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Born in St. Mary’s, Georgia, and raised in Virginia Beach, Ashleigh Shanti’s culinary roots trace back to the Southeastern United States. Her rich family heritage stretches across South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Midlands, and the Appalachian region.
Black foodways, often underrepresented, have profoundly shaped her life and cooking philosophy — which she celebrates in her first book, “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens.”
Culinary Origins and Early Influences
From an early age, Shanti’s most vivid memories revolved around food shaped by her family and the traditions of Southern Appalachia. As a passionate advocate of the region’s culinary history, she reflects, “Black foodways of Appalachia don’t get the spotlight they deserve.”
After university, her culinary journey began in earnest when she sought formal training to refine her skills. Despite gaining experience at renowned establishments, Shanti yearned for more—something that resonated with her personal story. “I needed to cook food that told my story,” she recalls, leading her on a quest to translate her heritage and memories onto a plate that felt distinctly her own.
Shanti’s culinary identity is deeply influenced by her family. Her great-grandmother Inez, a “champion pickler,” and her maternal great-aunts, who sold hot fried fish and hushpuppies at waterside fish camps, helped shape her understanding of food’s connection to culture and community.
These influences inspired the name of her successful Asheville restaurant, Good Hot Fish, an homage to her family’s legacy of food and Southern hospitality.
After honing her skills at various restaurants, including as the chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, Shanti’s path came full circle in Asheville, where she feels connected to her roots. Her success was acknowledged when she became a James Beard Award semi-finalist in 2020.
Black Foodways and Connecting to Home
Despite her culinary focus, Shanti’s early ambitions didn’t center around food. After graduating high school early, she spent eight months in Nairobi, Kenya, working in humanitarian efforts with the Peace Corps.
“It wasn’t about food then,” she reflects, though she couldn’t help but be drawn to the tastes of home, often missing her mother’s collard greens. Her homesickness led her to embrace dishes like sukuma wiki, stewed collard greens that reminded her of home, seasoned with local spices and sautéed onion and served with ugali (a type of corn porridge).
“Experiencing foods like mandazi and fufu, while I was away made me feel connected,” Shanti says, highlighting the power of food to bridge distances and stir emotions. Her time in Kenya instilled a deeper appreciation for the emotive power of food—how it can evoke memories, comfort, and connect across cultures.
Family Traditions Beyond the Table
In Shanti’s family, as in many Black families, food is the centerpiece of every gathering.
Her maternal grandmother, Jewelry Virginia, passed away in her forties, but not before teaching her daughters essential skills like sewing, pickling, gardening and caring for orchards.
Her grandfather, a modest peanut and tobacco farmer, involved his sons in farming after school, processing and selling tobacco.
Their family relied on a simple, self-sustained diet from their large garden, preserved pickles and grains, and occasional seafood from the Virginia coast. From a young age, Shanti played an active role in these moments, delivering drinks to guests and helping with the preparation of her great-aunt Hattie Mae’s famous feasts.
The familial experience of food has been a defining element in her career, connecting the past to her present-day cooking. “The South is diverse, even within itself,” Shanti notes as she describes her fascination with the distinct Black foodways of Southern Appalachia and the Lowcountry.
Her debut book, “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens,” captures this diversity, exploring the rich culinary history of the region, including the methods of preservation and the simple yet profound use of humble ingredients. “There’s something incredibly special about these traditions,” she says.
Farm-to-Table and Appalachian Bounty
Asheville, located in one of the most biodiverse regions in the country, offers a farm-to-table ethos that Shanti embraces. With the area’s rich flora and fauna, the local farming community plays a key role in her menus.
Seasonal ingredients like pawpaw fruit, wild ramps and mushrooms such as chanterelles and lion’s mane inspire her dishes.
Shanti’s use of these foraged ingredients pays homage to the region’s culinary traditions while adding her unique twist, such as layering the umami of wild mushrooms with white miso in her reimagined version of cabbage and mushroom pancakes.
