— Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen owns five restaurants and an event space in Raleigh, and she plans to open a pizzeria in 2019. Her first and flagship restaurant, Poole's Diner, which focuses on seasonal comfort food, just celebrated its tenth anniversary.

The most popular item the James Beard award winner makes in the Poole's Diner kitchen is macaroni au gratin. How popular is it?

16,500 orders of this decadent pasta were sold last year. Made with Jarlsberg, Grana Padano and white cheddar cheeses, it's a caloric nightmare but a foodie's dream.

"Sometimes it's one of those things that reminds you it's worth sharing a dish that's super indulgent, so we can all just take a deep breath, throw out shoulders back and go, 'Damn it, that was worth it.'" said Christensen. "If I die tomorrow, I’d be most known for is a tombstone of macaroni au gratin, right? I don’t feel limited by that. I think it’s very exciting."

Christensen said she only eats the macaroni twice a year, and what she truly loves on the menu is the Bibb lettuce salad. When asked how she comes up with her recipes, Ashley said, "That's a good question. I wish I had a formula. Depending on how we find ways that we can be comfortable in a place, be inspired by a place or a moment or a person or a song or a cause, I think all those things play into what helps us create."

Christensen has created a restaurant empire in Raleigh, and her tattoo is a reminder of what truly matters -- the people. Christensen never uses the word customers; instead, in her restaurants, they are all "guests."

"The greatest lesson of my first year running Poole’s diner was to listen, to greet guests and learning to tune in more of not just what we wanted to do in food, but more of what our food would mean to the community," said Christensen.

The chef said she doesn't frequent McDonald's but she enjoys Bojangles. "I think Bojangles is one of those restaurants that understands hospitality," she said.

"That's something I hope my restaurants serve up and excel. We get to have the excitement of creation, the discipline of creating a consistent experience that also allows itself to evolve, and we also get to see how it makes people feel."

In a quick Q&A with Christensen, she answered the following:

Favorite type of cuisine to eat? "Comfort food."

Favorite restaurant in the Triangle? "Garland."

Junk food obsession? "All the ways popcorn can be expressed."

Chef you most admire? "Michael Solomonov. He is a chef in Philadelphia has a number of restaurants brought a unique cuisine he's sharing all over the country. Celebrity you were most excited to dine at your restaurant? Ooo good question. Robert Plant ate here once from Led Zeppelin and that's been the conversation we never let go of."

Last but not least, Christensen has a secret talent. "I can juggle pretty well," she said. "Anything -- oranges, lemons, limes. But knives? I'm still waiting for the skill to come in handy."

Recipe: Luck & Money

Ashley Christensen also shared her favorite family recipes -- something she said her mom always made and served on New Year’s Day. “Luck & Money” is a dish of black-eyed peas and braised collard greens finished in a roasted garlic butter. Here's how to make it at home.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried Sea Island red peas, rinsed

4 medium thyme sprigs

½ fresh bay leaf

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Kosher salt

¼ cup neutral vegetable oil

1 yellow onion, minced

2 pounds collard greens, stemmed and chopped (reserve stems for pickling or some other use)

Sea salt

1 teaspoon dried chile flakes, toasted

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Butter or regular unsalted butter

Black pepper in a mill

Directions:

Place the peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and let soak for 3 hours. Drain the peas and transfer to a large stockpot. Cut a medium square of cheesecloth and place the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, garlic clove, and black peppercorns in the center of the square. Tie the edges of the cloth together in a small bundle to secure into a sachet (you could also tie with baker’s twine). To the stockpot with the peas, add 2 quarts cold water and the sachet and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the peas are tender but still holding their shape, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Let the peas cool in their cooking liquid to room temperature.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the greens and stir to coat with the onions and oil. Season lightly with sea salt and chile flakes. Stir for 2 minutes to let the seasoning permeate the ingredients. Add the wine and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the greens are very tender and breaking down slightly, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, drain the peas, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Once the greens are tender, stir in the cooked peas and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and add the garlic butter (or regular butter, if using). Season with sea salt to taste and a few cranks of the pepper mill. If the mixture is looking dry, add the reserved pea liquid by the tablespoon. Simmer for 10 more minutes, allowing all of the ingredients to come together.