Yes, Chef!

I remember the exact moment when I tasted the possibility of it all. What the kitchen looked like, the hue of mountain light, the laughter on the porch. One bite of a childhood staple food became a revelation. It was collard greens. More complex than any I’d ever tasted, with undertones of far-flung places, yet bound to the familiar comfort of home. That was how I met Chef Kenyatta Ashford. His ministry is one that most people encounter through their taste buds before they ever meet the man.?

Over time, the Chef behind that memorable bite became a friend and someone I admire deeply. Kenyatta’s journey is a pilgrimage for which few of us in modern times have the resilience. From the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, across the South, up the great Hudson River and across the Atlantic to Africa…all in search of the flavors of his family and their ancestors. And when those flavors hit your tongue, his sojourn all seems worth it. For me, there are few experiences in this world as moving as the communion with personal passion on a plate.?

The world lost many things when the pandemic set in, but it gained one beautiful idea when Chef learned the kitchen he reported to everyday was furloughing. I had the good fortune to see Neutral Ground come forward---as an idea, a menu and a meditation on the possibilities of a better world. It hasn’t been easy. Chef began with few resources, in a world where restaurants are often started and run by privileged entities more interested in free cash flow than honoring heritage food.?

For three years, I’ve watched Chef refine his craft and perfect his menu. In his “spare time”--a non-existent concept for a father, chef, and emerging restaurateur--he has gained a practical business degree in food, to labor, to build-out costs of the space that he will soon bring to life. To say that Chef has “put in the work” would be a gross underrepresentation of the grit and determination that he exhibits day in day out, all while catering, chef’ing, and being a parent, friend and champion for other chefs of color.?

And now it’s time for Chef’s dream of Neutral Ground to become a permanent place in Chattanooga. It’s time to rally around a man and a place that changes more than plates--it’s a place that changes our perspectives. The phrase “neutral ground” refers to the small strip of land between the boulevards in New Orleans, a space that has long been about coming together. It’s an area between two distinct and defined places, an area where people go to experience the other side without having to leave themselves behind. And I can’t think of anything that we need in this world right now more than Neutral Ground.?

I’d like to personally invite and ask you to join Bull, Minya and me in saying “Yes, Chef!” to Kenyatta Ashford’s Neutral Ground by going to:?https://wefunder.com/neutral.ground

You can also support Neutral Ground through catering orders by contacting:?[email protected]

If you have any questions about Neutral Ground or how to help, please don’t hesitate to contact me at:?[email protected]