What a week. What a great great week!
If you are following along at home, then you saw quite a bit of social media traffic emanating from the Low Country of South Carolina. Particularly Bluffton. If you are a regular to our television show (Sunday, 11:30am unless Tiger is leading the Masters) then you know we were heavily promoting a week-long celebration of food in Bluffton packaged around Satuday’s Taste of Bluffton Street Festival.
We kicked it off with a Tour of Homes on the 7th and had 4 chefs serve some wonderful bites of food. We hosted a sell-out crowd at Pour Richard’s on Monday night to kick off restaurant and even had FARM Bluffton catering our 1st ever Eat It and Like It VIP reception at the Old Town Bluffton Inn Wednesday evening.
There was no shortage of great food.
Quick aside about FARM and my bad luck. You may know Celebrity Chef Tyler Florence was in the area early last week shooting his Food Truck Race show on Hilton Head Island. Truth be told, Tyler is one of a small handful of TV chef personalities that I’d actually love to meet one day. I just enjoy his work and his demeanor.
Last Tuesday evening, the rain was coming down pretty hard from about 5pm until 7pm in Bluffton. I just sat there looking out the window from my room at the Inn. Waiting for it to, at the very least, slow down so I could take a walk out for dinner. That finally happened after 7pm.
Well, Wednesday afternoon, I was told Mr. Florence not only had dinner at FARM (and ate it and loved it of course) but also shot a segment with Farm Executive Chef Brandon Carter for a future project.
Like I said, there aren’t too many I’d have walked through the rain for to shake a hand. Tyler is one. Little did I know he spent a couple of hours about 200 feet away from my seat. It happens. Insert shrug emoji.
Saturday’s street festival was a smash hit. I don’t know if any records were set, but it sure felt like it. I spent 4 hours working at a beer tent and it was a non-stop flow. Not even the years I poured beer on River Street for St Patrick’s Day were that busy. Congratulations to all involved at the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and all of their partners for a job very well done.
Huge thanks to Hogs Head Kitchen, Buffalo’s, Octagon Porch and The Pearl for their participation in Restaurant Week.
Last but not least, I have to thank everyone at the Old Town Bluffton Inn for their hospitality. I spent an amazing week there. Yes, there was lots of play, but yes, there was lots of quiet time to get some work done. And I did. I met some wonderful people who I know I will be friends with for a long time and some visitors passing through who just happened upon this beautiful slice of Americana.
The Inn just opened a few months ago. A nearly $3 million dollar project steps away from the Promenade in Old Town. It’s everything you would expect to be. Giant flat screen TVs in your room. Marble walk-in showers and attention to as many details as they can find. I can’t recommend it enough for a weekend getaway. 32 minutes from the top of the Talmadge Bridge.
As any good festival will do, plans for next year started before the end of this year. A handful of discussions have been had on how to enhance the user experience across the board. I have no doubt they will. Every bite: Hog’s Head Kitchen, Dolce Vita, Pour Richards, FARM Bluffton and more…excellent.
For now, a heartfelt thank you to all of the smiling faces I came across in Bluffton. I can’t call it tiny because it could be a 20 minute or more drive to get ‘across town’ anymore. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
**Quick programming note: Those of you looking for our show yesterday, didn’t find it. CBS pre-empted all programming to carry the final round of The Masters. We’ll be back next Sunday, 11:30am on WTOC.
See on TV
Jesse
# # #
