ten, to long-time partner Peter Dale. He remains active in the culinary world through television, serving as a judge on shows like Top Chef and MasterChef Canada. He also continues his culinary work at Ovide, his restaurant in Sandestin, Florida, which opened in February 2021.

Personal Life and Recent Endeavours

Acheson met his future wife, Mary Koon, a Georgia native who worked as an editor at the Georgia Museum of Art, during his brief time in South Carolina as a teenager. They reconnected while both were university students in Canada and married two years later. The couple had two daughters, Beatrice and Clementine, before divorcing quietly in 2017. Following the divorce, Acheson relocated to New York City. In recent years, he has shifted his professional focus away from the demanding operational side of running restaurants. After selling his last remaining Georgia restaurant, Five and Ten, in April 2024, he has embraced a role as a private chef, which offers a more controlled lifestyle. He continues his work in television, most notably with his judging role on MasterChef Canada, which premiered its new season in October 2025.

This position keeps him connected to the Canadian culinary scene and allows him to mentor a new generation of home cooks. In discussing the show, Acheson highlighted the need to encourage contestants, work with their strengths, and be empathetic to their nerves in a fractious environment. His ongoing projects and media presence ensure that his influence on North American food culture persists even as his direct involvement in restaurant kitchens changes form. His career now encompasses the roles of private chef, television judge, and author, maintaining a public profile while operating outside the traditional restaurant ownership model.

Questions about Hugh Acheson

Where is Hugh Acheson from?

Hugh Acheson was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He spent his childhood in the city's Manor Park and Centretown neighbourhoods. He also lived for two years in the United States, in Clemson, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, with his mother and stepfather. His Canadian upbringing and early restaurant jobs in Ottawa were foundational to his culinary career.

What is Hugh Acheson's most famous restaurant?

His most famous and longest-running restaurant was Five and Ten, which he opened in Athens, Georgia, in March 2000. The restaurant earned him critical acclaim, including a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2012. It became a landmark for his style of Southern cuisine with European influences. Acheson sold the restaurant to his long time partner, chef Peter Dale, in April 2024.

Is Hugh Acheson on MasterChef Canada?

Yes, Hugh Acheson joined the judging panel for the eighth season of MasterChef Canada in 2025. He judges alongside season three winner Mary Berg and chef Craig Wong. The season features 11 episodes where home cooks compete for a $100,000 prize. Acheson has expressed that his judging philosophy involves encouraging contestants and helping them improve under pressure.

How many James Beard Awards has Hugh Acheson won?

Hugh Acheson has won two James Beard Foundation Awards. He won the award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2012 for his work at Five and Ten. That same year, he also won the award for Best American Cookbook for his first cookbook, A New Turn in the South. He has received nine James Beard Award nominations in total throughout his career.

What cookbooks has Hugh Acheson written?

Hugh Acheson has authored several cookbooks. His first, A New Turn in the South, won a James Beard Award in 2012. He followed it with Pick a Pickle in 2014, The Broad Fork in 2015, The Chef and the Slow Cooker in 2017, and Sous Vide: Better Home Cooking in 2019. These books focus on Southern cuisine, vegetable cooking, preservation, and modern cooking techniques for the home cook.

What happened to Hugh Acheson's restaurant Empire State South?

Empire State South, Acheson's Atlanta restaurant that opened in 2010, closed permanently in February 2023. This restaurant was one of four he owned in Georgia. Its closure followed the earlier shuttering of other ventures like Cinco y Diez and The Florence. Acheson's restaurant portfolio has undergone significant changes over the years. By April 2024, he announced the sale of his last remaining Georgia restaurant, Five and Ten. His current focus includes his role as a judge on television shows and his restaurant Ovide in Florida.

Sources and further reading

• Hugh Acheson (Wikipedia)
• MasterChef Canada judges Mary Berg, Hugh Acheson, and ... (thegate.ca)
• Hugh Acheson | Top Chef (bravotv.com)

Checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-26.