Ashley Christensen (Raleigh, NC) on How She Started Cooking and Where Restaurant Concepts Come From

After years of trying, Ashley Christensen and Andrew were finally able to orchestrate an in-person interview this past spring at The Chef Conference in Philadelphia. Unsurprisingly, it was well worth the wait: Ashley opens up about the role of music and food in her childhood, the college dinner parties that sparked her eventual commitment to the pro kitchen, and the genesis of some of her most successful concepts.Here are some organizations to which you can contribute in order to help people affected by Hurricane Helene in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs' presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for professionals. Sign up today for a basic  (free) or premium membership. And please check out our fellow meez network podcasts and newsletter!  THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!