Expect stars to collide at this exciting night of gourmand delights in South Carolina. This September, four Michelin-starred chefs from the U.S. and France will join Chef Shaun Garcia in the kitchen at Soby’s New South Cuisine to craft an unforgettable meal.
Offering diners the chance to savour exquisite cuisine—with wines to match—executed by some of the best chefs in the business, this one-off night is a worth flying in for.
By the end of the evening, the culinary combination of Vivien Durand (Restaurant Le Prince Noir, Bordeaux, France), John Shields and his wife and pastry chef, Karen (Smyth, Chicago), and Brandon Jew (Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco) will have you seeing stars.
About the chefs
1 Brandon Jew
Mister Jiu’s, San Fransisco
Brandon Jew is the executive chef and owner of Mister Jiu’s, a contemporary Chinese American restaurant in the heart of San Francisco Chinatown. Mister Jiu’s combines the local, seasonal and organic bounty of the Bay Area together with classic Chinese techniques and flavors. The restaurant celebrates its place in the historic neighborhood working to evolve and define Chinese American cuisine in the Bay Area.
His honours at Mister Jiu’s include one Michelin star, Bon Appetit #3 Restaurant on Hot 10 2017, SF Magazine Chef of the Year and James Beard nomination for Best Chef West 2018.
2 Vivien Durand
Restaurant Le Prince Noir Par Vivien Durand, France
What it is: raw, sharp, sensitive, full of character, at once earthly but also marine, Vivien Durand is installed since 4 years at the Black Prince in Lormont, restaurant between left bank and right bank of bordeaux, bridge between l history, history and modern times.
What he likes: the product, but also the producer and his story. His cooking is frank and unadorned, free and unconventional, no training millimeter, the important thing is the essential.
September 22 2018. $450 person, click here to book.
3 John Shields
Smyth and The Loyalist, Chicago
John B. Shields began his culinary training in the St. Louis area, where he attended school and worked in local restaurants. Shields soon moved to Chicago where he served as sous chef for two years at world-renowned Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. In 2005, he left Trotter’s to help open the then unknown restaurant, Alinea, under the direction of Chef Grant Achatz. During his two years as sous chef, Alinea grew from an exciting upstart to one of the best restaurants in the world.
After leaving Alinea in 2008, John and his soon-to-be wife Karen Urie, turned down an offer to lead the opening of a Charlie Trotter restaurant in Las Vegas and instead took a bold chance on an opportunity to open a little-known restaurant in the countryside of Southwestern Virginia.
After four successful years at Town House and Riverstead Inn, the couple returned to Chicago with their two daughters to open Smyth and The Loyalist. The West Loop dual-concept restaurant—Smyth features innovative, seasonally driven multi-course menus, while The Loyalist downstairs is an innovative lounge with one of the city’s best burgers—quickly received widespread acclaim, including 4 stars from the Chicago Tribune and a ‘Best New Restaurant’ nod from Chicago magazine.
After only opening for a few months, Smyth received its first Michelin star, and in 2017, Smyth was elevated to two Michelin stars.
4 Karen Urie Shields
Smyth and The Loyalist, Chicago
After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, Karen Urie Shields moved to Chicago where she worked as sous pastry chef for two years at TRU under James Beard Award-winning Pastry Chef, Gale Gand. Urie Shields gained incredible experience working under Gand and eventually moved to Charlie Trotter’s where she rose through the ranks to become head pastry chef of the renowned restaurant.
At Trotter’s, she met Chef John Shields, who would soon become her husband. They both turned down an offer to lead the opening of a Charlie Trotter restaurant in Las Vegas and instead embarked on a journey to rural Virginia to re-imagine the then-unknown Town House restaurant. Now able to craft their own vision, chefs John and Karen rebuilt the Town House concept as a modern exploration of imaginative flavor and visual compositions that utilized the wide array of seasonal, locally grown and foraged ingredients.
5 Shaun Garcia
Soby’s New South Cuisine, South Carolina
Born and raised in a mill town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Shaun’s interest in food began early; he practically grew up in the kitchen of his grandmother’s restaurant. The family-owned establishment was a true southern restaurant and taught Shaun the most important thing in the restaurant industry is hospitality. Shaun spent his early years learning about the importance of southern food and culture.
Today as Executive Chef at Soby’s, Shaun takes that heartfelt flavor of authentic Southern cooking and adds fresh style for an unexpected dining experience. In 2010, he took his commitment to heirloom ingredients to the next level by establishing the Soby’s Field at Dark Corner, an ambitious project that raises produce from the Slow Foods Ark of Taste list for use in the restaurant.
The Ark of Taste, a collection of food items in danger of extinction, promotes and protects the vibrant flavors of American ingredients, and by growing these items for Soby’s, Shaun is assuring that the restaurant will be able to offer dishes that honour culinary history.
September 22nd, $450 per person. Click here to book.