The 7 Most Controversial Food Combinations, According To Southern Chefs

There are certain food pairings most Southerners can agree just “work.” Biscuits and gravy. Pimiento cheese and crackers. Red beans and rice. Shrimp and grits. Banana pudding and a spoon.

Others, though, are a bit more controversial, such as cornbread and sugar, seafood and cheese, or mint and ice cream.

“Sometimes, when I see certain things paired together, I think, ‘just because you can doesn't mean you should.’ Some things just don't belong on the same plate,” admits Stuart Rogers, director of culinary innovation at Your 3rd Spot in Atlanta, Georgia. 

But some unexpected duos actually do hit the spot—and deserve a spot on your menu, according to a panel of Southern chefs.

Read on to learn more about—and how to make—these unexpected and delicious duos. As you'll see, it often boils down to maxing out the amount of different tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami) and textures you can infuse into one bite.

Fried Catfish + Spaghetti

This possibly-controversial combo didn’t make it into any of the challenges she competed in during Top Chef: Wisconsin, but Michelle Wallace, the chef, pitmaster, and owner of B'tween Sandwich Co. in Houston, Texas, says her whole family is keen on what they call “Fish n' Spaghetti.” Since her brand is all about sandwiches, this pairing is served that style.

1. The recipe starts with what Wallace calls “the G.O.A.T. of all vessels,” white bread.
2. Top that with slightly-sweetened spaghetti, a piece of Cajun-seasoned, cornmeal-crusted fried catfish, sliced white onions, then serve this with a side of pickles and hot sauce.

Since it’s a family heirloom recipe, she admits, “I didn't create this dish but I have certainly enjoyed it for many years, and will continue to enjoy it for a lifetime.” 

Chicken Pot Pie + Empanadas

Javier Uriate, executive chef-owner of Ratio Restaurant in Elgin, South Carolina, adores this unique combination so much that he added it to the menu at his Peruvian-inspired restaurant. “Empanadas are very dear to Ratio and Peru, and being able to present them stuffed with a Southern comfort food like chicken pot pie has really made people curious about them,” Uriate says.

If you’d like to try this “great combination of Southern food and my Peruvian culture,” as Uriate describes it, here's what to do:

1. Top half of a round piece of pastry dough with a scoop of your favorite chicken pot pie filling, leaving a ½-inch rim around the edge.
2. Fold the dough into a pocket, crimp the edges, then brush with egg wash before baking on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan until golden brown.

Waffles + Salad

We’re not suggesting that you top your waffles with salad, although if that was a buttermilk waffle with fruit salad, that would be delicious! Jeff Allen, executive chef at Millers All Day in Charleston, South Carolina, is on a mission to make waffle croutons more of a trend—and by adding them to one of the main dish salads on his menu, word is getting out. “Waffles make for perfect croutons,” Allen tells Southern Living. “Cut the waffles into your preferred crouton size, then fry them so they are golden nuggets of love, and toss with a salad.” Beyond the waffle croutons, Allen likes to top fresh greens with cubes of Nashville hot chicken, toasted almonds, crispy bacon, and blue cheese dressing.

Cantaloupe + Gochujang Sauce

When you’re in the mood for an unexpected snack that requires zero cooking and about 10 seconds of prep time, follow the lead of Haydn Shaak, executive chef at Hotel Domestique | Restaurant 17 in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. “One of my favorite healthy snacks is perfectly-ripe cantaloupe dipped into gochujang sauce,” he explains. The spicy, salty, savory, and slightly sweet gochujang sauce (a staple sauce used in many Korean recipes) perks up the natural sweetness and floral aroma of the melon.

Champagne + Fried Chicken

A remarkably popular New York City restaurant, COQADAQ, is bringing a bit more attention to this combination, but if you ask Vivek Surti, founder and owner of Tailor in Nashville, Tennessee, not enough people think to uncork a bottle of Champagne to sip alongside Southern fried chicken. “There are some amazing pairings in life that just leave you so happy. For me, that's fried chicken and Champagne,” Surti explains. “I love well-seasoned, spicy fried chicken that's crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Champagne has the bubbles and acidity to cut through the richness of the fried chicken so you can keep digging in for more.”

Peanut Butter + Mayonnaise

In addition to that waffle crouton-crowned salad, Allen has another unexpected combination he savors often. He concedes that he was skeptical at first, though. “Mayo and peanut butter doesn't sound good, but I was proven wrong,” he tells us. Try it on a sandwich, he recommends: “Slather one on each side of the bread, stack them together, and dive in.”

Vanilla Ice Cream + Popcorn

To take your ice cream sundae to the next level, reach for the ultimate movie snack: popcorn. “It’s a nostalgic taste bud combination,” says Lauren Anthony, executive chef at Angad Arts Hotel and Commonwealth in St. Louis, Missouri. Pointing to the vastly different textures of the sweet, cold, and creamy ice cream topped and the warm crispy, buttery, and savory freshly-popped popcorn, Anthony believes that hot popcorn is an even better partner to vanilla ice cream than the common cone.

1. Microwave or make a batch of stovetop popcorn, then fill a bowl with a scoop or two of your favorite vanilla ice cream.
2. Shower the ice cream with a handful of popcorn, and dive in.

“You can try this combo in milkshakes, too, or try homemade ice cream inspired by this pairing.” To do so, coat cooked popcorn in melted chocolate, allowing it to chill in the refrigerator scattered on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan so the chocolate hardens. Fold the chocolate-covered popcorn into slightly melted ice cream to incorporate, and freeze until solid to scoop and spoon with later.