Chef Stephen’s newest creation, Macho Taco Cantina, draws inspiration from his first restaurants on 30a: Macho Taco and Hooked Sea to Table. Chef Stephen built MT Cantina to be a spot for both locals and visitors of Santa Rosa Beach to enjoy great food and a hand crafted cocktail.
Chef Stephen’s menu truly showcases his love and respect for the food he prepares. His tenure in California allowed him to experience the beginning of the farm to table movement; the guidance he received under Chefs Sean Connery and Mark Estee continue to impact Chef Stephen’s cooking philosophies. He strives to use local ingredients in his creations whenever possible. When Chef Stephen returned to his hometown of Atlanta, he continued to develop his craft and helped to establish Kevin Rathbun’s Steak and Fox Bros BBQ as Atlanta institutions. He credits his attention to detail and his love of smoking and curing meats to his time at Steak and Fox Bros.
Chef Stephen has combined his southern roots, experience, and passion for food to develop a unique, balanced, and delicious menu. He describes the menu as Mexican inspired soul food and it truly is a reflection of his current food philosophy; simple yet elegant, rustic yet refined, creative yet controlled.