Ashleigh Shanti
Benne on Eagle
Ashleigh Shanti is Chef de Cuisine of Benne on Eagle in Asheville, NC. Working closely with five-time James Beard Award finalist Chef John 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. Ashleigh is a 2020 semi-finalist for the James Beard “Rising Star Chef of the Year” award.
Born in 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 could impact a person's mood. When her parents insisted she find a job at age 16, Ashleigh chose one with long hours and grueling tasks – a kitchen – in the hopes that they would balk. And so it was this first job, chosen out of rebellion, where Ashleigh unexpectedly solidified her future career path.
After graduating from Baltimore International College in 2013 with an Associates Degrees in Culinary Arts, Ashleigh embarked upon a variety of culinary experiences, including a position teaching fermentation classes at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans and a stage at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate New York. Homesick for the Southeast, in 2017 Ashleigh moved to Kinston, NC to assume the role of Culinary Assistant for Chef & the Farmer co-owner Vivian Howard. Here, she learned the importance of establishing a culinary identity and discovered the impact of telling a story through a plate of food.
While each of her kitchen experiences helped hone her technical expertise, Ashleigh struggled to find a cuisine that resonated with her on a personal level. It was this longing that beckoned Ashleigh to Asheville in Fall 2018 to help Chef Fleer open Benne on Eagle. Here, Ashleigh has found her culinary identity in a kitchen where the food is both meaningful to her and honors her heritage. She is proud to help Chef Fleer build Benne on Eagle’s culinary program from the ground up by following the theme of Sankofa, “go back and get it” in the Twi language: progressing forward and integrating new food techniques and methods, while looking back to history to reclaim lost and forgotten traditions.
In her spare time outside of Benne on Eagle’s kitchen, Ashleigh’s culinary explorations continue. She is often found foraging for wild foods or exploring the process of fermentation in her homegrown lab.