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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Ashley Christensen has made quite a name for herself, both in the
Raleigh area, and in the overall industry. From appearing on hit shows,
like the Food Network’s popular Iron Chef America and MSNBC’s Your
Business, to opening up six separate establishments, Ashley has every-
one buzzing about her talents. Ashley received her initial passion for
southern fare and quaint diners from her father, who was in love with
the comforts of quick-stop hot coffees and plates of corned beef hash.
In 2014, Chef Ashley received the James Beard Award for “Best
Chef: Southeast.” She has appeared in a handful of publica-
tions, including Bon Appétit, Gourmet, The New York Times,
Southern Living and Garden & Gun . Her first opening, Poole’s
Diner, inspired her first cookbook as well, titled, Poole’s:
Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner, which was released
in September of 2016.
Her restaurants include: Poole’s, Beasley’s Chicken &
Honey, Death & Taxes, Bridge Club, Fox Liquor Bar, and
Chuck’s. Poole’s is the diner that started it all, where the
handwritten menu is located on the wall via chalkboard.
Poole’s used to be an old pie shop from the 40s, that also
became a luncheonette. Ashley stayed true to the former
owner’s space, and Poole’s rebirth came in 2007. Since
then, she has open up her other eateries. Beasley’s
Chicken & Honey is where you’ll find classic southern fare
fused with modern twists, like a Quarter Fried Chicken with
an Ashe Co. Pimento Mac-N-Cheese custard, or green cab-
bage slaw with roasted tomato and malt aioli. Death &
Taxes is one of her newest establishments that pays hom-
age to cooking with wood fire. Try the roasted oysters with
preserved lemon and chili butter, or the marrow bones,
served with fried capers and pickled shallots.
Just above Death & Taxes, you’ll find Bridge Club, which is a
loft space that you can reserve for private dinners, cocktail par-
ties, or any other swanky event. The Fox Liquor Bar is certainly
the go-to place in Raleigh for a kickass cocktail, whether you’re
looking for a true classic, or something more inventive. Try the
Wonka Fizz, a shaken concoction of aged rum, lemon juice,
sugar, an entire egg, soda water, and Fee’s chocolate bitters.
Chuck’s is where you’ll find a classic all-American burger – not!
These burgers are being served up in a whole new way, such
as the Dirty South burger, which has smoked pork shoulder
with Anson Mills sea island red pea “chili,” crisp tobacco onions,
roasted tomato and malt vinegar slaw, Ashe Co. Mountain
Cheddar, and of course, yellow mustard. With the Fork & Knife
Fries – served with three different cheeses, lettuce, red bean
chili, and a buttermilk herb dressing – you can’t go wrong.
With this impressive collection of restaurants in the Raleigh
area, it’s no wonder she’s been dubbed the culinary queen of
the town. Chef Ashley promises to use only the freshest, sea-
sonal ingredients, and prides herself on plating the very best
for her hungry customers. Her equalitarian attitude and gastro-
nomical wanderlust outlook makes her both interesting and
inviting. Sit down to a meal in one of her award-winning restau-
rants, and see for yourself!
Food Traveler | Summer 2017 | 99