Kelsey Barnard Clark
Definition
An acclaimed American chef and restaurateur from Dothan, Alabama, best known for winning the 16th season of Top Chef in 2019, making her the only Southerner to do so as of 2024.
Owner and executive chef of KBC restaurant in Dothan, Alabama, where she showcases Gulf Southern cuisine.
Author of cookbooks including Southern Grit (2021) and Southern Get-Togethers (2024); a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: South and judge on Next Gen Chef.
Examples
Kelsey Barnard Clark's Southern Grit proves that Alabama cooking can outshine any city slicker fusion fad with its unapologetic flavor punch.
After Top Chef glory, Kelsey Barnard Clark turned Dothan into a culinary pilgrimage site, where even the skeptics bow to her biscuit mastery.
Hosting a Southern Get-Togethers feast à la Kelsey Barnard Clark means your guests leave stuffed, satisfied, and secretly plotting their return visit.
Kelsey Barnard Clark's KBC serves up Gulf Coast gems that make chain restaurants look like the fast-food equivalent of beige wallpaper.