COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lula Drake Wine Parlour, a well-known restaurant in downtown Columbia, has achieved a monumental milestone by winning a prestigious James Beard Award. This marks the first time a Columbia restaurant has won a category in the culinary awards.
“This is surreal. This is completely surreal. It’s one of the defining moments in my life, truly,” said Tim Gardner, founder, owner, and head sommelier of Lula Drake.
Gardner said being named a James Beard Award recipient for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages was important to him personally and could also bring more attention to the Midlands.
“I think it will allow us to continue to serve the community but to also bring in a lot of people to Columbia,” Gardner said.
Gardner said that congratulatory messages have been pouring in from around the world since Lula Drake received the award. He credited his staff for most of the restaurant's success.
“To see how they love each other, how they love serving the community - they love wine and sharing that," he said. "For me, that’s it. That’s what it’s all about.”
Alexandra Shertezr, who has worked at Lula Drake for roughly three years, echoed Gardner’s thoughts on the close-knit team.
“I think we all flow really well here - back of house, front of house - we are all very communicative and everyone is really there to support each other when things get busy, especially since the nominations,” Shertezr said.
Shertezr said she hadn’t seen this type of community at any previous establishment she’d worked in.
“Especially now that we have gone through all of this process with James Beard, people have been coming in and congratulating us," she said. "It’s like we are seeing our friends and family. It’s not just someone you serve a drink to, we truly have a wonderful community here.”
Gardner said it is important to educate his staff about wine, not only the selections but also its cultural significance.
“Wine is culture. Wine opens your eyes to the world in a way that you would have never known before," Gardner said. "You get to see how countries and farmers in those countries live and breathe every day. You get that in a time capsule that is a bottle of wine.”
This year marks Lula Drake's second nomination but first win, and it showcases the city’s growth and diversity.
“This can be a legacy for us that we were able to contribute to not only our own growth but Columbia’s growth,” Gardner said.
Lula Drake was not the only Columbia establishment nominated. Two other Columbia restaurants, Kiki's Chicken and Waffles in Dentsville and City Limits Barbeque in West Columbia, were also in the running for the James Beard Award.