Euphoria
South Carolina’s Spot on the Culinary Map
Twenty years ago Greenville, South Carolina was not a place you visited to experience cultures from around the world. Today, Greenville, SC is a place where you can experience more than a dozen different international cuisines in a one mile radius.
It is a place where Carl Sobocinski saw potential back in 1997, giving new life to a hundred-year-old cotton exchange by opening Soby’s New South Cuisine, kicking off an explosion of downtown eateries.
Today, downtown Greenville is home to Rick Erwins (Open Table’s Top 50 Best Restaurants in the Nation, 2009), Victoria Moore of the Lazy Goat (one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch” by John Mariani for Esquire Magazine November 2009), Soby’s New South Cuisine (Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence), High Cotton, Devereaux’s (Open Table Diner’s Choice), American Grocery (Open Table Diner’s Choice 2010 Award) and dozens of other locally owned and operated restaurants featuring Italian, Indian, Spanish, Asian, French, and many, many more.
Acclaimed restaurateur Rick Erwin has just opened his second restaurant, Nantucket, the first true seafood restaurant in the downtown area, and this fall Charleston chef Brett McKee (of The Oak Steakhouse, O-ku Sushi and 17 North Roadside Kitchen) will be opening his restaurant Roadside Kitchen in downtown Greenville.
Luckily, despite the hard times these past few years, and 2008 being the worst year for restaurants in the Upstate area on record, the Greenville food scene has continued to thrive with few casualties.
“We’re feeding more people every night for the first quarter than we were a year ago. That’s an encouraging sign,” restaraunter Carl Sobocinski recently told The Greenville News, “Greenville restaurants will continue to flourish. We have put our stamp on Greenville as being a culinary town, a foodie town.”
For the past few years, chefs from all over the world have visited Greenville on a monthly basis to host guest chef evenings, cooking side by side with Greenville’s finest, with a stellar wine pairings to boot. Chefs like Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy, Craig Deihl, Alexandra Guarnaschelli, and hometown celebrity chef Tyler Florence have all experienced the magic that is downtown Greenville.
This fall, Greenville will celebrate its growing culinary experience with the 5th Annual Euphoria Food, Wine and Music Festival. Chefs from all over the country join the local chefs for a weekend full of culinary delights, paired with wines from the world and educational seminars by master sommeliers, wine tastings, and all set to a musical backdrop starring hometown hero, Edwin McCain.
From Thomas Keller to Frank Stitt, Branford Marsalis to Drivin N Cryin, the first few years of Euphoria have been filled with big names, big sounds and big flavors – all hosted in the intimate, small-town setting of one of the South’s most celebrated downtowns. Greenville’s fifth year of euphoria promises to be just as exciting.
The 5th Annual Euphoria is September 23-26, 2010. This year’s guest chef lineup includes:
- Mike Lata, FIG, Charleston, SC
- David Guas, Damgoodsweet, Washington, D.C.
- Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL
- Bryan Voltaggio, VOLT, Frederick, MD (and Top Chef fame)
- Kevin Rathbun, Rathbun Steak, Atlanta, GA
- Justin Bogle, Gilt, New York City
- Michael Kramer, Voice Restaurant, Houston, TX
Euphoria 2010’s events schedule:
Thursday, September 23: Singer/Songwriter Event at the Upstate Children’s Museum
Edwin McCain and others will have a round table open discussion about the writing process with live acoustic performances throughout the evening.
Friday, September 24: Taste of the South
A perfect Friday night spent under the stars in downtown Greenville, along the soothing currents of the Reedy River. Listen to live music by Edwin McCain and Friends, dine on a full array of Southern dishes from some the Upstate's finest restaurants, paired with your favorite wine.
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Saturday, September 25: Tasting Showcase, Wine Seminars and Cooking
Sip. Sample. Taste. Acclaimed chefs, local culinary stars, master sommeliers and talented musicians share insights on their craft through seminars and culinary demonstrations complemented with live musical performances. The Tasting Showcase features a Grand Wine Tasting, gourmet food sampling and lifestyle and cooking resources on display.
Saturday Night Wine Dinners
Achieve euphoria through the superb art of wining and dining as guest chefs and winemakers from around the country combine their talents to host multi-course dinners at a select group of downtown restaurants.
Sunday, September 26: Jazz Brunch and Culinary Cook-off
The Reedy River feels more like a bayou for this New Orleans-style brunch buffet featuring dishes from nearly 20 local restaurants and live jazz music from acclaimed Jazz musicians Mark Rapp and others. Taste the spice, listen to the groove and let the good times roll.
It’s not all fun and games for our chefs. OK, it is…but in this event, we really put their talents to the test. Local and guest chefs team up to compete in multiple sessions of entertaining and educational live cooking demonstrations, finishing Euphoria on a truly high note.
Visit www.euphoriagreenville.com for more information and the full 2010 itinerary.
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