Join us on Sunday, October 20th, when we welcome Ashleigh Shanti, Chef-Owner of Good Hot Fish in Asheville, NC, for a special brunch celebrating the release of her new book, Our South: Black Food Through My Lens.

Reservations are made by purchasing a signed copy of Ashleigh’s book in partnership with Fountain Bookstore.

Brunch will feature some of Ashleigh’s favorite dishes from her book alongside our regular menu. We can’t wait to see you there!

 Ashleigh Shanti is the author of Our South: Black Food Through My Lens and Chef-Owner of Good Hot Fish in Asheville, NC. 

Born in St. Mary’s, GA and raised in Virginia Beach, VA, Ashleigh’s heritage has roots across the Southeast. Her happiest days as a young girl were Sundays spent in the kitchen with her family; friends would stop by to visit, eventually prepare themselves a plate, and stay for hours. These moments ingrained in Ashleigh the power of food and how drastically a meal can impact a person's mood, ultimately inspiring her successful career creating in kitchens across the country and on the pages of her book. 

She graduated from culinary school at Baltimore International College in 2013 and went on to stage at Minibar in Washington, D.C., and act as culinary assistant for Vivian Howard before becoming Chef de Cuisine at John Fleer’s Benne on Eagle in Asheville. She was named an Eater Young Gun in 2019 and was a finalist for the James Beard “Rising Star Chef of the Year” award in 2020. She was also a top five “cheftestant” on season 19 of Bravo’s Top Chef and was the winner of Restaurant Wars. 

Shanti was given the reins for culinary exploration during her tenure at Benne on Eagle, which prompted her move to open Good Hot Fish in 2024, where she now mixes ideas from traditional fish camps with Black Appalachian and Southern cuisine on the menu. These experiences, along with her familial roots in Appalachia, all contributed to the creation of her first cookbook, Our South, which delves into five microregions of the American South and serves as an expression of her culinary identity. 

Shanti lives in Asheville with her wife, Meaghan, and their dog, Roux. In her spare time outside of the kitchen, Ashleigh’s culinary explorations continue. She is often found foraging for wild foods or exploring the process of fermentation in her homegrown lab.