Ashleigh Shanti
Ashleigh Shanti

Former Benne on Eagle head chef Ashleigh Shanti, a 2020 James Beard finalist for “Rising Star Chef of the Year,” will star in the 19th season of Top Chef, debuting March 3 on Bravo TV.

Shanti grew up in coastal Virginia, where she has said she “stripped collard greens before she could walk.” She attended culinary school at Baltimore International College, then developed a thorough grounding in the profession at area restaurants featuring northern Italian and classic French cuisines. Several years later, after meeting NC-based chef and TV host Vivian Howard, she became culinary assistant at Howard’s two Kinston restaurants.

All those professional credentials whetted her thirst to reconnect with her African American culinary heritage, so in 2018 she spent almost half a year on the road learning more and more about southern Black cooking traditions and styles. While traveling, she was invited to partner with five-time James Beard finalist John Fleer, owner of Asheville’s Rhubarb, in developing the new restaurant Benne On Eagle, which quickly became known as one of Time magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places” to dine. Since 2020 Shanti has owned and operated Good Hot Fish, a local pop-up.

Top Chef will pit fifteen contestants from around the US vying to win that title. Fans of Ashleigh Shanti and great cooking can tune in for free on Bravo’s website or, to Bravo subscribers, on its “Bravo Now.” app.