Susi Gott Séguret
Madison County native blends music, food, and storytelling across cultures.
Photo: Renato Rotolo/The Urban News
Author, fiddler, forager, and chef Susi Gott Séguret traces her roots to the rugged hills of Madison County in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but her life and work have carried her across the globe.
A musician who has traveled throughout the United States, South and Central America, North and West Africa, and much of Europe, Séguret spent two decades living in France, where she raised a family while continuing to develop her artistic and culinary pursuits.
Born to northern parents in a mountain county often wary of newcomers, Séguret grew up with a keen awareness of what it means to feel like an outsider—even in the place she calls home. That sense followed her abroad. When she settled in a small town in France, she spent years navigating the cultural expectations and traditions of a region steeped in centuries of history, gaining a deeper understanding of belonging, identity and resilience.
Séguret was raised in a household grounded in self-sufficiency. Her parents supported their family of four on roughly $200 a year, growing most of their food and building or crafting what they needed. Daily life meant hauling water from a spring, heating it on a wood stove, showering with a watering can, and tending gardens and livestock—experiences that shaped her lifelong appreciation for food, land, and craft.
Today, Séguret is a Certified Culinary Professional and Certified Specialist of Wine, holding a diploma in gastronomy and taste from Le Cordon Bleu and the Université de Reims. She is the founder and director of the Seasonal School of Culinary Arts, which convenes in Asheville, North Carolina; Ithaca, New York; Sonoma, California; and Paris. She also produces the Asheville Truffle Experience, French Farmhouse Dinners, and the Appalachian Culinary Experience, immersive gatherings that combine foraging, cooking, and dining.
Susi Gott Séguret’s books span memoir, culinary instruction, and gastronomic philosophy. Through her writing, music and culinary events, she weaves together food, culture, and storytelling, creating sensory experiences that reflect the landscapes and traditions that shaped her life.
For more information, please visit www.quintessentialtable.com.
