Serving: Butternut Squash Pozole w/ Braised NC Wagyu & Mini Masa Biscuit
Ashleigh Fleming is the Community Culinary Director for Ripe for Revival, a Rocky Mount, N.C. nonprofit that operates a fleet of pay-what-you-can mobile fresh food mobile markets. The six mobile markets sell local produce, meat and dairy to the public, including many facing food insecurity. The markets serve about 20 sites and events per week in Beaufort, Edgecombe, Granville, Halifax, Hertford, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt, Sampson and Wake counties.
Raised in Houston, Texas, Fleming grew up in kitchens. Whether it was the restaurants her parents managed or her grandmother’s home, she experienced the thrill of the culinary industry first-hand during the early stages of her life, long before it became her calling. By the time Fleming was 18 years old, she was managing a restaurant. While at first the restaurant jobs were a means to pay for her enrollment at The Art Institute of Houston for graphic design studies, she quickly realized her true calling was hospitality. She continued to gain restaurant experience in Houston before making it official by applying to The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.
After graduating from the CIA in 2009 with both Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management degrees, Fleming began her hospitality career in country clubs. During this time, Fleming cooked at several well-regarded establishments, including the River Oaks Country Club and The Briar Club in Texas, the Congressional Country Club in Maryland, the Army Navy Country Club in Virginia, and then three years as the Executive Chef of The Carolina Club at UNC in Chapel Hill. Eager to find a space that allowed for more creativity and a chance to focus heavily on seasonal ingredients, she set her sights on independent restaurants.
In 2019, Fleming made a name for herself as the opening chef of a restaurant in Apex, N.C. where she worked closely with local growers and purveyors to ensure the restaurant’s successful opening debut. She then relocated to Littleton to open Blue Jay Bistro in Littleton, N.C. where she served as Executive Chef and Managing Director. Fleming relocated her whole culinary team and family from all over the United States and built successful relationships with small farmers and community partners. At Blue Jay Bistro, Fleming was able to combine the flavors and traditions of Texas and the Southeast with North Carolina ingredients. Outside the restaurant, Fleming enjoys spending time with her family including her dog and two cats. She is an avid shoe collector, continues to draw, and is always up for a good beer or hot tea and a conversation on both.