2023 Taste of the South Ambassadors

The South’s culinary offerings play a major role in marketing travel to the Southern States. Travel South USA, in partnership with Brand USA, has signed a title sponsorship for the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival to be held in London, July 15-16, 2023. This culinary-centric UK marketing campaign targets consumers interested in traveling to the Southern USA.

Meet the extraordinary ambassadors

Chef Jim smith

Chef Jim Smith

Executive Chef and Owner of The Hummingbird Way Oyster Bar, Mobile, Alabama, crowned the King of American Seafood by winning The Great American Seafood-Cook-Off and the national spokesperson for Alabama Seafood, American Sustainable Seafood, Gulf Seafood and the NOAA.

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Chef Scott McGee

Chef Scott Thomas McGehee, winner of over 400 “Best of” Arkansas Times awards including a multi-year winner of the prestigious “Best Chef” award and equally passionate in his pursuit to be strongly connected and supportive of local farmers and farm families.

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James Lake

James Lake, Director of Marketing for Bardstown Bourbon Company, one of the largest distillers of American Whiskey, oversees all aspects of brand management including the line strategy, brand packaging, portfolio management, and below-the-line commercialization of the Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River Distilling Co. and the company’s collaborative distillation program.

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Herb Heneman

Herb Heneman, Chief Commercial Officer for Bardstown Bourbon Company from Kentucky, one of the nation’s leading distillers of American Whiskey, Rye and Bourbon.

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Chef Cody Carroll and Chef Samantha Carroll

Chefs Cody and Samantha Carroll, Louisiana’s very own culinary couple rose to fame as Food Network stars, showcasing their farm-to-table cuisine and unique style in the kitchen as a true dynamic-duo on their own show: Cajun Aces

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Chef Nick Wallace

Chef Nick Wallace was named Best Chef of Mississippi in 2020 and has remained on the list of Best Chefs in America since.

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Chef Rob Connoley

Chef Rob Connoley’s work has garnered three James Beard Foundation semi-finalist awards, and two consecutive honors as one of the best restaurants in America by Wine Enthusiast magazine, as well as features on BBC, Fine Dining Lovers, the Julia Child Foundation and Barons magazine.

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Chef Ricky Moore

Chef Ricky Moore of Durham, North Carolina, was named the James Beard Foundation “Best Chef Southeast” and is a self-professed North Carolina seafood evangelist.

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Chef Chris Williams

Chef Chris Williams of South Carolina was deemed the 2022 South Carolina Chef Ambassador to promote the states culinary heritage and local food culture through “gas station cuisine” that he has elevated to an art form.

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Assistant Distiller Lexie Phillips

Lexie Phillips is an assistant distiller at Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, one of only a handful of women to have worked as a distillery operator, Lexie hopes to share her passion for whiskey making and inspire interest in future female distillers.

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