Charleston Dining District

Chef Matthew Niessner: The Man Behind Halls Chophouse's Mouth-Watering Cuisine

The Charleston City Paper recently published a great article on the man behind the life-changing dishes at Halls Chophouse in their article "Six talented Charleston chefs who deserve your love and devotion". 

Eric Doksa writes of Chef Matthew Niessner:

"Let's be honest, the first things that come to mind when we think about Halls Chophouse are the big, juicy, dry-aged rib-eyes and the attentive service. When we walk in the door, we expect a big welcome from a member of the Hall family in addition to some excellent food. But most people don't have a clue who's responsible for running the kitchen at Halls. It's time we pay respect to Executive Chef Matthew Niessner, a guy who can cook more than just a steak. The menu regularly features a variety of creations: braised Maple Leaf Farm duck with fingerling potatoes, pan-roasted chicken with Sea Island Red Pea succotash, and, most recently, a cornmeal and Old Bay-dusted soft-shell crab on white bean, corn, green bean, and roasted tomato succotash, finished with a creole remoulade. Oh, and we can't forget about the long list of side dishes, which stand up as some of the best in town, proving that Niessner's talents go way beyond red meat."

 Halls Chophouse is located at 434 King Street in the Upper King Street Design District. To read the full Charleston City Paper article, click here.

L.I.M.E. Mardi Gras Dinner Featuring Amen Street's Chef Stephen Ollard, Feb. 25th

The next L.I.M.E. (Local Impromptu Moveable Evening) will be a Mardi Gras Dinner on February 25th from 6-10 pm. The event features Chef Stephen Ollard, the Executive Chef of Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar. He will be serving up some delicious New Orleans style cuisine for his LIME. Wine Connoisseur Malia Camens will also be there.

This event benefits Fields to Families, a non-profit that eases hunger in the Lowcountry by gathering nutritious crops from generous farmers and then distributes the harvest to agencies such as Meals on Wheels, local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and churches.

For $125 you can enjoy this all inclusive dinner (dinner, beverage, gratuity and tax). The location will be revealed 2 days before the event to confirmed guests only! There are only a few seats left, so get yours today. Tickets can be purchased online at their website HERE.

Local Charleston Chef Jeremiah Bacon Heading to the Legendary James Beard House

One of the finest chefs in Charleston, S.C. – a city filled with culinary excellence – will soon take his craft to the prestigious James Beard House. Executive chef Jeremiah Bacon of Oak Steakhouse and the recently opened The Macintosh, will cook at the renowned establishment February 2nd as part of Carnivores’ Delight, a celebration of beef hosted by the Certified Angus Beef ®brand.

Regarded as the Carnegie Hall of culinary professionals, the James Beard House has hosted dinners by many of the most notable chefs in the world. Bacon will prepare a Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime Cap of Ribeye with Aligot Potatoes, Sweet Potato Coins, Butter-glazed Kohlrabi and Sauce Bordelaise.

“Jeremiah is one of the finest chefs in Charleston, and I’m excited to share the kitchen with him,” said Scott Popovic, corporate chef for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. “The dinner is a chance for guests to reignite their love affair with beef and they will experience beef at its very best.”

In addition to Popovic, Bacon will be joined by Mark Stark of Stark Steakhouse in Santa Rosa, CA; Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile in Miami, FL; Darryl Harmon of Water Works Restaurant & Lounge in Philadelphia, PA; and pastry chef Megan Romano of Chocolate and Spice Bakery and Café in Las Vegas, NV.

New Executive Chef at Chai's Lounge

Palmer Quimby, General Manager of Chai's Lounge, has recently introduced Christopher Stallard as the new Executive Chef. For the last four years Stallard was a Culinary Instructor at the Art Institute of Charleston where he taught Garde Manger, Asian Cuisine, Art Culinaire, A la Carte Dining Room and Dining Room Operations.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, Stallard began his career in Knoxville, Tennessee. During his time in Knoxville he won $10,000 for Best of Show in the 6th Annual Bacardi Recipe Classic and the AAA Four Diamond honor for Orangery restaurant, a distinction not held since 1993.

Christopher Stallard has worked numerous Wine & Food Festival events, special dinners with local chefs, participated in Chef's Feast and Guerilla Cuisine. He was the interim Pastry Chef at Tristan restaurant in 2009 and served as the Culinary Mentor for the 2011 Wando High School Pro-Start Culinary Competition team that won the state title and finished fourth in the national competition.  

