Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips' restaurant, Humble Pie

Humble Pie, Atlanta’s neighborhood restaurant offering chef-driven American dishes from 2023 James Beard Award Best Chef Southeast semifinalists and partners Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips, announced today its Sensory Inclusive^TM Certification from KultureCity^®. Opened in January 2023, the restaurant joins sister concept Lazy Betty in being the only two sensory inclusive restaurants in Atlanta.

Humble Pie Joins Lazy as Atlanta’s Second Sensory Inclusive™ Restaurant

KultureCity^® is a leading non-profit recognized nationwide for using its resources to revolutionize and effect change in the community for those with sensory needs. The new certification promotes an accommodating and positive experience for all guests with a sensory issue, no matter their age or ability.

Conducted annually, the restaurants’ team trainings are led by medical professionals and teaches staff how to recognize guests with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation. KultureCity^® Sensory Bags, equipped with noise-canceling headphones provided by Puro Sound Labs, fidget tools, verbal cue cards and KCVIP lanyards, are now available to all guests who may feel overwhelmed by this new environment.

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions. One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to over stimulation and noise, which can be a major part of the environment at a location like a restaurant. With this certification, Humble Pie’s and Lazy Betty’s teams are now better prepared to assist guests with sensory sensitivities in having the most comfortable and accommodating experience possible.

Prior to visiting either restaurant, families and individuals can download the free KultureCity^® app and view what sensory features are available at each restaurant as well as a Social Story, which provides a visual preview of what to expect while enjoying a visit to Lazy Betty or Humble Pie.

“We strive to make all feel welcome at each of our restaurants,” says Ron Hsu, Culinary Director & Chef-Partner at Lazy Betty. “We’re honored to work with KultureCity^® to give more people the chance to enjoy dining out.”

Additionally, Chefs Ron and Aaron are also advocates for equitable pay in the industry. Humble Pie gives all hourly kitchen staff 3.14% of all sales, and Lazy Betty’s pricing includes a 20 percent service fee, of which a portion is allocated to the entire back-of-house team regardless of position or status. These initiatives help level the pay disparity typically seen in restaurants between the front- and back-of-house, and ensure everyone on the team receives more consistent pay and a liveable wage.

Since the program’s inception, KultureCity^® has created over 1,000 Sensory Inclusive^TM public and private services, organizations, events and venues in six countries. This includes special events such as the NFL Pro-Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, MLB World Series and MLB All Star Weekend.

KultureCity^® has won many awards for its efforts, including the NASCAR Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award in 2017 and the 2018 Clio Sports Silver for social good in partnership with Cleveland Cavaliers/Quicken Loans Arena. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Quiet Space Sensory Room at Quicken Loans Arena was a finalist for the 2018 Stadium Business Award, and KultureCity^® was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019 and 2020 by FastCompany and recently won the Industry Partner Award in TheStadiumBusiness Design & Development Awards 2019.

About Humble Pie – Humble Pie is a neighborhood restaurant offering chef-driven American dishes from Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips, the team behind Atlanta’s acclaimed Lazy Betty and 2023 James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef Southeast. Located at Atlanta’s Westside mixed-use property The Interlock (1115 Howell Mill Rd, Suite P100), the restaurant opened in January 2023 and offers approachable lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch menus, featuring share plates, creative wood-fired pizzas, entrees and artisanal pies and ice cream for dessert. The beverage team pours local spirits, beers and cider, and offers a wine list with natural, biodynamic and organic wines – several on tap and by the glass and bottle – a selection of dessert wines and zero-proof cocktails.

About Lazy Betty – Lazy Betty is a renowned modern and inventive restaurant from Chef-Partners Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips. Opened in 2019, the restaurant has become known for its creative tasting menus paired with an approachable ambiance and service style. Executive Chef Aaron Phillips helms the kitchen, creating bright and well-executed tasting menus representing a variety of cuisines and featuring modern culinary techniques, intentionality and finesse. Each course can be presented with a wine pairing curated by Sommelier Marvella Castañeda, just named a 2023 StarChefs Rising Star, or guests can order from the restaurant’s beverage menu featuring creative cocktails, craft beer, wines by the glass and bottle, wine flights, dessert wines, zero-proof options and more. Lazy Betty has received great acclaim since opening, including James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef Southeast – Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips in 2022 and a 2020 semi finalist nomination for Best New Restaurant in 2020. The restaurant was awarded three-star reviews from both The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (here) and Atlanta Magazine (here), and it was also named “Best New Restaurant” by Atlanta Magazine (here) and “Restaurant of the Year” by Eater Atlanta (here). Nationally, the restaurant has been covered by Travel Channel, Eater National, bon appétit, New York Times, HuffPost and more, and has been included on Condé Nast Traveler’s “22 Best Restaurants in Atlanta” list (here) and on Thrillist’s “Best New Restaurants” list (here). Lazy Betty is set to move to Atlanta’s midtown neighborhood late 2023.