Behind the Scenes: The Van That Does It All

Gullah Geechee cooking is rooted in history, resilience, and deep cultural connection, with flavors that tell the story of West African influence in the Lowcountry. At the heart of this cuisine are simple, humble ingredients that transform into rich, soulful dishes. Whether you’re cooking a pot of okra soup or a comforting bowl of red rice, having the right pantry staples on hand is key to bringing these traditions to life. One of the most essential staples is rice, often referred to as the foundation of Lowcountry cooking. Carolina Gold rice, in particular, holds historical significance and is used in dishes like red rice, chicken bog, and purloo. Another must-have is dried or fresh okra, an ingredient brought over from West Africa that adds both flavor and texture to stews and rice dishes. Okra is incredibly versatile—whether fried, stewed, or sautéed, it’s a cornerstone of Gullah Geechee kitchens. Equally important is a selection of smoked meats, such as smoked turkey, ham hocks, or neck bones. These ingredients add depth and a signature savory richness to dishes like collard greens and field peas. Alongside that, beans and field peas—like red peas, lima beans, and black-eyed peas—are pantry essentials that provide both nourishment and tradition, often cooked low and slow with smoked meats and spices. Finally, no Gullah Geechee pantry is complete without a blend of bold seasonings and aromatics. Staples like onion, garlic, peppers, and a well-balanced mix of spices bring each dish to life, building layers of flavor that define this cuisine. Together, these pantry staples create the foundation for meals that are not only delicious but deeply rooted in heritage, community, and storytelling.

Okra is a staple ingredient with deep roots in Southern cooking and Gullah Geechee foodways, known for its distinct flavor and versatility in the kitchen. Found in everything from stews to rice dishes like okra purloo, it has long been a key ingredient in meals that bring comfort, culture, and community to the table. Its journey begins in West Africa, where okra was widely cultivated before being brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. Once here, it became an essential ingredient because it was resilient, easy to grow, and incredibly adaptable. Over time, it found its way into a variety of dishes across the South, shaped by the hands and traditions of those who carried its legacy forward. One of the reasons okra has remained so popular is the many ways it can be prepared. It can be fried until crisp, roasted for a deeper flavor, stewed into dishes like gumbo, or cooked down with rice, seafood, and smoked meats to create rich, hearty meals. Whether sliced and sautéed or left whole and grilled, okra takes on flavor beautifully and can be as simple or as layered as the dish calls for. Beyond its cultural and culinary significance, okra also offers a range of health benefits. It’s high in fiber, rich in vitamin C, and packed with antioxidants that support overall wellness. It’s also naturally low in calories, making it a nourishing addition to meals that don’t sacrifice flavor.  Whether you’re cooking it in a classic dish or trying a new approach, okra continues to hold its place as an ingredient that connects history, culture, and good food—one pot at a time.

Each year, the Charleston Wine + Food brings together chefs, food lovers, and culinary storytellers from across the country to celebrate the flavors that make the Lowcountry so special. Carolima’s Lowcountry Cuisine has proudly participated in the festival for the past four years, and it continues to be one of our favorite events. It’s always exciting to connect with locals and visitors who are curious about the food traditions that shape our community and the dishes we love to share. This year, we served a comforting Lowcountry favorite: okra purloo . Our version featured rice with fresh okra, shrimp, and smoked sausage, creating a rich and flavorful one-pot dish that truly represents the heart of Lowcountry cooking. On the side, we served crispy fatback , adding that perfect salty bite that many people remember from traditional Southern tables. It’s a simple dish with big flavor—perfect for feeding a crowd and introducing festival guests to one of the Charleston’s most beloved rice dishes. Purloo is deeply rooted in the foodways of the Gullah Geechee culture that helped shape Lowcountry cuisine. Ingredients like rice and okra , which trace their origins to Africa, became foundational in many dishes throughout the region. Enslaved Africans and their descendants were often given limited provisions or leftover cuts of meat and had to make something nourishing from what was available. Those scrap meats—such as pork jowls, also known as fatback, or what we affectionately call in the Gullah Geechee community “butts meat”—were combined with rice and vegetables to create hearty, flavorful dishes that could feed many people. For us, participating in Charleston Wine + Food is about more than serving great food. It’s about sharing the culture, traditions, and stories behind the dishes we cook every day at Carolima’s. Watching guests taste okra purloo for the first time, ask questions, and connect with the flavors of the Lowcountry is always a highlight—and we’re grateful to represent these traditions year after year.

