Lowcountry Cuisine Spring 2018

LC 5 www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com G rowing up in a partially Italian family, it’s safe to say that food was always a large part of our lives. From big family celebrations to trying times, in my life people always came together around a great meal – usually served up by my own talented mother. As I got older and ventured into new flavor profiles, I stayed the course, finding my way through my home kitchen, working in the food and beverage world throughout college and traveling the world with my now husband to taste our way through various cultures. In 2010, we threw caution to the wind and opened a bar and restaurant in the Caribbean of Costa Rica with our sister-in-law, brother- in-law and two friends. Once again, food took center stage in my life as I personally took ownership for the menu we served our customers. The kitchen at The Lazy Mon was small - and hot - but the Caribbean winds helped carry the smell of delicious food throughout our venue and over time we grew. The kitchen is bigger now, but I still look back fondly at the times we pumped out nonstop grub for Super Bowls and World Cup matches with a simple tabletop fryer and panini press. So how does this bring me to Lowcountry Cuisine, right? Moving back to the States in 2015, my writing career began to flourish, though my passion for food never diminished. Moving our family to Charleston was an easy decision, just knowing we would be surrounded by world-class chefs, delicious Southern meals and innovative new approaches to cooking. As a mother, I continuously invite our daughter to be an adventurous eater, even trying her first raw oyster at 167 Raw as fellow patrons looked on, wondering if she’d actually swallow it whole. She did – though she says she’s done with oysters for now. All of my life experiences have brought me to exactly this point, writing this to you, our readers. As we continue to grow Lowcountry Cuisine, it’s my hope that you will sense my passion leaping from each page and that you will become inspired to try new things. Our magazine is overflowing with recipes you can try in your very own kitchen from some of the best chefs in the city; we bring exciting food trends and events for you to experience with the ones you love; and we make it a point to spotlight incredible restaurants, both on and off the beaten path, so you can embark on a culinary adventure of your own. I can’t thank you enough for joining us on the adventure we are sharing with our readers, and I hope you are inspired to create some culinary magic of your own. From one lifelong foodie to another, I hope your journeys are plentiful and delivered to you plate by delicious plate along the way. Krysta Chapman Krysta Chapman, Managing Editor EDITOr’s note