It's safe to say that New Orleans cuisine wouldn't be the same without Leah Chase, and that the work of Michael Twitty, BJ Dennis and Tunde Wey has changed the way we talk about Southern cooking. These four chefs are only a few of the most influential black chefs cooking in the South today.

Southern Kitchen picked 20 outstanding black chefs across the South who they think have had the greatest influence on what we eat today. Some are television stars, others have dedicated their careers to teaching others and still more are changing our culinary scene from behind the line. Click here to learn about each of the chefs.

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Atlanta art and antiques appraiser and auctioneer Allan Baitcher (right) takes bids during a 2020 auction. Baitcher and his company, Peachtree Antiques, are being sued by a Florida multimillionaire who says he paid them $20 million for fakes. (AJC 2020)

Credit: Phil Skinner / Staff