Meet Erin Byers Murray, the Voice Behind ‘The Local Palate’

It’s often said that food is an ingredient that binds people together — a universal language that almost all of us can understand and enjoy. For Nashville-based food writer Erin Byers Murray, this is a concept she discovered growing up in a food-centric family. These days, she serves as editor-in-chief of Charleston-based food magazine, The Local Palate. We sat down with Erin to learn more about her passion for food, her recent cookbook release, some of her favorite places to dine and shop, and more. Meet our newest FACE of the South, Erin Byers Murray!

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When did you first discover your passion for food?

Like so many, my passion started at home with my mom and grandmother. They encouraged me to be in the kitchen. They were always the center of the world when we had holidays … Then, when I was in high school, my mother was in an accident and was incapacitated for a little while. At the time, my dad was traveling a lot for work, and my sister was away at college, so I ended up starting to cook for my mom and me. It was easy, simple stuff, and she coached me the whole time. That was the beginning of my understanding that “Oh, I can put a meal together” and appreciating what went into that.

How did you land your current position at The Local Palate?

This was during 2020, so it was the middle of the pandemic and quarantine. I knew the publisher of The Local Palate, and I had written for them as a freelancer for many years. He and I had talked several times throughout that time, and the magazine had gone through a little bit of a shift and change. He [called] me as they were coming out of a period of the magazine being shut down. He reached out and expressed that he was looking for a new editor-in-chief, and we talked a lot about it. I had hesitation because the company is based in Charleston, but he agreed that we could try it from a remote basis to start. It turned out that it worked really well. It was a bit of knowing the right person at the right time and keeping that networking channel open.

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Last year, you released a cookbook you co-wrote with Chef Jeremy Sewall titled The Row 34 Cookbook. What can you tell us about it?

That book is the second cookbook that Jeremy and I have worked on together. We released our first book, The New England Kitchen, in 2014. Jeremy and I go way back. We met in the early 2000s when he was just starting out cooking in Boston, and I was starting out as a food writer. We worked on a couple of stories together and always stayed in touch. When he told me he was looking to work on a book project, I was all in because I’ve always loved his food and cooking. We collaborated on that first project, and then The Row 34 Cookbook is based on his current restaurant, which has locations in Boston, Portsmouth, NH, and Burlington, MA. We wanted to work with the same cookbook editor we had before, and we kicked around all kinds of ideas, but the menu at Row 34 spoke to what home cooks can do with seafood. The book is very seafood-focused, but the beauty of how Jeremy writes his recipes is that it’s very approachable. We test, of course, all the recipes to make sure that it is approachable. It opens doors for people to better understand how to cook seafood at home.

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What’s one of your go-to dishes to make at home?

I have two kids — 8 and 11. In our house, it’s all about being able to sit down at the table and eat the same thing together. One of the dishes everyone loves is meatballs — whether it’s spaghetti and meatballs, a chicken meatball dish, or we do a nice Asian-influenced glazed meatball. [Meatballs are] the one dish everyone can always agree on.

Where are some of your favorite places to eat and shop in Charleston?

There’s a great little shop where I’ve gotten pairs [of shoes] called Charleston Shoe Company. For dining, two of my regular spots, if I can get in, are The Ordinary [and Chubby Fish]. I usually stay along King Street — to be able to pop in The Ordinary for oysters, an oyster slider, and a glass of champagne is always a treat. I love Chubby Fish, and Chef James London is awesome. Because it’s Charleston, I’m always eating seafood when I’m there. His restaurant uses the whole fish. There’s a little spot called babas on cannon that I highly recommend. It has a little coffee spot, but they are also open for lunch and turn into a fun wine bar with small plates at night, so you can pop in there all day.

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You wear many hats as a mom, cookbook author, and magazine editor. How do you make time for yourself?

I’m a big walker. I walk every day. I’m always around Richland Creek or West Nashville. I love to do yoga — that’s my escape. I’m a big reader, too, so anytime I can steal an hour away and just sit with a good book is therapy for me. I also believe heavily in the power of being around other women, so I regularly schedule dinner dates and outings with girlfriends just to keep my sanity and also to have some good laughs. To me, that’s one of the best forms of self-care.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given or received?

My grandfather used to write me letters, and he wrote me a note that came to me about a year or two before he passed away. It was a simple statement: “Just be sure you’re taking time to stop and smell the roses.” I was at the beginning of my career, and it hit me so poignantly at the time because I was in my 20s and moving really fast. Everything was exciting and happening … I still have that note from him because it reminds me to always take a minute, slow down, and appreciate what you’re going through.

With the exception of faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?

Being able to do yoga, a steady supply of hot tea, and a pretty steady supply of books. If I don’t have a good book, I don’t know where my time is going.

Thank you, Erin! All photography by Leila Grossman. 

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