Born and bred Memphians, Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman opened Andrew Michael Italian
Kitchen in 2008 to feature innovative Italian cooking rooted in Southern tradition. The Chefs
trained at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina and the Italian Culinary
Institute in Calabria, Italy.
Their second restaurant, Hog & Hominy, is a wood burning,
neighborhood eatery and was named one of the top new restaurants by GQ Magazine,
Southern Living, and Bon Appetit as well as a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant from the
James Beard Foundation, which also named the chefs semi-finalists for the Best Chef:
Southeast award for three consecutive years during 2012-2014, and a finalist for the award in
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2013, they were awarded Food & Wine Magazine’s Best
New Chefs Award and named in Starchefs.com’s 2014 Kentucky-Tennessee Rising Star Chefs.
On January 9, 2020, Hog & Hominy suffered a fire resulting in closure of the restaurant. After a
thorough period of redesign and construction, Hog & Hominy reopened on November 3, 2021.
Catherine & Mary’s, opened in September of 2016 in Downtown Memphis, brought together
their blend of grandmother cooking, Italian philosophy of dining, and southern ingredients to the
heart of the city.
They started the Andrew Michael Foundation last year to help organize how the company can give back to our community. Ticer said. “For the charity, we wanted to do something locally to help provide kids in Memphis with nutritional meals. The Healthy Pantry program through the Mid-South Food Bank does that, and we’re so thrilled to use these dinners to help support it.”
Restaurant group rooted Italian Southern food inspired by both of our grandmothers
2008
The backbone of every city and the culture of every town stems from entrepreneurship. Without the support from the community, entrepreneurship wouldn’t be possible. Michael and I always try to give back as much as possible in return for the constant support we receive from the community. I believe that it is our obligation to take care of our community the way that they take care of us. The everyday exchanges and reciprocal relationships built in our community is what makes being an entrepreneur so fulfilling.
