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The Lost Southern Chefs: A History of Commercial Dining in the Nineteenth-Century South

The Lost Southern Chefs: A History of Commercial Dining in the Nineteenth-Century South

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Author: Robert F. Moss

In recent years, food writers and historians have begun to retell the story of southern food. Heirloom ingredients and traditional recipes have been rediscovered, the foundational role that African Americans played in the evolution of southern cuisine is coming to be recognized, and writers are finally clearing away the cobwebs of romantic myth that have long distorted the picture. The story of southern dining, however, remains incomplete.

The Lost Southern Chefs begins to fill that niche by charting the evolution of commercial dining in the nineteenth-century South. Robert F. Moss punctures long-accepted notions that dining outside the home was universally poor, arguing that what we would today call "fine dining" flourished throughout the region as its towns and cities grew. Moss describes the economic forces and technological advances that revolutionized public dining, reshaped commercial pantries, and gave southerners who loved to eat a wealth of restaurants, hotel dining rooms, oyster houses, confectionery stores, and saloons.

Most important, Moss tells the forgotten stories of the people who drove this culinary revolution. These men and women fully embodied the title "chef," as they were the chiefs of their kitchens, directing large staffs, staging elaborate events for hundreds of guests, and establishing supply chains for the very best ingredients from across the expanding nation. Many were African Americans or recent immigrants from Europe, and they achieved culinary success despite great barriers and social challenges. These chefs and entrepreneurs became embroiled in the pitched political battles of Reconstruction and Jim Crow, and then their names were all but erased from history.

About the Author
ROBERT F. MOSS is a writer and independent scholar based in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the author of Southern Spirits: Four Hundred Years of Drinking in the American South and Barbecue: The History of an American Institution. He is currently the contributing barbecue editor for Southern Living and the southern food correspondent for Serious Eats.

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Author: Robert F. Moss

In recent years, food writers and historians have begun to retell the story of southern food. Heirloom ingredients and traditional recipes have been rediscovered, the foundational role that African Americans played in the evolution of southern cuisine is coming to be recognized, and writers are finally clearing away the cobwebs of romantic myth that have long distorted the picture. The story of southern dining, however, remains incomplete.

The Lost Southern Chefs begins to fill that niche by charting the evolution of commercial dining in the nineteenth-century South. Robert F. Moss punctures long-accepted notions that dining outside the home was universally poor, arguing that what we would today call "fine dining" flourished throughout the region as its towns and cities grew. Moss describes the economic forces and technological advances that revolutionized public dining, reshaped commercial pantries, and gave southerners who loved to eat a wealth of restaurants, hotel dining rooms, oyster houses, confectionery stores, and saloons.

Most important, Moss tells the forgotten stories of the people who drove this culinary revolution. These men and women fully embodied the title "chef," as they were the chiefs of their kitchens, directing large staffs, staging elaborate events for hundreds of guests, and establishing supply chains for the very best ingredients from across the expanding nation. Many were African Americans or recent immigrants from Europe, and they achieved culinary success despite great barriers and social challenges. These chefs and entrepreneurs became embroiled in the pitched political battles of Reconstruction and Jim Crow, and then their names were all but erased from history.

About the Author
ROBERT F. MOSS is a writer and independent scholar based in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the author of Southern Spirits: Four Hundred Years of Drinking in the American South and Barbecue: The History of an American Institution. He is currently the contributing barbecue editor for Southern Living and the southern food correspondent for Serious Eats.

We strive to process all orders within 2-3 business days from the order date (not including holidays or weekends). Processing time includes checking, packing, and sending your orders to the courier service.

This product ships via USPS Priority Mail, and shipping rates are calculated at checkout based on your location. -

When we print your shipping label, you will receive a confirmation email containing a tracking number. Please allow 24-48 hours for the tracking information to update on the courier's website.

Orders ship directly from each brand on the Marketplace, and your order may arrive in separate packages if products from multiple vendors are included. If you would like your order to arrive as one package, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please reach out to orders@thelocalpalate.com.