You probably know Jernard Wells if you watch US food TV. He gets on a lot of it. His cookbook is as much about the man and his history as it is his food, which is how I like it. I need something to sell me on using that one particular recipe that replicates what hundreds of other recipes do. Something else that also helps are ideas I can’t find elsewhere. His peach heavy chicken and waffles are a good example. If there’s one beef I have with the book it’s more with the cuisine than with the man himself; for someone who’s trying to find healthier options, the classic Southern US cuisine aimed at people with very active lifestyles just ain’t it. Still, everyone needs treats, and I will be dipping back into here for inspriation.

I consider myself a connoisseur of southern cuisine and I am absolutely in love with Jernard Wells' new cookbook, Southern Inspired! Included are 100 recipes with photographs that will make your mouth water and stories from a family whose gatherings center around delicious food made with love. The added touches of flavor from the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and Asia earned Southern Inspired a space on my kitchen countertop.

My favorites to date:
-I love a good Seafood Boil. It's a favorite for vacations at the coast.
-Who doesn't love Chicken Pot Pie? Cajun seasoning (recipe included) adds a nice touch and store bought pastry makes it easy.
-I knew a cheeseburger called "The Big Juicy" was going to be great and I was not disappointed!
-Maple Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with turkey bacon is divine.
-One of my top five southern recipes has got to be shrimp and cheese grits. Who knew it could be improved upon?
And I can't wait to taste Wells' Three-Alarm Chili and Sweet Tea Brined Fried Chicken!

I can't recommend Southern Inspired highly enough! Buy it and use it often.

I received a drc from the publisher via Netgalley.
All opinions are my own.

There are so many recipes in this cookbook that appeal to my family and get togethers. I am excited to try some of them out! I love a cookbook that has lots of pictures. This has quite a few but would have liked more.

There is so much deliciousness in this book that I could barely put it down. It has been well put together with its easy to read recipes, where everything well written out in step-by-step guides. The addition of picutres makes you want to dive in and start cooking right away.

I particularly love the chapter on one pot meals that seems achievable for this non-Southern, non-American, Aussie woman.

Chef Jernard is clearly passionate about his craft and it shows through on each page.

I collect cookbooks and will be adding this one to my shelf. I love all the fresh takes on Tradition southern foods, and the photos were beautiful as well. Stand out recipes include Sweet Tea Brined fried chicken and the Georgia Peach Hot Chicken sandwich.

Wow, every single dish in the cookbook looks mouthwatering! Lots of Southern dishes, BBQ, sandwiches, burgers, some Asian- inspired recipes and even vegan dishes that are presented with flair, like the Jackfruit and Rice Stuffed Pineapples. The use of many Southern vegetables in new ways is particularly fun, as we are always looking for that, like Collard Green Dip and Tempura Green Beans. Great instructions too.

Southern Inspired, the new cookbook from, Jernard A. Wells, has certainly inspired me to add new variety to my own southern cooking. There are mouthwatering recipes to please everyone! The drool-worthy recipes feature down home cooking with Wells’ own flair. The book itself contains s beautiful, not to mention the beautiful meals you will create with it!

As a southern myself, I LOVE southern cookbooks. But I don't just like southern food so this cookbook was a pleasant surprise with all of the Asian influenced recipes included too. Usually I buy a cookbook and maybe only enjoy half or less of the recipes. I've highlighted 71 recipes to try!!! Yes, you are not going to eat like this every day but if you read the stories that go along with the recipes, you will see that the chef is sharing recipes that were enjoyed at family gatherings and special events. The foods are a little more "heavy" and I wouldn't eat like this, 3 meals a day, daily....BUT these are definitely recipes that will give you rave reviews at any gathering!! I especially love all the stories he included and fond memories he shared of cooking together as a family. Oh, and did I mention that there are plenty of drool worthy photos??

Chef Jernard Wells’ warmth and love for what he does comes across in every story and recipe in Southern Inspired.
I especially enjoy recipes that provide a twist on standards that I have cooked in the past like his Rosemary and Mint Lambchops or the Gumbo with my Father recipes.

Then you have the recipes that are unique to Chef Wells style that combines his southern roots with new and creative recipe ideas like Fried Green Tomatillos Jackfruit and Rice Stuffed Pineapples.

If you enjoy southern cooking with twists that takes your idea of a southern dish to another level then Southern Inspired give you a chance to mix it up.

I love southern food; in fact, anyone with bona fide taste buds must surely love southern food! Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours is an excellent way to get acquainted with innovative types of southern food, and also to serve others with this good stuff. Although there are a few classic southern dishes in this cookbook, Wells has taken it a step further and added his unique signature to dishes that are not plain and traditional.

The recipes stand out, in that they are for dishes that almost everyone will want to eat. They are written in the traditional form with step-by-step instructions so that they are easy to follow. Most of the recipes call for ingredients that are already in the pantry, fridge, or freezer, and are easy to find at most grocery stores. Another thing that stands out is that there are beautiful photographs of almost every recipe that make each dish look mouthwatering. Once read, almost every reader will have a queue that will last for months.

