Chefs

Every South Carolina chef has a story to tell, and you can taste it in the dishes they create. Meet the culinary talent bringing local ingredients, regional traditions and personal inspiration to the table.

Hampton Street Vineyard, Columbia

Get to Know South Carolina’s Chefs

From family recipes and Southern staples to inventive dishes shaped by the seasons, South Carolina’s chefs are creating a food scene that feels deeply rooted in place. Get to know the people behind the plates and discover the restaurants, recipes and regional flavors that make their cooking special.

South Carolina’s Chefs Help Bring Southern Traditions to Your Table

Bring a taste of South Carolina to your table with five recipes from the state’s Chef Ambassadors, who put their own spin on local ingredients and time-honored culinary traditions.

Greatness Grown Here

From May River shrimp and heirloom grains to locally grown mushrooms and heritage pork, see how South Carolina chefs bring the state’s bounty to the table in unexpected ways.

top down image of squash casserole in baking dish

Chef’s Choice: Mark Bolchoz’s Squash Casserole

Chef Mark Bolchoz puts an Italian twist on a Southern holiday staple, layering locally grown South Carolina squash with herbs, pecorino and a bright olive vinaigrette.

small glass jar of peach-thyme jam with brown paper town and twine

Chef’s Choice: Jeanne Koenigsberg’s Peach-Thyme Jam

Elevate summer sandwiches and more with an herby-peachy jam from Swamp Rabbit Cafe's Jeanne Koenigsberg.

top down image of bowl of catfish stew, small bowl of rice, crackers

Chef’s Choice: Elliott Moss’s Catfish Stew

Discover a true taste of the Pee Dee with Chef Elliott Moss’s catfish stew, adapted from his grandfather’s recipe and inspired by some of his earliest food memories.

egg fried rice topped with slices of bacon in a bowl

Chef’s Choice: Jess Sagun’s Bacon & Egg Fried Rice

Get a taste of the warmth and creativity behind Winna’s Kitchen with Chef Jess Sagun’s Bacon & Egg Fried Rice, a flavorful recipe from her Myrtle Beach restaurant.

Follow an SC Chef: Brandon Velie

At Juniper in Ridge Spring, Chef Brandon Velie lets the seasons guide his menu, working with local farmers to bring the freshest ingredients from the surrounding community to the table.

Southern Stars: South Carolina Chefs Lighting Up Your Screen

From Food Network competitions to PBS features, these South Carolina Chef Ambassadors are earning national attention while staying rooted in the restaurants, ingredients and communities they call home.

Charleston Chefs

Get to know some of Charleston’s celebrated chefs, from the paths that brought them to the Holy City to the local ingredients, traditions and inspiration that shape their cooking.

Columbia Chefs

Pull up a seat at some of downtown Columbia’s top-rated restaurants and meet the chefs behind the menus, where fresh local ingredients and creative cooking bring the Capital City’s culinary scene to life.

Greenville Chefs

Greenville has become a destination for creative, locally minded cooking in the Upstate. Meet the chefs shaping the city’s culinary scene and discover what inspires them to cook in South Carolina’s mountain region.

Hilton Head Chefs

Discover the flavors of Hilton Head Island through the chefs who know the Lowcountry best, from fresh local seafood to traditional dishes inspired by the region’s history.

Myrtle Beach Chefs

Meet the chefs behind some of the Grand Strand’s standout restaurants and discover the fresh seafood, coastal flavors and culinary creativity that make Myrtle Beach a destination for food lovers.

side view of white bowl with roasted carrots and vegetables

Around SC Chefs

From the mountains of the Upstate to the Atlantic coast, South Carolina chefs are putting their own spin on the Palmetto State's flavors and traditions. Meet the chefs behind the dishes and find a few places to stop for a bite along the way.

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