Ashley Christensen, Chef & Restaurateur, Starts A New Chapter

Radio Cherry Bombe

The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network

Restaurants, 591312, Business, Arts, Food Radio, Interviews, Kerry Diamond, Female Chefs, Radio Cherry Bombe, Entrepreneurs, Society & Culture, Women, Careers, Women In Food, Food, Cherry Bombe Magazine, Talk Radio, Chefs, Restaurateurs

4.6 • 592 Ratings

🗓️ 23 January 2023

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As the restaurant world confronts what it means to be sustainable from a human perspective, some chefs are realizing they need to first answer that question for themselves. For Ashley Christensen, the award-winning chef and proprietor behind AC Restaurants in Raleigh, North Carolina, that meant putting herself on the road to sobriety. In October, Ashley announced her decision via an Instagram post. Not only did many in her community rally around her, but those dealing with similar journeys reached out to share their stories and encouragement. Ashley joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about her decision and what it’s meant to her personally and professionally. She also shares an update on her hospitality group, which today includes an events company, a commissary kitchen, and five restaurants. Her first spot, Poole’s Diner, just turned 15 in December. Ashley is also an author and co-wrote two books: "Poole’s Diner" and "It’s Always Freezer Season" with Kaitlyn Goalen, who is her wife and the executive director of AC Restaurants. Thank you to Graduate Hotels for supporting this episode. If you’d like to hear from Chef Ashley in person, join Radio Cherry Bombe on Thursday, Feb. 9th at Graduate Chapel Hill for a special networking event. Tickets here. There will be a panel discussion with Ashley and other local food personalities plus snacks & sips. We’ll also be at Graduate Tucson on Feb. 23rd and the new Graduate Palo Alto on March 2nd. This episode of Radio Cherry Bombe was recorded at CityVox Studios in NYC. Our theme song is by the band Tralala. Subscribe to our newsletter and check out past episodes and transcripts here. More on Ashley: Instagram, Poole’s Diner, AC Restaurants, "Poole’s Cookbook," and "It’s Always Freezer Season."

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, Boys and girls are all fired up.
0:07.0	I'm the founder. I'm the founder and editor of Cherry Bomb magazine.
0:11.0	Hello, I'm the founder and editor of Cherry Bomb magazine. Each week, I talk to the most interesting culinary personalities around.
0:29.1	Joining me today is Chef Ashley Christensen, an old friend of mine, end of Cherry Bombs.
0:34.8	Ashley is a respected and award-winning chef and restaurateur based in
0:39.3	Raleigh, North Carolina. Her AC Restaurants group includes five restaurants, an events company,
0:44.9	and a commissary kitchen. Her best-known restaurant is Poole's Diner, a beloved spot that just
0:51.1	celebrated its 15-year anniversary. Ashley has been on an incredible professional and
0:56.6	personal journey. Last year, she shared on social media that she was newly sober, and she and I do
1:02.4	discuss that later in the show. For those of you navigating sobriety on your own or with a loved one,
1:07.9	I wanted to flag that so you're not taken by surprise. I just want to say in
1:11.9	advance that I appreciate Ashley for being so open and honest with us today. Ashley and I cover a lot of
1:18.4	ground, so stay tuned for our conversation. Some of you know this already, but we will be hanging out
1:24.1	with Ashley in person at the Graduate Chapel Hill Hotel in a few weeks
1:28.6	for a special radio cherry bomb networking event. I am so excited to be back on the road and catch up
1:33.7	with everyone. The event is taking place Thursday, February 9th, from 5 to 7.30 p.m. at Trophy Room,
1:40.6	the hotel's restaurant. Graduate Chapel Hill is just a short walk from the UNC Chapel Hill
1:45.9	campus. Come and meet other folks in the bomb squad and from the local culinary scene and enjoy
1:51.3	snacks and sips from trophy room. Then we'll have a talk and a panel discussion with Ashley and
1:56.8	Chef Cicely Sierra and Chidi Kumar and other great food folk.
2:05.4	Tickets are $30 and include all food drinks and a copy of our magazine.
2:09.6	Head to Cherrybaum.com to snag your ticket, and we can't wait to see you.
	...

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