Jeremy Carter of Tarpon Cellars is more than just a winemaker; he is a student of taste, and he built his palate first in the South. A Georgia native, Jeremy attended Florida State University before moving to the Napa Valley in 2007 for an internship at his uncle’s winery in Rutherford. He would soon hone his winemaking acumen through various positions at Luna, Chappellet, and Duckhorn while also studying winemaking at UC Davis. We recorded this interview during the Charleston Wine + Food festival, and this week, Jeremy was named one of the VinePair 50, a big accolade from the publication that ..read more

This week’s episode is a bit of a departure, but something very personal to me and essential to how I approach the varied work I do. I have been drawn to having deeper discussions about the nature of food and how we think about it, so I wanted to let you in a little to my behind-the-scenes by bringing this into the show once a quarter or so. Those of you who subscribe to the newsletter might find a somewhat familiar tone in these “Southern Fork Sustenance” episodes, which will be conversations with thought leaders that explore the deeper bedrock upon which The Southern Fork is built. Shane Mit ..read more

Sam Fore is a first-generation Sri Lankan-American chef from Lexington, Kentucky, and she is a force in what it means to be cooking in America right now. She started her pop up, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, in 2016, after brunches in her home outgrew her dining room. Her pop-ups are one of the few representations of Sri Lankan cuisine in the United States and are a reflection of her first-generation upbringing in the American South. Her dishes include her spin on Southern classics as well as new riffs on her family's, and her work has been featured in multiple national publications, including the ..read more

Sam Fore is a first-generation Sri Lankan-American chef from Lexington, Kentucky, and she is a force in what it means to be cooking in America right now. She started her pop up, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, in 2016, after brunches in her home outgrew her dining room. Her pop-ups are one of the few representations of Sri Lankan cuisine in the United States and are a reflection of her first-generation upbringing in the American South. Her dishes include her spin on Southern classics as well as new riffs on her family's, and her work has been featured in multiple national publications, including the ..read more

Husband and wife team Erin Eisele and James Alford created the concept for Cork & Cap Bottle Shop on their first date. It now lives beyond the imagination in a yellow Craftsman house in downtown Aiken, SC, and in the few years it’s been opened, has impacted the culinary landscape of the Midlands. James, a wine professional, had worked for distributors, in restaurants crafting wine lists, including Motor Supply Company in Columbia, SC, and as a consultant. Sip by sip, he learned exactly what he’d like to put on the shelves. Erin, a native of Aiken and marketing and local food advocate, unde ..read more

One thing that is wonderful about a life in cooking is that the path doesn’t have to be straight and narrow. Chef Noah Whritenour of Stevedore Bakery in Savannah, GA is a New York native, graduated from Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island, has worked in kitchens all over the country from Martha’s Vineyard to Colorado, and honed his craft mainly on the savory side of things. However, the sweet side of the professional kitchen kept calling to him and he finally decided to commit to pastry a few years ago while at Husk Savannah. He leaned hard into the practice and landed the role of Executive Past ..read more

Judith Winfrey is one of the most respected voices in the Southern foodscape. She’s spent a lifetime in food, from working in various positions in restaurants, to running a meal kit delivery business for five years, to being the COO of Linton Hopkins’ Atlanta-based restaurant group.  She is the co-founder of both Wholesome Wave Georgia and Community Farmers Markets, has been recognized as one of Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders, and by the New York Times as a “Woman Who is Changing the Landscape of Leadership.” All of that is evidence that when she’s building something new, it ..read more

Charlotte, NC has a love affair with fast, casual food. Maybe it’s the brisk pace of the banking world or the sprawl of roads that make commute times long but whatever it is, the city doesn’t shy away from standing in line and ordering counter service. One of its favorite spots is Yafo Kitchen, which has multiple locations and is brought up by Charlotteans almost every time I visit with phrases like “Have you had their hummus?” or “I just try not to go more than once a week.” And that’s because of Shai Fargian, Executive Chef and Partner at Yafo, who began this local chain with a dedication to ..read more

What is Southern food? And how does that differ from asking the question, What is cooking in the South? Those are just the sort of questions I try to answer through each episode of The Southern Fork, so it’s fitting to begin this, our eighth season together, with a conversation with Chris “Chino” Hathcock of Husk Savannah in Savannah, GA. He’s been working to define his style for four years under a mantle of an iconic Southern restaurant brand -- Husk-- interpreting Southern ingredients through his own personal lens, all while focusing on sourcing locally. That’s what cooking in the South mean ..read more

Dooky Chase’s Restaurant opened its doors for business in 1941 in New Orleans. What was initially a sandwich shop and lottery ticket outlet in 1939 blossomed into a thriving bar and later a respected family restaurant in the Treme neighborhood. Founded by Emily and Dooky Chase, Sr., the restaurant soon became the meeting place for music and entertainment, civil rights, and culture in New Orleans. In 1946, Edgar Dooky Chase, Jr. married Leah Lange Chase. Later known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah Chase would introduce one of the first African American fine dining restaurants to the countr ..read more