Our All Access Foodies supporters have been asking for an out-of-town Secret Dinner for quite a while, and I knew our very first one had to be at Liam’s in Thomasville.
I visit Liam’s every chance I get. Owners Rhonda and Scott Foster, Chef Tyler Bailey, and their entire team are well traveled, seasoned hospitality experts. Their attention to detail is top-notch, their knowledge of wine and artisan cheese runs deep, and their ability to take a few carefully chosen ingredients and combine them in creative, surprising ways is something so special.
The food is thoughtful without being fussy. The ingredients are allowed to shine, and every plate leaves you feeling impressed and so satisfied. I already knew Liam’s was incredibly talented, but this dinner gave 28 of our Foodies the opportunity to experience just how much knowledge and intention goes into everything they do.
And wow, did they spoil us!
What Makes a Secret Dinner… a Secret
For those new here, our Secret Dinner series is exclusive to All Access Foodies supporters. Tickets are typically released about two weeks in advance, the restaurant is revealed the morning of the event, and the chef-curated prix fixe menu is unveiled upon arrival.
It’s all part of the fun: trusting the experience, showing up curious, meeting fellow Foodies, and letting the evening unfold together.
For our first-ever dinner outside Tallahassee, Liam’s added one more wonderfully secret twist…
Menus – or a Next Level Secret Dinner?
As everyone arrived and mingled, Rhonda presented us with a fun choice: Would we like to receive our menus at the beginning of the evening, or keep every course secret? Our Foodies voted for the true surprise!
Menus remained available for anyone who wanted one, but most of us chose not to look ahead. Instead, Rhonda personally introduced what we were about to eat and shared the thought behind each wine pairing.
That choice added so much heart to the meal. Rather than quickly browsing a list of ingredients, we heard their stories directly from Rhonda. Her explanations gave us a wonderful understanding of the sourcing and preparation of the simple ingredients in front of us.
At the end of the evening, everyone received a menu to take home as a memento.
Cheese, Wine, and New Foodie Friends
The evening began with relaxed mingling, two beautiful welcome pours, artisan cheeses, and huge loaves of housemade sourdough passed around the tables.
Our 28 Foodies were seated at two long tables in Liam’s beautiful dining room. The space is gorgeous – light blue beadboard ceiling, rustic wood and weathered walls, beautiful pendant lighting, and an open view into the kitchen. From our seats, we could watch dishes being prepared and collected from the high-top kitchen counter.
Seated together at two long tables, the room felt lively and social while still maintaining the cozy intimacy that makes these gatherings so special. It was exactly how I hoped our first out-of-town Secret Dinner would feel.
Every Space Has Its Own Cozy, Sparkly Magic
Set inside two beautifully restored downtown buildings dating to 1904, Liam’s balances historic character with a wonderfully personal sense of style. The food carries subtle European influence, but the atmosphere is unmistakably its own: rustic, refined, a little playful, and incredibly cozy.
There truly isn’t a seat in the house that feels better than another. The dining room and banquette seating have a warm, intimate feel, while the lounge has an entirely different personality. Glossy deep-blue walls, vintage seating, a black-and-white hexagonal mosaic floor, and rows of colorful Christmas bulbs glowing overhead year-round give it a fun, sparkly nighttime feel – it’s one of the many reasons I love visiting Liam’s. Each space has its own personality, yet every corner feels welcoming.
Experts in Every Detail
Throughout the evening, Rhonda shared the stories behind the ingredients, wines, and producers. Her knowledge added so much to every course, especially when paired with Chef Tyler’s talent for letting a few exceptional ingredients do something extraordinary together.
Liam’s also brings that same level of care to its craft cocktail program. The team spends days making its own syrups, spices, and other components, often sharing the process on Instagram. They are also serious believers in reducing waste, recently transforming whey from their housemade yogurt into a cocktail ingredient.
The Evening, Course by Course
Our six-course evening unfolded one surprise at a time, beginning with two cheeses that immediately showcased Liam’s incredible knowledge of artisan cheese and pairing.
We started with creamy La Tur, paired with Champagne Chavost and huge loaves of housemade sourdough passed around the tables. Next came a remarkable 19-year-aged cheddar paired with Creatures of Habit. Together, these opening courses gave everyone time to settle in, share around the table, and get their first taste of just how thoughtfully the evening had been planned.
The third course featured grilled Hatch Chilis wrapped around housemade labneh and finished with olive oil and sea salt, paired with Királyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec. Fresh Hatch Chilis have a brief late-summer season, typically arriving in August and September from New Mexico’s Hatch Valley. Every bite brought a slightly different level of heat, but the creamy labneh created a perfect balance.
Next came beautifully seared swordfish served over chickpeas and topped with caponata made from eggplant, celery, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and capers, also paired with the Királyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec. The swordfish came from artisanal fisheries in Ecuador, which supplies more than half of the swordfish entering the U.S. market.
Our fifth course was Joyce Farms Poulet Rouge Chicken with fresh corn sautéed in butter and silky corn purée, paired with Silent Way Pinot Noir. Joyce Farms has been family-run since 1962, and its slow-growing heritage chickens are raised without antibiotics or added hormones, allowing time to develop naturally, and processed by hand.
There had already been plenty of “OH MY GOD” and “WOW” reactions, but when the chicken arrived – the entire room went silent and all I could hear were knives and forks hitting their plates, the best compliment to the Chef.
Dessert brought one final surprise. “Luxuriation” wasn’t a plated dessert at all, but a cocktail made with Meletti Italian Chocolate Liqueur, Giffard Banana Liqueur, and housemade hazelnut whipped cream. Its name was a playful nod to The Bear and Richie Jerimovich’s philosophy: “Anticipation creates luxuriation.”
After an evening spent anticipating each secret course, it was the perfect ending. The cocktail was so good that I finished mine, drank my DD friend’s, AND asked for the recipe!
Taking Secret Dinner Beyond Tallahassee
Rhonda, Scott, Chef Tyler, and the entire Liam’s team, thank you for welcoming us, sharing your knowledge so generously, and giving our Foodies an evening we won’t forget. Our supporters had been asking us to take Secret Dinner on the road, and this evening confirmed what I already knew – our first ever out-of-town Secret Dinner had to be at Liam’s!
Find Liam’s in Thomasville Georgia at:
Socials – Website, Facebook, Instagram
Address – 113 E. Jackson St., Thomasville, GA 31792
Phone – (229) 226-9944
