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Chefs Give Back
By Shelia Watson
 The Lowcountry has long been known for its distinctive cuisine. Or to put it another way: This is a community that loves to eat. There is an appreciation of food, as well as its preparation and presentation.
LIME stands for Local Impromptu Movable Event, and is considered Charleston’s newest underground dining experience. It is the brainchild of Chef Renata Dos Santos, who was born in Trinidad and served as chef for the initial event in September 2010.
“To lime” is Trinidadian slang for a group of friends who are hanging out together. In the context of the LIME dining experience, the group can be large, small, prearranged or completely impromptu. The event involves food and beverages (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic are available) and is never hurried. The location varies and can be at a person’s home, at the beach, beside a river, on a dock or on a street corner.
It emphasizes slow food, local sustainability, community and family. The guest chefs include graduate and graduating students of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, who may be teamed with established chefs. The chefs work with local farms and artisans to create one-of-a-kind meals. Menus vary between five and nine courses.
In addition to the night’s fare, the chefs prepare vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and/or allergy-free options. The chefs also work with a sommelier or mixologist to assist in beverage pairings.
 Tickets, available at limeincharleston.com, range between $75 and $125 in price, depending on the menu, and a portion of the proceeds goes to a charity chosen by the guest chef. Prices include gratuities and tax.
Some of the charities that have benefited from the event include Louie’s Kids, an organization that raises funds to treat childhood obesity; HALOS!, which provides resources and special opportunities to abused and neglected children and their caregivers through partnerships with faith-based and community organizations; Slow Food Charleston, the local chapter of Slow Food USA, whose mission is to create dramatic and lasting change in the food system by reconnecting people with traditions, plants, animals and fertile soils that produce food; and Simply Divine Garden, a local nonprofit that plants personalized organic gardens at the homes of people undergoing treatment for cancer. The benefiting charities are announced with the particular LIME event, and, depending on the nonprofit, a portion of the fee is tax-deductible.
After registering online, the location is e-mailed to patrons two days before the event.
What does lime have to do with dining?
Until 1962, the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago was a British colony, located seven miles off the coast of Venezuela. Originally colonized by Spain, it was conquered by the Brits, who turned it into a sugar-producing locale where they brought African slaves and East Indian indentured servants to work.
Whenever the locals went into town, they often saw the British sailors standing around lazily chatting with their shipmates. Because the British sailors were known as “limeys” (because they ate limes on voyages to prevent scurvy), the act of lollygagging came to be known as “liming.”
A taste of charity
Like wine? Feel charitable? Want to combine the two? Ted’s Butcher Block, at 334 East Bay St., holds wine tastings every Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. The tastings include four selected wines and an hors d’oeuvre for a donation of $5. The entire donation benefits a different charity each quarter.
Along with the wine tasting, Ted’s Butcher Block, which bills itself as “Charleston’s neighborhood butcher shop and gourmet market,” also features a Friday Night Dinner for $12, which includes a home-cooked gourmet meal, dessert and 10 percent off a glass or bottle of wine.
Get a complete list of Charleston's restaurants.
Visit the DiscoverCharleston.com events page to find more food-related events in and near Charleston. Just click on Cuisine, then Search.
Not just a gallery, but a Charleston destination since 1987. Located in the heart of the antique district The Audubon Gallery is the only local gallery to specialize in the finest Natural History and Sporting Art from the 17th - 20th centuries. A sportsmans paradise with a fantastic selection of paintings, etchings, limited edition fine art prints, antique wildfowl decoys and wood carvings by local artisans. Audubon's "Birds of America", Natural History Art by Besler, Redouté, Clark, Benson and many others. Contact Joel Oppenheimer Inc., The Natural History Art Gallery. |
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Inventive cuisine. Fresh from the farm. Named one of the Top Ten Restaurants in North America by Opinionated About Dining. McCrady's Restaurant, located in an historic 1778 Georgian public house, offers an award-winning dining experience with the best of new Southern cuisine. Chef Sean Brock was awarded the 2010 James Beard Best Chef Southeast for his talented mix of modern skills and classic antebellum recipes. Sensationally presented dishes one of Charleston's most extensive wine lists. Private dining available in the spectacular Long Room, Gallery, Chef's Room or Cypress Room.
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A native of rural North Carolina now living at the edge of the marsh, Bernie Horton paints fine art originals reflecting the beauty of his surroundings --- most recognized for his light-filled lowcountry landscapes, marshes, beaches and people. Bernie captures the moods and emotions of all the different seasons and times of day. Each painting is approached from an impressionistic standpoint, yet to the eye, they have a realistic quality because of his concentration on perspective, proportion and attention to detail. Visit or find Bernie Horton Gallery on Facebook.
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