Martin Gagné’s national and international reputation for creating inventive menus has earned him a solid reputation. He has consulted for restaurants and small luxury hotels all around the United States. He served as Chef de Cuisine at Hedgerose restaurant in Atlanta, GA, one of that city’s most fabled restaurants, and where “Food and Wine” Magazine praised him in their “Best New Restaurant List – 1998.”
He has also spent time abroad as a food consultant for the Minister of Agriculture for the province of Castilla y Leon, in Salamanca, Spain. Hailed as one of “Food and Wine” magazine’s “Top Culinarians to Watch in the 90’s”, Gagné has shared his personal approach to cookery and culinary expertise at the Narai Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand and developed cutting edge food concepts for South City Kitchen, Atlanta, GA and at the Tremont Hotel, Chicago, IL. While serving as the Executive Chef at Opus, Swisshötel, Atlanta, GA, (1990) and at Café 21, Hotel 21 East, Chicago, IL. (1988), both restaurants received “Esquire” magazine’s “Cheers!” award as being among the country’s best new restaurants. Café Gamay, a tiny café adjacent to Opus was named “Best Restaurant in Any Class” by the “Atlanta Journal-Constitution” (1990). He won “Chicago” magazine’s “Critics Choice Award” two years in a row for Café 21 in 1988 and 1989.
Martin formerly was the Executive Chef for the then newly restored Inn at Saint Peter’s Village in Chester County, Pennsylvania which reopened after an extensive renovation that he painstakingly oversaw in 2006, and which won numerous accolades and awards for it’s innovative cuisine and interior design.
