We asked the rising Southern cooking star what’s in her pantry

Virginia Willis, trained as a French chef, combines traditional Southern recipes with classic cooking techniques. She is a food writer, cooking instructor and television producer. So we asked her what’s in her kitchen, plus some other questions aspiring chefs might want to know.

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Becky Stein / Special /For the AJC

Virginia Willis has worked with such chefs as Nathalie Dupree, Bobby Flay and Martha Stewart. She buys her summer veggies from the Morningside Farmer’s Market.

Virginia Willis links
• Atlanta's Virginia Willis poised to become next celebrity chef
• Photo gallery: A party at her Decatur home
• Try her recipes on EveningEdge.com
• Dinner Dare: Willis demonstrates how to make a tilapia dinner in 30 minutes. With photos and video.
• Learn more about her cookbook book and cooking classes on virginiawilllis.com

Where the chef shops

Where Virginia Willis shops for what:

• Morningside Farmer’s Market: summer veggies

• Whole Foods: seafood and meat

• Star Provisions: cheeses and specialty spices

Pantry provisions

Four items Willis won’t do without:

• Canned whole San Marzano tomatoes

• Linguine

• Chicken stock (“So essential,” Willis says.)

• Canned Mexican salsa (“You can always pull it out.”)

For a do-drop-in

Willis’ essentials for an impromptu gathering:

• Nice selection of cheeses

• Cornichon pickles

• Olives

• Pistachios