At the center of Elizabeth Heiskell’s table are dishes that are prepared with an uncompromising loyalty to classic, southern flavors. Elizabeth knows food. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She has also served as the Lead Culinary Instructor at the Viking Cooking School in Greenwood, Mississippi. Further, she has been a featured guest on multiple television programs and authored multiple cookbooks.
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta meant that entertaining guests with a rich meal and fantastic conversation quickly became second nature to Elizabeth. “The Delta understands the importance of entertaining like no other place in the world. Entertaining is a part of the lifestyle; it’s what our grandmothers, mothers, and fathers did. For me, my childhood in the Delta is why food is so important to me. Southern cooking is an integral part of my identity. It’s my heritage and my truth and for me, that gives southern cuisine all the validation it needs,” smiles Elizabeth. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has managed to capture the soul of the Mississippi Delta in her cooking and has shared a taste of that culture with the world.
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta meant that entertaining guests with a rich meal and fantastic conversation quickly became second nature to Elizabeth. “The Delta understands the importance of entertaining like no other place in the world. Entertaining is a part of the lifestyle; it’s what our grandmothers, mothers, and fathers did. For me, my childhood in the Delta is why food is so important to me. Southern cooking is an integral part of my identity. It’s my heritage and my truth and for me, that gives southern cuisine all the validation it needs,” smiles Elizabeth. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has managed to capture the soul of the Mississippi Delta in her cooking and has shared a taste of that culture with the world.
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Attending an event that has been catered by Elizabeth Heiskell is nothing short of an absolute treat. Her catering business began over twenty-four years ago as a small business out of her home. “Instead of Flowers was the precursor to my catering business. Customers would contact us when they wanted to send a hot meal over to a loved one when someone died, a baby was born, or any other occasion. Instead of Flowers quickly grew and developed into what my catering business is today,” adds Elizabeth. The menus Elizabeth prepares for her clients are always personalized and as unique as the celebration itself. “One of the most important things to us is to use unbelievable ingredients in our cooking. We make everything from scratch, there’s absolutely no ordering in. Our style is straightforward and truly southern because we believe that results in the best tasting food possible. The recipes we are using are a part of me and my team, we cook what we know. They’re our grandmother and grandfather’s recipes, recipes that have been around the Delta for years that we add a modern twist to,” says Elizabeth. Not only does the food taste incredible, it is all presented beautifully on copper, silver, and alabaster serving pieces. “It is so hard to pick a favorite type of event to cater. I love them all for what they are. From summer barbecues to tomato dinners outside, graduation celebrations, and of course weddings, every event is a chance to celebrate and that is incredibly exciting to me!”
Beyond catering, Elizabeth is a talented cookbook author. Her first cookbook, Someone Stole the Cornbread from my Dressing, was written with Susanne Reed to answer the question “What should I serve?” The book suggests the dishes hosts could serve in order to complete the perfect celebration of all occasions from New Year’s Eve to the ideal tailgate. Elizabeth’s second book, What Can I Bring: Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up was inspired by the adored “What Can I Bring?” column in Southern Living magazine. Organized by occasion, What Can I Bring guides readers by suggesting classic, southern dishes to bring to celebrations and to more solemn occasions such as wakes.
Following the success of both her catering company and her two books, Elizabeth was approached by the editor of Southern Living magazine to revamp the revered The Southern Living Party Cookbook that was initially written in 1972. “I was a nervous wreck. This was such a big undertaking and an even bigger honor. For so many southern chefs this book was the authority on entertaining, it was absolutely adored,” adds Elizabeth. The resulting The Southern Living Party Cookbook: A Modern Guide to Gathering is just as respected and loved as the original. Elizabeth has yet another cookbook, Come On Over, that will be available for purchase in October of 2020. “The inspiration behind Come On Over, is the idea that we should not wait to celebrate everyday life. There’s only one Christmas and Thanksgiving a year; if you’re waiting for those days to celebrate with a great meal, you’re missing out on so many opportunities to create joy in everyday life. I believe that everything deserves to be celebrated, from a Monday night dinner to diet cheat days! I want to inspire my readers to celebrate it all,” says Elizabeth.
