The much-anticipated debut cookbook from two of the most admired and innovative young chefs in the South, with 100 recipes featuring their refined, classically-inspired takes on the traditional Southern food they grew up with.

Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing are two of the most admired and innovative young chefs in the South. Their distinctive brand of cooking is praised for its brilliant juxtaposition of rustic flavors with refined, classically inspired preparations. 

Southern Comfort is not only their much-anticipated debut cookbook, but also Allison and Slade’s personal story: their childhood food memories and family traditions growing up in Louisiana and Mississippi, how they met and fell in love in a New Orleans kitchen, and lessons learned working in top restaurants in San Francisco and New York. It also describes their bittersweet homecoming and the opening of their first restaurant just days before Hurricane Katrina hit. And perhaps most importantly, Southern Comfort shares Allison and Slade’s deep-rooted love for the area—its history, its cuisine, and its people—which inspired them to stay in New Orleans and keep cooking.

These 100 recipes reflect Allison and Slade’s refreshing approach to regional cuisine, with its pitch-perfect blend of high and low. Dishes like Hush Puppies with Caviar, Sweet Tea–Roasted Duck in Date Sauce, and their legendary Oysters Rockefeller “Deconstructed” are modern in technique and execution, yet inspired by the traditions, ingredients, and down-home philosophy that make Southern food so appealing.

At its heart, Southern Comfort is a celebration: of local ingredients, New Orleans’s vibrant food culture, and Allison and Slade’s shared Southern upbringing. Brimming with flavorful recipes and stories, it showcases the very best that the New South has to offer.

“Allison and Slade are two of the most talented chefs I know. Their understanding of New Orleans’s vast food history allows them to cook food that broadens culinary boundaries, but is still delicious and accessible. Their commitment to local farmers, fishermen, and producers has helped create a new market for fresh ingredients that benefits all of New Orleans. I really enjoy eating Allison and Slade’s food, and this cookbook—with its rich photography and innovative recipes—is a great extension of their sense of taste and Southern hospitality.” 
—Stephen Stryjewski, chef/co-owner of Cochon restaurant

“The book for the young, hip, and hungry.”
—Charlotte Observer
 
“A welcome addition to cookbooks on contemporary Southern cuisine.”
—Library Journal
           
“With their Oysters Rockefeller “Deconstructed,” Allison and Slade have imbued a staid classic with fresh, light inventiveness. With their Muscadine Wine Jell-O, they have lifted plain gelatin to unprecedented heights of deliciousness. These two are masters, as well-versed in the home recipes of the South as they are in the fine dining techniques of New York and New Orleans restaurant kitchens. If you want to master great food, learn from them.” 
—Lolis Eric Elie, writer for HBO’s Treme and author of Smokestack Lightning 
 
“In Southern Comfort, Allison and Slade vividly convey what they do best: combiningelements of high- and lowbrow cooking to create unique, easy-to-prepare dishes that reflect their love of all things Southern. I laughed at all the stories of them as young’uns, and gained some insight into how they came to be the fun, funny, and talented team they are today. This is a delightful book, packed with recipes you will want to use every day.” 
—Susan Spicer, chef/owner of Bayona restaurant and author of Crescent City Cooking