John Fleer, chef-owner of Benne on Eagle, who has already promoted sous chef Malcolm McMillian to chef de cuisine, is a champion of Shanti, whom he promised early on would be a star. Shanti shares the rap she wrote for Hall. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Chef de cuisine of Asheville’s Benne on Eagle, Ashleigh Shanti, has left the restaurant to pursue her own dining establishments. Mackensy Lunsford, Asheville Citizen Times. In a profile of Shanti, Eater contributor Osayi Endolyn writes, “Since beginning at Benne on Eagle last fall, Shanti’s menu, rich with spices, memory, and a remix of tradition, has attracted regular diners and popular industry figures alike, all enamored with her dexterity. A press release came in on Friday to announce that Malcolm McMillian is the new chef de cuisine, and the Asheville Citizen Times confirmed that Shanti had stepped down to create a restaurant group based in Asheville. ASHEVILLE - When Ashleigh Shanti became the first chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, she signed her name on the kitchen wall before the metal fireproofing panels … In Asheville, N.C., Ashleigh Shanti, who was named to the James Beard shortlist for her work as chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, says she doesn ’ t … "We need to allow those people to have voices, to be heard as well, and make sure they're working in a fair and safe environment. The day I was scheduled to interview Shanti was the day Benne on Eagle decided to close its doors to the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ashleigh Shanti and David Taylor from Benne on Eagle read some of their worst restaurant reviews. The menu pays homage to the African roots of much of southern cooking, with a variety of greens and beans (flageolet, crowder peas, cream peas, etc.) Crispy fried quail at Benne on Eagle Photo: Johnny Autry Art at The Foundry Hotel Photo: Jeremiah Hull “As an African-American woman with roots in southern Appalachia and the Lowcountry, I cook food that explores my ancestry,” Shanti explains. To that end, Shanti plans to create an Asheville-based restaurant group, overseeing multiple venues. "Hi folks, no need to adjust your screens. Ashleigh Shanti and John Fleer. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Ashleigh Shanti. And it’s the mantra of Benne on Eagle, a new restaurant dedicated to exploring the nuances of soul food through Appalachian ingredients in Asheville, North Carolina. It's gutsy to shift gears in the middle of a pandemic. Since joining Benne, Shanti was nominated for a James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef. He said encouraging Black restaurant ownership has been on his mind since the restaurant was in its planning stages, stationed as it is in a formerly thriving Black business district. If you can’t find oxtail, Ashleigh suggests substituting chuck roast cut into 1¼-inch pieces. Article by Debra Freeman with photography by Fitz Lead photo: Chef Ashleigh Shanti seated in Benne on Eagle Five pieces of art hang on the walls in Benne on Eagle, a restaurant inside the Foundry Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. After college, she tried out several food- and beverage-related roles from teaching fermentation techniques in New Orleans to a stage at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate New York. Ashleigh Shanti: [00:03:20] I am Ashleigh Shanti, the chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, and today we are making red wine braised oxtails with pink eyed peas and buttered rice. 1 Seller of PBR Cans in the World, The Triangle’s First ‘Leisure Bar’ Set to Open Spring 2021, Acclaimed Atlanta Restaurant Bocado Bar + Diner Is the Latest Transplant to Eye Charlotte, Brooklyn-Favorite Emmy Squared Plans Charlotte Location. Rising Star Chef Ashleigh Shanti Exits Benne on Eagle. Beside her name, she wrote "sankofa," a word borrowed from the Akan tribe in Ghana. Malcolm McMillian, new chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, takes over from Ashleigh Shanti McMillian joined Benne in summer as sous chef under Ashleigh Shanti. Ashleigh Shanti at home in Asheville with her vizsla, Roux. "I had been cooking food for so long that wasn't mine, or I didn't feel connected to. Chef de cuisine of Asheville’s Benne on Eagle, Ashleigh Shanti, has left the restaurant to pursue her own dining establishments. Press release from Ashleigh Shanti: On Friday, June 19, from 5-8pm Benne on Eagle and THE BLOCK off biltmore will co-host a JUNETEENTH celebration of … Benne seeds are richer tasting than sesame but can be tricky to source. But this year has been a time of reflection for many, Shanti said. The rate of restaurant ownership in the Black community is low, Shanti pointed out then. In June, Shanti spoke about how the conversations surrounding restaurants during the COVID-19 crisis often failed to consider service industry workers, particularly the minority workers in the most essential and thankless positions in the food industry. More: Malcolm McMillian, new chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, takes over from Ashleigh Shanti. "I'm taking a pause to recharge and make sure the next move I make benefits the community, whether that's the restaurant staff or the marginalized community in Asheville," she said. Mackensy Lunsford has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years, and has been a staff writer for the Asheville Citizen Times since 2012. "It will take a lot, but I'm up for the task. You can find them at ansonmills.com, but sesame seeds will also work.Benne on Eagle chef Ashleigh Shanti… Shanti told the Citizen Times in early 2018 she'd been looking for her purpose while honing her culinary identity. So it was really important that my next position was meaningful.". Typically illustrated by a bird plucking a seed or egg from its back, it means "go back and get it," Shanti explained then. "With some of those reflections, I got a bird's eye view of my future trajectory and what that looks like," she said. Rising Star Chef Ashleigh Shanti Exits Benne on Eagle Chef de cuisine of Asheville’s Benne on Eagle, Ashleigh Shanti, has