Clifford Harrison

Coming Up

Training at the University of Hawaii and the California Culinary Academy gave Clifford Harrison a formal base before he entered the working kitchens that would define his early years. The sequence mattered: a first discipline in school, then a measured rise through rooms with different demands, each one adding range without rushing the work. At Zuni Café in San Francisco, California (1987), at 21 Federal in Nantucket Island, Massachusetts (from 1987), and later at New York City restaurants in New York City, New York (until 1990), Harrison built a practical vocabulary that moved from the Pacific to the mainland and into the pace of larger city kitchens. Today, Clifford is chef and co-owner of Bacchanalia (since 1993).

Where They Are Now

Since 1993, Bacchanalia has been the fixed point in Clifford Harrison’s career, with the restaurant serving as the long-running site for his work as chef and co-owner. The cooking there centers on Contemporary American cuisine, with organic produce and relationships with local farmers and small food producers shaping the kitchen’s daily terms. That sourcing keeps the work close to season and supply, and it gives the menu a direct line to the people growing and making the ingredients around it. The arc from Hawaii to California to Atlanta reads as accumulation rather than reinvention. Training came first, then the sequence of kitchens, then the long discipline of staying in one place long enough for the work to settle. In Bacchanalia, the earlier rooms remain visible in the way the restaurant has held his attention since 1993.

Career - Chef and co-owner — Bacchanalia, Atlanta, Georgia (1993–present) - Chef — Zuni Café, San Francisco, California (1987) - Chef — 21 Federal, Nantucket Island, Massachusetts (from 1987) - Chef — New York City restaurants, New York City, New York (until 1990) Education: University of Hawaii; California Culinary Academy

Signature

Sautéed Maine Lobster with Sweet Corn and Rosemary-Ginger Vinaigrette and Sweet Potato and Kale Soup point to the frame of Harrison’s cooking: ingredient-led, season-aware, and built with enough control to keep the plate clear. The pair suggests a kitchen that values balance over flourish, with the emphasis placed on produce, timing, and a steady hand rather than ornament.

Honors

The most durable markers in Clifford Harrison’s record are the California Culinary Academy and the long tenure he has held in Atlanta since 1993. One marks the training that established the baseline; the other marks the sustained run of work that has made Bacchanalia the center of his professional life for decades.

FAQ What is Clifford Harrison's current role? As of 2026, Clifford Harrison is chef and co-owner. Where did Clifford Harrison train or study? Clifford Harrison trained at University of Hawaii and California Culinary Academy. What is Clifford Harrison known for? Contemporary American cuisine.