Just Say It!: Spilled Milk #73

Undersung heroes, cancel culture, and CPGs

Chef Steven Devereaux Greene and his team at Herons at The Umstead in Cary, North Carolina are way overdue for national recognition.

I will just say it. Looking at all the national awards lists and nominations, all the articles about great young chefs, as someone dines out as much as anyone, I can tell you that not seeing Steven’s name on these lists and in these periodicals is beyond shocking. It shows a lack of understanding about who cooks food and what it takes to put it on a plate.

I get it. It’s a really hard decision about who to select to elevate, nominate, profile and why. But in many cases, looking at who is receiving accolades, we aren’t rewarding excellence. And if we are rewarding food makers who are doing important work, let’s call it that. That’s why I love what the James Beard Foundation does with their Emerging Chef award for example. They qualified the excellence is excellence, best is best—whether it’s a great sandwich maker, a pizzaiola, a taqueria master or a fine dining chef. So I encourage you to go see for yourself.

Greene is the best chef in the southeast that you probably don’t know about.

If you love travel, nice hotels, an amazing bar and wine program, superb service, a fun time with incredible amenities and world class food; make a reservation at The Umstead for a getaway this spring.

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