Phil Stamps, Jr.

Rising Stars in Jackson’s Culinary Scene

The city of Jackson has no shortage of culinary stars, but these three chefs are rising to the top.

Phil Stamps Jr.

Phil Stamps Jr. is the third generation of his family to run Stamps Super Burgers. After attending Morehouse College and gaining experience in sales, he returned home to make his mark on the family legacy. Located just off the Jackson State University campus, the Stamps family has always valued education. Through the Algernon & Barbara Lloyd Stamps Memorial/Stamps Super Burgers Endowed Scholarship at JSU—named after Phil’s grandparents—they can now directly impact the lives of young people pursuing higher education in business. “It’s something that I take great pride in. I work every day to honor my grandparents and their dedication to this community.”

Delivering excellent customer service and consistently delicious food is always a priority for Stamps Jr. Still, he goes a step further by fostering a supportive environment for his staff, treating them as valued members of the Stamps family. He has created a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes both regulars and newcomers feel right at home—a true testament to Southern hospitality.

Chaz Lindsay

Chaz Lindsay, owner and Executive Chef of Pulito Osteria in Belhaven planned to cook only “composed, highly stylized, technique-driven cuisine” after culinary school and experience in a 3-star Michelin restaurant in New York City. Still, his fascination with farm-to-table foods thankfully won out. He now lives by the motto: “Buy nice ingredients. Treat them well. Do as little to them as possible.” He adds that for his kitchen, it’s really about sourcing and taking pride in where their foods come from, namely local vendors and farmers.

Lindsay has always loved getting to know people through cooking food. “And not just the guy who grows the kale that we get, or the guy who raised the rabbit, or the guy who delivers the milk, but also the people who come in and dine with us regularly, or just for that once-a-year special occasion.” He notes that it’s a ‘nurturing way of life’ to constantly learn, meet new people, and form new relationships. It’s the people he encounters through his restaurant that feed him the way he feeds others.

Hunter Evans

Hunter Evans says he doesn’t remember a time when food wasn’t a focal point of his grandmother’s New Orleans home, for whom his restaurant, Elvie’s, is named. Evans and his business partner, Cody McCain, have also just bought, renovated, and re-opened a Downtown Jackson landmark, The Mayflower Cafe. Evans says about Jackson, “It just feels like a city with so many opportunities, so much culture, so many artists that just support each other. I think Jackson is a very special place, for sure.” He adds, “Jackson is a food destination, but we are just beginning to tell that story.”

Evans tells the story through creativity in the kitchen at Elvies and nostalgia at Mayflower. He is committed to listening, working alongside others, sharing ideas, and exchanging feedback. By collaborating and supporting others, he believes his team can create something brighter together than any of them could alone. He adds, “That's really helped us define who we are: working with farmers and vendors - from fishermen on the coast of Mississippi to distillers across the state - and to highlight what they do so that our guests get the best possible product.”

These chefs let their light shine through their love and support of their community--from supporting their employees to fostering relationships with local farmers and vendors to support Jackson’s ‘foodways ecosystem,' to even creating fundraisers and endowments to aid members of the community in need.

Author

Erin McKewen

Jackson native and proud Fondren homeowner Erin has long loved The City with Soul. She is a graduate of the Jackson Public School System, as well as Millsaps College, where she studied Psychology and English. She is a copywriter for The Tell Agency, and a new addition to the Visit Jackson support team. When she is not writing, she spends her time being bossed around by her pets, digging in her yard, laughing with her friends, and planning her next adventure.