Flavors from Hi-Way 55 South

Some of the best food in the South can be found along the stretch of Interstate 55 that runs all the way from Memphis to New Orleans. Chef Jason McConnell brings his favorite flavors off the road to the menu of 55 South.

Originally from the rural town of Rives, Tennessee, McConnell spent much of his youth traveling across the South with his family’s horse training business. From Memphis to Jackson to New Orleans and everywhere in between, consistent travel along Interstate 55 afforded Jason the opportunity to eat his way across the Mississippi Delta, further instilling in him a deep love for signature Southern flavors. But he didn’t always know he would turn that passion into a career.

McConnell graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in political science, but soon thereafter realized his love for food was something that simply couldn’t be denied. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where he was trained to be a professional chef. Upon graduation, McConnell returned to his Tennessee roots to share his love of food and cooking with the fine folks of Franklin.

The menu at 55 South showcases McConnell’s take on the down-home, southern comfort food he’s enjoyed his whole life. From the po’ boys and jambalaya of New Orleans, to raw oysters and peel-n-eat shrimp from the Mississippi Gulf Coast and local classics like fried green tomatoes, the flavors at 55 South take diners on a culinary tour of the Delta.

Brisket Tacos and BBQ Chicken Nachos nod to the rich barbecue legacy of Memphis, the Nashville Hot Chicken offers a taste of Music City’s most popular dish, and a Pimento Cheese BLT couldn’t be more southern if it tried.

Equally southern, the hospitality at 55 South is second to none. It’s got that timeless, small-town, southern approach where everybody is treated like family, and lots of folks feel like it, too.

Whether you’re stopping in for a business lunch, gathering your best college buddies to catch a football game on Saturday afternoon or bringing the kids in for an easy-breezy dinner, everyone is welcome here at 55 South.

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