People
BY GEORGIA CLARKE
This year’s standouts in Southern food
1 TAVEL BRISTOL-JOSEPH
Austin, Texas
Becoming a decorated pastry chef wasn’t always on Tavel Bristol-Joseph’s agenda, but you certainly wouldn’t know that today. Tavel grew up in Guyana and followed his calling after moving to New York at age 17. Now, he is the pastry chef and partner at six Austin, Texas, spots that continue to make Southern food hot lists. Tavel’s most recent restaurant, Canje, is a project that honors his upbringing and helps fill the gap of an underrepresented culinary category in Austin. Afro-Caribbean fare—like jerk chicken; Wild Boar Pepper Pot infused with ginger, citrus, and Guyanese spice; and a medley of sweets—fills the menu.
2 SARAH COLE
Greensboro, Alabama
It’s not often that you find authentic Egyptian treats in small-town Alabama, but that didn’t discourage Sarah Cole when she began her baking venture called Abadir’s. Sarah, who grew up in Alabama with an Egyptian mother, is driven by her heritage to create everything from maamoul—Middle Eastern shortbread cookies—to classic Southern sweets and seasonally inspired goods filled with produce from local farmers and her own organic garden.
3 SAMANTHA FORE
Lexington, Kentucky
Sri Lankan food is virtually impossible to find at restaurants in the United States, but it’s especially scarce in the South. However, Samantha Fore is doing her part to change that. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, to Sri Lankan parents, Sam started a pop-up called Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites in 2016, and now, she traverses the country sharing bites that represent both her Sri Lankan heritage and the American South where she was born and raised. Just last year, Sam joined the cast of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, which airs on PBS, so even if you can’t make it to one of her pop-ups, tune in to learn some quick and creative meals from this spectacular Southern chef.
4 BRITTANNY ANDERSON
Richmond, Virginia
A Richmond, Virginia, native, Brittanny Anderson kickstarted her culinary career in the Big Apple before heading home to open German-inspired Metzger Bar & Butchery. In 2017, Brittanny received her first (of two) prestigious James Beard Award nomination and opened her second restaurant, Brenner Pass. Now, with numerous awards and accolades and an appearance on Bravo’s Top Chef under her belt, Brittanny has added many ventures to her plate, including a seafood distribution business, a retail cheese company, a coffee shop and bar called Black Lodge, and an all-day Euro café in Washington, DC, called Leni. There’s no stopping Brittanny’s tireless determination to expand the South’s culinary offerings, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
5 CARRIE MOREY
Charleston, South Carolina
The world has adored Carrie Morey since the start of her booming biscuit business Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit more than 15 years, that debuted on PBS last year. A documentary-style show that follows Carrie throughout her daily life as a wife, mother of three girls, and busy business owner, is altogether entertaining, wholesome, and honest. Follow along as Carrie travels the region and shares meals and stories with fascinating fellow Southerners.
