About Me
Hi there, I’m Zoey Langston, and I cook out of a small but bustling kitchen in Asheville, North Carolina. I’m 47 years old, and I’ve spent nearly three decades in and around the world of food, though it hasn’t always been glamorous. I started off washing dishes at a roadside diner when I was fifteen, mostly because I wanted to buy my first car. But even then, I was sneaking peeks at the line cooks, watching how they turned simple ingredients into something that made people smile.
What really sealed the deal for me was a pot of chili. I was sixteen, the cook called out sick, and the manager asked if anyone knew how to make the house chili. I raised my hand. I’d watched it being made a dozen times, figured I could wing it. I added a little extra cumin, swapped the canned beans for fresh I found in the back. It wasn’t perfect, but it got eaten. That moment lit a fire in me.
I’ve never trained in a fancy culinary school, and I don’t wear a tall white hat. My education came from years of working my way up: greasy spoons, family-run bistros, one chaotic summer at a seafood shack in Maine. I learned from grandmothers in Louisiana, taco vendors in San Diego, and one unforgettable week with a retired Navy chef who taught me how to cook for a hundred people using only two pots and a whole lot of ingenuity.
Cooking, for me, is about heart. It’s not about perfect plating or exotic ingredients. It’s about the warmth of a cast-iron skillet, the smell of onions hitting hot butter, the way a simple roast chicken can bring a family together on a Tuesday night. I believe any home cook, no matter their experience, can make magic with a bit of confidence and curiosity.
I’ve had my share of burnt casseroles and under-seasoned soups. But every mishap taught me something. My kitchen is a place of laughter, experimentation, and forgiveness. I always say, if you’re not making a mess, you’re probably not having enough fun.
These days, I run a small supper club out of my home, where I invite neighbors to try whatever I’ve been tinkering with that week. Sometimes it’s a Southern classic with a twist, like bourbon-braised pork shoulder over grits with smoked paprika butter. Other times, it’s my take on global comfort food—think Thai green curry with North Carolina sweet potatoes.
To all the home cooks out there: don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect kitchen. Start where you are. Trust your senses. And always taste as you go. The best meals aren’t always the prettiest—they’re the ones made with care, shared with people you love.
Welcome to my kitchen. Let’s cook something real together.
f you need any help, feel free to contact me through the Contact page. I’m here to assist you!