Debutante Farmer Bloody Mary Mix is another facet of Elizabeth’s love for entertaining. “The bloody mary mix was born on the farm my husband and I started eight years ago. That first year we were absolutely inundated with tomatoes. We did everything we could think of- canned them, made salsa, gave them to friends and family. If we were invited anywhere, we were bringing tomatoes. It got to the point where people stopped inviting us!” laughs Elizabeth. Looking for a solution and determined not to waste the gorgeous produce, they settled on bottling bloody mary mix. The mix is perfectly seasoned and makes whipping up a delightful bloody mary simple and easy.
When asked what inspires her, Elizabeth responded by saying: “There isn’t one thing that inspires me, it’s a million different things. I am inspired by the people I work with every day. Between all the florists, event designers, and other vendors I collaborate with there is so much passion and creativity in the hospitality industry. The team behind me is also a great source of inspiration. I am only two hands. Without the people that work with me, support me, and put so much effort into my business there is no way that I can succeed. I am inspired every time I walk outside. One of the things that has become so clear to me is that you can miss so much if you’re not in tune and not present. If you get caught up in the strife of your life, you forget to look at everything around you that is flowering and begging to be noticed. The more you want to notice the beauty in this world, the more you see it and the more you’re filled up with inspiration.”
Beyond catering, Elizabeth is a talented cookbook author. Her first cookbook, Someone Stole the Cornbread from my Dressing, was written with Susanne Reed to answer the question “What should I serve?” The book suggests the dishes hosts could serve in order to complete the perfect celebration of all occasions from New Year’s Eve to the ideal tailgate. Elizabeth’s second book, What Can I Bring: Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up was inspired by the adored “What Can I Bring?” column in Southern Living magazine. Organized by occasion, What Can I Bring guides readers by suggesting classic, southern dishes to bring to celebrations and to more solemn occasions such as wakes.
Following the success of both her catering company and her two books, Elizabeth was approached by the editor of Southern Living magazine to revamp the revered The Southern Living Party Cookbook that was initially written in 1972. “I was a nervous wreck. This was such a big undertaking and an even bigger honor. For so many southern chefs this book was the authority on entertaining, it was absolutely adored,” adds Elizabeth. The resulting The Southern Living Party Cookbook: A Modern Guide to Gathering is just as respected and loved as the original. Elizabeth has yet another cookbook, Come On Over, that will be available for purchase in October of 2020. “The inspiration behind Come On Over, is the idea that we should not wait to celebrate everyday life. There’s only one Christmas and Thanksgiving a year; if you’re waiting for those days to celebrate with a great meal, you’re missing out on so many opportunities to create joy in everyday life. I believe that everything deserves to be celebrated, from a Monday night dinner to diet cheat days! I want to inspire my readers to celebrate it all,” says Elizabeth.
Debutante Farmer Bloody Mary Mix is another facet of Elizabeth’s love for entertaining. “The bloody mary mix was born on the farm my husband and I started eight years ago. That first year we were absolutely inundated with tomatoes. We did everything we could think of- canned them, made salsa, gave them to friends and family. If we were invited anywhere, we were bringing tomatoes. It got to the point where people stopped inviting us!” laughs Elizabeth. Looking for a solution and determined not to waste the gorgeous produce, they settled on bottling bloody mary mix. The mix is perfectly seasoned and makes whipping up a delightful bloody mary simple and easy.
When asked what inspires her, Elizabeth responded by saying: “There isn’t one thing that inspires me, it’s a million different things. I am inspired by the people I work with every day. Between all the florists, event designers, and other vendors I collaborate with there is so much passion and creativity in the hospitality industry. The team behind me is also a great source of inspiration. I am only two hands. Without the people that work with me, support me, and put so much effort into my business there is no way that I can succeed. I am inspired every time I walk outside. One of the things that has become so clear to me is that you can miss so much if you’re not in tune and not present. If you get caught up in the strife of your life, you forget to look at everything around you that is flowering and begging to be noticed. The more you want to notice the beauty in this world, the more you see it and the more you’re filled up with inspiration.”
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