I love cookbooks where the personality of the author comes through; this is one of them, and he is likeable and awesome. I’d love to be in his kitchen chatting and cooking with him. I’ll have to settle for making his incredible dishes, and that’s fine too, since I can share them with my favorite people. This cookbook is definitely one that will be used often and most importantly enjoyed.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

You can never have enough Southern Inspired recipes in your repertoire. The more you have, the more your family will thank you. This book was so much fun to read and use. The recipes are easy to follow, use familiar ingredients, most if not all you already have in your pantry and will give you the confidence to claim yourself a southern cook. Read it, gift it, enjoy it.....all possible.

Southern Inspired is a beautiful book full of well written recipes for delicious food with inspiration drawn from the American south curated by Chef Jernard A. Wells. Released 1st Nov by BenBella Books, it's 256 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.

As described, this is a well written ode to southern American food traditions with a strong influence from African American soul food. The recipes are well written, but fair warning, they're full of fats, loaded with high sugar content sauces, and many are breaded and deep fried. This is a once-in-a-while decadent party potluck recipe book and not an every day dinner collection.

Recipe ingredients are provided in bullet lists in a sidebar. Measurements are given in imperial (American) units only, followed by step by step directions. There is no nutritional information included. The standouts for me in this collection were the appealing layout with gorgeous photography - well styled and appealing food, presented very well, as well as Chef Wells' friendly personality and welcoming style. He seems to be a big friendly guy with a burning passion for food, and that shines through in his writing.

Four stars. Very nice collection.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Great stories complimented by authentic southern recipes. This is one of the best cook books I have seen in a while!

This book contains what feels like endless recipes! From mains to sides to drinks to appetizers, there's something for any occasion. I love the mix of true southern recipes and ones that are southern inspired. This books is filled with a lot of delicious sounding recipes and great photos. And as I expected, these are not the healthiest recipes either. There are quite a few recipes that calls for frying (which i personally don't do because I'm too lazy to deal with the oil) . The one thing I would have liked to see is an estimated time for each recipe. Many of the recipes sounds time consuming and that puts me off from trying them even if they sound delicious.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Southern Inspired is a cookbook everyone that wants to enjoy authentically inspired food that is rich in flavor and that will remind cooks of their culture. I enjoyed the recipes , the layout of the recipes and how the author presented the recipes . I recommend this cookbook to beginner cooks, esteemed cooks and everyone that loves a good meal.

I have really been on a cooking kick recently and trying to make meals for my family that feel cozy. Jernard really made this easy. I loved the recipes and pictures!

I swear this book made me drool…. Southern inspired was an absolutely inspiring cookbook flooded with some amazing Southern Styled recipes. What I wouldn’t give to eat Thanksgiving with this family. So many recipes bookmarked to try. The first one will definitely be the meatloaf!
Tons of recipes and dedications to his family in this fun collection of southern food. Southern food lovers will definitely want a copy!

I received a complimentary copy to peruse and offered this opinion voluntarily.

Fantastic new cookbook from the Chef of Love!

I've enjoyed watching Jernard's food shows since I saw him on Food Network a few years back, so I was excited to get to check out this new cookbook. And it wasn't disappointing! The stories are so heartfelt, and you'll feel like you were in the kitchen dancing with them, too. I wish all the recipes had photos, but the ones that did are amazingly put together. The recipes are easy to follow, not too many ingredients I'm not familiar with, and written in great details.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I remember Jernard from Food Network, and I was interested to check out this cookbook. The recipes in here are a nice combo of traditions from his family and Southern spins. He tells lots of family stories, and there are color photos for most of the dishes.
Recipe chapters are Bringing It Home, The Main Event, Nothing But Bites (apps), Just Hands (sandwiches), "Let It Go" One-Pot Meals, Jernard's Bangin' Backyard BBQ, Veggies for Life, On the Side, Wings and Things, Brunch, Desserts to Diet For, Sippin', and Holiday. Given that there are so many chapters, some of them are short.

This is another cookbook where I love the author and think every recipe sounds delicious but it just doesn’t work for my family. These dishes are just so unhealthy. I’m sure they’re heavenly but they’re loaded with sugar, flour and fat (and yes, I’m talking about the supper dishes and not dessert). They lean heavily on meat and other animal products and lots of deep frying and sugary sauces. I was pleased to see a vegetarian chapter and vegetables, but they are still unhealthy versions. The cauliflower buffalo bites are battered and deep fried with a sugary sauce, for instance. There’s sugar in just about every dish, sometimes in multiple forms. The candy apple chicken wings have sugar, honey, cherry cola, sweetened whiskey and grenadine in the sauce. Again, I’m not doubting they taste great. It’s just not worth it for me and my family. I love our health more than really tasty chicken wings and I’ve found ways to cook healthy and still make it delicious.

No nutritional information is provided. The book also leans very heavily on gluten so it won’t be a good fit for gluten free folks.

I still highly recommend the book. There are gorgeous color photos for most of the recipes. Wells is chatty and endearing. I’m sure it’s all delicious and if you want to learn some decadent southern recipes, this book will serve you well.

I read a temporary digital version of this book for review.