Nick Wallace is cooking up change
Words by Ashley Locke
The South is known for turning any occasion into a reason to eat. Birthdays, Sunday church service, sporting events—there’s no reason not to spend a day or two in the kitchen cooking up something delicious for everybody who’s coming. But in a state where you can literally walk into any random gas station and find something excellent to eat, Nick Wallace is taking southern food to another level.
A true Mississippian, Nick’s love for cooking started back in the day on his family’s farm in Edwards. His grandmother, Lennel Donald, made the kitchen a magical place to be, turning greens, squash, and other vegetables into meals that marked Nick’s memory. She tasked him with gathering the produce from the garden, teaching him how to spot what was ready for picking. Those childhood days in the garden laid the groundwork for a culinary path that would soon make waves across Mississippi.
When he got older, Nick moved from his grandmother’s kitchen to restaurant kitchens—for a paycheck more than for passion—but that all changed as he got close to 30. He earned an associate degree in food and beverage management from Hinds Community College, and trained in restaurants from Anchorage to Atlanta and New York to Chicago. He mastered French techniques, but he never lost the lessons from home. Farm-to-table wasn’t a trend; it was Nick’s way of life. And in Jackson, everyone wants a bite of what he’s got cooking.
He isn’t just a hometown hero; he’s representing Mississippi on the national and international stage, making his mark on platforms like Top Chef Houston and Chopped. He’s been on Flavored Nation in Chattanooga and thrown down five Mississippi Themed dinners in New York for the James Beard Foundation. Best Chef in Jackson, Best Chef of Mississippi—these accolades weren’t just awards; they were affirmations that Nick was following the right path.
When the pandemic hit, Nick didn’t just weather the storm; he redefined his business. From My Hands to Your Kitchen became a lifeline, offering a taste of Nick Wallace Signature Cuisine to home kitchens across the state. But his impact extended beyond his customers. He began a nonprofit, Creativity Kitchen, and partnered with the Jackson Public School District to teach kids the joy of fresh, healthy food.
And it doesn’t stop there. Nick’s been working with Whole Foods to throw some money back into the local elementary schools through the 5% Community Giving Program. He’s also the co-chair of Share the Gulf, Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi—an organization all about connecting with the community and giving back. Even after all of his successes, he’s got his feet on the ground and his heart in the community.
His commitment to giving back to the community that raised him has only just begun. He’s in the process of completing Preserve, a culinary center that will feature a studio kitchen, chef’s counter, and cooking school for culinary students, as well as a farmers market and outdoor garden.
2024 is a big year for Nick, with the debut of his first cookbook, “Rooted: A Modern Mississippian Map to American Home Cooking,” and his role as the chef chair for the first-ever JXN Food & Wine. He’s partnering with Iron Chef Cat Cora to create an exceptional celebration of Mississippi’s culinary scene. The festival features over 20 local and national award-winning chefs, offering tastings, wine, beer, spirits, and nonalcoholic samples, along with culinary demos by Top Chefs and live music. A portion of the festival proceeds benefiting the Mississippi Restaurant Association Education Foundation. It’s about the food, but it’s also about the people, the stories, and the taste of home.
Thanks to his work, the whole country is catching on to what Nick has known all along—Mississippi’s got some serious culinary game. Nick Wallace isn’t just a chef; he’s a storyteller, a community builder, and a guardian of Mississippi’s flavors. His culinary legacy isn’t just on the plate; it’s in the lives he touches, the stories he shares, and the taste of Mississippi he spreads, one dish at a time.
