This month I am going to introduce you to three professionals with the utmost passion for what they do in the food & beverage business.
Michael Cohen, Adjunct Professor, Department of Hospitality & Tourism, College of Charleston.
Teri Kight, Proprietor, La Follette, Quivira & Torbreck Wineries.
Jeremiah Bacon, Executive Chef, The Macintosh & Oak Steakhouse.
I recently attended the Charleston Wine & Food Festival held March 4-8, this festival is in it’s 10th year and is one of my favorites.
The Educator: I am happy to call Mike my friend, we both like learning and teaching about the products we consume. He also has a house in downtown Charleston, and he loves Key West.
I met Mike 2 years ago at a restaurant in Charleston called Sermet’s, Mediterranean cuisine that maintains the integrity of its peasant roots – fresh, informal and healthy. We were both dining alone at the bar, which is where all foodies eat. This is how we get to constantly ask questions because you have the bartenders attention the entire meal. I mentioned to Mike that I am the Event Director for The Key West Food & Wine Festival, and he said “I am there Brutha’.
Mike has been in the business all of his life, once owning a wine store in New Jersey. He owned and founded, goat.sheep.cow, an artisan cheese store in Charleston. He is presently in Düsseldorf, Germany attending the ProWein International Trade Fair Wines and Spirits, to further his education so that he can teach us more about the products we consume. Mike has also taught seminars for the past two years at our festival.
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The Wine Proprietor: I am also happy to call Teri a very dear friend, we both love wine, architecture and art. She has a house in Healdsburg, California, and she also loves Key West.
I met Teri about 4 years ago when she was visiting Key West and she stopped by lush bar for a glass of wine. We started chatting and I was explaining to her that we served only organic and sustainable wines and was telling her I wanted to add a Demeter certified Biodynamic wine to my list, as she seemed to know a little about wine. Come to find out, she is the owner of Quivira Vineyards and the wine is Demeter certified Biodynamic.
Well, I said, I must buy your Fig Tree Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc, she said, well, I would love to do a winemaker dinner at the Key West Food & Wine Festival, and this was the beginning of our friendship. Pictured is Simone Sequeria, winemaker, La Follette Wines, Teri Kight, Owner, myself and Patty, Teri’s sister in law, at “Let them Eat Cake” party.
Teri’s accomplishments are to many to list here but her professional life encompasses many aspects. She is a Certified wine specialist, has a Masters in Architecture and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club to name a few. I attended the opening of the Grand Tasting Tent at the Culinary Village during the CHSWFF and guess who was pouring wine?
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The Chef: I am going to be happy when I can call Jeremiah my friend. We obviously both love food and with a name like Bacon, who wouldn’t want to be his friend.
I met Chef Bacon and Chef English at the the festival’s new Third Space, a multi-sided, airy tent featuring Award-winning Charleston chefs, along with guest chefs, hosting 60+ intimate demos and tastings throughout each day in 5 areas: Earth, Air, Land, Sea and Fire. In the SEA area, they were preparing, Snowy Grouper Bologna with Bacon. We did have a minute to chat and I told him we had dinner the previous night at his restaurant “The Macintosh” and it really was the highlight of our stay. During the weekend there were many non published events that the general public were not invited, one of which was Saturday night for the Chefs of the festival at a place called The Alley. What a great party in a bowling alley! We had a more time to chat, let’s hope we can get him to Key West before he gets to famous.
Chef Bacon is known for his stints at New York’s Le Bernardin and Per Se before signing on as executive chef of Charleston’s Oak Steakhouse and opening his new spot, The Macintosh, where his bone marrow pudding draws tourist and local crowds seven nights a week.
The menu Wednesday night; Grilled Swordfish, Butternut Squash Purée, Turnips, Rutabega, Beet Mostarda, Bacon Butter. Need I say more.
My friend Mike will be doing an exclusive interview for a New York Publication with Chef Bacon in the upcoming weeks. I will be sure to let you know when it comes out.
