Chefs' Comfort Food Cook-Off

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits

Charleston Grill; Charleston, SC
"Our wonderful local products make this recipe—from the fresh shrimp to the Anson Mills grits. Add in herbs, butter, and a little love, and how can you not feel comforted?" —Michelle Weaver

Recipe: Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Gulf Coast Shrimp and Grits

True Midtown Kitchen; Mobile, AL
"I worked with a cook who had this great recipe for Italian red sauce, so I translated that into shrimp and grits. For me, this is the perfect comfort food because you have buttery Parmesan grits combined with a rich, tomato-based sauce that's both familiar and just a little different." —Wesley True

Recipe: Gulf Coast Shrimp and Grits

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Chicken-Fried Steak with Redeye Gravy

Second Bar + Grill; Austin, TX
"I wanted to punch up the flavor with a touch of cayenne, hot sauce, and buttermilk, yet still make it taste familiar." —David Bull

Recipe: Chicken-Fried Steak with Redeye Gravy

Available at the restaurant on January 15

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Country-Fried Steak with Uncle Ellis' Cornmeal Gravy

Capitol Grille; Nashville, TN
"This recipe is a compilation of my journey through the South. Most recently, I've been really interested in the culture of the Delta. My chef de cuisine grew up in Cleveland, Mississippi, and the cornmeal gravy is inspired by something he enjoyed as a child." —Tyler Brown

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Meatloaf-and-Mashed Potato Sandwiches

Poole's Diner; Raleigh, NC
"This dish is packed with familiar notes that give you that warm-in-your-belly feeling. The loaded mashed potatoes are definitely a harbinger of comfort, and the tangy tomato gravy balances out the recipe." —Ashley Christensen

Recipe: Meatloaf-and-Mashed Potato Sandwiches

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Open-Faced Meatloaf Sandwiches

610 Magnolia; Louisville, KY
"I love steak and eggs. There's something about adding a runny egg over beef, so I thought, 'Why not apply that idea to meatloaf?' It almost has a breakfast-for-supper feel." —Edward Lee

Recipe: Open-Faced Meatloaf Sandwiches

$Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese$

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese

Underbelly: Houston, TX
"Having that little bit of heat from the poblano peppers is a very Tex-Mex addition to comfort food. When you hear Tex-Mex mac and cheese, you know it's gonna be satisfying and delicious." —Chris Shepherd

Recipe: Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Southern Mac and Cheese

Empire State South; Atlanta, GA
"This recipe's roots are classically Southern with the hearty addition of leeks and bacon. I also like to use Canadian Cheddar, which reminds me of my childhood growing up outside of Ottawa. That's a key element to comfort food—it has that resonating cord in your history. The dish, like me, is a lot of Canada happily enmeshed in the South." —Hugh Acheson

Recipe: Southern Mac and Cheese

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Red Beans & Rice

Lilette Restaurant; New Orleans, LA
"Red beans and rice is something everybody in Louisiana enjoys, especially at parties or festivals. The recipe's not complicated, but like a lot of classic comfort foods, it takes time to do it right. And that's what I love about it. I really like to invest the time to let the flavors develop. That's comfort." —John Harris

Recipe: Red Beans and Rice

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Black Beans & Rice

Pubbelly; Miami Beach, FL
"This is a very traditional Cuban recipe, where the beans are cooked with pork. To punch up the flavor of the rice, I use a sofrito—a garlic-tomato-, and pepper-based sauce popular in Latin cooking. The combination of rice and sweet plantains is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods." —José Mendin

Recipe: Black Beans and Rice