Ashleigh Shanti Is Rewriting the Story of Appalachian Food

Biscuits & Jam

In this episode Sid talks to Ashleigh Shanti, who recently won a James Beard Award for her beautiful and thought-provoking cookbook called Our South: Black Food Through My Lens. Ashleigh is the chef and owner of Good Hot Fish, a counter-service spot in Asheville, North Carolina inspired by the spirit of old-school Southern fish camps. Despite her current hometown in the mountains, she’s been connected to the coast from the very beginning. She was born in St. Marys, Georgia, just north of the Florida border, while her parents were at a family wedding—and she grew up on a lake in Virginia, where she developed a reverence for the water and a love for fish fries. But her cooking isn’t just about seafood. Her passion for all the cuisines of the South—and there are many, as she’ll tell you—and her deep interest in Appalachian foodways have shaped the way she cooks, writes, and sees the region.Sid talks to Ashleigh about how a fast-food joint helped her prepare to open a high-volume restaurant, the many women who’ve inspired her journey, and the secret ingredients behind what sounds like an amazing fried fish sandwich.

For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam

Biscuits & Jam is produced by:

Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living

Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living

Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer

Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer

Jeremiah McVay - Producer

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