Charleston native John Ondo has been a pillar in the Lowcountry cuisine scene for more than three decades.
Many remember his Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Lana on Rutledge Avenue. After Lana closed in 2017, Ondo ventured to Kiawah Island to be executive chef at the golf resortโs Ocean Course, a seven-year tenure running both the Atlantic Room and the Ryder Cup Bar.
Almost three decades ago, Ondo worked as a line cook in the Peninsula Grill kitchen after graduating from Trident Techโs Culinary Institute of Charleston. His recent return downtown to take over as executive chef at Peninsula Grill is a true homecoming.
A chefโs journey
Located at historic Planters Inn, Peninsula Grill opened in 1997, well before Charleston became the culinary hotbed it is today. Founding Executive Chef Bob Carter ran the kitchen until 2011 when Graham Dailey took over and captained the kitchen for six years. Under these two luminaries, Peninsula Grill established itself as a four-diamond and four-star restaurant known for its white tablecloth service and 12-layer Ultimate Coconut Cake, a trademarked, beloved dessert that has been on the menu for more than 20 years.
These days, Peninsula Grillโs menu will change with the seasons and reflect Ondoโs longstanding relationships with Lowcountry growers and purveyors. His food is shaped by international influences, reflecting past experience cooking in Ireland, Spain and Italy. He said his plan is to honor the traditions at Peninsula Grill by putting his own spin on it. That will mean food that is light, balanced and herb-forward. Ondo cooks with a refined balance of acidity and richness, which translates into food that is light and nourishing.
โWe all have different styles of cooking,โ he said. โIf you told me to cook a dish, Iโm going to give it to you my way. You go down the street to SNOB (Slightly North of Broad) and tell Russ (Moore) to cook you the same dish, heโs going to give it to you his way. Weโre going to keep some of the things that have been staples on the menu for a while like the lobster three-ways. Iโm just going to put my touches on it.โ
He said he believed in clean, simple food.
โIt is the best food, just elevate it and make sure itโs nice. We have to respect the house that weโre in and respect our guests and clients and what they want and what theyโre here for.โ
On the menu
Ondo developed the current summer menu with Chef de Cuisine Dominic DeFilipo. Seafood towers, oysters and the aforementioned lobster three-ways will remain mainstays.
A Jimmy Red corn soufflรฉ comes with a pinkeye pea vinaigrette, white cheddar and a peach drizzle. Heirloom local tomatoes come with crispy Vidalia onions, chive oil and an additive pickled ramp ranch. Grilled lamb loin is served alongside Ondoโs Southern spin on tabbouleh, using Carolina Gold middlins in place of bulgar wheat. The poulet rouge features seared breast, confit thigh and smoked pulled drumstick, served with sorghum, seasonal succotash and jus.
And while the coconut cake rightfully gets the glory, donโt miss the peach creฬme bruฬleฬe. Another Ondo signature is how he works the dining room, often standing at the pass hand-delivering plates to tables. It is something he picked up at Lana, where his business partner would expedite food deliveries and talk with guests on Fridays and Saturdays.
โI found that our food improved because I was actually seeing what was coming through the pass instead of holding down a station and being in the weeds myself,โ Ondo said. โItโs nice to touch tables, talk to your guests and thank them for coming in. Itโs fun to interact with our guests to get their feedback to pass along to my staff.โ
The summer menu will run through the end of August, when the restaurant will close for a brief makeover. Itโs slated to reopen in late 2026, which coincides with a larger hotel renovation that will last until early next year.
While it is no easy feat to take over a storied kitchen, the next chapter of the Peninsula Grill is in great hands with Ondo at the helm.
Ondo said the stars aligned to allow him to return to Peninsula Grill.
โItโs not every day that you get the opportunity to put your name in the hat for an iconic property like this,โ he said. โHad it been any other restaurant, I probably would still be dipping out of a food and beverage meeting to go play golf out on Kiawah.
โIโm super excited to shepherd this into the next generation and carry on what Bob and Graham so skillfully did all the years ago. Iโm just really honored to have been tapped to do this.โ
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