Shackelford began cooking under his father’s tutelage at age 14, and spent several years training in fine dining under chefs from France, Germany, and Italy. After 10 years working in fine dining and private clubs, he took a position at Disney World’s EPCOT Center in the World Showcase. Shackelford spent 20 years in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he hosted cooking demonstrations. He’s won several medals and national prizes in cooking competitions, has appeared on Good Morning America, and has been written about in The New York Times. He showcases fresh, quality ingredients and basic cooking techniques.

Q: What secret ingredient would you like to work with?
A: Beer. There’s a lot you can do with it, and most people don’t use it.

Q: What edge do you have in this competition?
A: I’m a long-standing competitor.

Q: If you could make one phone call during the competition, whom would you call?
A: My daughter. She’s also a chef and I trust her.



http://deerfieldwnc.org/

Photograph by Jennifer Hayes