{{Short description|American chef}} '''John Currence''' is an American chef based in Oxford, Mississippi. {{as of|2019}} he owns four restaurants in the city of Oxford: City Grocery, Big Bad Breakfast, Bourè, and Snackbar in addition to a catering business, The Main Event. Currence also owns numerous Big Bad Breakfast locations in Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina. He won a James Beard Award in 2009 for the category of Best Chef, South, at City Grocery. He later also participated in the third season of the Bravo television competition ''Top Chef Masters''.
== Early life == John Currence was born and raised in the affluent Uptown/Carrollton neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. The majority of his childhood was spent in New Orleans, but his mother took Currence and his brother out of elementary school for long weekends to travel around Europe.<ref name=FreeP>{{Cite news |url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2014/oct/01/john-currence-big-bad-chef/|title=John Currence: Big Bad Chef |newspaper=Jackson Free Press |date=October 1, 2014 }}</ref> After graduating from Isidore Newman School, Currence attended Hampden-Sydney College and the University of North Carolina. One of his part-time jobs while at the university was as a dishwasher at Bill Neal's Crook's Corner restaurant.
His professional career began under Bill Neal at his Chapel Hill, North Carolina restaurant, Crooks Corner.<ref name="FreeP" /> In 1989, Currence returned to New Orleans to be sous chef at Gautreau's, co-owned by Larkin Selman.<ref name="FreeP" />
== Career ==
=== Restaurants === Currence owns four restaurants in Oxford, Mississippi: City Grocery, Bourè, Snackbar, and Big Bad Breakfast. He expanded Big Bad Breakfast to include locations in Birmingham, AL, Homewood, AL, Vestavia Hills, AL, Cahaba Heights, AL, Tuscaloosa, AL, Mobile, AL, Florence, AL, Madison, AL, Pelham, AL, Buckhead, GA, Destin, FL, Inlet Beach, FL, Chattanooga, TN, Franklin, TN, Memphis, TN, Nashville, TN, South Pittsburg, TN, Spring Hill, TN, Durham, NC, Charleston, SC, Mt. Pleasant, SC, Conway, AR, two locations in Little Rock, AR and three locations in Louisville, KY. He also owns The Main Event, a catering business based in Oxford for in-house and off-site catering. According to ''Vogue'', "[y]ou can't visit Oxford without hearing someone sing the praises of Chef John Currence."<ref name=vogue>{{cite web|work=Vogue|title=From Football to Fine Dining, a Guide to Oxford, Mississippi|last=Roderique-Jones|first=Anne|date=July 20, 2017|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/oxford-mississippi-travel-guide}}</ref>
City Grocery was Currence's first restaurant, with a Southern and traditional Creole French menu, opened in 1992, and has been in Oxford Courthouse Square since 1996. ''The New York Times'' recommended "its rowdy upstairs bar and elegant dining below".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/travel/faulkner-and-football-in-oxford-miss.html|title=Travel: Of Parties, Prose and Football|last=Garner|first=Dwight|date=October 4, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> It was named one of the "South's Best Bars" by ''Southern Living'' in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-best-bars|title=South's Best Bars|last=Cole|first=Jennifer V.|date=2013|work=Southern Living}}</ref> In fall 1999, it won its first of several ''Wine Spectator'' Awards of Excellence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://citygroceryonline.com/sample-page/|title=About City Grocery Restaurant Group|publisher=City Grocery|access-date=October 18, 2016|archive-date=October 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012022019/http://citygroceryonline.com/sample-page/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Big Bad Breakfast started in Oxford in 2008, but later spawned additional locations in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and South Carolina.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carlton |first1=Bob |title=Charming North Alabama town works its magic on Big Bad Breakfast chef |url=https://www.al.com/entertainment/2018/03/charming_north_alabama_town_wo.html |work=AL.com |date=March 9, 2018}}</ref> It has received recognition from publications like ''The Culture Trip'', which named it one of the best diners in the South by in 2016,<ref name=culturetrip>{{cite web|work=The Culture Trip|url=https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/the-12-best-diners-in-the-southern-states/|last=White|first=Sophia|date=October 24, 2016|title=The 12 Best Diners in the Southern States of America}}</ref> ''The Daily Meal'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailymeal.com/sandwich-week-big-bad-breakfast-s-southern-belly-sandwich|title=Sandwich of the Week: Big Bad Breakfast's Southern Belly Sandwich|last=Bouchard|first=Skyler|date=March 8, 2013|website=The Daily Meal}}</ref> ''Serious Eats'',<ref>{{cite web|work=Serious Eats|url=http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/09/best-biscuit-breakfast-sandwiches-in-america-usa-slideshow.html#show-268390|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907011534/http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/09/best-biscuit-breakfast-sandwiches-in-america-usa-slideshow.html#show-268390|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 7, 2012|title=Gallery: Great Biscuit Breakfasts Across America Worth An Escape|date=September 2012}}</ref> and ''Travel and Leisure''.