Raleigh chef wins national James Beard Award

Raleigh's own Ashley Christensen has won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef.

Posted 11:20 a.m. May 6, 2019 — Updated 3:40 a.m. May 9, 2019

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Raleigh's own Ashley Christensen is a national award winner.

Christensen was named the James Beard Foundation awards winner for Outstanding Chef in the country during a ceremony Monday night at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

10 things you didn't know about Ashley Christensen

In her speech, Christensen thanked her friends, including Garland chef Cheetie Kumar and Bida Manda's Vansana Nolintha.

She also thanked her parents who she said taught her "the best part of food is sharing it with others."

"To the tremendous community that is Raleigh, North Carolina, thank you. I am so proud to call Raleigh my home," she said.

The awards are often referred to as "The Oscars of Food," and the Triangle has a legacy of taking home honors.

Christensen, who owns Poole's, Death and Taxes, Beasley's, and Chucks, was a finalist for the honor last year but lost out to Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune in New York City.

NC chefs, restaurants named semi-finalists for 'Oscars of Food'

Chef Emeril Lagasse said on Twitter that Christensen's win was "well deserved."

Christensen is a previous James Beard winner, taking home the award for best chef in the southeast in 2014.

Katie Button of Cúrate in Asheville was a finalist for best chef in the southeast at this year's James Beard Awards but lost out to Mashama Bailey of The Grey in Savannah, Georgia.

North Carolina chefs have a history of winning James Beard Awards. Lantern's Andrea Reusing won best chef in the southeast in 2011. Ben Barker of Magnolia Grill won the same honor in 2000. Karen and Ben Barker of Magnolia Grill won outstanding pastry chef in 2003.

Collaborations

Christensen was also in the news on Monday for a menu collaboration with Raleigh's Happy and Hale. The chef and her upcoming Pooleside Pie pizza restaurant teamed up the restaurant for the Pooleside Salad. The salad will be available starting May 16 at all Happy and Hale locations.

Happy and Hale teams up with Ashley Christensen for Pooleside Salad

Christensen will close out the week on Friday at Thrive NC in downtown Raleigh's City Market.

Christensen will be participating in and coordinating the chef demonstrations Friday night. She selected Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani in Asheville, Cheetie Kumar of Garland in Raleigh, Lin Peterson of Locals Seafood in Raleigh and Keith Rhodes of Catch in Wilmington, Vansana Nolintha of Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana in Raleigh and Michael Lee of M Sushi, M Kokko and M Tempura in Durham to be part of the night's demos.