Scoundrel’s Friends in Mischief

On the heels of Scoundrel’s James Beard Foundation nomination for “Best New Restaurant,” Chef/Owner Joe Cash announces the next “Friends In Mischief” dinner featuring Chef Luis Martinez and Pastry Chef Nominee Tania Cienfuegos Harris. Luis & Harris will collaborate with Joe Tuesday, April 23rd and Wednesday, April 24th at 7pm. Reservations can be made via Resy beginning at noon on March 11^th.

This collaborative dinner series welcomes culinary friends from all disciplines to the Scoundrel table for a multi-course meal, this time, celebrating Oaxacan culture, its unsuspecting marriage with French cuisine and Martinez’s work to preserve and champion his native cuisine.

Now based in Asheville, Luis Martinez is the Founder of Tequio Foods and a Chef Corps member of José Andres’ World Central Kitchen.  Martinez was born in Santa Catarina Loxicha, Oaxaca in a small Zapotec pueblo, and immigrated to the US in 2005. Chef training in Oaxaca and Los Angeles, as well as a stint as a farm worker in California – where he experienced the harsh realities of migrant work and the shock of a different culture – inspired his passion for celebrating Oaxacan gastronomy and the foods and people who grow them. In 2021, Martinez founded Tequio Foods to support independent, indigenous Mexican farmers by importing their heritage corn and beans to the US where they are utilized by chefs and restaurants. Martinez was invited to join World Central Kitchen’s global network of culinary leaders who champion work providing fresh meals following crises. And, he also hosts pop-ups across the country, where he teaches the community and its chefs how to use heirloom Mexican foods in cooking techniques like nixtamalization and mole fermentation. Through founding Tequio Foods, Martinez has introduced ancestral corn and beans from indigenous farmers to many leading chefs working across all cuisines in the US. 

“I’m excited to bring my Oaxacan background into all aspects of our dinner at Scoundrel, blending our skills and heritages from France and Mexico for a truly memorable evening.”
- Chef Luis Martinez

Tania Cienfuegos Harris of Topsoil Kitchen & Market in Traveler’s Rest is this years’ James Beard Foundation “Outstanding Pastry Chef” nominee. Born in Mexico City, Harris credits her formative baking education to Amparito’s kitchen, where she observed her grandmothers’ techniques and recipes. With that as inspiration, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts from the Colegio Superior De Gastronomía in Mexico City, and created recipes for Nestlé and wrote several cookbooks, before joining Greenville’s vibrant farm-to-table food scene. In 2019, she was honored to represent the state as a South Carolina Chef Ambassador, promoting South Carolina's culinary heritage and local food culture. As a pastry chef, she is known for combining the cooking traditions she learned as a child with her new-found love for Southern ingredients.

“It’s an honor be invited to contribute to Scoundrel’s “Friends In Mischief” dinner, and have this unique opportunity to share my desserts, which reflect my love for my homes in both Mexico and the American South,” said Harris.

“Friends In Mischief” will be offered in Scoundrel’s main dining room. Dinner is priced at $100/person + gratuity and tax with an optional wine pairing each course at $75. Tickets can be purchased on Resy.com.

Since its inception, “Friends In Mischief” has welcomed Marcin Krol from Maison in Paris, former Per Se Chef de Cuisine Corey Chow, and Eunjo Park, most recently the Executive Chef at Momofuku Kawi and one of “Food & Wine's Best New Chefs” in 2020.