Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Dennis IV.
Hi Benjamin , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started in the restaurant industry in 1998 at 19 years old as a dishwasher in Charleston. I ended up going to Trident technical college for culinary arts a d hospitality management. At the same time I.was a history lover and started reading old cookbooks like Charleston Receipts and say the influence of my Gullah Geechee culture in many of these books. Even the language was present in some cookbooks. This it what first got me into deep diving into the influence of Gullah culture on the foodways of South Carolina and the United States. I worked throughout many great establishments in in Charleston and left in 2003 and moved to St.Thomas. US Virgin Islands. There is when I really started to recognize the importance of embracing your heritage unapologetically. It’s where I also learned that many folks outside of the U.S.A knew about Gullah Geechee culture. I came back in 2008 and worked and opened a few restaurants in Charleston. Then around 2012 I started doing Gullah-Geechee pop up dinners around the city. And from.that point I’ve Dedicated my career to what I call culture through food. Understanding my culture and not only its present day food, but the ingredients of the past that have been lost. My work has now turned into cultural conservation and seed preservation. Also I am a full-time personal chef and caterer Dedicated to showing Gullah food through an agrian, seasonal lense. Supporting our farmers and artisans. I’ve traveled throughout the Caribbean and West Africa reconnecting the dots of our food and heritage. I have been featured in many local and national publications, as well as been on several shows including Netflix High on the Hog, Mind of a Chef and Padma Lakshmi’s Taste The Nation on Hulu. The journey has been a long one, but to continue to an ambassador for my culture is a life long journey. One that’s worth every moment.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with any endeavor bumps will.come.along.the way..I always say when hurdles come your way, a lot of times it’s to see if your ready for your next level and blessings in your journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a personal chef and caterer..I do anything from. Intimate dinner parties, to weddings and corporate events. I also focus on Gullah Geechee culture through food. Supporting our farmers as much as possible. But I’m also a culinarian, who loves and studies all different cultures and cuisines.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
You have to be ready to pivot after any moment in life
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Chef BJ Dennis
- Facebook: Chef BJ Dennis
- LinkedIn: Benjamin Dennis IV
