Chris Hathcock: Husk Savannah (Savannah, GA)

What is Southern food? And how does that differ from asking the question, What is cooking in the South? Those are just the sort of questions I try to answer through each episode of The Southern Fork, so it's fitting to begin this, our eighth season together, with a conversation with Chris "Chino" Hathcock of Husk Savannah in Savannah, GA. He's been working to define his style for four years under a mantle of an iconic Southern restaurant brand -- Husk-- interpreting Southern ingredients through his own personal lens, all while focusing on sourcing locally. That's what cooking in the South means to him, and he's built that point of view through working in some of the best kitchens in the region, including Empire State South and Staplehouse in Atlanta and Two Boroughs Larder in Charleston. Chino was recognized in 2016 as a Forbes 30 under 30 recipient, and was named a semifinalist for 2014 and 2015 Eater Young Gun, but as he has grown creatively, he's still fascinated with the process of cooking and interested as to where it's going to lead him next.