Inspired by the phenomenon of “gourmet clusters” (small communities outside of larger urban areas that are overflowing with food concepts) in Europe and the UK, serial entrepreneur and visionary, Dominique Love, set her sights on changing the way people live by making food the foundation of for healthy, sustainable, and connected living and a catalyst for economic development.

Going beyond the “agrihood” model (residential and mixed-use developments centered around a farm), which are expensive and labor intensive, Love created a new concept built on the premise that residents should have access to food by walking out their front door without living on a farm. Edible landscaping, smaller scale gardens, orchards, greenhouses, nutteries, and a vertical farm woven into the community’s amenity package help achieve this goal.

The concept is further enhanced by the integration of restaurants, bars, and food and beverage retail, including an innovative Chef Incubator program that transforms talented chefs into successful entrepreneurs. The incubator not only provides residents and guests with access to a rotating line-up of food concepts, but it also serves as a catalyst for growing the food and beverage economy in the community’s surrounding area. 

In addition to boosting property values and attracting residents, the ripple effect of filling a community with chef-driven concepts is increased business for local farmers and purveyors and an environment for artisans to flourish. Like the gourmet clusters in Europe and the UK, the area will also become a destination for food and beverage lovers.

Love chose Chattahoochee Hills, GA, located 30 minutes southwest of Atlanta’s international airport, for the first development.  She has been a “Chatt Hills” resident for 8 years.