Latest news with #ShuaiWang
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charleston chef Shuai Wang competes on ‘Top Chef' in Canada
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The owner of two local restaurants is competing against other chefs around the country on season 22 of 'Top Chef: Destination Canada.' The cooking pro is prepared to bring the heat in the reality competition television series. 'My favorite dish. That's a hard one. There's so many … honestly one of my favorite, favorite things in the whole entire world to eat, and I can eat endless amount of this, is just my mom's cooking, shared Chef Shuai Wang. North Charleston chef takes culinary talent to national stage by appearing on Bravo's 'Top Chef' He went on to explain, 'She does this stuffed scallion pancake. It has garlic chives and ground pork in there. I can just eat that 'til I'm sick, basically.' Chef Wang was born in Beijing, China and immigrated to the United States to Queens, New York. He later moved to Charleston, thinking he would be there for a short time to help a friend. He ended up falling in love with the Holy City's charm. 'I love North Charleston particularly. It feels very much my own vibe. It's all the working class and people like my age who are just trying to, you know, make a living and start a family,' said Chef Wang, who is the owner of Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ. 'At Jackrabbit Filly, we call it Chinese American. It's not so much the American Chinese food that most people are used to, which is your typical takeout right, your General Tso's chicken, your beef and broccoli,' he said. Instead, the menu is inspired by recipes made with love by his mother and grandmother. 'It's like old-school Beijing-style food, which you don't typically see in the States, but then we also utilize as much local ingredients as possible. In fact, we're part of the fresh menu program, so more than 25% of our menu is local and I don't think you see that a lot with Chinese food either and it's not just Chinese, it's Chinese food inspired, but it's food that's kind of inspired me throughout my whole entire career,' said Chef Wang. A melting pot of flavors, his other restaurant, King BBQ, is inspired by Chinatown-style BBQ married with a southern technique. 'More Carolina-style barbeque than anything else. You know, a lot of tons of great barbeque here in Charleston,' he said. Not competitive in nature, Chef Wang saw 'Top Chef' as an opportunity to showcase his skills and promote his restaurants even though he was hesitant to apply for the show. Chef Wang shared, 'I was dreading it before going on because, again, I'm not competitive I thought everyone's going to be butting heads and be mean to each other and that's not just my vibe you know, but as soon as we started and after the first episode, it was just like everyone's so nice. We just bonded immediately.' Before going on 'Top Chef,' Chef Wang didn't watch the show until he was chosen to be a contestant. He explained, 'I don't watch cooking competitions shows typically just because, you know, I worked cart service every day and the last thing I want to do is kind of give myself more anxiety by watching other chef's struggle.' Before competing on the show this season, Chef Wang not only tested recipes he hadn't made in awhile, he also completed 30 minute challenges at home with his wife. 'Just kind of timing myself, we spent a lot of time at Whole Foods trying to memorize the aisles which was very silly because you know, didn't realize, didn't even think about Canadian Whole Foods might be different than the United States Whole foods,' said Chef Wang. Grateful for the opportunity, as Chef Wang competes, he cooks each dish with passion. He went on to say, 'For me, to be a chef is less about the food and is more about taking care of people. I love having to take care of someone, and the best way to do that, for me, is through food. Something about food just brings everyone together and watching people eat your food and having that reaction, that's like, you know, like happiness, biggest reason why I wanted to be a chef.' The winner of 'Top Chef' will take home the grand prize of $250,000. You can support Chef Wang by watching him on Bravo every Thursday at 9 p.m. or streaming it the next day on Peacock. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Go beyond Charleston's King Street to explore the working-class neighborhood redefining southern cool
