“[Our desserts] are meant to be experienced rather than simply purchased,” Shchelgachova says of her culinary showpieces. photograph by Tim Robison
Oksana Shchelgachova’s spring creations tell the season’s story: A white-chocolate shell holds the promise of an apricot “yolk” beneath a white-chocolate and mascarpone mousse. A sleepy sculpted-chocolate black bear emerges from his den. And a cracked egg cake showcases a full nest and handcrafted sugar magnolias in bloom. Hope, awakening, and rebirth — at Edelweiss Pastry Boutique, spring is so close you can taste it.
From paper to palate: Greene’s dishes include a hoisin-glazed sea scallop (right) with miso-passion fruit sauce, pumpkin, and carrot, and a crab salad (left) with persimmons, toasted hazelnuts, and a yuzu-hazelnut dressing. photograph by Anna Routh Barzin
Like many masterpieces, dishes at Herons often begin with a sketch. Executive Chef Steven Greene’s drawings help his team visualize creations to be made from their culinary garden, One Oak Farm. “We let the colors of the season paint the plates,” Greene says.
It took more than 400 hours for Deibler and her partner, Wendy Prior, to build “The Gift of Stories,” a 49-pound, two-foot-tall castle. The pair hides a blue ribbon in each creation: Can you spot it here? photograph by Dhanraj Emanuel
Inside Lindsay Deibler’s elaborate homes, you’ll find functional living spaces with printed wallpaper, window treatments made from edible fabric, and bookshelves filled with classic titles. As a trained interior designer, the gingerbread artist — and winner of Gingerbread Land on Magnolia Network and Food Network — assembles edible abodes that are, apart from their size, move-in ready.
At first glance, the Seabird seafood tower is a sculptural feast. But as diners work their way down from Topsail Sound and Sneads Ferry oysters to the Figure Eight blue crab and the beet-pickled deviled egg topped with caviar produced in Marshallberg, the tower becomes a trophy championing the possibilities that await in North Carolina’s waters.
The Spot’s colorful creations fuel surfers a session in the water with options like [counter clockwise from left] the Rise & Grind Bowl, the Reef Bowl, and the Loggerhead Bowl. photograph by Chris Hannant
Nikki Deane, Shawn Deane, and Leanne Jones, co-owners of The Spot, discovered the antioxidant-rich acai blend while traveling with their team for Secret Spot Surf Shop, owned by Nikki and Leanne. In 2015, the trio opened the Outer Banks’ first acai shop next door for customers craving a fresh and fancifully adorned treat.
Ransom was raised in her parents’ Virginia Beach inn, where gathering around food became a family tradition. photograph by Matt Ray Photography
Atop each board designed at her charcuterie shop in Sunset Beach, Lindsay Ransom plays with balance and contrast: a jammy spread paired with a sharp cheese; delicately folded pepperoni stacked beside cornichons; and tart apple crescents tucked up to signature truffles, a combination of soft cheeses rolled in crisp pistachios.
Chender, who studied food culture and sustainable agriculture, supplies 18 western North Carolina restaurants with meticulously cared-for produce. photograph by Tim Robison
From his 2.25-acre canvas of Appalachian earth, Evan Chender conjures works of art to support Asheville’s food scene. Of the 30 or so crops The Culinary Gardener grows for restaurants like Luminosa, The Admiral, and Chai Pani, he finds tubers hold the most subtle beauty: “Even a yellow potato looks bright in a dark earth.”
Crystal Coast Boil & Roast lays out its seafood spread at homes and events from Swansboro to the Crystal Coast and Down East. photograph by Baxter Miller
Come summertime, boilmaster Brad Watson, his wife, Kim, and daughter, Sara Grace, serve at least one on-site shrimp boil or oyster roast each day. The visual smorgasbords of seafood, fresh from nearby trawlers, feature Brad’s signature seasoning blend and citrus touch: orange for sweetness and a squeeze of lemon to enhance all that’s good in our ocean.
A science background helped Cooper formulate “Dough Dust,” a colored powder that doesn’t fade at high temperatures. Her nights and weekends are dedicated to sourdough and, as of 2024, to her daughter, Ava. photograph by Anna Routh Barzin
Bread artist Annie Cooper has just 15 minutes to shape, color, and score a sourdough boule before she drops it into a steaming Dutch oven. The colors could fade, the scores could warp, the bread might not rise. But the chance to see perfection when she lifts the lid keeps Cooper committed.
To curate their own tasty gallery, customers pick from options like red Old Fashioned truffles and Peach Bellinis with ombré shells of orange, yellow, and white. photograph by Tim Robison
Since 1986, warm lights have illuminated the creations at The Chocolate Fetish. Beneath the glass, fresh truffles shine like gems in a jewelry shop, the light catching on gold-dusted exteriors and painterly accents that hint at the decadent ganache inside.
This story was published on Mar 26, 2026
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