<ref>{{cite web|work=Travel & Leisure|url=http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-breakfasts-around-the-world#big-bad-breakfast-oxford-ms|title=Best Breakfasts Around the World|date=March 7, 2013}}</ref>
Snackbar opened in 2009, and its chef Vishwesh Bhatt won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the South in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Jake |title=Snackbar's Bhatt wins James Beard Award |url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2019/05/07/snackbars-bhatt-wins-first-james-beard-award/ |work=Oxford Eagle |date=May 7, 2019 |quote=John Currence put Oxford on the map and I’m just following in his footsteps and it’s quite an honor to be able to do that.}}</ref>
Currence bought barbecue restaurant Lamar Lounge in 2012. It received attention from publications like ''Sports Illustrated''<ref name=si>{{cite magazine|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/college-football/2015/08/17/tcu-horned-frogs-offense-gary-patterson-sonny-cumbie-doug-meacham?page=2&devicetype=default|title=The philosophical change that made TCU a title threat; Punt, Pass & Pork|last=Stapes|first=Andy|date=August 16, 2015}}</ref> and ''Garden & Gun'',<ref>{{cite web|work=Garden & Gun|url=http://gardenandgun.com/articles/the-barbecue-bucket-list/|title=The Barbecue Bucket List|date=June 26, 2015}}</ref> but closed in 2016. It reopened as Fat Eddie's, an American Italian restaurant, which itself closed in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|work=The Oxford Eagle|url=http://m.oxfordeagle.com/2017/05/23/fat-eddies-restaurant-closes-for-good/|title=Fat Eddie's restaurant closes for good|date=May 23, 2017}}</ref>
=== TV appearances === Currence was featured as a contestant on season 3 of the reality television cooking competition ''Top Chef Masters''. He won the second week of the competition, "Everything Old is New Again", but was knocked out in the third episode. Bravo TV, the network on which Top Chef Masters is hosted, released John Currence's pre competition interview.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters/season-3/videos/meet-john-currence |title=Meet John Currence |date=28 October 2014 |type=video |publisher=Bravo TV |access-date=October 18, 2016}}</ref>
Currence joined Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel's ''Bizarre Foods'', exploring The Blues Trail to try unusual BLT sandwiches, including one made with testicles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/bizarre-foods/articles/blt |title=Bizarre Food of the Week: BLT |publisher=The Travel Channel |type=video |access-date=18 October 2016 }}</ref>
He has also appeared on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's ''No Reservations: Parts Unknown'', about the Mississippi Delta and southern culture.<ref name=vogue/><ref>{{cite web |first=Khushbu |last=Shah |url=http://www.eater.com/2014/5/19/6222671/parts-unknowns-mississippi-episode-just-the-one-liners |title=Parts Unknown's Mississippi Episode: Just the One-Liners |website=Eater.com |date=May 19, 2014 }}</ref>
In 2009 he was featured on the CBS ''Early Show'' during a segment called "A Chef on a Shoestring". The segment featured how to cook a three-course meal for four for under $35.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/award-worthy-southern-cuisine-on-a-budget/|title=Award-Worthy Southern Cuisine, on a Budget|date=2009}}</ref>
