Southern Chef Highlights Regional Breakfast Divide in Maine

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Southern chef Suzanne Vizethann has opened restaurants in both Atlanta, Georgia and Camden, Maine, revealing the stark regional differences in breakfast preferences across the country. While grits, biscuits, and gravy are staples in the South, they are rarely found on menus in New England, where English muffins, fish cakes, and baked beans reign supreme. Vizethann has had to adapt her menus to cater to the distinct tastes of her Northern customers, though she notes there is still common ground in the love for quality breakfast fare.

Why it matters

This story highlights the deep-rooted regional culinary divides that still exist in the United States, even as food trends and preferences become more nationally homogenized. It provides insight into how chefs and restaurateurs must navigate these differences when expanding their businesses across state lines, and the importance of understanding local tastes and traditions.

The details

Vizethann, a Southern chef who won an episode of "Chopped" on the Food Network, decided to open a second location of her restaurant Buttermilk Kitchen in Camden, Maine after taking over an 81-year-old diner there. While her Southern-inspired menu was a hit in Atlanta, she found that palates were "a little bit different" in Maine. Mainers tend to prefer less sweet dishes, using less syrup and jam, and are not as fond of heavily seasoned food. However, to Vizethann's surprise, the grits she serves have been well-received in Maine. Other regional differences include a preference for English muffins over biscuits, and a distaste for corned beef hash, which Vizethann admits she's never been a fan of either.

• In 2011, Vizethann won an episode of the Food Network's "Chopped".
• In the mid-2020s, Vizethann decided to take over an 81-year-old diner in Camden, Maine.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Vizethann plans to continue adapting her menus to cater to the distinct tastes of her Northern customers, while maintaining the core Southern comfort food that has made her restaurants successful.