"Chef/owner of Richards’ Southern Fried in Atlanta and director of culinary for Jackmont Hospitality released his first cookbook this spring, and is the epitome of what soul food is today and gives a glimpse of what it will be in the future. "Soul food is the original cuisine of the South, born from an involuntary collision of cultures," Richards writes in the book's introduction. Though many equate this genre of cooking with dishes such as fried chicken and collard greens—which yes, he includes recipes for in his book—Richards goes beyond the expected to incorporate today's more global pantry." - Abbe Baker