New Yorkers aren't afraid of a little schmutz. When Queens-born Chef Shuai Wang and his wife Corrie went hunting for a spot to open their new Charleston restaurant, they wanted a place that was both affordable and authentically homegrown—a tall order in a city where home prices frequently soar past $2 million and two-bedroom apartments cost $4,000 to rent a month. The couple found their answer in Park Circle, a 110-year-old historic garden neighborhood in a fast-changing, working-class community called North Charleston with a gritty heritage standing in stark contrast to the genteel, steeple-stippled skyline, expensive boutiques, and luxury hotels further south. For Wang, who starred in the most recent season of Bravo's Top Chef, that difference felt right. "Park Circle is Charleston's Williamsburg," he says, drawing parallels to Brooklyn's once-scruffy creative enclave. The couple opened Jackrabbit Filly on Spruill Avenue five years ago (recently relocating it to nearby East Montague Avenue). They weren't alone. Only a 16-minute Uber ride from downtown Charleston's Marion Square, Park Circle has quietly become the Holy City's vibrant magnet, drawing residents priced out of living "below the neck"—the stretch of peninsula wedged between the Ashley and Cooper rivers and separating North Charleston from the bourgeois world of the historic city. No such airs are on display in Jackrabbit Filly, the 1970s wood-paneled walls furnished with quixotic thrift-store finds contrast with intricate wood screens imported from China. There's a clatter of plates and the hum of conversation coming from the 44 tables, all booked. The air is filled with aromas of soy vinegar and chili oil, and there is anticipation for dishes such as glass noodles and the Japanese fried chicken known as karaage, so popular devotees drive from miles around to enjoy the food and atmosphere. That's no surprise to Pearce Fleming, whose airy microbrewery Commonhouse Aleworks sits around the corner. "Park Circle's a place that fosters community," he says. 'It's what we try to do at our brewery. We exist to bring people together to celebrate over a pint of social lubricant." To encourage that conviviality, Fleming, whose brews include IPAs 'Navy Town' and 'Park Circle' named for his neighborhood, helped establish one of the community's biggest festivals. In 2010, Park Circle was the first to celebrate Pride in Charleston, which it continues to do to this day with more than 40 participating organizations. Now, other annual events like the musically minded Riverfront Revival and Rockabillaque, featuring rockabilly music, classic cars, and barbecue, draw thousands of people. Music is center stage throughout the year at other venues including Holy City Brewing and the Firefly Distillery, famous for its sweet tea vodka. Visitors can sample the lemony-flavored drink, and its bourbons and whiskeys, in its tasting room. Outside, Firefly's five-acre music space regularly hosts bands. Past performers included Chappell Roan and Willie Nelson. While a Roan concert wasn't what its founders could ever imagine, Park Circle is finally fulfilling its original intention in some ways. The neighborhood began as a genteel gamble in the 1910s when city businessmen envisioned a streetcar suburb that would lure young professionals and their families north of Charleston's traditional boundaries. "They couldn't kick start interest in moving there," says Brittany Lavelle Tulla, an architectural historian at BVL Historic Preservation Research. "It couldn't just get off its feet." Instead, the US Navy took center stage. Its base, the Naval Complex, employed 25,000 workers at its World War II peak. Workers performed a variety of duties from disassembling Nazi U-boats to maintaining Cold War fleets. Their communities—which would incorporate as the city of North Charleston in 1972—earned a brawling, blue-collar reputation immortalized in Pat Conroy's novel "The Lords of Discipline." (Related: Charleston's newest museum reckons with the city's role in the slave trade.) Yet Park Circle's original garden city design endured. The central circular park, that gave the neighborhood its name, still anchored streets that radiated outward like spokes. When the base closed in 1996, that historic blueprint, combined with the bungalows, worker cottages, and mid-century buildings left behind, created perfect conditions for renewal. Young entrepreneurs and artists soon discovered East Montague Avenue's wide, herringbone-bricked sidewalks—perfect for outdoor cafes, kids, and dogs—and a new chapter began. The avenue's shops reflect the neighborhood's eclectic spirit. Neighborly modern furniture shares space with local artisans' work. Odd Duck Market sells food and coffee, while Black Octopus Mercantile transformed surf wear into streetwear. The shop is a cheery place, probably due to the ebullience of owner Missy Johnson, who designs most of the merchandise herself. Some of it is regularly featured on the hit teen drama The Outer Banks. 'I love being in Park Circle,' she says. 