A popular Lowcountry seafood restaurant owned by a prominent Black chef in Asheville, North Carolina, was targeted in an apparent racist attack when hooligans bum-rushed the business at closing time, cut the power and defaced the entrance before fleeing.
No physical violence was reported in the Feb. 3 incident at the Good Hot Fish, but the invasion left renowned millennial chef Ashleigh Shanti stunned just two weeks after she opened the Gullah-inspired dining spot in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood.
Witnesses said the small mob ambushed the store and “shut the power off to our dining room while our last guests were enjoying their dinner,” Shanti fumed in an Instagram post following the raid.
More than a week later, no arrests or suspects have been announced.
On Facebook, Shanti described the episode as “racists doing what they do best.”
“They then ran away, like cowards, when confronted by a guest and an employee but not before outfitting our entrance with this disgusting sticker,” she said, referring to an offensive decal the group stamped to the front wall of the business, which read: “How to ruin a white city,” and contained references to the “N-word,” as well as a star of David — the symbol of Judaism.
The restaurant remains open for business, and in light of the incident, Shanti said she felt more determined than ever to make a positive impact in the community through her food.
“We’ll go even harder,” she said on Instagram. “I’ll keep minding my own Black business and spreading love through serving good ass food for my people.”
The business is modeled after a fish camp — a casual dining establishment known for serving fried fish and seafood dishes that are extremely popular in coastal areas throughout the Southeast.
The menu at Good Hot Fish includes fish sandwiches, hot crab dip, Sea Island red peas, hush puppies, and shrimp burgers.
Two years ago, while traveling the country…
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