Greens for Breakfast? Jack Stewart’s Southern Bubble and Squeak Will Make You a Believer

“Greens for breakfast—they are awesome,” Guy Fieri declared at Aunt Mary’s Cafe, and after watching owner Jack Stewart transform a British classic into pure Tennessee comfort food, it’s hard to argue. This is the kind of dish that makes Triple D worth watching: taking something familiar and flipping it completely on its head.

Bubble and squeak—traditionally a simple British dish of smashed potatoes and cabbage—gets the full Southern treatment here. We’re talking potato cakes loaded with collard greens, topped with pot liquor gravy and poached eggs. As Guy put it, it’s “like eggs Benedict gone Tennessee.”

The Aunt Mary’s Story

Jack Stewart’s family roots run deep through the South. “I’m from Texas, everybody else is from Tennessee and Georgia,” he explained. The restaurant’s namesake? His favorite aunt, whose picture hangs on the wall as inspiration for the whole operation. The menu carries what Jack calls “a real heavy Southern emphasis,” and he’ll go Southern on just about anything—even English classics.

Building Those Collard Greens from Scratch

The magic starts with the greens themselves. Jack loads up butter and chopped onions with garlic, then adds water along with what Guy called “the nectar of the gods”—Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Cider vinegar and molasses go in next, followed by pepper and salt. Then come the collards and mustard greens, which get what Jack described as “massage therapy” with tongs before being covered with parchment paper to braise for an hour and a half.

When Guy tasted them after cooking, his verdict was immediate: “Wow, those are greens with attitude.” He even admitted he never loved greens until Triple D introduced him to properly prepared Southern versions—similar revelations happen when Guy explores dishes like Sweet Potato-Onion Gratin | Big Bite.

The Pot Liquor Gravy Secret

Here’s where it gets interesting. That flavorful liquid left over from cooking the collards? That’s pot liquor, and Jack uses it as the base for his gravy. He brings it back to a boil and adds a roux—”50-50 flour butter”—then lets it simmer for 30 minutes before finishing with cream. When Guy got a little eager and jumped ahead, Jack had to rein him in: “You’re jumping the gun.”

The gravy gets strained and is ready to blanket those potato cakes.

Bringing It All Together

Those braised greens get chopped and mixed with mashed potatoes, butter, and salt. The mixture gets formed into patties and pan-fried until crispy. Poached eggs go on top, followed by that pot liquor gravy and extra greens on the side. A fresh biscuit completes the plate.

Guy’s reaction said it all: “This is outstanding. Really good, man. Those are great greens—mix them with a little potato, put a little pan fry on them, then hit them with this pot liquor gravy.” He even called the sign outside “a house of pot liquor gravy” and dubbed Jack “a mean, lean, green-making machine.”

The potato cakes earned special praise for being “particularly delicious,” and Guy noted that dishes like this featuring quality collard greens can be hard to find outside the South. It’s the kind of creative comfort food that stands alongside inventive dishes like an Off-the-Hook Bagel BLT Sandwich in the Triple D hall of fame.

Beyond the bubble and squeak, Aunt Mary’s also serves up what Guy called “the best biscuits and gravy I’ve ever had,” along with succotash and shrimp dishes—all with that down-home Southern flair.

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