Culinary Activism and Community
The hospitality industry has been a critical space for fostering inclusivity, with many LGBTQ+ individuals finding acceptance within it. However, discrimination persists.
According to a report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, nearly one-third of LGBTQ employees in the U.S. report experiencing discrimination in hiring, promotion, or job retention based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. For transgender and non-binary employees, these numbers are often even higher, reflecting ongoing barriers to workplace equality.
As a queer Black restaurant owner, Shanti actively works to counter this trend by creating an inclusive and safe space within her establishment. “We have people who identify as gay, queer, trans and non-binary,” she proudly states, underscoring her commitment to diversity.
She adds, “I’d like to think that whether I was queer or not, I will always create an environment that is conducive to equality, but me being who I am certainly amplifies that level of comfort for people who are like me.”
This intentionaleffort to foster an inclusive space not only reflects the visionary’s values but also aligns with broader calls for equality within the hospitality industry.
Beyond her culinary prowess, Shanti is committed to giving back to the community through a community fridge initiative in Asheville, where locals can donate or receive free food. This project reflects her belief in using food as a vehicle for change and connection.
All About Good Hot Fish
Located in the historic South Slope Brewing District of Asheville (old schoolers know it as the Southside), the neighborhood was once teeming with thriving Black businesses.
Although that’s no longer the case, Shanti reveals the empowerment and pride she feels as older Black locals—some with tears in their eyes—express how wonderful it is to see a Black-owned restaurant in that space again.
Good Hot Fish’s menu boasts a masterful marriage of old and new-school culinary techniques and recipes. For example, in preparation for the signature fish plate, the filets are battered with fermented yeast that is freshly made every four hours.
The locally produced cornmeal serves as the base of their classic dredge. The corn variety is a Southern Appalachian heirloom variety that is locally grown and milled. The fish is then fried in peanut oil to a golden and crispy finish. The restaurant also offers a cast iron seared blackened option.
A must-try is the trout bologna. The curious creation is crafted by “giving trout the bologna treatment.” The process: carefully selected trout is flavored with bologna spices, cured, and then smoked. Next, the trout is formed into a bologna chub, sliced, seared, and adorned with cheese.
Creativity runs deep within the family. Shanti’s wife, who is of Mexican descent, plays a pivotal role in the business. As the general manager, she handles the finances. With a keen eye for design, she is also the creative mind behind the merch plus the layout and decor of the restaurant.
“I’m so thankful that she has agreed to go on this wild adventure with me,” gushes the chef.
Together for over a decade, the newlyweds said their vows by a river witnessed by their parents in April 2023. The surprise micro-wedding was revealed during a dinner held at a friend’s farm.
In a true romantic flourish, the couple rode horseback to greet their guests who were seated at a long, community table nestled in an orchard. Guests noshed on mouth-watering Mexican food by chef Luis Martinez.
RELATED: Fried Fish and Spaghetti: A Black Tradition Cooked With a Side of History
On the Horizon with Our South: Black Food Through My Lens
“Our South: Black Food Through My Lens,” weaves together personal stories, recipes, and cultural history, underscoring Shanti’s dedication to preserving the Black foodways of Appalachia and other parts of the South.
Through her cooking, writing and community work, Shanti continues to make her mark, ensuring that these traditions—and the stories behind them—are not forgotten.
“It’s a collection of recipes from all of the regions that have made me who I am as a chef.”
To understand how those places shaped her opinions about food, Shanti paints this picture: “Southern food is more than an umbrella that we put over it.” She continues, “It’s micro-regional like how we think about Italy and its micro-regions. Each place has a very different foodway and the book dissects that.”
By the end of the book, readers will learn how the recipes impacted her including how and why she cooks to this day.
Ashleigh Shanti’s book, Our South: Black Food Through My Lens is available on Amazon and other online retailers. You can also follow her incredible journey on Instagram.
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