Greenville is becoming a melting pot of culinary artists with recipes and techniques reminiscent of home, as well as unique dining experiences and the deep food traditions of the South.
In addition to a few popular area restaurants, Greenville is teeming with chefs who are taking a new direction in culinary identity through pop-up dinners and guest takeovers of restaurants, while also helping to revitalize some beloved Upstate spots.
“We always wanted to bring together a group of restaurants where we could support each other, do some pop-ups and showcase our different connections,” said Khailing Neoh, owner of Sum Bar in Greenville.
Neoh, who played the protagonist in Undercurrent Film Co.’s 2024 James Beard Award-winning short film “Great Wall,” has been collaborating with emerging culinary influencers since opening her dim sum restaurant in 2023.
“People have helped me along the way and I also like to invite chefs to my home to show and offer them the same kindness that others have shown me,” she added.
Neoh, Undercurrent Film Co. and Mill Village Ministries recently hosted “The Great Wall Gala” to celebrate the Beard Award, thank supporters and highlight several new faces and up-and-coming names in the local culinary community.
Here are six chefs that Neoh spotlighted during the celebration.
Top in the region: Spartanburg restaurant named to Southern Living’s list of best new barbecue joints in the South
Chef Tony Luu and Jimmy Nguyen of Potluck
Tony Luu and Jimmy Nguyen are on the rise in Greenville, working as private five-course chefs with the goal of soon owning their own restaurant. Together, they create intimate dinners around various regional cuisines, from Japanese and Vietnamese to French, Italian and Indian.
“Greenville’s dining scene has seen a positive resurgence,” Luu said. “A lot of people from the north and west have come here, and that means we have to meet new standards, meet new people and satisfy new customers, which is positive.”
They’ve partnered with a third owner, Francisco Cruz, to serve pop-up dinners at Vine and Eden, two spots on Coffee Street in downtown Greenville. Their next culinary foray will be at Sum Bar on August 26, where they’ll be serving a five-course Chinese cooking experience.
Favorite place to eat: Tony – The One5 Hartness; Jimmy – The Anchorage
Chef Michael Izzard from Lolaceli Restaurant
Lola means grandmother in Tagalog, a native language of the Filipinos, and Celi is the name of Michael Izzard’s grandmother. The words together are the inspiration for Izzard’s pop-up restaurant focusing on seafood and vegetables, known as Restaurant Lolaceli.
“I love the lengthy processes of preparing them, including miso, fermentation and different ways of aging the fish,” Izzard said. “That’s what I cook most in fine dining. I’ve always emphasized seafood and fresh vegetables.”
The newcomer from Greenville has been living in town for six months, but Izzard’s family ties run through the Landrum area. He dedicates his passion and preparation to his grandmother, which takes his love of seafood to a new level.
Favorite place to eat: Villain
Other new foods: Draper Purveying Co. opens at the old location of Barley’s Taproom; a look inside the restaurant, the menu
Chefs Beau Owens and Tony Arnold of Tavala
Tavala is Table 301’s first restaurant outside of downtown Greenville, with plans to open in Bridgeway Station in the future. To helm this new location, Table 301’s Carl Sobocinski has tapped two Greenville chefs: Beau Owens, who was executive chef at Lazy Goat, and Tony Arnold, owner of Pasta Guru, LLC.
The couple brings fresh, handmade pasta and steaks to the border of Simpsonville and Mauldin, providing a taste found outside the cozy confines of downtown.
“I love food, I’ve been doing it my whole life,” said Owens, who is from Colombia. “I’m excited about this project, I think people will love the concept.”
Favorite place to eat: Beau Owens, family restaurant in Greenville
- Instagram: @pastagurugvl and @table301
Chef Aquila Kentish of The Tasti Plate
Originally from Boston, Chef Aquila Kentish loves Caribbean and Southern fusion cuisine, which stems from her father’s Haitian heritage and her mother’s Southern roots. These cultural influences are evident in how Kentish balances flavors.
Her private catering business, The Tasti Plate, is a human-centered experience.
“My food is everything I grew up with,” she said. “I’ve always loved Greenville. I have family here and honestly just fell in love with the city.” She has lived in the city for a year.
Favorite place to eat: Mak n’ Cheesecakes, Lewis Barbecue, Island Fusion
- Instagram: @thetastiplate
Chef Rafael Alacantar Jr. of Omni
Rafael Alacantar Jr. is a huge fan of Asian influence on food and culture. His pop-up restaurant and culinary showcase is designed to take the street food of Seoul, Korea to a new level. His grab-and-go approach to this cuisine and the influences of his hometown of Chicago make him an interesting addition to Greenville’s food scene.
“Big companies come here and we little guys do the groundwork,” said Alancantar. “People who call themselves chefs but aren’t in the kitchen. But I love it and couldn’t imagine not being in the thick of it, making sure the quality of the food is right and exceeds expectations.”
Omni has been involved in kitchen acquisitions with Sum Bar, Comal 864, Vault & Vator, Community Tap and Wine House Retail Shop and Wine Bar.
Favorite place to eat: Barbecue party
Food extension: Restaurant with farm-fresh menu shares plans for second location on Greenville’s east side
Chef Alex George and Jen Anderson of Take Care
Take Care is a restaurant opening soon in West Greenville that will replace the old Reds@28 on Pendleton Street in 2025. For Chef Alex George and Jen Anderson, this isn’t the first time they’ve opened a restaurant, as this will be their fifth food business in their ten years of working together, making the food they love to eat themselves.
“We want to highlight local farmers, vegetable-focused dishes, handmade pasta, duck, elk — dishes and concepts like that,” Anderson said. “We make everything ourselves as much as possible, and our food makes you feel like you’re eating something special, but still approachable.”
Their style of food preparation and service is quite different from typical New American cuisine.
Favorite place to eat: Jen Anderson – Japanese Restaurant Sushi Masa
– AJ Jackson covers the food and restaurant scene, as well as arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Reach him via email at [email protected] and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @ajhappened. This reporting is only possible with the support of our readers. Sign up for a digital subscription today.