'We may be off the beaten track but we're quite the gem of the realm sitting between the pine trees and the river.' The river that Johnson is referring to is Cooper River, where the old naval facilities are also undergoing a 140-acre Riverfront Park now occupies part of the former base, including grounds initially landscaped in 1896 by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm for a project predating the naval yards. Walking paths crisscross beneath century-old live oaks, leading to a 1,200-foot boardwalk jutting into the water. The former base commander's Colonial Revival mansion and its columned porches, or 'piazzas' in local parlance, is now an event space overlooking the river where anglers cast for red drum, spotted sea trout, and flounder. The graceful Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge and its two 55-foot-tall steel arches connect the park to the River District North development, an ambitious plan where 70 acres of former naval land will become a mixed-used village with housing, offices, and retail spaces. While the River District North promises a glossy future, Park Circle's past isn't forgotten. Kelsey Bacon, a floral designer at Roadside Blooms, bridges both. Her great 'grand mamie' Virginia Kirkland toiled in the naval factories during WWII. Bacon thinks she would have been amazed to see the transformations that have turned the community into the one now on travelers' itineraries. 'It's a melting pot of different lives and different people, says Bacon. 'As long as I'm in Charleston I'll be in Park Circle.' (Related: Discover the best of Charleston with these top 10 things to do.) Where to eat: The tide-to-table Walrus Raw Bar inside Holy City Brewing offers the chance to slurp local oysters and quaff an array of artisanal beers. On East Montague, Southern Roots Smokehouse features brisket, chicken wings, and traditional barbecue sides. Across the street, EVO Pizza offers wood-fired pies like pistachio pesto or the pork trifecta with a farmer's salad. Where to stay: Airbnbs on offer in the neighborhood. Something new in North Charleston: The Starlight Motor Inn, an authentic 1961 motel with strong mid-century modern design vibes and live music in its upstairs bar The Burgundy Lounge (Rates from $100). Downtown, The Ryder, which opened in 2021, offers a contemporary vibe different than many of the traditional hotels (Rates from $203) What to do: New last year, The Park Circle Playground is the country's largest inclusive playground designed to allow full accessibility to children with autism, sensory issues, or in wheelchairs full accessibility. For playful adults, retro Pinky and Clyde's Arcade Bar on East Montague lets patrons play vintage video games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. On Spruill Avenue, the Station offers shoppers vintage housewares and clothing as well as new art and fashions curated by a changing mix of some 30 artists, designers, and thrifters. (Related: 10 of the best hotels in Charleston, from historic landmarks to hipster hotspots.) Andrew Nelson is the author of National Geographic's recently published travel book Here Not There. Follow him on Instagram.
National Geographic
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Go beyond Charleston's King Street to explore the working-class neighborhood redefining southern cool
New Yorkers aren't afraid of a little schmutz. When Queens-born Chef Shuai Wang and his wife Corrie went hunting for a spot to open their new Charleston restaurant, they wanted a place that was both affordable and authentically homegrown—a tall order in a city where home prices frequently soar past $2 million and two-bedroom apartments cost $4,000 to rent a month. The couple found their answer in Park Circle, a 110-year-old historic garden neighborhood in a fast-changing, working-class community called North Charleston with a gritty heritage standing in stark contrast to the genteel, steeple-stippled skyline, expensive boutiques, and luxury hotels further south. For Wang, who starred in the most recent season of Bravo's Top Chef, that difference felt right. "Park Circle is Charleston's Williamsburg," he says, drawing parallels to Brooklyn's once-scruffy creative enclave. In 2010, Park Circle was the first to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride in Charleston, and it has become the home to annual music events such as the Riverfront Revival and Rockabillaque. Photograph By North Charleston, via Flickr Creative Commons Charleston's new artist district The couple opened Jackrabbit Filly on Spruill Avenue five years ago (recently relocating it to nearby East Montague Avenue). They weren't alone. Only a 16-minute Uber ride from downtown Charleston's Marion Square, Park Circle has quietly become the Holy City's vibrant magnet, drawing residents priced out of living "below the neck"—the stretch of peninsula wedged between the Ashley and Cooper rivers and separating North Charleston from the bourgeois world of the historic city. No such airs are on display in Jackrabbit Filly, the 1970s wood-paneled walls furnished with quixotic thrift-store finds contrast with intricate wood screens imported from China. There's a clatter of plates and the hum of conversation coming from the 44 tables, all booked. The air is filled with aromas of soy vinegar and chili oil, and there is anticipation for dishes such as glass noodles and the Japanese fried chicken known as karaage, so popular devotees drive from miles around to enjoy the food and atmosphere. That's no surprise to Pearce Fleming, whose airy microbrewery Commonhouse Aleworks sits around the corner. "Park Circle's a place that fosters community," he says. 