Dreaming of honoring his origins of cooking, Chef Delgado wanted to get back to his family roots and open Fogón and Lions, a restaurant rooted in Spanish cuisine and culture. Chef Delgado grew up in a home where his family valued celebrating life through food and memories. His grandfather owned a butcher shop in Puerto Rico, which inspired Julio to go into the hospitality business. Chef Delgado’s resume is loaded with elevated experiences in hospitality.
After working at JP Atlanta and New Realm Brewery, Chef Julio opened Minnie Olivia Pizzeria, a neighborhood wood-fired neo-Neapolitan-style pizzeria where Southern Italy and the South meet. Minnie Olivia was created in honor of Minnie Oliva Dodd, daughter of James Madison Dodd and Sara Ann Dodd who owned the Dodd Hotel and gardens where Minnie Olivia is now located.
Fogón and Lions was built right next to Minnie Olivia. Celebrating the traditions and flavors of Spanish cuisine, Fogón and Lions has an open cooking space and namesake fogón - a traditional wood-burning kitchen where chefs create bold flavors over an open flame. Some of Fogón and Lions menu items include the 10-ounce grilled skirt steak “Churrasco” (chimichurri, papa criolla, fire roasted piquillos), wood-grilled branzino (cilantro rice, chorizo sauce, chayote slaw), Mexican-style Caesar (grilled corn, tomatoes, radish, avocado, crispy tortillas, cotija cheese, pickled onions, lime-cilantro caesar dressing) and pulpo “al fogón” (spanish style wood-fired octopus with olive oil, pimentón, and fennel purée).
Chef Delgado and his team were headliners in the recent Taste of Atlanta’s Grand Tasting Alpharetta - a food event bringing the Alpharetta community together to taste different local restaurants.
Fogón and Lions
10 Roswell St #100, Alpharetta