=== Publications === Currence has published the books, ''Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey: Recipes from My Three Favorite Food Groups and Then Some'', ''Big Bad Breakfast: The Most Important Book of the Day'' and ''Tailgreat: How to Crush It at Tailgating''. He was a contributor to the cookbook ''Wild Abundance: Ritual, Revelry & Recipes of the South's Finest Hunting Clubs''. ''Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey'' was featured or reviewed by ''The New York Times Book Review'', which called it "a culinary rebel yell in a new key",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/books/review/heston-blumenthals-historic-heston-and-more.html|work=The New York Times Book Review|last=Grimes|first=William|title=Cooking|date=December 6, 2013}}</ref> as well as ''The Washington Post'',<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/best-cookbooks-of-2013/2013/12/10/077bd6f4-61b6-11e3-94ad-004fefa61ee6_gallery.html|title=Best Cookbooks of 2013|date=December 10, 2013}}</ref> ''Eater'',<ref>{{cite web|work=Eater|last=Forbes|first=Paula|url=https://www.eater.com/2013/2/19/6479447/john-currences-first-cookbook-pickles-pigs-and-whiskey-coming-this|title=John Currence's First Cookbook, 'Pickles, Pigs, and Whiskey,' Coming This Fall|date=February 19, 2013}}</ref> and others. ''Big Bad Breakfast'' was featured as the ''Los Angeles Times'' Cookbook of the Week.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Amy |last=Scattergood |url=http://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-cookbook-big-bad-breakfast-currence-20160718-snap-story.html |title=Cookbook of the week: 'Big Bad Breakfast' by John Currence |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=September 15, 2016 }}</ref>
== Awards and recognition == John Currence was the recipient of the James Beard Award in 2009 for Best Chef South.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/search?page=4&year=2009 |publisher=James Beard Foundation |title=James Beard Awards, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2016 }}</ref> The Southern Documentary Project filmed the announcement and his acceptance speech.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vimeo.com/4866228|title=John Currence Wins James Beard Award - 2009 Best Chef South |author=The Southern Documentary Project |type=video |website=Vimeo |year=2009 |access-date=October 18, 2016 }}</ref> The Mississippi Restaurant Association awarded him the Restaurateur of the Year and Chef of the Year awards.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2014/oct/01/john-currence-big-bad-chef/|title=John Currence: Big Bad Chef}}</ref> In 2008, Currence won The Great American Seafood Cookoff hosted annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Southern Foodways Alliance awarded Currence the Guardian of Tradition award in 2006, and he was awarded the Mississippi State Tourism Investment Award in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2015/09/30/oxfords-john-currence-receives-state-tourism-investment-award/|title=Oxford's John Currence receives state tourism investment award |newspaper=Oxford Eagle |date=September 30, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mstourism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/press-release-2015-govervors-conference-award-winners.doc |title=Mississippi Tourism Association Presents Industry Achievement Awards at Governor's Conference on Tourism |publisher=Mississippi Tourism Association |type=press release |date=September 29, 2015 |via=Google cache |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622215152/http://mstourism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/press-release-2015-govervors-conference-award-winners.doc |archive-date=June 22, 2016 }}</ref> In 2014 the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) awarded Currence Best Cookbook Award for ''Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey''.<ref>{{cite web|work=SIBA|title=2014 SIBA Book Award Winners|url=https://www.sibaweb.com/booksellers/book-award-booksellers/589-2014-siba-book-award-winners|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106072531/https://www.sibaweb.com/booksellers/book-award-booksellers/589-2014-siba-book-award-winners|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 6, 2017}}</ref>
== Philanthropy and activism == Currence was featured in ''The New York Times'' for launching the Big Gay Mississippi Welcome Table, a protest against Governor Phil Bryant's signing of the anti-gay House Bill 1523.<ref>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Severson |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/07/dining/mississippi-chefs-to-protest-state-law-on-the-eve-of-annual-picnic.html?_r=0 |title=Mississippi Chefs to Protest State Law on the Eve of Annual Picnic |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 5, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Wyatt |last=Williams |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/wyattwilliams/chef-john-currence-wants-to-save-mississippi-from-itself |title=The Chef Who's Leading The Backlash Against Mississippi's New Anti-Gay Law |website=BuzzFeed |date=June 30, 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://chefjohncurrence.com/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Currence, John}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Chefs from New Orleans Category:Chefs from Mississippi Category:American restaurateurs