'It's what we try to do at our brewery. We exist to bring people together to celebrate over a pint of social lubricant." Located in the Park Circle neighborhood, Riverfront Park features the Greater Charleston Navel Base Memorial and an 800-foot boardwalk along Cooper River. Photograph By Brooke Becker, Shutterstock To encourage that conviviality, Fleming, whose brews include IPAs 'Navy Town' and 'Park Circle' named for his neighborhood, helped establish one of the community's biggest festivals. In 2010, Park Circle was the first to celebrate Pride in Charleston, which it continues to do to this day with more than 40 participating organizations. Now, other annual events like the musically minded Riverfront Revival and Rockabillaque, featuring rockabilly music, classic cars, and barbecue, draw thousands of people. Music is center stage throughout the year at other venues including Holy City Brewing and the Firefly Distillery, famous for its sweet tea vodka. Visitors can sample the lemony-flavored drink, and its bourbons and whiskeys, in its tasting room. Outside, Firefly's five-acre music space regularly hosts bands. Past performers included Chappell Roan and Willie Nelson. Firefly Distillery has a five-acre music space to host music concerts. Previous performers include Chappell Roan, Willie Nelson, Vampire Weekend, and Lupe Fiasco. Photograph By Firefly Distillery The history of a streetcar suburb While a Roan concert wasn't what its founders could ever imagine, Park Circle is finally fulfilling its original intention in some ways. The neighborhood began as a genteel gamble in the 1910s when city businessmen envisioned a streetcar suburb that would lure young professionals and their families north of Charleston's traditional boundaries. "They couldn't kick start interest in moving there," says Brittany Lavelle Tulla, an architectural historian at BVL Historic Preservation Research. "It couldn't just get off its feet." Instead, the US Navy took center stage. Its base, the Naval Complex, employed 25,000 workers at its World War II peak. Workers performed a variety of duties from disassembling Nazi U-boats to maintaining Cold War fleets. Their communities—which would incorporate as the city of North Charleston in 1972—earned a brawling, blue-collar reputation immortalized in Pat Conroy's novel "The Lords of Discipline." (Related: Charleston's newest museum reckons with the city's role in the slave trade.) A burgeoning neighborhood with ties to its historic past Yet Park Circle's original garden city design endured. The central circular park, that gave the neighborhood its name, still anchored streets that radiated outward like spokes. When the base closed in 1996, that historic blueprint, combined with the bungalows, worker cottages, and mid-century buildings left behind, created perfect conditions for renewal. Young entrepreneurs and artists soon discovered East Montague Avenue's wide, herringbone-bricked sidewalks—perfect for outdoor cafes, kids, and dogs—and a new chapter began. The avenue's shops reflect the neighborhood's eclectic spirit. Neighborly modern furniture shares space with local artisans' work. Odd Duck Market sells food and coffee, while Black Octopus Mercantile transformed surf wear into streetwear. The shop is a cheery place, probably due to the ebullience of owner Missy Johnson, who designs most of the merchandise herself. Some of it is regularly featured on the hit teen drama The Outer Banks. 'I love being in Park Circle,' she says. 'We may be off the beaten track but we're quite the gem of the realm sitting between the pine trees and the river.' The river that Johnson is referring to is Cooper River, where the old naval facilities are also undergoing a 140-acre Riverfront Park now occupies part of the former base, including grounds initially landscaped in 1896 by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm for a project predating the naval yards. Walking paths crisscross beneath century-old live oaks, leading to a 1,200-foot boardwalk jutting into the water. In North Charleston, the 55-foot-tall steel arches of the Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge connects Riverfront Park to the River District North development, 70 acres of former naval land that will be transformed into a village with housing, offices, and retail spaces. Photogrpah By Charlotte Evelyn, Shutterstock The former base commander's Colonial Revival mansion and its columned porches, or 'piazzas' in local parlance, is now an event space overlooking the river where anglers cast for red drum, spotted sea trout, and flounder. The graceful Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge and its two 55-foot-tall steel arches connect the park to the River District North development, an ambitious plan where 70 acres of former naval land will become a mixed-used village with housing, offices, and retail spaces. While the River District North promises a glossy future, Park Circle's past isn't forgotten. Kelsey Bacon, a floral designer at Roadside Blooms, bridges both. Her great 'grand mamie' Virginia Kirkland toiled in the naval factories during WWII. Bacon thinks she would have been amazed to see the transformations that have turned the community into the one now on travelers' itineraries. 