Lowcountry

By Mark A Leon

For 20 years, Charleston Wine + Food has celebrated the tastes, traditions, and creativity that define the Lowcountry’s culinary identity — from classic Southern comfort food to modern, globally inspired cuisine. In 2026, the festival returns with over 90 events — including tasting dinners, hands-on classes, and collaborative showcases — spotlighting chefs whose work reflects both personal heritage and contemporary food culture.  Among them are several remarkable women whose stories, inspirations, and food designs exemplify why Charleston remains one of America’s most exciting food destinations.

Maryam Ghaznavi — Pakistani-inspired Hospitality

Maryam Ghaznavi is the chef behind Malika Pakistani Chai Canteen and related ventures in Charleston, and she brings a heartfelt focus on Pakistani street food and cultural storytelling to the festival. Through experiences like the festival’s Malika Pakistani Chai Canteen Signature Dinner, she showcases the vibrant spices, bold flavors, and communal themes of South Asian cuisine — all reinterpreted with Charleston’s fresh produce and coastal sensibilities. 

Inspiration & Style: Ghaznavi draws on memories of home-cooked meals and chai gatherings to shape menus that blend spice, comfort, and hospitality — creating dishes that feel both familiar and adventurous on the palate.

Melanie Alston — Carrying Soul Food Forward

Melanie Alston represents the legacy of Martha Lou’s Kitchen, the beloved Charleston soul food institution founded by her grandmother, Martha Lou Gadsden. Though the original restaurant closed, the family’s culinary spirit lives on through Alston’s continuation of soulful, authentic Lowcountry cooking. 

Inspiration & Style: Rooted in heritage and family tradition, Alston’s approach honors classic Southern favorites like fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread while uplifting the deep community history behind them. At CHSWF, she brings this rooted, celebratory sense of place to festival events that highlight “food as family.”

Allison Anspach — Artisanal Baking & Local Craft

Allison Anspach is the founder and baker behind Grit Bakery in downtown Charleston, a bakery that emphasizes seasonal ingredients, slow fermentation, and community-oriented culinary design. Her bread, pastries, and baked goods reflect a passion for craftsmanship and a belief in food that nourishes both body and culture. 

Inspiration & Style: Anspach’s work is inspired by her culinary journey from New Orleans to San Diego to Charleston, along with the Swedish tradition of fika — the idea that a shared bread and coffee can foster connection. At the festival, her bakery expertise brings balance to savory and sweet events, adding dimension to the celebrations.

Cheyenne Bond — Coastal & Collaborative Cuisine

Cheyenne Bond, Executive Chef of Delaney Oyster House in Charleston, brings over two decades of culinary experience to the festival stage. Bond’s roots in the region and her dedication to Lowcountry seafood and coastal flavors make her a standout presence at events like Opening Night. 

Inspiration & Style: Known for her collaborative spirit and respect for local ingredients, Bond weaves the maritime heritage of Charleston into dishes that feel both elevated and deeply connected to place.

Rashaunda Grant — Gullah-Geechee Heritage & Cultural Cuisine

Rashaunda Grant is the chef and owner of The Carolina Cookery, where she champions Gullah-Geechee cuisine — a living culinary tradition rooted in African, Caribbean, and Southern influences. Through her cooking studio and festival participation, Grant teaches not just recipes, but the cultural stories behind them, emphasizing community, heritage, and locally sourced ingredients. 

Inspiration & Style: Grant’s menus feature soulful preparations like grits, biscuits, and regional vegetables enhanced by reflections on local history and diasporic foodways, creating dishes that resonate with both memory and innovation.

At Charleston Wine + Food 2026, these chefs — each with distinct backgrounds and culinary visions — demonstrate the festival’s heart: food as culture, connection, and celebration. 