Profile: Executive Chef Nico Romo at Fish Restaurant

Nico Romo, a native of Lyon, France, joined Fish Restaurant and Patrick Properties in 2007 as Executive Chef. A 15-year old graduate of The Helene Boucher Culinary Art School in Venissieux, France, Romo honed his skills at two Relais & Chateaux properties: La Pyramide Hotel and Restaurant in Vienne, France, under Master Chef M. Henrioux, and at Restaurant Pierre Orsi in Lyon, France, under Master Chef M. Pierre Orsi. He has held positions at Chez Philippe in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee and Cielo, also in Memphis. Nico was then recruited by The Ritz Carlton, Atlanta where he served as Sous Chef and later became Executive Chef at The Café at East Andrews in Buckhead. Prior to joining Fish, Romo opened the third location of the B.E.D. restaurant concepts in Atlanta. In the Maítres Cuisiners of France Guide to International Restaurants and Hotels, new inductee Nico Romo of Fish Restaurant can be found on page 222. There aren’t that many Master Chefs of France in the world—few in the U.S. and no others in South Carolina--nobody younger than Nico. As Le Guide says, mais n’est pas Maítre Cuisiner de France qui veut!!!

Profile: Chef Shay MacDonald at Shine Restaurant

As a teenager, Shay MacDonald was inspired by the Saturday cooking shows on PBS and two siblings in culinary school. By eighteen he was second in charge at a popular seasonal restaurant on the Monongahela River where he grew up. He graduated with high honors from the CIA accredited IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, then served as Chef Tournant at The Charleston Place Hotel. Seeking as much knowledge and experience as possible, Shay spent time as Sous Chef at the Poinsett Club Greenville SC, Executive Sous Chef at the Turtle Point Grill on Kiawah Island, Chef De Cuisine at Charleston Chops, and Executive Chef at Green Gables Restaurant. Shay believes that the concept of food is eternal; it can never stop evolving into further collections of techniques and applications. Work is not work for him, “I feel very fortunate that I get paid to do something I love to do. Going to work is like being at home, I feel more comfortable in a kitchen than most places.” MacDonald's creative and imaginative cuisine is a perfect fit for Shine, known for dishes inspired by international street fare. Shine is located at 58 Line Street (Line at King) in Charleston.

Profile: Southend Brewery & Smokehouse Chef Gregory Tatis

Chef Gregory Tatis started cooking when he was 15 years old in a neighborhood Italian restaurant in Queens, NY. He continued to work through high school in restaurants such as Cooking with Jazz and Nickelodeon. After spending 1988 with there renowned Chef Paul Proudhomme at K-Paul’s New York, Tatis moved to New Orleans for eight more years with Chef Paul at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen. In 1997 Greg moved back to New York and opened Mardi Gras and Delta Grill, where he published his cookbook Yo Blackened. Chef Greg received awards for best Cajun Restaurant in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001; he also received best Cajun restaurant by City Search. In 2006 he opened North of New Orleans, where he received Best Outer Borough Restaurant from Zagat. These days he is bringing all of his experience to Charleston’s Southend Brewery and Smoke House.   He combines the best flavors of the Low Country with the finest cuts of smoked meats. All the while he stays true to his background bringing out the soul and flavor of New Orleans and the edge of New York City on every single plate. Southend Brewery & Smokehouse is located at 161 East Bay Street in Charleston.

Profile: Halls Chophouse Chef Matthew Niessner

With over twenty years of experience, Executive Chef Matthew Niessner directs the culinary operations at Halls Chophouse. Before he served as Executive Chef at the Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, Matthew spent time with some of the country's greatest chefs in some of the country's finest restaurants. His credits include The Brass Elephant in Baltimore, Tapas Pepin and the Princess Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Dining Room at Osprey Point in Kiawah and his own Blend in downtown Charleston. Chef Neissner was a 1987 graduate at the prestigious Baltimore International Culinary College in Maryland. His diverse repertoire of international and classical American culinary talents presents guests at Halls Chophouse with the finest dining experience in a warm and beautiful atmosphere. Halls Chophouse is located at 434 King Street downtown.

Profile: Carolina's Chef Jeremiah Bacon

Jeremiah Bacon spent seven years honing his skills in some of the world's finest kitchens including New York's award winning Le Bernardin, before returning to the Lowcountry to take the helm as Executive Chef at Carolina’s Restaurant. Bacon is a Charleston native who attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. While historic specialties on the Carolina’s menu include recipes from the original Perdita’s restaurant, Bacon enthusiastically creates “new classics” from the produce specially grown for the restaurant at nearby Kensington Plantation. Try the Pan Roasted Scallops with Roasted Cauliflower, Arugula Carrots and Cauliflower Purée. Carolina's is a Platinum Member of the Sustainable Seafood Initiative. The original Southern bistro, Carolina's is located at 10 Exchange Street downtown.