Destination CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA I
ACulinary Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr.,
(right), cooked with Top Chef contestant and fan favorite Bryan Voltaggio, during a
cook-off at the 2011 official opening ceremonies of the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival in Marion Square.
Photo provided by the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, courtesy of Andrew Stephen Cebulka.
IN 2010, A BILLBOARD ON HIGHWAY 17 South in Charleston featured Bobby Flay, the Food Network’s grill king. A year later, another celebrity chef, Sara Moulton, was spotted walking down East Bay Street after a celebratory brunch at High Cotton. And longtime Mayor Joe Riley
BY EILEEN ROBINSON SMITH
took a stab at culinary immortality at the 2011 Charleston Wine + Food Festival, donning a chef’s jacket and competing alongside Bryan Voltaggio of Bravo’s “Top Chef ” against local chefs such as Marc Collins of Circa 1886. Charleston has become a restaurant destination. A sign of the importance of Charleston in the world of fine dining is that in 2010, Forbes called the festival one of
the top five of its kind in the nation. The following year, attendance was up at nearly every event, from the restaurant dine-arounds to the gospel brunch to the main attraction, the Culinary Village. The festival has made remarkable progress, according to Rick Widman, who serves as its chair. “The exposure it brings to our city is a major factor in Charleston’s enviable reputation as a gastronomic destina- tion,” said Widman, who also is president of Charming Inns, owner of the Wentworth Mansion and co-owner of the adja- cent restaurant, Circa 1886. “The event is about showcasing our chefs and learning from the influx of celebrity chefs and chefs from top restaurants in major cities.” “Another factor that has led to our high-profile position is
www.ILoveMountPleasant.com |
www.MountPleasantMagazine.com |
www.MountPleasantNeighborhoods.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68