Breaking Culinary Boundaries, Inspiring Future Generations
by Krysta Chapman
Watch out, now—there’s a woman in the kitchen. And behind the bar; and in the farm; and brewing beer; and positioned behind a laptop madly typing up the latest recipe to grace her kitchen. The truth is there are women in every aspect of the Charleston Food and Beverage scene these days—and we’re here to celebrate it. From thriving Facebook groups to building restaurant empires; and developing complex flavors in our favorite meals and cocktails to helping feed the homeless in Charleston, the women on this list—in no particular order—are breaking barriers and setting standards.
Christine England: Founder, Lowcountry Eat Out
Unless you were living under a rock during the pandemic, then you know who Christine England is by now. Founder of the wildly popular Facebook group, Lowcountry Eat Out!, Christine was on a mission to help save brick and mortar restaurants in Charleston when they needed it the most. Now cautiously on the “other side” of the shut downs, the thriving group remains an integral part of the Charleston food community, driving awareness for beloved and lesser known concepts with every post, like, and share. She’s also the owner of Pampas & Picnics, a boutique, luxury picnic experience in Charleston.
April Dove:
Founder/Brewer of Tha CommUNITY
Born in Goose Creek, April set out on a quest to expand her knowledge and cement herself as an expert in the brewing community. Though her travels took her to Vermont, Germany, and Portland along the way of gaining certifications and expertise, April returned home where she eventually went to create initiatives that brought more diversity to the taprooms across the Lowcountry. In doing so, April partnered with Holy City Brewing to release an American Lager known as The CommUNITY, and in turn became Charleston’s first Black brewer. Oh, and did we mention this is all while working insane hours as an ER nurse? Not too shabby.
Chelsea Lucas Co-Owner, Edison
Though it may be a bit off the beaten path, Edison in James Island is truly a culinary gem that should not be missed. Chelsea Lucas, who co-owns Edison with her husband and chef, Joel Lucas, have created a special place for James Islanders, including a brunch that has won countless accolades over the years. In the first couple of years, Chelsea managed the front of the house, welcoming guests, leading her employees, and ensuring a memorable experience with every meal; today she handles the back of the house operations, such as administration and accounting, keeping Edison running smoothly behind the scenes.
Amethyst Ganaway Chef, Food Writer, and Recipe Developer
Born and raised in North Charleston, Amethyst is a chef on a mission to bring awareness to the flavors and heritage of the South, African-Americans, and the African diaspora. And while we can’t give too much away here, you can read all about Amethyst—the featured chef gracing the cover of Southern Flavor Magazine Spring 2023—on page 44.
Alyssa Smith Executive Director, Charleston Wine + Food
We can’t write about some of the most prolific women in Charleston food and beverage, without mentioning the Director of the leading culinary event in Charleston could we? Of course not. And this year, special congratulations are in order for newly appointed Executive Director, Alyssa Smith. Though she has been a staple of Charleston Wine + Food for nearly seven years, 2023 kicked off with the announcement of Alyssa being named official Executive Director after serving as Interim Director since April 2022. We can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeve in the years to come!
Germaine Jenkins Founder, Fresh Future Farm
It’s not just about high end restaurants and James Beard chefs in Charleston. At the root, literally, of everything is understanding where our food comes from—and hopefully, the ability to grow it ourselves. That was the goal for Germaine Jenkins when she started Fresh Future Farms dab smack in the Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood of North Charleston. Within a few years she helped revitalize a suffering urban area—with no local grocery store in sight—into a self-sufficient gardening community complete with their own local market. As Fresh Future Farms continues to grow and evolve, their mission remains the same, “address the health, wealth, and quality of life disparities in the Chicora/Cherokee neighborhood. We grow healthy food to build strong communities through our programs.”
Angie Colyer DuPree, Director of Culinary Training One80 Place
Angie Colyer DuPree isn’t who naturally comes up in conversation when you think of the integral players of the Charleston Food and Beverage industry, and yet, she has more to do with it than you may think. Dare I take it a step further? Her role may be one of the more important roles impacting the Lowcountry as a whole. As the Director of Culinary Training at One80 Place—an organization that houses, feeds, and trains Charleston’s homeless community—Angie runs One80 Place’s Zucker Community Kitchen. Through this initiative, Angie trains the students through a 5-week course and helps place them in restaurant jobs throughout Charleston; prior to COVID-19, the program had an astonishing 98% placement rate. Through years of jobs training and instilling confidence in the kitchen to those experiencing homelessness, Angie’s impact is immeasurable and invaluable.
Danetra Richardson Owner, Swank Desserts
All hail the queen of macaroons—Danetra Richardson is in the building. Tucked into an unassuming strip of shops in downtown Summerville, Danetra, a Johnson & Wales graduate, opened Swank Desserts at the end of 2019. Fast forward to 2023, the small but mighty specialty dessert shop is pumping out scratchmade macaroons, cakes, and luxury treats with complex flavor pairings that will make your head spin. And while all that is fine and deliciously dandy, don’t you dare pop in without trying her Mexican hot chocolate—it’s what dreams are made of.
Sarah Williams-Scalise Co-Founder, Sarah’s Dumps
Though she was born in South Korea and adopted in the United States at only six months of age, Sarah Williams-Scalise never strayed far from her Korean heritage thanks to the forethought and love of her parents who enrolled her in Korean culture camps from a young age. It was there that she learned the art—and her love of—mandu. Known to us as “dumplings”, Sarah grew up perfecting mandu before launching Sarah’s Dumps with her husband Nate in 2019. Now this wildly popular frozen Korean-style dumpling business has flourished, with foodie fans able to order online or pick up at a variety of locations around Charleston.