C H E E S E+ 202 2 culturecheesemag.com 35
C H E F ' S D I S H
T
ucked up against the foothills of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville,
South Carolina, garners its fair
share of accolades these days for
its food scene, which is bubbling
over with good places to eat—not
to mention three James Beard Award
nominees. But that wasn't the case in
2007 when restaurateur Carl Sobocinski
opened the Lazy Goat as part of his Table
301 restaurant group. At that time, a
Mediterranean restaurant that served
small plates was a new concept to this
Southern city, yet locals embraced The
Lazy Goat for its riverside location, relaxed
atmosphere, and cuisine that mimes
Spain, Morocco, Italy, France, Greece, and
the Middle East in its flavor profiles.
When Beau Owens moved across
the state from Bluffton to Greenville
to assume the position of executive
Frying up The Lazy Goat's signature appetizer.
chef at The Lazy Goat in 2019, he was
admittedly clueless as to what was facing
him that first weekend at his new job. "It
was May 5, 2019. I remember the date
very well because it was the weekend
of Artisphere [Greenville's nationally
acclaimed art festival], Clemson
University graduation, Furman University
graduation, and Mother's Day," the chef
reminisces. "It was very eye-opening." An
understatement, to be sure, yet he tied
on his apron and put his pans to the fire.
"I figured, if this was as bad as it gets, I
could handle it."
It was a piece of cake for Owens, who
boasts some serious culinary chops. Born
and raised in Columbia, South Carolina,
the nascent chef took his first job washing
dishes in a friend's parents' restaurant
when he was 14. From there, he eventually
moved to a fry cook position at another