'It's a melting pot of different lives and different people, says Bacon. 'As long as I'm in Charleston I'll be in Park Circle.' (Related: Discover the best of Charleston with these top 10 things to do.) What you should know Where to eat: The tide-to-table Walrus Raw Bar inside Holy City Brewing offers the chance to slurp local oysters and quaff an array of artisanal beers. On East Montague, Southern Roots Smokehouse features brisket, chicken wings, and traditional barbecue sides. Across the street, EVO Pizza offers wood-fired pies like pistachio pesto or the pork trifecta with a farmer's salad. Where to stay: Airbnbs on offer in the neighborhood. Something new in North Charleston: The Starlight Motor Inn, an authentic 1961 motel with strong mid-century modern design vibes and live music in its upstairs bar The Burgundy Lounge (Rates from $100). Downtown, The Ryder, which opened in 2021, offers a contemporary vibe different than many of the traditional hotels (Rates from $203) What to do: New last year, The Park Circle Playground is the country's largest inclusive playground designed to allow full accessibility to children with autism, sensory issues, or in wheelchairs full accessibility. For playful adults, retro Pinky and Clyde's Arcade Bar on East Montague lets patrons play vintage video games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. On Spruill Avenue, the Station offers shoppers vintage housewares and clothing as well as new art and fashions curated by a changing mix of some 30 artists, designers, and thrifters. (Related: 10 of the best hotels in Charleston, from historic landmarks to hipster hotspots.) Andrew Nelson is the author of National Geographic's recently published travel book Here Not There. Follow him on is the author of National Geographic's recently published travel bookFollow him on Instagram Unlimited Access for Less Subscribe now and save $10 SUBSCRIBE
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
North Charleston chef takes culinary talent to national stage by appearing on Bravo's ‘Top Chef'
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A celebrated local chef is bringing his culinary talent to the national stage this month by appearing on season 22 of Bravo's 'Top Chef.' Chef Shuai Wang, owner of two Charleston area favorites, Jackrabbit Filly, and King BBQ, will compete against 14 other cooking pros from around the country while on location in Canada. The first episode of 'Top Chef: Destination Canada' will air March 13 at 9 p.m. Eastern on Bravo. This year's winner will be rewarded $250,000, an appearance at Aspen's Food & Wine Classic, and the opportunity to host an exclusive dinner at the James Beard House, among other things. Initially, Shuai was invited to apply for a role in the long-running competition, but he hesitated at first. 'I was unsure because I'm not a competitive person in nature, so I was like, 'Oh, do I want to do this,' Shuai explained. 'But then I thought about all the different opportunities 'Top Chef' would bring to me personally and our businesses and I thought this is such a great opportunity and cannot be missed.' Despite Shuai not being naturally competitive, he has become a decorated chef, being named an Eater Young Gun in 2016 and Best New Chef the same year. Short Grain, a food truck formerly run by Shuai and his wife Corrie, was designated by Bon Appetit as one of America's Top 50 Best New Restaurants in 2016. The following year, Shuai was nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award in the 'Rising Star Chef' category. Shuai's success led him to open Jackrabbit Filly, a place that blends heritage drive Chinese cuisine with American fare, and later King BBQ, self-described as 'Chinatown BBQ with Southern smoke.' The BBQ fusion spot was designated as one of the Top 10 Best New BBQ Restaurants of 2024 by Southern Living Magazine and one of the 2024 Top 20 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit. 'Top Chef' season 22 was filmed last year, with the team traveling to places like Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Canmore, and Prince Edward Island. Before joining the show, Shuai said he had grown 'stale' as a chef, cooking the same food daily. But the idea of winning a hugely popular cooking competition was reinvigorating. 'I just felt like I was rejuvenated and just like my brain was turning again,' he explained. 'Afterwards, I felt so inspired coming back, and I wanted to cook new things.' As soon as Shuai arrived home, it was back to business. Jackrabbit Filly was opening at a new location with a new menu. With his mind spinning, Shuai added dishes to the new menu that he previously thought he couldn't pull off. 