When Charleston Wine + Food (CHSWF) hosted its first festival in 2005, no one could have envisioned its evolution and success over the past two decades. When this year’s installment kicks off March 4, it will be an opportunity to reflect on and look ahead at what food and beverage means to Charleston.
“At its heart, Charleston Wine + Food is about community,” CHSWF Executive Director Alyssa Maute Smith said recently. “Every ticket, every table and every experience helps fuel programs that strengthen and sustain our culinary and hospitality community year-round.”
The inaugural festival was the brainchild of Circa 1886 Executive Chef Marc Collins.
“In Texas, there was Hill Country Wine and Food,” Collins told Charleston City Paper in 2015. “I thought this city was ripe for its own festival.”
Collins shared the idea with publicist Angel Postell, who eventually became the original festival executive director, and together, they reached out to local leaders to invite them to a brainstorming meeting. Everyone showed up.
Plans for the 20th year
This year’s festival spans five days and will feature 89 events, 270 chefs and 80 wine and beverage professionals. Over the last two decades, the festival has welcomed more than 455,500 attendees and generated $210.7 million in economic impact, according to its data.
While many events are sold out, there are still great options with ticket availability, organizers said. One such event is the Thaliwali dinner by Maryam Ghaznavi, chef and owner of Malika Canteen in Mount Pleasant.
“The name ThaliWali simply means ‘the one who possesses Thali,’ ” said Ghaznavi. “The suffix ‘wali’ refers to a female.”
The dinner will be centered around the traditional southeast Indian and Pakistani way of dining, thali. Thali translates to “plate” or “tray,” and it is a round platter used to serve food in South Asia. “Thali culture follows the Ayurvedic teachings of balance and harmony of mind and the body,” said Ghaznavi.
While traditional thali has regional variations, common items to find are steamed rice, flatbreads like roti, legumes like lentils, vegetables (often curried), and condiments like raita (a cooling yogurt), pickles and chutney.
“The offerings on a thali are meant to ensure a nutritious and balanced meal is served every time. I am personally a huge fan of this way of serving my food. There are so many components to Pakistani cuisine that complement each other. Having them all paired on the same platter helps educate the ones new to the cuisine and give them the most authentic experience.”
Thali culture exists throughout South Asia and is a mainstay in daily life in both urban and rural areas. From a simple breakfast thali to a lavish one at an Eid ceremony, a thali is the preferred way to represent culture and love.
This journey across borders will also be experienced throughout CHSWF at sold-out events like Bintu Atelier’s African Roots signature dinner and Flavors of the Caribbean, an evening led by Emmy Award-winning documentarian and food historian Von Diaz exploring tropical cooking and food culture.
“This year feels especially meaningful as we celebrate 20 years of Charleston Wine + Food,” said Smith. “I’m looking forward to honoring how far we’ve come while continuing to push forward.
“We look forward to welcoming new voices, telling deeper stories and creating moments that feel both celebratory and purposeful. The festival has always been about more than what’s on the plate; it’s about the people, the place and the connections we make along the way.”
Programming highlights
While many festival events are sold out, there are still tickets available for several marquee events.
Opening night: Opening night takes place from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. March 4 at Cistern Yard at the College of Charleston. The party pays homage to the people and restaurants that helped build Charleston’s culinary scene as we know it today. Participating chefs include Kevin Johnson of The Grocery, Ashley Cardona of Circa 1886 and Shaun Connolly of Anson Restaurant. The event also welcomes back former faces and experiences including Fred Neuville of Fat Hen, who retired after 14 years of owning and operating the beloved Johns Island restaurant, and Melanie Alston, who will revive her grandmother’s iconic Martha Lou’s Kitchen.
The finale: The closing party is from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 8 at Firefly Distillery in North Charleston. The party will shine a spotlight on the next generation of chefs carrying Charleston’s culinary scene forward, many of whom were mentored and trained by the opening night chefs. Participating talent includes Mark Bolchoz of Cane Pazzo, Janae Coaxum of Tater’s Lowcountry Kitchen and Catering and Bintou N’Daw of Bintu Atelier.
Culinary village: The culinary village returns to The Citadel’s Johnson Hagood Stadium for its second year, and will feature the most food options to date, along with beverage samples, a chef demo stage, a pop-up kitchen from Saratoga Springs, a silent disco and the zero proof garden. March 8 is “Locals Day” in the culinary village, where Tri-county residents receive $40 off entry tickets.
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