community: Recognizing the Unsung

Every industry has its covert workhorses. In the Lowcountry’s food and beverage scene, Charleston Wine + Food (CHSWF) seeks to illuminate the underdogs who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Beginning in November, the festival will reopen public nominations for its Community Impact Awards, an honor that recognizes not the best plate in town, but the biggest heart behind it.

 Now entering its third year back post-pandemic, the program asks a simple question: Who in the culinary and hospitality community shows up for others without being asked?

 "I think the unifying thread is individuals who give unconditionally and always show up. They give because they have such a passion for food and hospitality," said Alyssa Maute Smith, executive director of Charleston Wine + Food. "And they have a passion for the Charleston community."

 The awards trace back to the festival's original namesake honors, tributes like the Frank Stitt National Chef Award and the Mark Collins Local Chef Award, which disappeared before the pandemic. When Smith gathered past honorees and founding voices to ask what the community actually needed, one theme consistently resurfaced. Charleston's hospitality community is the first to lend unconditional support during crises, whether it’s a gift for a silent auction or fundraisers for nonprofits, or food during inclement weather.

Instead of naming awards after individuals, "Let's have it be just a community impact award, a place that we can recognize people who are doing good in the community, not because they want to get an award, but just because they care," Smith said.

 Nominations are open to anyone touched by Charleston's culinary and hospitality community, from farmers and purveyors to line cooks, chefs and restaurant owners. Self-nominations are welcome, too. The call for entries typically launches in late October, opening a three-week window to submit names. A CHSWF committee and board of directors vet the nominations before finalists are announced in December, with honorees celebrated at a luncheon on January 26, 2027, at the Grand at 81 Mary.

 Smith encourages the community to take the time to nominate those who haven’t been recognized before. "Even if that person doesn't get selected, I believe in putting things out into the universe, and taking the time to recommend somebody, noticing the things they do that make our community a better place."

 Since 2025, the Community Impact Awards have also recognized a business or nonprofit alongside individual honorees. 2026 recipients include Shuai and Corrie Wang, co-owners of King BBQ and Jackrabbit Filly; Lisa Buzzelli, hospitality faculty at the Culinary Institute of Charleston; Ted Dombrowski, owner of Ted's Butcherblock; Emma Cromedy, chief operating officer of Carolima's Lowcountry Cuisine; and Lowcountry Local First.

 "It melted my heart for sure," Lisa Buzzelli, hospitality faculty at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, said. "I’m not a chef, beverage professional, or cookbook author, but rather a 21-plus-year volunteer. As such, you hope your sweat equity, enthusiasm, and moral support make an impact in some small way."

 She encourages others in the industry to nominate someone they admire, regardless of what a person's role looks like from the outside. "I've nominated a deserving colleague every year," Buzzelli said. "Don't be afraid to think out of the box; there are so many people involved that make an impact. No matter if their role is large and audience-facing or small and behind the scenes."

 Shuai Wang, who owns Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ alongside his wife, Corrie, said the honor reflects a relationship that runs both ways. "Obviously we don't do it for the awards; we do it because the community has always been there for us. We want to make sure we're always there for them," he said. "We were very surprised!"

 Ted Dombrowski, owner of Ted's Butcherblock, admitted the recognition caught him off guard, too. "I was honestly a bit shocked and also humbled," he said. "We have a relatively low profile within Charleston's food and beverage industry. And I never feel like I'm doing enough, individually or as a business, when it comes to giving back. But ultimately, I was honored."

 He hopes more people in the industry will speak up for colleagues orchestrating work behind the scenes. "Many people aren't comfortable with self-promotion, but it can be very beneficial for people who are working hard to make a difference to be recognized for the greater role they play in the community," Dombrowski said.

 The awards are backed by the Culinary + Hospitality Foundation, CHSWF's nonprofit, which funds the high school scholars program, collegiate scholarship partnerships, and continuing education across the industry. Proceeds from sponsorship, ticketing, and the luncheon itself feed directly back into the nonprofit, reaching roughly 1,200 students annually through paid externships and mentorship across the Lowcountry.

To nominate, visit chswf.org beginning in late October.