Official Festival and Ticketing Website

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6 restaurants/caterers in the Lowcountry owned and operated by Jewish small business owners

1. Dining In Inc (Kosher Catering)

Website: https://diningininc.com

Location: 1645 Raoul Wallenberg Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407

Bio:

Founded in 1989 by Chef Marcie Rosenberg, Dining In Inc is Charleston’s premier kosher catering company and a cornerstone of the local Jewish community. They specialize in weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, holidays, and corporate events, offering traditional Jewish cuisine alongside modern menus under kosher supervision.

2. Hyman’s Seafood

Website: https://www.hymanseafood.com

Location: 215 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401

Bio:

A Charleston institution and fifth-generation Jewish-owned family business, Hyman’s Seafood traces its roots back to 1890 when Jewish immigrant Wolf Maier Karesh opened a dry goods store. Today, it remains family-run and deeply tied to Charleston’s Jewish merchant history.

3. Aaron’s Deli (at Hyman’s)

Website: https://www.hymanseafood.com

Location: 213 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401

Bio:

Aaron’s Deli operates alongside Hyman’s Seafood and shares the same Jewish family ownership. Serving deli-style sandwiches and casual fare, it reflects Jewish deli traditions while continuing the Hyman family’s long-standing presence in downtown Charleston.

4. Mazal

Website: https://mazaleat.com

Location: 1901 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29407

Bio:

Opened by brothers Gal and Tal Alhadeff, Mazal is a Jewish-owned Israeli-inspired restaurant celebrating family recipes and Mediterranean flavors. Named for their grandmother, the restaurant brings authentic shawarma, falafel, and mezze to the Charleston food scene.

5. Marty’s Place

Website: https://charleston.edu/campus-services/

Location: Charleston, SC – College of Charleston Campus

Bio:

Marty’s Place is a kosher, vegetarian, and vegan restaurant at the College of Charleston, located in the Jewish Studies Center, that serves as a popular campus dining spot and community gathering place. It offers a rotating menu with daily specials, accepts campus meal plans (Meal Taps, Dining Dollars, Cougar Cash), and is open to the public, providing a casual atmosphere with options like burgers, mac ‘n cheese, and fresh salads. 

6. Charleston Bakery & Delicatessen (Summerville)

Website: http://www.charlestonbakeryanddeli.com

Location: 10597 Dorchester Rd, Summerville, SC 29485

Bio:

A destination for traditional Jewish comfort food, Charleston Bakery & Delicatessen is Jewish-owned and known for authentic bagels, knishes, latkes, brisket, babka, and rye sandwiches. Owned by Randy Jarvis, who grew up in a Jewish bakery family, it brings true Jewish deli culture to the Lowcountry.

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GEORGETOWN, SC (WMBF) – A Georgetown restaurant is closing its doors earlier than expected. Root restaurant, located at 919 Front Street, was originally set to close permanently on February 5, 2026, but was forced to close on Thursday, according to a Facebook post from the business. The restaurant announced the closure with sadness and thanked customers for their loyalty over the years. 

The restaurant did not provide specific details about what led to the closure decision, but said they tried their best to keep it open until the original close date.

Restaurant Statement on Facebook

Source: WMBF News and Root

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Over $82 million investment will create 90 highly skilled jobs

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Cyclic Materials, a leader in recycling solutions for rare earth elements, today announced it selects Chesterfield County to establish the company’s first East Coast operation. The over $82 million investment will create 90 highly skilled jobs. 

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cyclic Materials uses innovative technology to source rare earth elements from end-of-life products, providing an environmentally sustainable supply chain alternative.

The company’s new co-located processing and manufacturing facility, to be located in the Alligator Industrial Park in McBee, will produce copper, steel, aluminum and mixed rare earth oxide.

