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The Charleston Wine + Food Festival, now celebrating its 20th season, stands as a vibrant testament to the enduring legacy and dynamic evolution of Lowcountry cuisine. More than just an annual gathering of chefs, producers, and enthusiasts, the festival has become a crucial platform for honoring ancestral culinary traditions, fostering emerging talent, and celebrating the rich cultural heritage that defines the greater Charleston peninsula. This year’s event underscores a profound shift, one that recognizes and elevates the foundational contributions of culinary pioneers and embraces a future where diverse voices and flavors are integral to the region’s identity.
Honoring the Pillars of Lowcountry Cuisine
At the heart of this culinary renaissance lies a deep-seated respect for the figures who laid the groundwork for today’s vibrant food scene. Culinary luminaries such as Martha Lou Gadsden, Louis Osteen, Robert Carter, Emily Meggett, and Joseph "Chef Joe" Glascoe Randall are invoked not merely as historical figures, but as the guiding forces behind fundamental tenets of Southern cooking. Their teachings, passed down through generations, dictate the sacred rules of preparing dishes like rice, cornbread, and grits – rules that emphasize authenticity and eschew modern alterations like the addition of sugar to cornbread or grits, or the cardinal sin of stirring a pot of rice. These culinary mentors, through their unwavering dedication to tradition, have ensured that these foundational techniques and flavors are not only preserved but are now being reimagined by a new generation of chefs.
Alyssa Maute Smith, Executive Director of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, emphasizes the profound impact these figures have had. "Before we pick up our forks, let’s invoke the ancestors," she states, echoing the sentiment that permeates the festival’s ethos. "Southern culinary mentors like Martha Lou Gadsden, Louis Osteen, Robert Carter, Emily Meggett, and Joseph ‘Chef Joe’ Glascoe Randall are the ones who taught us to never stir a pot of rice, and why it’s sacrilege to add sugar to cornbread or grits. Without their guidance, we wouldn’t be celebrating this kind of food today."
A Festival of Growth and Inclusivity
The Charleston Wine + Food Festival’s 20-year trajectory mirrors the significant growth and diversification of Charleston’s hospitality community. What began as a celebration of established culinary prowess has evolved into a multifaceted organization dedicated to nurturing and promoting a more inclusive food landscape. Through dedicated mentorship programs and financial support for inclusive programming, the festival actively cultivates a new generation of culinary talent, attracting both those born and raised in the region and those drawn to its magnetic culinary pull.
"Look how much the hospitality community has grown," observes Maute Smith. "The annual event has not only showcased the evolving culinary community but has also helped it thrive through mentorships and financial support for inclusive programming over the years. This translates to more voices—and more flavors—being introduced."
The festival’s commitment extends to recognizing the deep-seated culinary roots of the Lowcountry, particularly the foundational influence of West African rice cultures. These ancient techniques and tastes, brought by enslaved Africans, form the bedrock of many dishes that are now being innovatively presented. This explicit acknowledgment signifies a crucial step in understanding the true genesis of Lowcountry cuisine, moving beyond a purely European-centric narrative.
The Enduring Influence of Advocates
The festival’s success in elevating these narratives is also attributed to dedicated advocates who have championed the region’s culinary heritage. The late author Nathalie Dupree, a revered figure in Southern cooking, played a pivotal role in highlighting the contributions of the individuals who are the true backbone of Charleston’s food scene—from those who fire the stoves to those who craft the cocktails. Her efforts, along with those of many chefs now featured at the festival, underscore the powerful grassroots network that supports and uplifts the Lowcountry’s culinary community.
"Charleston has a grassroots network that supports each other," Maute Smith notes. "We want the stories to feel authentic to this place. We see ourselves." This sentiment reflects a collective desire to preserve the integrity of the region’s foodways while embracing innovation.
From Home Kitchens to Culinary Destinations
For many, the journey into Charleston’s culinary landscape begins not in restaurants, but in the intimate setting of home kitchens. The author recalls a time when dining out was not a primary option, as family members, particularly great-aunts, were the primary providers of exceptional home-cooked meals. These were meals steeped in tradition, where Sunday dinners were a given, and activities like crabbing were a familiar part of family life.
