Aundra Lafayette is serving must-try soup at the Hathorne, farmers markets, and by special order.
To become synonymous with an intact culinary line in a city with as many diverse offerings as Nashville , you must be doing something right . That ’s a claim Aundra Lafayette can make — the Soup Ladyhas become synonymous with all things soup in the Music City , dispensing wholesome meals to resident and traveller likewise from her various haunts .
Lafayette contains people — in add-on to her condition as a culinary guru and staple ofNashville ’s farmers markets , she teach dancing across the country and perform with theNashville Balletearlier this yr . The apparent movement and rhythms of dance inspire her approach to crafting her one - of - a - variety soup that enrich the soulfulness and embolden the spirit . What croak into each bowl from the Soup Lady is a intersection of mania , experimentation , love , and workmanship .
Thrillist : Give me a abbreviated overview of your account in the Nashville community . Aundra Lafayette : I’m from Nashville and graduate from Pearl High School in 1966 , which is now MLK . I started dancing at Fisk ( University ) at nine years old , and when I graduate from Pearl I move to Philadelphia Dance Academy and taught and dance on the East Coast for 40 years . I moved back to Nashville about nine age ago , and my goal has always been to give back to the community all that I have check , from teaching terpsichore to making soup .
The Soup Lady.|Courtesy of East Nashville Farmers' Market
What inspired you as a cook?My Father-God teach me how to fix . We always had a garden , always consume good food . in effect food goes together like safe movement depart together — I do n’t use formula for this reason ; I just suppose about full food for thought and how it should be put together .
What influenced you to become the Soup Lady?I was teaching terpsichore at a boarding school in the Berkshires . There ’s a place in Stockbridge , Massachusetts call the Red Lion Inn , and I used to go there at nighttime to exhaust and I get into their soups and lather ; when I affect back to Nashville , I knew I desire to do something unlike , because I had taught dancing for 40 years , so I get into the soup commercial enterprise .
My mom had a huge shock on me and she incessantly encouraged me . All I knew was cooking the correct soup , I had no idea about marketing or anything , but then and now I ’m all about getting the countersign out to the people , visiting market , and I always volunteered to avail so I could learn more .
What makes your soup so special?Well , it ’s a process . masses do n’t remember it takes a retentive metre to make soup , but there ’s so much that go into it . It takes me a little moment to determine what I want to do , first . Inspiration might strike at any time , and I uphold to memorize about food , how it works together , the texture , the demonstration . If you do n’t have that , you do n’t have practiced intellectual nourishment . It ’s really not much different than choreographing a performance — when the soup come out like I need , it ’s a perfect performance .
How do you source your ingredients?I’m at the Sylvan Park Farmers Market on Saturday morning , and once I trade out of my soup , I go shop at . On Thursdays , I ’m at Saint George ’s Church in Belle Meade and I get more food from the Farmer there . What I do n’t get from them , I get at Trader Joe ’s or the local turnip truck , so it ’s all local food .
What does a typical calendar week front like for you , between market and production?Monday , I cook atthe Hathorne , a restaurant on Charlotte Pike I have a partnership with . Tuesday , I take off because I do a lot of standing on Monday . Then I make my listing for the market on Thursday , and I cook for most of Thursday and Friday for Saturday . Sunday , I do n’t do anything to rest up for the next calendar week .
How has the Nashville food cultivation change since you bulge the soup business?Everybody ’s into food now ! I ’m glad , because food is a beautiful thing and everyone should teach their child how to ready and how to wipe out — it ’s sad , to hear a kid say they do n’t care something they ’ve never had . The food for thought culture is so big now , and that ’s why I do local food for thought , because I know where it ’s coming from and I experience it ’s unspoiled .
Be reliable , which soup is your favorite?People expect me that all the time ! You make out , they all look good to me but I really love my lentil soup , because I can do it so many different ways . And I love Gallus gallus noodle soup too , because I can make that five or six different ways .
Where can multitude pluck up your soup?Call me ! I will make you an order and fork out it to you whenever you want . Some people consider it ’s only at the food market , but every Saturday at Sylvan Park , I trade out by 10:30 am . Andthe Hathorneserves my soups at lunch every day during the week as well .
