Heritage

Sean Brock is best known as the founding chef of Husk restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, which opened in 2010 and became a landmark of modern Southern cooking under his leadership. He also led the culinary program at McCrady's in Charleston and has won multiple James Beard Awards, including Best Chef Southeast in 2010.

Heritage is organized by ingredient, with chapters dedicated to heirloom products like Sea Island red peas, antebellum grits from Anson Mills, and heritage pork breeds. Brock's deep collaboration with seed preservationists like Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills is a recurring theme, reflecting his commitment to reviving nearly extinct Southern ingredients.

The 2014 cookbook includes adapted versions of some signature Brock dishes, such as his take on shrimp and grits and his beloved North Carolina-style pulled pork. However, many recipes have been reimagined for home kitchens, so readers shouldn't expect exact restaurant replicas—they're designed to be achievable without a professional kitchen brigade.

Brock grew up in rural Southwest Virginia in the Appalachian tradition and later built his career in Charleston, the heart of Lowcountry cuisine. Heritage explicitly bridges these two culinary worlds, with Brock treating both Appalachian mountain cooking and coastal South Carolina traditions with equal reverence and scholarly attention.