Everyone to the Table

The culinary scene in Asheville, North Carolina, is more dynamic than ever. Meet three chefs and a brewer who are leading the way. 

- Jasmine Ting

AS I BIT INTO a flaky croissant filled with a Mallorcan chorizo spread, the smoky taste of paprika took over my senses. After this spicy start to my day, I wandered over to a pop-up serving Filipino barbecue, drawn by the sweet smell of pork skewers caramelizing in a soy glaze.

Later, I enjoyed a tangy bowl of ceviche and a frozen pisco sour, relishing the tart citrus. Extraordinary food experiences like these are now common in Asheville, a town of transplants with a thriving multicultural community. On a recent trip to the North Carolina mountains, I met four people who are defining the city's culinary footprint.

FAMILY-STYLE FILIPINO FOOD

The first thing Silver locovozzi learned to cook was rice. His mother always had a batch ready when he got home. "Rice has texture and warmth and steam and gumminess," locovozzi says. "It gives you the comfort of cooking."

Iocovozzi was nicknamed “Neng Junior” after his mother, who is known as "Neneng" to her friends. He was raised in North Carolina, but his mom's Filipino culture played a huge part in his upbringing. While the family enjoyed American classics like Campbell's soup and grilled cheese, Iocovozzi also cherished the days when his mother served fried eggs with tomatoes and onions beside a heaping pile of rice, topped with banana ketchup-a staple in Filipino pantries.

These food memories inspired locovozzi to open Neng Jr.'s, a 17-seat restaurant in West Asheville in summer 2022. (This year, it's a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.) One standout dish is duck adobo, rich with fat and crispy skin, accompanied by a thick, coconut-forward sauce. Another is ice cream made with sharp cheddar and mimolette, a hard French cheese, that mimics the keso sorbetes sold as street food in the Philippines.