Food & Wine Classic Charleston: A Celebration of Southern Flavors & Culture

Charleston Food & Wine Classic Celebrates Southern Flavors and Cultural Heritage

Charleston, South Carolina, recently hosted its second annual Food & Wine Classic, a three-day event that brought together culinary experts from around the world to celebrate the region’s rich food traditions and vibrant culture. The festival, which ran from November 14-16, 2025, according to web search results, builds upon the success of the long-standing Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, offering a unique experience focused on the Lowcountry’s distinctive culinary landscape.

I recently attended the Classic and found it to be a fantastic and invaluable experience. During the event, I had the opportunity to interview Hunter Lewis, editor-in-chief of Food & Wine magazine. I’ve long been impressed by Lewis’s talent and thoughtfulness.

I mentioned to Lewis my enjoyment of the inaugural Classic in Charleston in 2024 and the insights I gained regarding Gullah Geechee food traditions, Carolina Gold rice, and the history of enslaved people from West Africa in the Southern United States. My column about that experience was published in Off the Clock on November 20, 2024.

I asked Lewis about the decision to expand the Food & Wine Classic to Charleston, given the established success of the Aspen event, which has been held for over 40 years. He explained that Charleston offered a unique opportunity to “carry these conversations forward.” Lewis emphasized that the Classic isn’t simply a celebration of wine and food, but an experience that sheds light on the origins of our food, the people who create it, and the sometimes-painful history behind it.

Lewis described Charleston as one of the “major arteries of culture in the United States,” a sentiment that was readily apparent throughout the city. The combination of cooking, music, architecture, history, and innovation creates a truly immersive and sensory experience.

The Classic featured a diverse range of seminars and events. One particularly engaging session was a competition between chefs and sommeliers, designed to test their palates. Teams competed to pair wines with various dishes, including a surprisingly challenging soy sauce-cured, hardboiled egg with vinegar and miso mayo. The audience served as the judges, and the sommeliers ultimately emerged victorious.

Another standout seminar featured chef Kwame Onwuachi and singer/actress Ciara, exploring the theme of “Afro-Caribbean Soul: Recipes from my Roots.” The session delved into family memories and the delicious dishes that connect them. Onwuachi is currently nominated for a James Beard Award for outstanding chef.

Chef Maneet Chauhan also captivated attendees with her workshop, “The Spices That Bind: India Meets Lowcountry Cuisine,” showcasing her creativity and skill in blending diverse culinary traditions. The Classic concluded with a breakfast sandwich competition between Charleston chefs Amethyst Ganaway and Shuai Wang, moderated by Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple. Ganaway ultimately won the competition.

During my visit, I had the pleasure of staying at the 86 Cannon hotel, a charming boutique inn that provided a welcoming and elegant base for exploring the city. The Explore Charleston organization hosted my stay. The hotel’s walkable location, beautiful grounds, and delicious breakfasts – enjoyed on the front porch – added to the overall experience.

Charleston itself is a captivating city, offering a wealth of restaurants, museums, outdoor activities, and a unique sense of place. I highly recommend a visit and look forward to returning to celebrate the city’s culinary scene in the future.

QUAIL PIRLOO

By Chef Amethyst Ganaway

Makes 4 servings.

“In this pirloo, the quail is spatchcocked before seasoning and pan searing it. The flavor of the birds (and chicken stock) seeps into the rice and gives it phenomenal flavor. If you can’t find quail locally, We find online retailers that sell them year-round. They’re worth the splurge, and while you could easily make this pirloo with a Cornish hen or full-size chicken (with adjustments), the quail adds a little gamy flavor that you’ll miss by not using it.” — Chef Ganaway

Ingredients:

• 4 small quail, about 1 pound total, spatchcocked
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground dried sage
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil

For the pirloo:

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 140 grams of finely diced yellow or sweet onion (Approx. 1 medium onion)
• 70 grams diced celery (Approx. 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed under cool water and drained
• 2 cups water or chicken stock
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

On a small plate, thoroughly dry the quail inside and out with a paper towel. Discard paper towel and season quail with salt, pepper, and sage. Make sure quail are as flattened out as possible and set aside.

In a sauté pan with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add quail skin side down to the pans, moving often to avoid burning and to ensure even browning, and cook for 5–8 minutes or until golden in color. Flip birds and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, remove quail, and set aside. To the hot pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the diced onion and celery. Sauté the vegetables until they are soft and translucent, or about 5 minutes, and stir often, picking up any of the brown bits left over from quail that have stuck to the pan. Add rinsed rice and stir to mix vegetables and grains. Turn heat to high and add 2 cups of liquid. Stir well and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add quail back to the pan, slightly nestling it into the rice.

Cover the pan and let it cook untouched for 15 minutes. After the allotted time, remove from the heat and let rest undisturbed for an additional 5 minutes, still covered. Remove quail once more and fluff the rice with a fork. Add parsley and season to taste. Serve alongside quail.