left the restaurant to pursue her own dining establishments. A press release came in on Friday to announce that Malcolm McMillian is the new chef de cuisine, and the Asheville Citizen Times confirmed that Shanti had stepped down to create a restaurant group based in Asheville. Oxtail is something that I grew up making. While Shanti brought Appalachian and West African touches to the kitchen, they will likely not disappear from the menu at Benne on Eagle, as she moves on to build her own food empire. "Ashleigh said something right before she left which has kind of resonated with me in that Benne had the potential to be an incubator of sorts for Black chefs," Fleer said Nov. 18. She's working on cooking demos and busily recording recipes. Chef at Benne on Eagle in Asheville, North Carolina, Ashleigh Shanti’s Stewed Oxtail is a recipe inspired by her Great-Grandma Inez’s cooking. Shanti's credits include Minibar, José Andrés's vaunted D.C. restaurant, a stage at Blue Hill at Stone Barns under chef Dan Barber and Culinary Assistant for Chef & the Farmer co-owner Vivian Howard. Heirloom Collard Project It was at Benne on Eagle that Shanti met Chris Smith, author of James Beard Foundation Award-winning book The Whole Okra: … She hopes to provide more opportunities for employment where workers feel empowered. Benne earned its fair share of attention during Shanti's tenure, not only for its star chef, but also for the cause behind the menu: highlighting the African traditions and history behind Southern-Appalachian food. Standouts include accara (black-eyed pea fritters) with sorghum mustard and piri piri yogurt, and spiced oxtail with curried onions—a nod to the popularity of oxtails at restaurants on The Block during its heyday. Subscribe to my newsletter here. Benne on Eagle chef Ashleigh Shanti’s brilliant blend of African and Appalachian foodways makes for hearty, unexpected twists on your favorite lazy … "Restaurant openings take time, and I want to be so intentional and strategic with everything I do," she said. ", More: New chef de cuisine makes mark at Benne on Eagle, new John Fleer restaurant in Asheville. Carla Hall hears Ashleigh Shanti's rhyme in Fleer's new Benne on Eagle. Ashleigh has been recognized as a national + regional top chef in publications including The New York Times , Time Magazine , Garden & Gun , and Bon Appetit ( check out her brunch menu ). Working closely Chef Fleer, Ashleigh pays homage to the rich African-American culinary traditions that once thrived in The Block – the neighborhood surrounding the restaurant – as well as honoring her own history as a Southern, African-American female. "And it makes sense that I own those stories and control my own narrative," she said. I'm not the Pioneer Woman, and this is not Oklahoma. "And as a Black chef who's a woman and queer, it's vital to have some representation when it comes to restaurant ownership. There's so much more we should feel tasked with. Four are large black and white photographs of African-American women who owned restaurants nearby hung over a banquette. When cooking at Benne on Eagle in Asheville, chef Ashleigh Shanti plays an eclectic mix of music from Janelle Monáe, Beyoncé, Phantogram, and N.E.R.D. This ethos informs everything we do here at Benne on Eagle, from the décor to the art to the menu and our kitchen staff, which is comprised of many family members of people who ran thriving businesses on The Block in the 1960s and 1970s. ASHLEIGH SHANTI Ashleigh Shanti is Chef de Cuisine of Benne on Eagle in Asheville, NC. • Ashleigh Shanti Steps Down From Benne on Eagle With Plans to Create Restaurant Group [Asheville Citizen Times]• The Past as Possibility in the Appalachian South [E], Rising Star Chef Ashleigh Shanti Exits Benne on Eagle, 18 Standout Dining Destinations in Charleston, Where to find pulled pork, seasonal pizzas, and fried shrimp, The 17 Most Anticipated Restaurants Across the Carolinas for 2021, Ashleigh Shanti Steps Down From Benne on Eagle With Plans to Create Restaurant Group, The Past as Possibility in the Appalachian South, Once Again, Charleston’s Own Recovery Room Is No. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. ", She acknowledged achieving her goals would require an enormous effort. 5,684 Followers, 326 Following, 104 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Benne On Eagle (@benneoneagle) ", More: Eagle Street Juneteenth celebration honors holiday, supports Black community, Shanti will partner with people and investors whose visions align with her own, she said. Ashleigh Shanti (born circa 1991) is an American chef and sommelier. "I'm doing my best to have the best hospitality group in Asheville.". Ashleigh is the Chef de Cuisine at Benne on Eagle, the John Fleer-headed soul + Appalachian eatery in the Foundry Hotel, located in Asheville’s historic Block neighborhood. It can More: Planting seeds of revolution: Asheville chefs, farmers unite behind accessible fresh food, "I was kind of at a lull in my career," she said, then 28. As hleigh Shanti grew up in a secluded house surrounded by acres of woods near Virginia Beach. Benne on Eagle is located on Eagle Street in Asheville’s historic neighborhood called The Block. Shanti has stepped down to focus on plans to open multiple local restaurants 5454 Benne On Eagle shared a photo on Instagram: “Chef de Cuisine Ashleigh Shanti named 1 of 16 Influential Black Chefs by @nytcooking. Shanti has stepped down … Shanti specializes in African American foodways, including Black Appalachian food. Number one in…” • See 78 photos and videos on their profile. "We're kidding ourselves if we think our role is just to cook in a restaurant morning to night. ASHEVILLE - When Ashleigh Shanti became the first chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle, she signed her name on the kitchen wall before the metal fireproofing panels were affixed over the top. Read more: Subscribe to the Citizen Times here. ", More: Asheville chef Hanan Shabazz honored for work preserving foodways, feeding community. A … Chef de cuisine of Asheville’s Benne on Eagle, Ashleigh Shanti, has left the restaurant to pursue her own dining establishments.