History tells us about Mississippi’s storied past. But it is its current generation of community ambassadors, state advocates, entrepreneurs and business owners telling a different story, especially about the state’s most populous city and capital, Jackson.
Their stories talk about progress and pay tribute to many who fought and laid a foundation for equity while passing the baton. “Jackson is the City With Soul because of the people, places, and events that have not only shaped our city and state but are threaded into the fabric of America,” says Yolanda Clay-Moore, director of communications for Visit Jackson, who is a native Jacksonian.
Knowing what makes this city great requires a multi-sensory experience with emphasis on sight and hearing as you learn about its historic role in the civil rights movement, visit more than 30 interactive museums, and embrace diversity at more than two dozen cultural organizations and institutions.
However, leading your visit by experiencing Jackson’s food and southern hospitality isn’t a bad idea and, in fact, will create a soul connection you’ll never think you’ll make.
The Soul of the South
Located halfway between Memphis and New Orleans, Jackson’s food scene is anchored in generations of soulful culinary traditions and chef-driven concepts that continue to provide depth and creativity to southern classics and globally inspired cuisines.
One of the chefs at the forefront of Jackson’s burgeoning culinary movement is Bravo’s “Top Chef” alum, Nick Wallace. Through a carefully curated menu that is deliciously executed Tuesday – Sunday at the Nissan Café inside the Two Mississippi Museums, Wallace is internationally creating a new narrative about Jackson and Mississippi through each dish served to visitors.
“It just means more to me other than a dollar bill. It means the world that I have a lot of people coming from all walks of life and we get to cook food the way we think; we deserve Mississippi should eat food, but also too to respect it,” shares the chef, who has also rivaled competitors on the Food Network.
New Mississippi is the term he uses to describe the fresh and innovative approach to Nissan Café’s menu. A smoked brisket wrap with pickled vegetables and goat cheese made in-house, a BLT with a twist that includes cured pork belly and a grilled cheese sandwich with whipped brie that is crusted with parmesan and pecorino cheeses.
In addition to mentioning the rest of the menu, which includes salads, soups of the day and a ramen bowl, he inserts, “We created a gumbo called Mississippi gumbo and it is owned by Mississippi. It is for here. All I am doing is just starting something. I am not going to end it. I am starting something that other people can see that you can honestly be creative and give Mississippi something that it deserves. So having this café in here, it is more than just that. It is about the legacy.”
Legacy is also important to Geno Lee, fourth-generation owner of the Big Apple Inn, which opened 83 years ago on Farish Street, once known as “the Black mecca of Mississippi.” Redevelopment of the Farish Street Historical District remains an important project for many Jacksonians and is at the center of the hit show, “The Belle Collective,” on OWN, which follows successful businesswomen and their pursuit to revive it back to its glory days.
Lee also wants to see Farish Street restored and back in business serving the Black community as its significance is sealed in the history of his family, the city of Jackson and the state.
Words by V. Sheree Williams
Continue reading over at Cuisine Noir.
Cuisine Noir Magazine is the country’s first Black food publication, launched in 2009 and dedicated to connecting the African diaspora through food, drink and travel. To read the rest of this article and more, visit www.cuisinenoirmag.com.