Operations are expected to be online in 2028. Individuals interested in joining the Cyclic Materials team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project. The council also awarded a $500,000 Set-Aside grant to Chesterfield County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

QUOTES

“Our decision to invest in South Carolina reflects a deliberate strategy to grow a strong, interconnected U.S. recycling network. By expanding our footprint in the Southeast, we are positioning Cyclic Materials closer to partners, customers, talent and infrastructure that are critical for scaling secure and circular supply chains at a national level. The investment strengthens our ability to support American manufacturing, accelerate the commercialization of critical technologies, and build a more reliable and resilient domestic rare earths and critical metals ecosystem.” -Cyclic Materials CEO and Founder Ahmad Ghahreman

“Cyclic Materials’ new facility in Chesterfield County reflects the confidence companies have in South Carolina’s workforce and our ability to support advanced manufacturing. This over $82 million investment will bring jobs to the community and strengthen the local economy.” -Gov. Henry McMaster 

“With the addition of 90 jobs, Cyclic Materials’ decision to establish operations in South Carolina is a testament to the outstanding economic development happening throughout our state. We look forward to the company’s future growth in Chesterfield County.” -Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“Cyclic Materials’ decision to invest over $82 million and create 90 high-paying skilled jobs in McBee, marks a historic milestone for Chesterfield County and for rural South Carolina. By betting big on communities like ours, this investment — one of the largest manufacturing commitments in the county’s history — signals strong confidence in our workforce and long-term economic future. Its impact will extend far beyond McBee, driving job creation, attracting new investment, strengthening workforce development and building a more resilient economy for generations. We thank Cyclic Materials for believing in McBee and Chesterfield County.” -Chesterfield County Council Chairwoman Mary Anderson

FIVE FAST FACTS

• Cyclic Materials selects Chesterfield County to establish the company’s first East Coast operation. 
• The company’s over $82 million investment will create 90 highly skilled jobs.
• Cyclic Materials is a leader in recycling solutions for rare earth elements and other critical minerals.
• This new Cyclic Materials’ Hub and Spoke campus will be located in the Alligator Industrial Park in McBee, S.C.
• Individuals interested in joining the Cyclic Materials team should visit the company’s careers page.

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Join the community for the 11th Annual #Race4Wanza Doughnut Dash 5k in honor of TyWanza Sanders! TyWanza Sanders, a man with a philanthropic spirit and a commitment to the achievement of youth in his community and beyond, was the youngest victim of the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church Massacre. To honor his life and continue his legacy, Race 4 Achievement Inc. (R4A) created this family-friendly community run/walk (3.5 miles) to provide funds for R4A’s TyWanza Sanders Scholarship Fund and other philanthropic outreach programs. 

This community event is R4A‘s primary fundraiser, enabling us to persist in our mission of supporting the community and championing diversity within the Charleston #commUNITY. Proceeds from this event have allowed R4A to award over $30,000 worth of scholarships since the event’s inception to minority high school graduates in the Charleston area. The TyWanza Sanders Scholarship Fund includes the following $1,000 scholarships TyWanza Sanders Scholarship at James Island Charter High, West Ashley High, and Burke High School, the Dan Stern Citadel Scholarship, the Malik Samir Werts Scholarship at the Charleston County School of the Arts, and the Kevin White Jr. Fort Dorchester High School Scholarship.

Click HERE to get involved.

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Revelations: The Art of Leo TwiggsGibbes Museum of Art — Revelations: The Art of Leo Twiggs (opens this week, on view through May 3) 

• Spans six decades of work by the nationally acclaimed artist
• Twiggs was born just 45 miles from Charleston in 1934, and will be celebrating his 92nd birthday during the run of the exhibition
• The museum show features more than 40 works created by Dr. Leo Twiggs between 1961 and 2020
• The first major retrospective exhibition in his home state of South Carolina
• Marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Twiggs’ landmark solo show at the Gibbes in 1976 (during the bicentennial year)
• Now, a half-century later, this new exhibition comes at a national crossroads as America commemorates its 250th anniversary

Pictured above – the artist Dr. Leo Twiggs

The nationally acclaimed artist and educator was the first African American student to receive a Doctorate from the University of Georgia, and the first visual artist to receive the Governor’s Trophy for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts in South Carolina (the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award).  

His many accolades include: the Order of the Palmetto (South Carolina’s highest civilian honor); the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art/Gibbes Museum of Art; and was inducted in 2020 into the South Carolina Hall of Fame.

