Beth Kellerhals grew up in the Midwest where her family planned what was for dinner around the breakfast table. Beth mostly thought about dessert. After a stint in China near the North Korean border where she studied Mandarin and taught English, she returned to Chicago and enrolled in The French Pastry School. Upon graduating she first studied under Mindy Segal and when the winters became too blustery, she left for Los Angeles. She worked in pastry at a Michelein starred restaurant and then left to make Asian inspired desserts for Roy Choi. The late Jonathan Gold called her “something of a marvel,” and she has been profiled for numerous publications both in LA and here in Asheville. She moved to Asheville to be closer to family. You can find her creations in numerous shops around town as well as the Asheville City Market every Saturday. She is also part of the beloved trio “Ladies Who Brunch Pop Up” where she gets a chance to cook savory breakfast food with her co-chefs Terri Terrell and Michele Gentile. An avid history nerd, she loves reading about the Qing Dynasty in China and England’s Tudor Kings and Queens.
Raised in central Florida to a family where food culture was life, his formative experience was largely the osmosis of a Puerto Rican childhood. Tastes. Smells. Sounds, emotion, intuition. Now, at this point in his life he has spent almost as many years in western NC as he had in his native land. His time here in the mountains has been experienced through purposeful learning, intentional training, seeking, finding and creating. His cooking style seeks to blend the flavors and techniques of these cultures. He’s held cook, pastry chef and head chef positions and done various pop ups in Asheville, Morganton, around Western NC.
aThoke Lay is a Burmese owned pop up series lead by Yunanda Wilson, owner and chef. Our mission is to highlight traditional flavors through a new lens and promote nutritious comfort food that is convenient and delicious.
From AVLToday:
The concept of “aThoke Lay” — which translates to “little salad” — expands far beyond traditional American assortments like lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. “It simply means a mixture of things,” Yunanda explains. “From noodles to potato curry to tea leaves.”
Yunanda, who moved from Burma to the US as a six-year old, also has a special mohinga recipe from her mother. The chowder-like rice noodle and fish soup, which simmers catfish in a lemongrass broth, comes served with a split-pea fritter that balances the dish with a gentle crunch.”
Chef Jeremy Salig
Taro with tapioca, coconut, candied turmeric, and hibiscus marinated yacon
Scalloped taro with bacon, pimento cheese, and wild onions
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Chef Beth Kellerhals
Taro Hand Pie with Peanut Anglaise
Taro Brandade Crostini (Salt Cod, Carmelized Scallions, Taro, Local Sourdough)
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Chef Yunanda Wilson
Taro Thargu: Steamed taro, tapioca pearls, sweetened coconut milk
Taro Hinn: Chicken & taro curry, coconut rice, spicy pickled achira