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John Currence
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
John Currence’s work is built around Oxford, Mississippi, and around a kitchen identity shaped by the town’s daily rhythm. At City Grocery Restaurant Group, the measure is place first: food that belongs to Oxford without narrowing itself to nostalgia. Breakfast is central to that definition, and Currence has treated the first meal of the day as a serious category rather than a filler shift, widening it into something expressive without losing its practical appeal.
The Path
Training at Isidore Newman School, Hampden-Sydney College, and the University of North Carolina gave John Currence a formal base before kitchens supplied the rest. The early work came in the hierarchy where most cooks start, with a dishwashing job at Bill Neal's Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; that vantage point offered a direct look at restaurant discipline from the bottom up. A later return as chef at Crooks Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina marked not a detour but a consolidation, showing how the line of work can tighten over time. By 1989, he was sous chef at Gautreau's in New Orleans, Louisiana, carrying that accumulated practice into a different kitchen culture. Ownership followed the work rather than replacing it. Since 1992, John Currence has been owner of City Grocery; since 2008, owner of Big Bad Breakfast; since 2009, owner of Snackbar; and owner of The Main Event. Read together, those roles show a restaurateur’s range: not a single brand repeated, but a set of durable operations built through steady management and a clear point of view.
The Work Today
City Grocery Restaurant Group in Oxford, Mississippi is where John Currence’s current work is organized, and the group’s shape reflects the breadth of what he has built there. Breakfast remains the clearest expression of his cooking, and in his hands it carries more than convenience or routine. It becomes a place for butter, griddle heat, syrup, and savory balance to meet on equal terms, with comfort handled as craft rather than shortcut. Buttermilk-Lemon Chess Pie, Gâteau de Sirop, and Comeback Sauce sit at the center of his signature. Each dish occupies a different part of the table—sweet, rich, and familiar—but all three depend on clarity rather than complication. They read as work from a kitchen that understands repetition, regional memory, and the value of a recognizable finish. Oxford remains the base, but the cooking stands on consistency.
Signature
John's signature dishes include Tomato Gravy, Buttermilk-Lemon Chess Pie, and Comeback Sauce. Tomato Gravy brings savory depth and the plainspoken force of a dish rooted in home kitchens. Buttermilk-Lemon Chess Pie gives the dessert side a sharper edge, with brightness and structure balanced against richness. Comeback Sauce does what its name suggests: it anchors the table with a familiar pull and enough directness to make another bite feel inevitable. Taken together, these dishes show a cook working inside tradition while keeping each plate legible.
Acclaim
John's honors include James Beard Award, Best Chef: South (2009), Mississippi State Tourism Investment Award, Best Cookbook Award for Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey, The Great American Seafood Cookoff, Guardian of Tradition, and Restaurateur of the Year. The list covers cooking, writing, regional standing, and restaurant leadership, which is a useful map of how his work has been received. The recognition tracks with a career that has stayed close to the South while building a distinct identity in Oxford, Mississippi.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of John
What is John Currence's current role?
As of 2026, John Currence is Owner and Chef-owner.
Where did John Currence train or study?
John Currence trained at Isidore Newman School and Hampden-Sydney College.
What recognition has John Currence received?
James Beard Award, Best Chef: South (2009).