At South Carolina State University Dr. Twiggs taught from 1973 until 1998. During his tenure at the university, he started the Art Department and was instrumental in opening and serving as the Director of the I. P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium on campus. Twiggs was named professor emeritus in 2000.

“The whole point is that we are all on this boat together. We either sink, or we swim by making this experiment work,” says the artist, Dr. Leo Twiggs. “At this 250th anniversary, when we have come so far together in this country, this retrospective is not just about me — it’s about us, our shared American experience. I like to create questions with my work, which weaves in and out of this American narrative. And you cannot pass through the 250 years of American history without passing through Charleston,” adds Dr. Leo Twiggs.

“His singular creativity has transformed not only his life, but by his teaching and public service, has served as a beacon for thousands of students, fellow artists, and friends,” says Dr. Frank Martin, the guest curator for this exhibition. “Through talent, faith, ambition, intelligence and hard work, Leo Twiggs has emerged from the challenging obscurity of his early life (in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s) in a small, segregated community to become one of the South’s most nationally significant and innovative visual artists,” adds Dr. Martin.

Click HERE for more details on the new exhibit.

Pictured above – “The Swing,” by Leo Twiggs (1970) batik on cotton.

Pictured above – “We Have Known Rivers: Masks, Tree and Moon,” by Leo Twiggs (1992) batik and paint on cotton mounted on board.

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Garden Lights at Middleton Place

Thursday, January 29 – Monday, February 16 | Times Vary
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays • Last entry at 8:30 PM • Lights off at 10 PM

Tickets are presale only, and quantities are limited.

Garden Lights returns to Middleton Place for select evenings this winter, offering a rare opportunity to experience America’s Oldest Landscaped Gardens after dark. From January 29 through February 16, wander illuminated pathways as colorful light installations highlight beloved garden vistas at the height of camellia season.

Stroll beneath the night sky along Camellia Allée, pause by the tranquil reflections of the Sundial Garden overlooking the Ashley River, and experience the landscape transformed into an immersive celebration of art, nature, and history that invites reflection and wonder.

In honor of our nation’s 250th anniversary and as home to Arthur Middleton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, this year’s presentation will also feature one striking red, white, and blue light display.

Bring friends and family and discover the gardens in a whole new light.

Your visit helps preserve our National Historic Landmark for future generations as a space for education, inspiration, and reflection. A portion of each ticket is dedicated to the Middleton Scholars Education Fund, which supports the educational advancement of the African American descendant community.

Garden Lights + Dinner at The Restaurant at Middleton Place.

The Restaurant at Middleton Place will be open during the event for dinner service. Reservations are required through RESY and admission to Garden Lights is included. If you make a reservation, you will not need to purchase the event tickets. You are able to walk the gardens before or after your meal. Note that the Garden Lights closes at 10PM and all lights will be turned off at that time, so please plan accordingly.

Click HERE for tickets

Click HERE for dinner reservations

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As the demand for medical care in the US continues to surge, nationwide hospitals are struggling to keep up. Americans visited the emergency department 139.8 million times in 2024 – 42.7 visits per 100 people. High demand paired with budget and staffing issues means that many hospitals across the US are working to keep their heads above water. But where is struggling the most?

Interested to find out, the experts at per diem healthcare staffing platform Nursa analysed overcrowding, staffing levels, and how sick the average patient is for every US state to reveal the states with the most overwhelmed hospitals.

Study highlights:

• Maryland has the most overwhelmed hospitals in the US, scoring 9.12 out of 10 
• Wyoming hospitals are the least overwhelmed, scoring just 2.34 out of 10
• California has the worst nurse shortage, with 34,380
• Washington has the fewest hospital beds per 10k population – 15.5 beds
• Alaskans spend the longest in the hospital, averaging 7 days

