;Hugh is one of the small handful of truly great chefs working in the South today who understands the importance of building and maintaining a bridge between tradition and innovation. His dishes may seem a bit like R.E.M. songs in that they are thoughtful, geo-specific, crafty, smart, and all about pure pleasure. But the dishes, both new and old, all whistle Dixie in a way that honors the true magnificence of the last real regional cooking in the United States. A random selection of any twelve recipes in this book, from cocktails to mains, sides, and all the way to desserts, could easily make up a greatest hits of a fine chef. This book is simply a perfect way to understand and to make delicious and simple American food, refracted through the spectacular prism of the modern South. Hugh is a modern master and one of my heroes. ; -MARIO BATALI ;It's rare to find a chef's cuisine and his place-Athens, GA-so in step with each other: unmistakably Southern and yet unlike anywhere else in the South. That A New Turn in the South brings Hugh's extraordinary kitchen sorcery into our home kitchen is nothing short of a miracle! ; -MATT AND TED LEE ;Hugh shares his love for his adopted homeland in heartfelt stories and odes to favored ingredients. This beautifully designed book lives up to its name with new turns on classics and inventive riffs on regional favorites. It will have readers swooning and cooks inspired for years. ; -MARTHA FOOSE ;I love the way Hugh has articulated his South, which is all about the simple, tasty, friendly treasures in life, of a people and their culture. A beautiful book! ; -JOHN BESH ;Hugh is one of the smartest and best cooks I know. I would happily eat his food every day. ; -SCOTT PEACOCK ; A New Turn in the South will bring Hugh's smart, delicious cooking and love of seasonal ingredients to any kitchen. ; -ANDREA REUSING ;I love Hugh's book because it shows that Southern food has evolved beyond the expected, into a new Southern food-embracing cultures from around the globe while staying true to the ingredients at the root of Southern cooking. ; -DONALD LINK ;Hugh is an eloquent, intellectual spirit who cares deeply for food and its impact on a community. He combines classic French technique with a Southern sense of place, using unique Southern ingredients in a fresh, innovative style. -FRANK STITT