Maute Smith shares a similar upbringing on James Island. "We didn’t go out to eat either," she reminisces. "For me, this is the underpinning of why Charleston is a food destination, because everyone was so committed to the land, buying directly from family-owned purveyors or catching it ourselves. My dad taught me to harvest the local oysters and how to seine in the creek. When we got a batch of shrimp, we’d sit around the kitchen table and pop off the heads to freeze." This deep connection to the land and sea, and the communal preparation of food, forms the foundational understanding of Charleston’s culinary identity.
Embracing Innovation Within Tradition
This long-standing commitment to local sourcing and heritage produce has cultivated a rich ecosystem of chefs dedicated to supporting coastal fishermen and regional purveyors. The Charleston Wine + Food Festival masterfully bridges the gap between tradition and innovation, creating an inclusive environment for both seasoned patrons and newcomers to the Lowcountry culinary scene.
A special anniversary dinner exemplifies this dynamic. Chef Daniel "Dano" Heinze of Vern’s showcased squid, an ingredient historically overlooked by the regional shrimping fleet, transforming it into a celebrated dish. "This is something we had to seek out," Heinze explains. "We’re trying to evolve what can be done with food in this part of the country." His charcoal-grilled squid, paired with capered sea beans and redbay laurel leaves—an aromatic herb traditionally used to flavor Carolina Gold rice—demonstrates a thoughtful reimagining of local ingredients.
Further highlighting culinary cross-pollination, a collaboration between James London of Chubby Fish and Juan Cassalett of Malagón Mercado y Tapería presented an heirloom alubia blanca bean and locally sourced lamb dish. This Basque-inspired creation not only spans culinary borders but also resonates with the author’s own Huguenot ancestry, who brought a tradition of lamb consumption to the Lowcountry centuries ago.
Championing Gullah Geechee Heritage and Beyond
The festival also serves as a vital platform for Gullah Geechee chefs, who are instrumental in preserving and evolving their ancestral foodways. Dishes like red rice, deviled crab, and okra soup are being celebrated and reinterpreted by a new generation. Chef BJ Dennis, for instance, is incorporating oysters into his perloo, sourcing them directly from Gullah elders who maintain traditional oyster leases.
"You don’t see these in restaurants," Dennis observes, emphasizing the importance of these informal networks and the pride in self-sufficiency. His dish, featuring oysters with rice middlins and a benne seed chutney inspired by Afro-Mexican salsa macha, is a profound expression of his heritage. "I always say that Gullah Geechee is the queen mother of Lowcountry cuisine," Dennis states. "Learning about my history and my roots goes beyond culture and race. This is my duty, my journey."
The spirit of culinary exploration extends to other facets of the food and beverage industry. Amethyst Ganaway is leading hands-on tutorials at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, championing the nose-to-tail movement with a focus on wild game and offal. Meanwhile, Johnny Caldwell of Cocktail Bandits infuses her drinks with cultural resonance, aiming to create libations that acknowledge Charleston’s past while embracing change. Her "Palmetto Passage" cocktail, a blend of champagne, Aperol, sweet vermouth, and hibiscus tea, elegantly bridges European and Charleston punch traditions, with the hibiscus symbolizing the region’s Caribbean connections and its love for tea.
A Communal Feast for the Future
As the festival approaches, one particular event stands out for its unique blend of tradition and innovation: a shared table dinner co-hosted by Nikko Cagalanan of Kultura. Cagalanan will prepare Lowcountry fusion dishes in the style of a Filipino kamayan, a communal feast traditionally served on banana leaves, where eating with one’s hands is the norm. This immersive experience, requiring no forks, embodies the communal spirit and intimate connection to food that has long defined Lowcountry dining. It represents a fitting culmination of the festival’s dedication to celebrating diverse culinary heritages and fostering a shared appreciation for the art of food.
The Charleston Wine + Food Festival, in its 20th iteration, is not merely an event; it is a living, breathing entity that honors its past while boldly forging a path toward a more inclusive and flavorful future. By championing ancestral traditions, nurturing emerging talent, and fostering a spirit of collaboration, the festival ensures that the culinary tapestry of the Lowcountry continues to be woven with threads of history, innovation, and profound cultural richness.
