Photo above by Brian Benefield

[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield. Photo above by Brian Benefield] 

Just as you’re waiting for something to look forward to, an email shows up. It’s short, a little mysterious, and feels like you’re in on a secret. There’s a date, a time, and a city, but no menu or address yet. All you know is you’ve been invited to dinner with Kyle Shankman at his Speak Easy Supper Club. Suddenly, your whole week starts to revolve around that one night.

Shankman’s journey is a mix of searching for stability and creative freedom. He trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu and spent years running kitchens, teaching cooking classes, and working as a private chef. Eventually, he found a way to make food less about quantity and more about personal expression.

The supper club is a small, home-based dining experience that became his creative space. Here, he cooks without the limits of a typical restaurant and welcomes strangers to share in the experience. He doesn’t rely on recipes, which he thinks aren’t very useful, though he doesn’t mean it harshly. “Techniques, on the other hand, create true confidence in the kitchen. The ability to look at an ingredient and know how to take it from point A to point B feels almost like a superpower,” he writes on his blog.

On the night of the dinner, guests arrive feeling like they’re part of a hidden part of the city. The room is filled with quiet conversation, with glasses clinking, and the kitchen is open and lively, almost like a stage. The meal is usually a multi-course tasting, sometimes with seven or more courses, and each dish highlights the season, curiosity, and restraint. We went on Valentine’s Day, not because we planned it that way, but because we had to reschedule from last year. Kyle and his team were very accommodating.

What stands out about the evening isn’t just the food. It feels like the meal is being created as you watch, with the chef acting as both host and storyteller. Shankman says the supper club is about focusing on flavor first and letting presentation come after, which gives his dishes a simple but confident style. The plates are beautifully arranged, and the dishes are served on locally made plates that make them look even better. We enjoyed seven creative courses. Some favorites were the Halloumi cheese with gooseberries, jalapeno, and red currant honey. My wife, Cecilie, especially loved the beetroot Calabrian chili capalletti, which was not only eye-appealing but also delicious.

The club started when a father encouraged his teenage son’s interest in cooking by hosting small dinners for friends. What began as a small project turned into a popular experience, with monthly menus inspired by local ingredients and a mix of Southern and global flavors. Unlike restaurants with reservations and bright signs, the supper club is all about closeness and trust. Guests sit near the kitchen, watching the final touches on dishes and listening to the sounds of cooking. People who arrive as strangers often leave as friends, sharing a special memory.

This is the real charm of Shankman’s supper club: it breaks down the barrier between chef and guest. The chef isn’t hidden away; he’s right there, explaining techniques, plating dishes, and sharing the stories behind each one. His assistant chef, Dawn, was friendly and energetic. We were lucky to sit at the chef’s table, the kitchen island, for a close-up view of the cooking. Chef Kyle was happy to answer all our questions about the food and its origins.

By the end of the meal, whether it’s something sweet or unexpected, the room feels different, warmer, and more inviting. Guests stay a little longer, not wanting the evening to end, as if leaving might take away the special feeling. Even after the plates are gone, the memory of the supper club stays with you. It’s a reminder that with time, care, and a bit of mystery, food can turn an ordinary night into something truly memorable.

For more information visit https://www.chefshankman.com

Brian Benefield is an Atlanta native born in Dekalb County, who has lived in Cobb since 2003. He has worked in Hospitality, Marketing, Real Estate, and most recently Food Tourism. Married to Cecilie Benefield for 12 blissful years. They have a dog, Miss Pickles. Hobbies are mountain biking, running, gardening, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. Member of Les Marmitions cooking club since 2016, where we cook 5-course meals with local Atlanta chefs.