Chef Elliott Moss named semifinalist for 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards

Buxton Hall executive chef recognized in “Best Chef: Southeast” category
 
Chef and pitmaster Elliott Moss of Buxton Hall Barbecue has been named a semifinalist for the “Best Chef: Southeast” category in the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. Announced today, February 15, this year’s semifinalists were selected by a body of more than 300 previous James Beard Restaurant & Chef Award winners, 250 panelists divided evenly among 10 regions and 17 members of the Restaurant and Chef Award subcommittee.

Moss’ nomination recognizes him as culinary leader in the Southeast, along with Billy Allin of Cakes & Ale in Decatur, Ga., Colin Bedford of The Fearrington House in Pittsboro, N.C., Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons in the Umstead Hotel in Cary, N.C., John Fleer of Rhubarb in Asheville, N.C., Kevin Gillespie of Gunshow in Atlanta, Ga., Damian Heath of Lot 12 Public House in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., Vivian Howard of Chef & The Farmer in Kinston, N.C., Kevin Johnson of The Grocery in Charleston, S.C., Matt Kelly of Mateo in Durham, N.C., Joe Kindred of Kindred in Davidson, N.C., Cheetie Kumar of Garland in Raleigh, N.C., Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Ky., Andy Little of Josephine in Nashville, Tenn., Ri Liu of Masterpiece in Duluth, Ga., Erik Niel of Easy Bistro in Chattanooga, Tenn., Steven Satterfield of Miller Union in Atlanta, Ga., Ryan Smith of Staplehouse in Atlanta, Ga., Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen in Memphis, Tenn., and Paul Verica of Heritage Food and Drink in Waxhaw, N.C.

A son of the low country of Florence, S.C., Moss gained a deep appreciation for the art of smoke, bringing with him the rich characters, humble attitude and low country cuisine he grew up that influences his approach to cooking. Moss first moved to Asheville in 2007 to help open The Admiral Restaurant, garnering acclaim throughout the South for his creative and eclectic fare. While there, Moss earned various accolades including a nomination of “Best Chef: Southeast” from the James Beard Foundation in 2013. Shortly thereafter, Moss partnered with the Chai Pani Restaurant Group to achieve his long-held dream of building his own whole hog, all-wood smoked barbecue joint with the opening of Buxton Hall Barbecue in 2015. Since the restaurant’s opening, Buxton Hall has received much national acclaim including being named one of Bon Appetit’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants for 2016 as well as landing a spot on Southern Living’s Best Restaurants list for 2016.

The 2017 James Beard Foundation Award winners will be announced on Monday, May 1, at the 2017 James Beard Awards Gala held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. For more information, visit www.jamesbeard.org/awards.