Slow Food Announces Snail Award Finalists; Winners Picked in April

March 28, 2017

11:17 AM

Slow Food Charleston has announced the finalists for their 2nd Annual Snail Awards, which will recognize the community leaders supporting the Slow Food movement. The winners will be announced on Thursday, April 13th at The American Theater.

Here’s a look at this year’s finalists:

The Activist: An individual or organization that is a spokesperson or voice for the Slow Food mission
- Brian Ward, Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center (Farm)
- Lindsey Barrow and Kate Dewitt, Lowcountry Street Grocery
- Angie Dupree, One80 Place
The Provider: A producer or provider of food at the most basic level
- Pete and Babs Ambrose, Ambrose Family Farm
- Chris and Nicole Wilkins, Root Baking Co.
- Mark and Kerry Marhefka, Abundant Seafood
The Artist: An individual or business that is using refined skill with good, clean, and fair ingredients to create or curate something unique in the community. One winner will be recognized for work with food and another for work with beverage.
- Food
  - Kevin Johnson, The Grocery
  - Jacques Larson, Wild Olive & Obstinate Daughter
  - Chris Stewart, The Glass Onion
- Beverage
  - Jaime Tenny and David Merritt, Coast Brewing Co.
  - Matt and Angie Tunstall, Stems and Skins
  - Scott Schor, Edmund's Oast
The Snailblazer: A publicly nominated category where a $1000 SnailBlazer Grant will be awarded to an individual whose work is positively impacting the Charleston community
- Spade and Clover Gardens
- Blue Pearl Farms
The Place: A business that adheres to Slow Food principles in terms of its business practices and philosophies
- Middleton Place
- The Wild Olive and Obstinate Daughter
- MUSC, Office of Health Promotion

There is also an award for The Legend which will be presented to author, educator, and advocate Nathalie Dupree. She will receive the Carolina Gold Trophy created by artist and iron worker Robert Thomas and will be a part of the evening's festivities.

Finalists and winners were chosen by a panel of judges including:

Nathalie Dupree, Author and Advocate
Stephanie Burt, The Southern Fork
Jed Portman, Garden & Gun
Katie Hajjar, GM Fish Restaurant
Vanessa Driscoll Bialobreski, Farm to Table Event Co. & Slow Food Columbia
Kristian Niemi, Farm to Table Event Co. & Slow Food Columbia
Celeste Albers, Green Grocer Farm & 2016 Provider recipient
Craig Deihl, Cyress/AMS & 2016 Arist in Food recipient
Scott Blackwell, High Wire Distilling & 2016 Artist in Beverage winner

Tickets can be purchased at www.snailawardschs.com.