Recipe of Love: Juan and Gee by Alliance Theatre published on 2023-02-08T19:35:18Z Juan and Gregory ‘Gee’ Smalls Co-Owners of Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar The dishes at Juan and Gee’s restaurant in College Park and West Midtown are located at the intersection of personal family history and American culinary history rooted in Gullah Geechee culture. In this portrait, the couple shares their love story and describes how their restaurant translates experiences of home and community into recipes, one plate at a time. "Food is communication without speaking. When I’m cooking, I’m very intentional with every knife stroke, with every sprinkle of the seasoning. It takes me sometimes a couple of hours just to cook a simple meal just because I’m involved and connected to every piece of the process." – Gee Smalls Recipe of Love is a community portrait project that draws inspiration from The Hot Wing King to spotlight five Black and queer-owned restaurants, food trucks and food platforms in Atlanta, Georgia. The participants in this exhibit describe food as a language of love and as a binding agent for the Black and queer community. Each profile explores the way kitchens catalyze intimate, familial, and communal relationships that can reclaim history and self-worth to move our communities toward a more satiated feeling of belonging. The exhibit pairs portraiture with audio interviews. It is available digitally and on display in the North Alcove Lobby in the Memorial Arts Building during the run of The Hot Wing King.