Ashleigh Shanti

Ashleigh is the James Beard award winning author of Our South: Black Food Through My Lens (2025) 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. 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, North Carolina. She won a James Beard award for her first book “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens” in 2025.  She was also a top five “cheftestant” on season 19 of Bravo’s Top Chef and was the winner of Restaurant Wars. Wrapping up a phenomenal 2025, Chef Ashleigh’s restaurant, Good Hot Fish, was recognized by The Michelin Guide and she was name a TIME100 by TIME magazine.