'Instead of the same old thing we'd been cooking for the past, I don't know, five years, we came up with all these new menu items that, you know, I didn't think I was able to do,' he said. Some Jackrabbit menu items include the krab rangoon cheese ball, soy garlic karaage-don with Japanese fried chicken, soft egg, and honey garlic soy sauce, and the Sichuan seafood wonton soup. Who wouldn't be inspired when learning from eight-time James Beard Award winner Tom Colicchio, season 10 'Top Chef' winner Kristen Kish, and culinary expert Gail Simmons? 'Kristen was probably who I was most intimidated by because you know she's been on Top Chef, she's went to the bottom, she fought her way, back all the way to the top,' Shuai said. The culinary industry has been known to be a cut-throat and challenging environment, as seen in popular television shows like 'The Bear' and 'Hell's Kitchen' which highlight how intense the food world can be. Having that spotlight on the industry has led to change throughout the years, though. 'Going into 'Top Chef,' I had that mindset of 'Oh, everyone's going to be butting heads, everyone's going to be competing,' but you know, I think because the industry has changed so much that it wasn't so much that,' Shuai explained. 'There's still a competition; we're still competing, and we're still going against each other, but I just feel like, as chefs now, we get along much better than we used to.' That often ruthless environment is part of the reason Shuai decided to make the move to Charleston. He grew up in Queens and spent a large chunk of his adult life cooking in Brooklyn. Once Shuai graduated high school, he went straight to culinary school and has been in the kitchen ever since. The number of restaurants throughout the city, not to mention the diversity of those spots and the intensity of the competition in New York, is part of the reason Shuai believes he made it to where he is in his career. He was challenged at an elite level. But that high pressure, day in and day out, led Shuai to something many of us experience: burnout. 'I was just very unhappy. It was too much work and my work and life balance, there was no balance,' Shuai explained. 'So I looked into moving away because I felt like if I kept working like the way I was working in New York, I was going to get super burned out and just leave the industry completely.' During that time, Shuai's friend was trying to open a restaurant in Charleston, and he reached out to Shuai for help with the opening. Shuai decided to make the jump and move, thinking he would be here only for a short time to help his friend. As with most things in life, the plan did not go accordingly. The friend's restaurant was delayed indefinitely, so Shuai and Corrie returned to square one and decided to invest in themselves. From there, the idea for Short Grain was born. The business exploded and turned into continued success with Jackrabbit and King BBQ. 'You know, now I'm in the South. I've been here for almost eleven years now, and I love love North Charleston,' Shuai said. It just feels like home.' A large part of the continued success is due to Corrie, who Shuai called the 'backbone' of their restaurants. When Shuai decided to take on the 'Top Chef' contestant role, he had to commit to a minimum of four to six weeks of filming in Canada. Of course, the farther you make it in the competition, the longer you stay and are away from home. 'I left for 'Top Chef' for a very long time for filming…throughout that time, she [Corrie] was here running both restaurants by herself while building out this new space [the new Jackrabbit location],' Shuai said. 'It takes two really hard-working people to run these things, and she's pretty amazing,' he continued. Not only do the Wangs love the area and its food scene, but they also support it. More than 25% of both restaurants' menus are sourced locally, including vegetables, seafood, grains, dairy, and proteins from local farms. 'It's very important for me to do that,' Shuai said. 'You know, living in a small community, it's important for me to support the small families that are farmers that are here.' 'Also, when I first moved down, the first time I had a local shrimp, I have never wanted to eat any other shrimp ever again,' he added. As a 2025 South Carolina chef ambassador, a large part of Shuai's ambassadorship involves promoting local food while representing the state at events like the recent Charleston Food and Wine Festival, where Shuai hosted Sunday hangover brunch at Jackrabbit. Another way Shuai supports the local food industry is by eating local! Some of his favorite restaurants in the area are Vern's, The Glass Onion and Bintu Atelier. You can support Shuai by watching him on Bravo's 'Top Chef' every Thursday or streaming it the next day on Peacock. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
