Governor McMaster announces SC Chef Ambassadors for 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 2024 class of South Carolina Chef Ambassadors was announced by Governor Henry McMaster Thursday morning during a ceremony at the State House. McMaster was joined by Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers and Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) Director Duane Parrish in appointing the three chefs who will represent the state in the upcoming year.

The Chef Ambassador program was created in 2014 as a way to promote Certified South Carolina grown food products and the best chefs from the Upstate, Midlands and Lowcountry regions of South Carolina. Ambassadors will represent the state at upcoming state and regional food festivals and other promotional opportunities, sharing the state's culinary history and agricultural heritage while highlighting their own personal talents and food journeys.

“The Chef Ambassador program celebrates two important sectors of our booming economy – agribusiness and tourism," Gov. McMaster said. “Our state’s outstanding culinary talent contributes to the rich cultural heritage and quality of life that makes South Carolina unique and attractive to all. Our newest class of Chef Ambassadors represent our mountains, Midlands, and coast, adding to the top-tier talent that this program has spotlighted over the past 10 years.” 

2024 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors are:

• Chef Leslie Rohland, The Cottage Café Bakery & Tea Room | Bluffton, South Carolina As founder, owner and head chef/baker at The Cottage Café, Bakery & Tea Room, Chef Leslie serves up innovative cuisine and Southern hospitality in Old Town Bluffton. After the success of The Cottage, she opened May River Coffee Roasters, The Juice Hive, SideCar Catering, and The Bluffton Pasta Shoppe, all committed to offering fresh, local cuisine.
• Chef Michael Sibert, Anonymous Burgers | Greer, South Carolina A Greenwood native and alumnus of Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas, Chef Michael trained in New Orleans before moving to Greer, where he has headed up high-end establishments for more than a decade. Chef Michael opened Anonymous Burgers in Cartwright Food Hall in 2023.
• Chef Javier Uriarte, Ratio | Elgin, South Carolina Chef Javier gained his culinary experience in DC-area restaurant kitchens before moving to Columbia in 2013. He is chef and owner of Ratio in the Kershaw County/Northeast Columbia region, a tapas-style restaurant influenced by Chef Javier’s Peruvian background and Southern comfort food.

Past chef ambassadors have been given the opportunity to shine on a national level by participating in cooking demonstrations and dinners at the James Beard House in New York City and the Southern Living Cooking School, as examples.

“South Carolina’s food culture is second to none, and farmers make it all possible,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. “I’m impressed by how each and every Chef Ambassador over the past 10 years has supported local food and forged relationships with farmers, and I look forward to working with this talented new class.”

“From a tourism perspective, one of the most beneficial aspects of this program is that it’s allowed us to showcase the diversity of South Carolina’s flavors and destinations through the authentic, first-person perspective of our chefs,” said Duane Parrish, Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism. “From their signature dishes to the cities and towns they passionately represent, over the past decade, our Chef Ambassadors have helped enhance and amplify our culinary reputation with audiences around the world. I know our 2024 class will continue that tradition.”

To learn more about the program and past Chef Ambassadors, visit discoversouthcarolina.com/chef-ambassadors