Lyla Lila: An Ode to family
By Farmer Cass
Lyla Lila is a new elegant yet homey restaurant on the ground level of the 24-story Lilli Midtown boutique apartment residence. Chef Craig Richards and restaurateur Billy Streck came together to create a new venture, whose name is a nod to each of their daughters, Lyla and Lila. Richard says it is an interesting connection they share and brings a more personal expression to the new restaurant. They have also brought on Chef Chris Huges, a talented new addition.
Executive Chef Craig Richards came to Atlanta in 2005 after five years of training under the renowned first lady of Italian cuisine, Lidia Bastianich. He began his culinary career in 1998 at Pachamama’s Restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas and quickly learned the basics of Mexican, Thai, French, Italian and Indian cuisine. After a trip to Spain, he returned to the Midwest and decided to study a classic cuisine and decided on Italian. In 2001, Richards moved to Pittsburgh to open Lidia’s as the restaurant’s Executive Sous Chef.
After six months, the Executive Chef left and Craig was asked to fill this role at the age of 28. He took over a kitchen with 25 employees that made everything from scratch including pasta, bread, gelato, and pastries. In 2005, he accepted a job in Atlanta at La Tavola as he saw an opportunity to start cooking and developing his own Italian food.
Over the next six years, Chef Craig established La Tavola as a significant restaurant in the Atlanta market. He expanded his craft into Spanish, French and North African food and in the first year, he wrote and executed approximately 15 special menus including one that hosted the winemaker Marco Parusso where he was lucky enough to pair his food with Marco’s Barolo collection. The dinner was a success and received a standing ovation from the winemaker.
Craig took on the challenge of opening Ford Fry’s newest restaurant venture in 2014. After six months, he became Executive Chef and has displayed the Italian trademarks that have always stood the test of time, but with versatile and local Southern ingredients.
In April of 2017, he was promoted to Vice President of Culinary for Ford Fry Restaurants and took on consulting and leading the Executive Chefs of King + Duke, JCT Kitchen, Marcel, State of Grace (Houston), Beetlecat as well as the pastry production kitchen for all the restaurants in Atlanta.
In 2019, Lyla Lila opened its doors, boasting a menu that focuses on southern European fare from countries such as Italy and Spain. In addition to cocktails, Old World and sparkling wines grace its beverage menu. Chef de Cuisine Chris Hughes brings over 15 years of culinary experience in Mediterranean fine dining to the chef team at Lyla Lila.
Most recently the Executive Chef at Hampton and Hudson, Chef Hughes honed his management skills and culinary development previously as Executive Sous Chef and Sous Chef at Buckhead’s St. Cecilia restaurant. At St. Cecilia, Chef Hughes was instrumental is developing line cooks through the Rocket Farm Restaurant group’s culinary brigade and assisting Executive Chef Craig Richards to secure the best, local seasonal produce and Italian ingredients to create a diverse range of coastal Italian dishes.
Before joining St. Cecilia, Chef Hughes worked two separate stints in various capacities at Midtown’s Ecco specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. In between his times at Ecco, Chef Hughes spent six months traveling, working, farming and cooking in multiple countries in Europe spending extensive time in France and Italy. In addition, Chef Hughes worked as Sous Chef at Dogwood restaurant in Midtown Atlanta for three years and as kitchen manager at a downtown Athens New Orleans-style restaurant and oyster bar.
As Chef de Cuisine, Chef Hughes will assist Chef Richards in day-to-day management of all culinary aspects and continue to locate and secure the best ingredients with an emphasis on locally farmed products.