Every year, the Charleston Wine + Food Festival feels like the Super Bowl of the Lowcountry culinary scene. For a few days, Charleston becomes the gathering place for chefs, pitmasters, winemakers, farmers, and food lovers from all over the country. What makes it special isn’t just the talent — it’s the storytelling. This festival celebrates the flavors, traditions, and cultural influences that make the Lowcountry one of the most dynamic food regions in the world. It’s where heritage meets innovation, and where rice, seafood, smoke, spice, curated wines, and handcrafted cocktails all share the same stage. In the weeks leading up to the festival, our kitchen moves into full focus — early mornings, rehearsal runs, taste tests, and plenty of “just one more tweak” moments to get everything just right. We talk through timing, refine seasoning, and think about how each guest will experience that first bite. It’s not just about cooking great food — it’s about delivering consistency, confidence, and a plate that feels intentional from start to finish. The preparation may be behind the scenes, but it’s where the magic really starts. For us, participating is bigger than serving a dish. It’s about representation. It’s about standing proudly in our Gullah Geechee roots and contributing to the larger culinary conversation. We’re bringing dishes that speak to tradition and community — the kind of food that tells a story before you even take a bite. And yes, there will be plenty of flavor and a lot of love behind every plate. If you’re attending, come find us, say hello, and pull up for a taste. We’ll be smiling, plating, and celebrating right alongside you. Charleston Wine + Food isn’t just an event — it’s a reminder that what we cook, where we come from, and how we gather around the table truly matters. Purchase Tickets Here: Charleston Wine & Food

Black-owned businesses have always been more than businesses to us. They’re the places where you’re greeted by name, where conversations spill past the counter, and where someone is always willing to help—even when it’s inconvenient. They’ve been steady in our communities for generations, showing up when resources were limited and creating opportunity where there often was none. That kind of consistency builds trust, and trust builds community.  Many Black entrepreneurs didn’t start with the goal of getting rich—they started with the goal of helping. Hiring locally. Teaching skills. Giving someone their first chance. Over time, that work has begun to shift what Black wealth looks like. It’s not just about money in the bank; it’s about ownership, longevity, and having something meaningful to pass down. It’s about being able to say, we built this, and knowing it made a difference. At Carolima’s , that mindset guides everything we do. And with Sweetgrass Hall , we wanted to create more than a venue—we wanted a space where people could gather, celebrate, connect, and feel at home. Both exist because of community, and both exist for community. If this resonates with you, consider it an invitation. Find a Black-owned business in your neighborhood. Walk in. Ask questions. Show up more than once. Tell a friend. These small choices matter. When we intentionally support Black-owned businesses, we help anchor our communities, strengthen our stories, and create futures that feel possible for the next generation.

Black history lives in our kitchens long before it ever lived in museums—but it matters deeply when our stories are finally named, preserved, and celebrated out loud. The Gullah Geechee influence on American cuisine is one of those truths that has always existed, whether acknowledged or not. From rice fields to cast-iron pots, our ancestors shaped how America eats. They brought techniques from West Africa, adapted them to the Lowcountry, and created food that fed bodies, sustained families, and carried memory. The aroma of simmering rice, seafood pulled fresh from the water, greens slow-cooked with care—these aren’t trends. They are inheritance. What feels powerful today is seeing that history reflected back to us in intentional spaces like the International African American Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture . These institutions don’t just display artifacts—they tell the truth about the role Black cooks, chefs, farmers, and foodways played in building America itself. Walking through these exhibits feels like walking through a familiar kitchen: stories of survival, ingenuity, and pride layered together. The photos above are courtesy of Sweet Home Café , located inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture and directed by Jerome Grant , whose work continues to bring Black culinary history to life through food. For me, this history is personal. Every time I cook, I feel connected to something bigger than myself. I think about the women and men who cooked without recognition, who fed nations while being denied humanity, and who still managed to season food with love. Black history today looks like us reclaiming our narratives—chefs putting ancestral dishes on white tablecloth menus, home cooks passing down recipes orally, and families gathering around tables where laughter, faith, and food all meet. Our kitchens are sacred spaces. They always have been. If you’re Black, this story belongs to you too—whether you cook daily or just show up hungry. To honor the Gullah Geechee influence and the broader Black culinary legacy is to honor ourselves. Visit the museums. Ask questions about where food comes from. Support Black-owned restaurants and caterers. Cook the dishes you grew up with and teach someone else how to make them. Black history doesn’t only live in the past—it lives in the steam rising from the pot, the first bite that tastes like home, and the way we continue to gather, nourish, and remember.

