COLUMBIA, S.C. — A national culinary award recently announced three Columbia businesses as semifinalists in three different categories.
Tim Garder said he remembers getting the text that his restaurant, Lula Drake Wine Parlour, is a semifinalist for a James Beard award in hospitality. He said the award is likened to the Oscars or Grammys of the culinary world and can change a business overnight.
"A friend told me that we were nominated, and it was just surreal," he said. "It's been a joy, coming out of the pandemic, we were just at a low point, we didn't know if we were ever going to open again, and now for something like this to happen is just an amazing experience."
Jessica Shillato is the owner of Spotted Salamander. She was just nominated for best chef in the Southeast. Shillato said it's a huge honor, especially since similar attention typically goes to areas in the state like Charleston or the Upstate.
"Columbia always gets passed over, we have amazing restaurants here, really fabulous chefs, and it's so great that they're finally recognizing and noticing Columbia and Columbia's food scene," she said.
According to the James Beard Foundation, an open call for recommendations is conducted where members of the public can submit suggestions for the awards. These are then reviewed by a subcommittee and a final list of semifinalists is created.
A third nomination went to the Columbia-based owners of SmallSUGAR, City Grit, and Il Focolare Pizzeria for outstanding restaurateur.
According to Experience Columbia's Charlene Slaughter, having three nominations in one place can boost tourism. Her staff is using it as a way to get more eyes on the capital city.
"When you're sitting at an office at Condé Nast, or sitting across from an editor at the New York Times, and they say 'tell me about your culinary scene', and you're able to say we have James Beard semi-finalists, three in one year, and talk about those restaurants," she said.