Hugh Acheson
Chef Restaurateur Head Start Ambassador
Food & Wine’s ‘Best Chef,’ winner of two James Beard Foundation Awards and food advocate, Hugh Acheson brings a fresh perspective to how we grow, cook, and shop for food.
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Full Bio
Food & Wine’s ‘Best Chef,’ winner of two James Beard Foundation Awards and food advocate, Hugh Acheson brings a fresh perspective to how we grow, cook, and shop for food. His local food initiatives have developed nationally, integrating healthy, sustainable, and local flavors into the menus of schools, communities, and Live Nation events. Like many in the food industry, Acheson’s business was impacted by 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic. In response, he re-purposed his Athens, GA restaurant, 5 & 10, to prepare and package meals for in-need communities through a partnership with World Central Kitchen’s initiative, #ChefsforAmerica.
In his speaking engagements and live events, Acheson discusses his life in food and passionately raises awareness about sustainable farming, shopping local, and creating healthier communities. As his culinary career has evolved, so too has Acheson’s role in the industry. From being a top chef to becoming a successful restaurateur, Acheson shares not only his journey but the unique lessons in leadership and teamwork he has gleaned along the way.
As a Healthy Living Ambassador for the National Head Start Association, Acheson speaks to Head Start families about the importance of nutritious meals and raises funds for Head Start gardens around the country. He is also a staunch supporter of No Kid Hungry, a national organization that ensures that every child in need has access to healthy food.
His own foundation, Seed Life Skills, is a contemporary approach to home economics that emphasizes real-life skills, including hands-on culinary instruction, conscious consumer economics, and D.I.Y. design principles.
Before Hugh began encouraging others to cook with the flavors grown in their own backyards, he himself learned how to cook, working under established chefs, studying traditional French wine, cuisine, and etiquette. He has since reinvented southern cooking, merging staples of the South with the flavors of Europe into his signature style of pure, honest food.
His cuisine can be tasted in several restaurants across Georgia, including 5 & 10 and The National in Athens, and Empire State South, and coffee shop Spiller Park Coffee in Atlanta. Hugh is also the Culinary Director of Denver-based eatery, Punch Bowl Social, which has several locations across the United States.
Acheson’s first cookbook, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen, won the 2012 James Beard Foundation Book Award for “American Cooking.” In his fourth cookbook, The Chef and the Slow Cooker, Hugh provides 100 recipes of high-level cooking that emerge entirely from a crock-pot.
In his efforts to ensure that local farming is both sustainable and certified organic, he has worked with the Georgia school system, lobbied congress, and spoken on the matter at the Building a Healthier Future Summit, keynoted by First Lady Michelle Obama. He is partnered with Live Nation in their commitment to serving locally sourced produce, responsibly raised meats, and vegetarian options at venues.
In his podcast, Hugh Acheson Stirs The Pot, Acheson sits down with food personalities, entertainers, and activists to talk about what they’re eating and what’s eating them. In 2020, he announced a new travel podcast, The Passenger. This new travel podcast takes listeners off the beaten path with Acheson’s opinionated anecdotes and insights on where to go, what to eat, who to meet, what to do, where to stay – as well as what overrated tourist experiences to avoid.
A frequent judge on Bravo’s Top Chef, Hugh appeared as one of the Iron Chefs in the series, Iron Chef Canada. He has also appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, The Wall Street Journal, GQ, and Southern Living.
Testimonials
Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!
LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!
MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!
SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!
SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!
CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!
PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.
FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!
FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
BREAKFAST FOR ALL: FEEDING AMERICA’S HUNGRY KIDS
STATE OF THE PLATE: CHANGING THE AMERICAN DIET
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE KITCHEN: TURNING EMPLOYEES INTO TEAMMATES
KEEPING IT LOCAL: SUSTAINING YOUR COMMUNITY
INSIDE TOP CHEF
Videos
Chicken fried steak bites from Chef Hugh Acheson will have your mouth watering | GMA Digital
How to Cook a Steak by Hugh Acheson
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