# John Currence

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{{Short description|American chef}}
'''John Currence''' is an American chef based in [Oxford, Mississippi](/source/Oxford%2C_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](/source/James_Beard_Foundation_Award) in 2009 for the category of Best Chef, South, at City Grocery. He later also participated in the [third season](/source/Top_Chef_Masters_season_3) of the [Bravo](/source/Bravo_(U.S._TV_network)) television competition ''[Top Chef Masters](/source/Top_Chef_Masters)''.

== Early life ==
John Currence was born and raised in the affluent Uptown/Carrollton neighborhood of [New Orleans, Louisiana](/source/New_Orleans%2C_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](/source/Jackson_Free_Press) |date=October 1, 2014 }}</ref> After graduating from Isidore Newman School, Currence attended [Hampden-Sydney College](/source/Hampden-Sydney_College) and the [University of North Carolina](/source/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](/source/Chapel_Hill%2C_North_Carolina) restaurant, Crooks Corner.<ref name="FreeP" /> In 1989, Currence returned to New Orleans to be [sous chef](/source/sous_chef) at Gautreau's, co-owned by Larkin Selman.<ref name="FreeP" />

== Career ==

=== Restaurants ===
Currence owns four restaurants in [Oxford, Mississippi](/source/Oxford%2C_Mississippi): City Grocery, Bourè, Snackbar, and Big Bad Breakfast. He expanded Big Bad Breakfast to include locations in [Birmingham, AL](/source/Birmingham%2C_AL), [Homewood, AL](/source/Homewood%2C_AL), [Vestavia Hills, AL](/source/Vestavia_Hills%2C_AL), [Cahaba Heights, AL](/source/Cahaba_Heights%2C_AL), [Tuscaloosa, AL](/source/Tuscaloosa%2C_AL), [Mobile, AL](/source/Mobile%2C_AL), [Florence, AL](/source/Florence%2C_AL), [Madison, AL](/source/Madison%2C_Alabama), [Pelham, AL](/source/Pelham%2C_AL), [Buckhead, GA](/source/Buckhead%2C_GA), [Destin, FL](/source/Destin%2C_FL), [Inlet Beach, FL](/source/Inlet_Beach%2C_FL), [Chattanooga, TN](/source/Chattanooga%2C_TN), [Franklin, TN](/source/Franklin%2C_TN), [Memphis, TN](/source/Memphis%2C_TN), [Nashville, TN](/source/Nashville%2C_TN), [South Pittsburg, TN](/source/South_Pittsburg%2C_TN), [Spring Hill, TN](/source/Spring_Hill%2C_TN), [Durham, NC](/source/Durham%2C_NC), [Charleston, SC](/source/Charleston%2C_SC), [Mt. Pleasant, SC](/source/Mt._Pleasant%2C_SC), [Conway, AR](/source/Conway%2C_AR), two locations in [Little Rock, AR](/source/Little_Rock%2C_AR) and three locations in [Louisville, KY](/source/Louisville%2C_KY). He also owns The Main Event, a catering business based in Oxford for in-house and off-site catering. According to ''[Vogue](/source/Vogue_(magazine))'', "[y]ou can't visit Oxford without hearing someone sing the praises of Chef John Currence."<ref name=vogue>{{cite web|work=[Vogue](/source/Vogue_(magazine))|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](/source/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](/source/The_New_York_Times)}}</ref> It was named one of the "South's Best Bars" by ''[Southern Living](/source/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](/source/Southern_Living)}}</ref> In fall 1999, it won its first of several ''[Wine Spectator](/source/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](/source/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](/source/The_Daily_Meal)}}</ref> ''[Serious Eats](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Vishwesh_Bhatt) won the [James Beard Award](/source/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](/source/Sports_Illustrated)''<ref name=si>{{cite magazine|magazine=[Sports Illustrated](/source/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](/source/Top_Chef_Masters_season_3)''. He won the second week of the competition, "Everything Old is New Again", but was knocked out in the third episode. [Bravo TV](/source/Bravo_(U.S._TV_network)), 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](/source/Andrew_Zimmern) on the [Travel Channel](/source/Travel_Channel)'s ''[Bizarre Foods](/source/Bizarre_Foods_with_Andrew_Zimmern)'', exploring [The Blues Trail](/source/The_Blues_Trail) to try unusual [BLT](/source/BLT_(sandwich)) 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](/source/Anthony_Bourdain)'s [''No Reservations: Parts Unknown''](/source/Anthony_Bourdain%3A_No_Reservations), 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](/source/The_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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/The_Los_Angeles_Times) |date=September 15, 2016 }}</ref>

== Awards and recognition ==
John Currence was the recipient of the [James Beard Award](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Phil_Bryant)'s signing of the anti-gay [House Bill 1523](/source/Religious_Liberty_Accommodations_Act).<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](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Currence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Currence) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Currence?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.