@moneygrips @eldravl

Born in a small mountain town in the Appalachian mountains, Burleson (he/him) is eager to preserve heirloom ingredients to ensure the history of food in the Appalachian mountains. With his very seasonal and vegetable forward menu highlighting the farmers and purveyors of the region. Along with his inspiration from travels abroad, he brings forward a very casual yet elegant approach to New American cuisine.

From his upbringings in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia, Dissen has been in touch with the outdoors & nature. There is no cuisine without gardens & farmers. 

@hominyfarm

Hominy Farm reflects a passion for locally sourced and milled grains, natural leavening techniques, and wood fired baking, and sources ingredients with care, creating zero waste, using only plant based ingredients, and planting seeds and trees on the homestead year round. By finding the inspiration is the bread of his ancestors in Lebanon, Eli hopes to offer old world, wood fired breads which serve as vessels for inspiration in themselves. When Sydney, an art educator, is not running her classroom, she is running the back end of Hominy Farm.

Hailing from rural Southwestern Virginia, Milton is at the forefront of the grassroots effort working to preserve the heritage of the Appalachia kitchen. Milton spends much of his free time traveling to Virginia farms and fostering relationships with purveyors across the state.

@chefanniepettry

Pettry (she/her) is an award-winning chef in the Southern culinary scene with a passion for advocacy and sustainability. Raised in the mountains of Asheville, NC, she spent her childhood in the vegetable garden, foraging for mushrooms, trout fishing, and in the kitchen cooking with her family. A 2020 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast and two-time Food & Wine People’s Best New Chef nominee, Chef Pettry can be seen on Top Chef season 14 & 16.

Chris Bennett is a forager, writer, cheesemonger, and trained chef. He grew up roaming the picturesque grassy hollows, dense forest, and open fields of the Appalachian foothills in central east Alabama.

Mary was raised in social work and helped author the Indian Child Welfare Act. In 1993, she began working with the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and founded the Eastern Cherokee Defense League, an economic, social and environmental organization for the Qualla boundary.

Mx. Tyson Sampson (he/they) is an Eastern Band Cherokee Indian ( ᎠᏳᏫᏯ ᎨᏯᏔᎯᎤᏁᏉᎳᏗᏍᎩ).Tyson is a two-hearted and -spirited individual descended from the local indigenous matriarchy called the ᎠᏂᎩᎶᎯ (A-ni-gi-lo-hi). Over 20+ years, they have documented endangered language, held mindful presence, and shared Cherokee wild food practices and cultural sensibilities. They are cultivating an apothecary for ethnobotanical accessibility and a collective to support traditional ecological knowledge through the Bigwitch Indian Wisdom Initiative.

From Birdtown on the Qualla Indian Boundary, Mx. Charles Taylor (she/they) was raised by traditional ᏣᎳᎩᏱ grandparents and is an educator and cultural preservationist, active in the preservation and revitalization of Cherokee culture and language. She has a MA Degree in Public Health from UT-Knoxville and gives their service to a local Asheville Hospital, as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

A member of the Deer Clan, Amy Walker (she/her) grew up eating out of the Appalachian forests; a wildcrafter and a farmer, she farms traditional Cherokee foods, mostly growing traditional medicine, corn, beans, and squash. She is a retired social worker, and an indigenous traditionalist. 

12bonesbbq

What goes better with great BBQ than amazing beer? Iconic local BBQ institution 12 Bones expanded in 2019 with our very own brewery and taproom. Now you can visit the taproom and taste a variety of house-brewed beers to go with great Q.What goes better with great BBQ than amazing beer? Iconic local BBQ institution 12 Bones expanded in 2019 with our very own brewery and taproom. Now you can visit the taproom and taste a variety of house-brewed beers to go with great Q. beers to go with great Q. y

Since 2015, our family distillery has been crafting award-winning spirits and taking them one step further. Cultivated Cocktails blends legacy with innovation, art with science. We age our spirits with care, choice oaks and unique flavors. 

@devilsfootbrew

Farm-To-Can Craft Soda. We pride ourselves on working with Organic Roots & Fruits to create a healthier, more flavorful non-alcoholic experience for everyone in our communities.

The Foundry Hotel is situated in a historic cornerstone known as “The Block,” just a five-minute walk from Downtown Asheville, we offer an unmatched setting for meetings and milestone celebrations. We have designed an experience that balances historic details with modern luxuries.

@hillmanbeer

Hillman Beer is a small, family-owned business located in Asheville, NC. With an emphasis on quality beer and a focus on classics and comfort, we hope that our beer and pub atmosphere keep you coming back to Hillman Beer.

@mountainvalleywater

@plebavl

Loosely inspired by the Roman plebeian community who worshipped the gods of agriculture, fertility, and viticulture we too seek to represent cultivators past and present who brought grapes to glass – farmers, harvesters, winemakers.