How 3 Chefs Are Redefining Thanksgiving And Celebrating Black Traditions Through Culinary Innovation - Page 4
3. Ashleigh Shanti // Buttermilk Cornbread soup
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Ashleigh Shanti honors the rich traditions of Black Appalachian cuisine during the holiday season. If you’re fortunate enough to join the chef for Thanksgiving, expect to enjoy dishes like buttermilk-cornbread soup—a beloved family recipe passed down from her grandmother—and a collard green salad topped with crispy fried plantains, as noted by The Local Palate.
Through dedicated research and recreating the recipes of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Shanti is preserving the culinary heritage of Black Appalachia. These dishes are familiar favorites she also served while working at Benne on Eagle in Asheville. Her mother’s salmon croquettes, a cherished family tradition, are another standout, with Duke’s Mayonnaise adding a perfect balance of acidity to the rich fish.
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