Ashley Christensen

Ashley Christensen

Keynote Speaker: Award-Winning Chef & Cookbook Author; James Beard Outstanding Chef; Founder of AC Restaurants; Southern Cuisine Innovator

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  • Speaking Fee:
    Live Event Fee: $20,000 - $30,000
    Virtual Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
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Ashley Christensen Biography

Ashley Christensen is an American chef, restaurateur, and author known for her role in shaping Raleigh, North Carolina, into a prominent culinary destination. Christensen began her culinary career while in college, hosting dinner parties that sparked her passion for cooking and hospitality. Her first professional cooking position at age 21 confirmed her commitment to the restaurant industry. After gaining experience in several notable kitchens in the Triangle, she opened Poole's Diner, named for the building's original tenant. The restaurant features a chalkboard menu of comfort-food classics, reinterpreted with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and French-influenced techniques.

As chef and proprietor of AC Restaurants, Christensen oversees Poole's Diner, Fox Liquor Bar, Beasley's Chicken + Honey, Death & Taxes, Poole'side Pies, and AC Events. She opened Beasley's Chicken + Honey and Fox Liquor Bar in a historic building that once housed a Piggly-Wiggly. AC Restaurants later introduced Death & Taxes, a restaurant focused on wood-fire cooking with Southern ingredients, and Bridge Club, a private events loft and cooking classroom. Death & Taxes became a James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant and was recognized by Food & Wine as one of the best new restaurants in the country. Christensen also co-founded BB's Crispy Chicken, a fast-casual fried chicken sandwich concept with multiple locations in the Triangle.

Christensen received the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef Award, becoming the only North Carolinian to earn this distinction. She previously won the foundation's Best Chef: Southeast Award. Additional honors include Chef of the Year by Eater.com and Tar Heel of the Year by News & Observer. She holds an honorary doctorate from North Carolina State University. Christensen is the author of two cookbooks: "Poole's: Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner," published by Ten Speed Press and recognized by the New York Times, and "It's Always Freezer Season," co-authored with Kaitlyn Goalen.

Her work has been featured in Bon Appétit, Gourmet, The New York Times, Southern Living, Wall Street Journal, and Garden & Gun. She has appeared on Food Network's Iron Chef America and MSNBC's Your Business. Christensen is active in philanthropy, partnering with the Frankie Lemmon Foundation to establish a relief fund for restaurant workers and serving on the boards of Dix Park Conservancy and Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen. She is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and founded the biannual event Stir the Pot to support the organization's documentary initiatives. Christensen is also an advocate for women's issues in the culinary industry, addressing sexual harassment through her writing and public engagement. Through her restaurants, cookbooks, and advocacy, Christensen has become a significant voice in Southern cuisine and the restaurant industry.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Ashley Christensen and other top speakers and celebrities.

Ashley Christensen Speaking Topics

An activist on women's issues, Christensen has been outspoken about sexual harassment in the culinary world.

Ashley Christensen Videos

Chef Ashley Christensen on winning the James Beard Award for ...
Ashley Christensen: Fostering Community Through Food - YouTube
Chef Ashley Christensen Pooles Diner Raleigh - YouTube

How do I book Ashley Christensen to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Ashley Christensen for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Ashley Christensen, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Ashley Christensen or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Ashley Christensen for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Ashley Christensen, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Ashley Christensen are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Ashley Christensen, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Ashley Christensen speak about?

Ashley Christensen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Hospitality, Celebrity Chef, Non-Fiction Authors, Women in Business and Influential Women.

Where does Ashley Christensen travel from?

Ashley Christensen generally travels from Raleigh, NC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Ashley Christensen?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Ashley Christensen for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ashley Christensen for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Ashley Christensen or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Ashley Christensen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Hospitality, Celebrity Chef and Non-Fiction Authors. The estimated speaking fee range to book Ashley Christensen for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Ashley Christensen generally travels from Raleigh, NC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dominique Crenn, Art Smith and Aarti Sequeira. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Ashley Christensen for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 30/07/2026.

Ashley Christensen Speaking Topics

  • An activist on women's issues, Christensen has been outspoken about sexual harassment in the culinary world.

Ashley Christensen Videos

Chef Ashley Christensen on winning the James Beard Award for ...
Ashley Christensen: Fostering Community Through Food - YouTube
Chef Ashley Christensen Pooles Diner Raleigh - YouTube

Ashley Christensen News

  • How do I book Ashley Christensen to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Ashley Christensen for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Ashley Christensen, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Ashley Christensen or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Ashley Christensen for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Ashley Christensen, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Ashley Christensen are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Ashley Christensen, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Ashley Christensen speak about?

    Ashley Christensen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Hospitality, Celebrity Chef, Non-Fiction Authors, Women in Business and Influential Women.
  • Where does Ashley Christensen travel from?

    Ashley Christensen generally travels from Raleigh, NC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Ashley Christensen?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Ashley Christensen for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ashley Christensen for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Ashley Christensen or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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