The states with the most overwhelmed hospitals

Full dataset available here 

Maryland hospitals are the most overwhelmed in the US

Nursa can reveal that hospitals in Maryland are struggling the most, scoring a 9.12 out of 10 overwhelm score. Patients outnumber registered staff in Maryland more than any other state, with 2.9 patients per nurse, compared to Wyoming, which has more nurses per patient with less than 1 patient per nurse (0.7). Maryland also has the 5th fewest beds per 10k population in the US, with just 17.9 beds. In the state, the average patient stays for 6.1 days in the hospital, with patients scoring 8.8 out of 10 for risk score, which estimates how sick patients are based on their medical conditions and history, the sixth most severe health risk in the US. This ranking comes alongside the report from September 2025 that Maryland hospitals have seen a rise in medical errors for the fourth consecutive year, potentially attributed to a variety of causes, including workforce shortages, increased patient acuity, and residual impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Maryland also has the longest ER waits, with Maryland residents spending, on average, 4h 11m in the ER before leaving – 62% longer than the national average of 2h 35m despite having one of the fewest ER visits per 1k people per year, with 303.

Following in second place, Virginia hospitals garner an overwhelm score of 8.79 out of 10. Virginia has the second most patients per registered nurse, with 2.8 patients outnumbering staff. The state has the fifth-highest number of admissions per hospital beds, with 11.6 patients per bed, and only 19.9 beds per 10k population, with an average five-day stay, risking corridor care with patients unable to receive appropriate care. It is estimated that Virginia hospitals are expected to lose out on $26 billion over 14 years under changes to the Medicaid program. This naturally is expected to hit workforces as state facilities grapple with funding losses and resort to downsizing workforces, which is expected to cause an increase in overwhelmed hospitals and staff.

In third place, South Carolina’s overwhelm score is 8.18 out of 10. In the state, there are 2.3 patients per registered nurse, the sixth most in the US. The state also lands in sixth place for the most admissions per hospital bed, with 11.3 patients per bed, with the average stay being 5 days per patient. 

Wyoming hospitals are the least overwhelmed in the US

The least populated state in the US lands in last place with an overwhelm score of just 2.34 out of 10. Wyoming places 46th for nursing shortage, with –6,160, one of only 18 states with a surplus of nurses compared to the demand. Wyoming residents also stay in the hospital the second-shortest, with average admissions lasting 4.5 days compared to Alaska’s 7-day average. Wyomingites’ health risks also only score 0.2, the lowest in the US. 

About Nursa 

Nursa is a nationwide platform that enables hospitals, health systems, skilled nursing facilities and community organizations to easily secure reliable, qualified, nursing talent for per diem shifts and contract work. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, Nursa is trusted by a growing community of more than 3,400 facilities and 500,000 nurses nationwide and is accredited by The Joint Commission.

Methodology:

1. Nursa set out to determine the states with the most overwhelmed hospitals in the US
2. To do this, they ranked each state on 8 factors:
   1. Registered Nurse shortage (demand-supply) was sourced from HRSA (2024) 
   2. Registered Nurses per hospital bed data was sourced from KFF (2023) and compared to nurse staffing levels sourced from HRSA (2024) 
   3. Patients per Registered Nurse was sourced from Medicare Inpatient Hospital Data 2023 and compared to nurse staffing levels sourced from HRSA (2024) 
   4. Hospital Beds per 10k population data was sourced from KFF (2023)
   5. Admissions per hospital bed data were sourced from Medicare Inpatient Hospital Data 2023
   6. Average length of hospital stay (days) data was sourced from Medicare Inpatient Hospital Data 2023
   7. Medicare admissions per hospital data were sourced from Medicare Inpatient Hospital Data 2023
   8. Average patient risk score/10 was sourced from Medicare Inpatient Hospital Data 2023 average HCC risk score (Hierarchical Condition Category), which estimates how sick a patient is based on their medical conditions to predict healthcare costs. The rating from the index was percentranked to generate a score of 10.
3. To calculate the final score, the percentrank method was used
4. All data is correct as of 1/13/2026
5. The full dataset is available here
6. *Medicare inpatient data does not capture the full range of patient populations and may overrepresent certain patient groups and care types.
7. **State-level aggregation may mask variation in hospital pressure across regions and individual facilities within states.