Simone Holloway
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Education: BA in Communications from North Carolina A&T State University
Expertise: Comfort food, Recipe development, Cast iron cooking, Bread baking
Experience: I spent 15 years as a television producer for local Charlotte cable before launching Cork Fork and Table in 2019. Working on cultural programming and community spotlights introduced me to home cooks from dozens of different backgrounds. Those connections and stories became my real culinary education.
My recipe collection reflects years of learning from Charlotte’s diverse communities. In particular I’m known for my foolproof bread recipes and one-pot dinners that work for busy families.
Background: What started as background research for television segments turned into genuine friendships and cooking lessons. Simone spent weekends learning from grandmothers, neighbors, and church friends who patiently taught her their family techniques and flavor combinations.
I tests recipes in my home kitchen using standard equipment that most people already own. I believe cooking different cuisines shouldn’t be intimidating or require special trips to specialty stores. My recipes focus on technique and flavor building rather than hard-to-find ingredients – granted, sometimes they’re necessary.
Most essential kitchen tool: “My 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet. Got it at a yard sale for five dollars fifteen years ago. It sears steak, bakes cornbread, makes fried rice. Does everything if you treat it right.”
