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Celebrating 10 Years of the South Carolina Chef Ambassador Program

The South Carolina Chef Ambassadors Program was launched in 2014 to promote the Palmetto State as a food destination. The program is jointly operated by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism. Together, the industries of tourism and agriculture contribute tens of billions of dollars to the state’s economy and account for hundreds of thousands of jobs statewide. To promote these booming industries, each year the South Carolina governor announces a new cohort of chef ambassadors who are enlisted to share the state’s culinary traditions, agricultural heritage, and undiscovered places with the world.

In addition to representing the state through appearances at food festivals, media events, and other promotional opportunities, the chef ambassadors are integral to the SCDA’s mission of promoting programs dedicated to local farm products. One such program is Fresh on the Menu, where participating restaurants and chefs commit to sourcing at least 25 percent of ingredients for their menus from South Carolina farmers. All chef ambassadors are members of the program and use their platform to spread the word about the importance of choosing local and to educate the public about additional programs like Certified South Carolina, a cooperative effort among farmers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers to brand and promote South Carolina products.

“In the 10 years since we helped create the Chef Ambassador Program, I’ve worked with so many talented chefs to spread the word about our state’s farmers and foods,” says Hugh Weathers, South Carolina commissioner of agriculture. “South Carolina has a strong agriculture industry and a rich culinary heritage, and I appreciate the way chef ambassadors help us support farmers and teach people how to choose local food.”

Meet the 2024 Chef Ambassadors

Leslie Rohland

Bluffton

Leslie Rohland is the mastermind behind multiple Bluffton businesses, including The Juice Hive, May River Coffee Roasters, Bluffton Pasta Shoppe, and her most well-known endeavor, The Cottage Café, a cozy café, bakery, and tearoom.

Rohland and The Cottage Café, which is housed in a historic building built in 1890, are no strangers to high praise. In 2022, Rohland was presented with the inaugural Women in Business Award from the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, and in September 2023, The Cottage was honored nationally by the US Chamber of Commerce as one of America’s Top 70 Small Businesses.

A 14-year resident of Bluffton, Rohland credits her success to her parents and grandmothers, who always encouraged her to not be afraid of making mistakes and to the adoption of a philosophy unique to the Bluffton area.

South Carolina Chef Ambassador Leslie Rohland

“There’s a saying in Bluffton that to live and succeed here you must adopt the ‘Bluffton state of mind,’ she explained. “It’s something that I try to incorporate in everything I do as a chef and restaurant owner, and something that makes being a culinary professional here in South Carolina such a unique, and fulfilling, experience for me.”

As a chef ambassador, Rohland is looking forward to promoting the ever-changing and versatile culinary landscape of South Carolina and the state’s access to fresh local ingredients. “I want to highlight the spectacular local fresh ingredients and regional foods of the Lowcountry and showcase the important and growing role that the Hilton Head and Bluffton areas have as part of the thriving South Carolina culinary scene,” she says.

Michael Sibert

Greenwood

From humble beginnings in Greenwood, Michael Sibert has emerged as a culinary powerhouse in South Carolina. After growing up watching his grandparents cook for both family and their community, Sibert was inspired to pursue a culinary career. He attended the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas and first made his mark in Greer at his former restaurant, White Wine & Butter, a family affair that featured Cajun recipes from his wife’s great-grandmother. Today, White Wine & Butter, operates as a catering company and event space, with Sibert at the helm.

Today, Sibert is making waves with his two latest concepts: Anonymous, a smash burger joint featuring conspiracy theory menu items like the Sasquatch Burger with Area 51 sauce, and Hendrix Chicken and Waffles, both located in the Cartwright Food Hall in Greer.

“At Anonymous, we offer a hidden menu that keeps guests totally engaged and coming back to try what’s next,” says Sibert. “In a nutshell, the inspiration behind my restaurants is to give my crazy ideals a permanent home and create opportunity for community, friends, and family.”

As a chef ambassador, Sibert has traveled around the country to promote local farmers and put a spotlight on the high-quality farmlands, produce, and seafood available in South Carolina. He’s eager to pay his success forward to his local community.

“Being a chef ambassador in my home state, the biggest thing I take away from it is representing my state to the fullest to educate people about the agriculture we have here in South Carolina,” said Sibert. “It’s rewarding when I get to take a local farmer on stage with me and transform the product that they have grown and raised from scratch and combine it with other certified South Carolina products and put them on a pedestal praising their hard work and dedication in the process.”

Javier Uriarte

Columbia

Much like his home country of Peru and his journey to becoming a chef, Javier Uriarte’s cooking is a melting pot of flavors and diverse cuisines. As a teen, Uriarte moved to Maryland and got his first taste of food service by working as a cook to help finance college tuition; but he didn’t consider a culinary career until moving to South Carolina in 2014.

Opting for on-the-job training over traditional schooling, Uriarte dove headfirst into working at Columbia-area restaurants as he honed his culinary skills and overcame language barriers. His perseverance paid off, landing him a job in the kitchen at Motor Supply Company Bistro and, eventually, Hendrix, where he served as executive chef.

South Carolina Chef Ambassador Javier Uriarte

In October of 2020, Uriarte firmly planted his South Carolina roots and opened his first restaurant in Elgin called Ratio. The tapas-style restaurant specializes in Peruvian and Latin American cuisine, with a focus on seasonal food and drinks. An ode to his upbringing, the menu is a mix of cuisines, incorporating a blend of Peruvian, Southeast Asian, and creole flavors that highlight the high-quality local produce and seafood plentiful in South Carolina.

“What I love the most about being a South Carolina chef is how rich our agriculture ingredients are and of course our southern hospitality,” Uriarte says. “You will not find another state with so many different ingredients and farmers that work locally with chef and restaurants. In the south there is sense of we are all neighbors, and we stay close with each other to flourish. The potential and opportunities that have presented in front of me in South Carolina over the past decade have been the leading cause of my success as a chef and restaurateur”

For Uriarte, the most rewarding part of being a chef ambassador is getting to connect with farmers, chefs, and restaurant owners as they all work together harmoniously to promote South Carolina agritourism and the unique attributes of the restaurants that call the Palmetto State home. “Being a South Caroline chef ambassador has been a privilege,” Uriarte says. “I would have never thought that I would represent a state nationally with my cooking and aspirations. The culinary scene in South Carolina is unique because there is a good bit of untapped potential. I encourage the people of South Carolina to dine at local spots more often, as this is how we keep the dollars here in this state and use them to make great things in future. So, next time you are out, pick a new local spot to try out!”