Columbia’s 2 Fat 2 Fly co-owner named one of 4 S.C. Chef Ambassadors

Gov. Nikki Haley named the 2016 Chef Ambassadors: Teryi Youngblood of Passerelle Bistro in Greenville, Ramone Dickerson of 2 Fat 2 Fly and Wing City in Columbia, Orchid Paulmeier of One Hot Mama’s on Hilton Head Island and Forrest Parker of Old Village Post Office in Mount Pleasant.

Each year, four chefs are selected to serve as the state’s culinary ambassadors in an initiative that showcases South Carolina’s wealth of agricultural resources. Throughout the year, the chefs will participate in culinary and tourism specific events: cooking demonstrations, educational seminars, etc.

Chef Brandon Velie, chef and owner of Juniper in Ridge Spring, will serve as an adviser to the new ambassadors.

Teryi Youngblood: Chef de Cuisine at Passerelle Bistro since June 2013. With a menu full of French-inspired dishes, using the purest and freshest ingredients, Chef Youngblood does not believe in complicated food. Believing cooking should speak for itself and the food should taste like what it is, she implements this thinking into her menu daily.

Ramone Dickerson: Along with business partner Corey Simmons, Dickerson created the stuffed chicken wings that landed them a reality TV show “Wingmen,” on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Dickerson owns Wing City restaurant and the 2 Fat 2 Fly food truck.

Forrest Parker joined the Hall Management Group team of acclaimed chefs in 2012. He leads the culinary team at the Old Village Post House Inn. Charleston-educated and trained, Parker includes Southern ingredients and elements in his cooking.

Orchid Paulmeier was a contestant in the seventh season of the hit show, “The Next Food Network Star.” She opened One Hot Mama’s on Hilton Head Island in 2007. Blending time-tested Southern favorites like collards, cornbread and slow-cooked barbecue and ribs, with her own homespun recipes, One Hot Mama’s serves up “comfort food with a kick.”

Staff reports