Labor shortages and high turnover are making it hard for many restaurants in the Holy City to stay in business. From beloved establishments like Cru Cafe to Rutledge Cab Co., the number of closures has felt daunting in recent months.
“The cost of living has gone up, and a lot of hospitality workers can’t necessarily afford it,” said Marbled & Fin General Manager Meg Mina, who oversees about 100 employees at the steakhouse that opened in 2024. “And if they can, it’s not enough to just offer decent pay anymore. Our teams want to feel cared for.”
Simultaneously, guests’ values have changed, too.
“People are investing in experiences and ways to emotionally connect,” Mina said. “The only way we’re going to get people through the door and keep them coming back is to create these experiences.”
But in the sea of restaurant closures, some continue to thrive. Many have women at the helm.
“We’re starting to see more women in leadership roles,” said Mina, who arrived in the Lowcountry in 2019 with two decades of leadership experience at critically acclaimed restaurants in New York City. “I think that’s because we have to be more open-minded to creative ways of making money now — which I’ve found is pretty instinctual for women.”
Turning challenges into creative opportunity
Executive Chef Analisa LaPietra’s kitchen at Prohibition can only fit about four people comfortably. And because of the structure of the building on King Street, there’s little she can do to expand it.
“I like to say it’s very efficient,” LaPietra said with a laugh. “Everything is within an arm’s reach, but the equipment we have does dictate things. I don’t have a broiler. I don’t have a steamer. I have two ovens and six burners. So, what can we do?”
It’s that logistical challenge coupled with the creative freedom she’s granted from management that has kept LaPietra content at Prohibition since 2019 — and has kept the restaurant evolving.
Alongside chef and owner Greg Garrison, LaPietra has led the development of Prohibition’s seasonal menus utilizing fresh ingredients as well as the execution of local events like its Sippin’ Santa annual holiday pop-up.
In turn, everything from the Prohibition’s business model to staff size has changed drastically for the better. In 2024, the team opened a second location in Columbia, and LaPietra expanded her role to the capital city.
“Actions have always spoken louder than anything else in this profession,” LaPietra said. “It’s your cooking, it’s your professionalism and it’s leading by example as a manager. All those things speak volumes more than anything else. It’s always been, can you or can’t you?”
Serving experiences, not just food
At 21, Kelleanne Jones started a catering company out of her third floor apartment in Hartford, Connecticut. She’s owned her own business ever since, partnering with her husband and Executive Chef Ryan Jones first in catering then in restaurant ownership.
Since 2019, the duo has opened four restaurants in Charleston under their Free Reign Restaurants group, including Community Table, Southbound, Honeysuckle Rose and the latest, Allora, this fall. At each establishment, Ryan runs the kitchen while Jones runs the front of the house, which includes everything from reservations to building maintenance and interior design.
“We’ve been a husband and wife team for 25 years,” Jones said. “But I’ve always been the ‘wife of the chef.’ Across the industry, chefs get the spotlight while the front of the house always goes unrecognized. Yet if that experience isn’t great, the restaurant can’t be great.”
As the culinary industry tries to catch up in prioritizing not just food, but rewarding experiences, women like Jones are gaining the lead. Perhaps her most unique experience-based dining offering is Honeysuckle Rose, a concierge fine dining restaurant in an intimate living-room like setting.
“In laying out the space there was intentionality,” Jones said. “The tables being close allows you to meet your neighbors, many diners leave with new friends or, at least, enjoy conversation and the shared experience.” Guests are also greeted with hand-written place cards upon arrival, a surprise that makes for an instantly memorable experience.
“Service is black and white; hospitality is color,” Jones said. “It’s something unexpected. I try to teach all of our people that that’s what we aim for. When you go to any restaurant, you expect good food and good service. But when you leave our restaurants, you take an experience that can’t be replicated.”
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