Chef exit at Lazy Betty

Aaron Phillips has stepped away from day-to-day kitchen leadership at Lazy Betty, the Michelin-starred Atlanta restaurant he co-founded, while keeping his ownership stake. (roughdraftatlanta.com) Rough Draft Atlanta reported the change on April 21, 2026, and a follow-up interview published April 22 said Phillips is no longer executive chef. Lazy Betty’s website now lists Ron Hsu as culinary director and owner, with no executive chef named on the team page. (roughdraftatlanta.com) (lazybettyatl.com) Phillips told Rough Draft Atlanta he still owns part of the restaurant and is discussing what comes next professionally. The restaurant continues service in Midtown at 999 Peachtree Street Northeast, where it moved in March 2024. (roughdraftatlanta.com) (atlantamagazine.com) Lazy Betty is one of Atlanta’s Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurants, and Michelin still lists it with one star in the 2025 guide. Michelin’s Atlanta coverage says the city had eight one-star restaurants in 2025. (guide.michelin.com 1) (guide.michelin.com 2) The restaurant opened in Candler Park in 2019 and moved to the former Empire State South space in Midtown on March 16, 2024. Atlanta Magazine reported the larger dining room gave the owners room to expand the bar program, private dining, and the restaurant’s à la carte offerings. (atlantamagazine.com) Phillips and Hsu built the restaurant together after working in New York kitchens, including Le Bernardin. Lazy Betty’s own site still describes the restaurant as a project of the Hsu family and Phillips, and Michelin’s listing recently identified Phillips as chef and co-owner alongside Hsu. (lazybettyatl.com) (guide.michelin.com) The pair also drew James Beard Foundation recognition before this split. The foundation’s 2023 semifinalist list named Ronald Hsu and Aaron Phillips of Lazy Betty in the Best Chef: Southeast field, and a 2025 event page described them as semifinalists for both Best New Restaurant and Best Chef. (jamesbeard.org 1) (jamesbeard.org 2) For diners, the immediate change is in who runs the kitchen every day, not who owns the business. Phillips told Rough Draft Atlanta he is still tied to Lazy Betty as an owner, leaving the restaurant with continuity at the top of the company and a transition inside the kitchen. (roughdraftatlanta.com)