Food has always been one of my clearest love languages. Long before big gestures or fancy plans, love shows up at the table—through shared meals, quiet conversations, and the simple act of sitting down together. Cooking for someone is deeply personal. It’s care. It’s intention. It’s saying I see you without needing many words. In my own relationship, the table is where we reconnect. Some of our best moments happen over food—talking about the day, laughing, praying, and just being present. Food slows us down. It creates space for real connection and reminds us that love doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s as simple as a good meal and uninterrupted time with the person you love. That’s why Valentine’s Day feels less about going out and more about coming together. Love lives at the table—in the shared bites, the lingering conversations, and the comfort of being fully present with one another. A thoughtfully prepared meal can turn an ordinary evening into something memorable. And if you’re looking to extend that feeling, Taste of Gullah Geechee tickets are still available —a beautiful way to end Valentine’s Day weekend indulging with us. It’s about good food, culture, connection, and savoring the moment. This season, we’re also taking orders for our Valentine’s Dinner for Two—created to make that moment easy and intentional. Let us handle the cooking while you focus on connection, conversation, and celebrating love the way it was meant to be shared. Click the Menu Below to Order

Black History Month invites us to pause and reflect on the legacy, resilience, and undeniable influence of Black people in shaping this country. From innovation and artistry to leadership and community building, Black history is deeply woven into the fabric of America. Despite generations of obstacles and attempts to erase our contributions, Black people have continued to rise—creating pathways forward while honoring the shoulders we stand on. Here in Charleston, and particularly in the Lowcountry, Black history is not confined to textbooks—it lives in the land, the language, the foodways, and the people. The Gullah Geechee community, descendants of enslaved Africans who preserved their cultural traditions despite isolation and oppression, laid the foundation for much of what defines this region today. From rice cultivation and fishing practices to storytelling, spirituality, and cuisine, the Lowcountry exists because of Black knowledge, labor, and perseverance. Across the South and beyond, Black people have continually transformed survival into strength and adversity into opportunity. Through entrepreneurship, creativity, and community care, generations have built businesses, preserved culture, and redefined success on their own terms. Black History Month reminds us that our progress is intentional, earned, and ongoing. At Carolima’s and Sweetgrass Hall , our work is a living tribute to that legacy. Sweetgrass Hall is named in honor of the sweetgrass basket makers—our mother among them—whose hands preserved one of the Lowcountry’s most treasured cultural traditions. This spirit comes to life at The Taste of Gullah Geechee , now rescheduled for February 15 , where food, culture, and community gather in celebration. It’s our love letter to Black history, culture, and the generations still to come. If you’re interested in joining us for this meaningful celebration, we invite you to gather with us on February 15 and experience the culture, cuisine, and connection firsthand. Purchase your tickets here: Taste of Gullah Geechee

The Taste of Gullah Geechee has truly become one of our most cherished annual events, and as we prepare for our 4th year , we’re filled with gratitude and excitement. Over the past few years, we’ve welcomed incredible turnouts—rooms full of guests who came curious and left inspired. Time and time again, attendees have shared how much they loved the welcoming setting, the bold flavors, and the opportunity to experience Gullah Geechee cuisine in a way that felt both elevated and deeply personal. Those glowing reviews are what keep us coming back each year with even more intention. This year’s event takes place on Sunday, February 1st at Sweetgrass Hall , and it’s shaping up to be another unforgettable evening. Guests will enjoy a curated, family-style tasting experience featuring signature dishes from some of the Lowcountry’s most talented chefs. Each course is thoughtfully prepared to highlight the flavors, traditions, and stories that define Gullah Geechee cuisine—meant to be shared, discussed, and savored together. The handcrafted mocktails and cocktails by our two mixologists, Cocktail Bandits and Mixin Mixer, will be a highlight of the evening, and the Beauford Harmony Singers will be in the building, taking us to church with a few spirituals. If you’ve joined us before, you already know the magic that happens when culture, community, and cuisine meet at the table. If this will be your first time, consider this your invitation to experience something truly special. Your ticket includes samples from all participating chefs, including Chef Chasity & Nate Brown of Daddy Girl’s Bakery; Chef Lamont Ferrebee, Executive Sous Chef of 82 Queen; award-winning chef and author Amethyst Ganaway; and Chef Cheryl Gibbs-Green of Vibrant Alkaline Vegan—just to name a few. Come hungry, come ready to connect, and come celebrate the rich culinary heritage of the Lowcountry with us. Purchase your tickets here: Taste of Gullah Geechee