Join Angel and Brian Holmes LIVE from the Charleston Wine + Food Festival’s 20th Anniversary as she sits down with the OGs who helped build one of the South’s most celebrated culinary events. This is Part 1 of a special multi-part series recorded live from the Hospitality Hub at High Wire Distilling Company — and it is packed with real stories, real people, and real magic.
In this episode, Angel reconnects with Marc Collins (Executive Chef at Circa 1886 for 25 years and the man who first pitched the idea for CWFF), Michael Kramer (opening Executive Chef of McCrady’s and now chef-owner of Gianna in Greenville), and Scott Blackwell (co-founder of the award-winning High Wire Distilling Company and Guinness World Record holder for the world’s biggest cookie). Together, they pull back the curtain on what it actually took to build something iconic — from a conversation at an aquarium to a 20-year culinary legacy that put Charleston on the national map.
If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when the right people, the right belief, and the right community come together — this is that story.
In This Episode You’ll Discover:
The original aquarium conversation that sparked the idea for the Charleston Wine & Food Festival
Why Marc Collins was pitching a food festival before anyone believed it was possible
What the early days of McCrady’s meant for Charleston’s culinary identity — and why its closing still stings
How Scott Blackwell went from baking the world’s biggest cookie to building one of Charleston’s most celebrated distilleries
The role curiosity and tenacity play in building something that lasts
Why community — not capital — was the fuel that got High Wire Distilling off the ground
How building a business with your spouse actually works (and the hard years it takes to figure it out)
What Jimmy Redd Whiskey has to do with Anson Mills, heritage grain farmers, and Dr. David Shields
Why the people behind every great thing are always the ones you never hear about
What 20 years of showing up for Charleston really looks like — told by the people who lived it
Whether you’re building a business from scratch, trying to find your people, or wondering if your idea is crazy enough to work — this episode is proof that the wildest dreams become reality when the right village shows up.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Welcome & Live from CWFF 20th Anniversary
01:13 Marc Collins & Michael Kramer — The OG Conversation
05:00 How the Festival Idea Was Born
08:30 McCrady’s Legacy & Charleston’s Culinary Explosion
13:00 Gianna Greenville & the New Cookbook
16:30 Scott Blackwell & High Wire Distilling
20:00 The World’s Biggest Cookie & Guinness Record
24:00 From Homebrew Dreams to Award-Winning Spirits
28:00 Building a Business with Your Spouse
33:00 Jimmy Redd, Heritage Grains & Community-Led Growth
38:30 What 20 Years at Circa 1886 Actually Means
42:00 The Homestead, BVI & What’s Coming Next
ABOUT THE GUESTS:
Marc Collins is the Executive Chef at Circa 1886 inside the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, SC — a role he has held for 25 years. He is one of the original visionaries behind the Charleston Wine + Food Festival and a cornerstone of Charleston’s culinary community. | Circa 1886 https://circa1886.com/
Michael Kramer was the opening Executive Chef of McCrady’s (1999–2006) and is now the chef-owner of Jianna, an Italian restaurant in Greenville, SC overlooking Falls Park. He recently released a cookbook celebrating Italian food, wine, and the love letter he and his team wrote to Italy. | Jianna Greenville | Order the Cookbook: https://jiannagreenville.com/
Scott Blackwell is the co-founder of High Wire Distilling Company in Charleston, SC — a James Beard-nominated, award-winning craft distillery known for their gin, Jimmy Redd Whiskey, and heritage grain spirits. He also holds a Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest cookie. | High Wire Distilling https://highwiredistilling.com/
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