Chefs Anthony Smith and Taylor Bishop are partners in Chef’s Kitchen in South End, as well as the new location in South Carolina.
Chef Anthony Smith just got a new kitchen. He and his partner, Chef Taylor Bishop, have just started renovations on a sit-down restaurant and banquet facility in Clover, SC, near Lake Wylie. The restaurant is slated to open this fall.
Chef’s Kitchen’s dine-in space will feature an upscale fusion menu that offers a mix of American, Southern and Italian flare. There are plenty of spaces to pull up a seat with two full bars, a 25-seat patio and a large banquet room. In addition, the restaurant sits on seven acres of land, opening up the opportunity to host large events and chefs tables outside, even as COVID-19 lingers on in the Charlotte area.
“Honestly, it just happened,” Smith said. “I saw a location while surfing the web and reached out to the guy, knowing they’d be out of our price range. He reached back out days later and we were able to come to an agreement.
“Because of COVID-19, business is steady, but slow enough to tackle opening a restaurant — whereas before we were way too busy to even think about it.”
Chef’s Kitchen has been open and evolving since 2017, offering meal prep, catering, takeout, delivery and personal chef services. The business relocated to a larger, 3,000-square-foot space in South End in spring of 2019.
Smith and Bishop are targeting an Oct. 1 opening date for the Lake Wylie-area restaurant taking over the space of what used to be The Cove (and before that, River Rat). It will initially offer dinner and weekend brunches, along with catering options for lunch. The duo plans to begin sit-down lunch service later in the year.
“We’re extremely excited,” Bishop said. “This is a dream come true.”
Chef’s Kitchen
5301 Highway 557, Clover, SC; and 1422 Winnifred St., Charlotte
Instagram: @chef.anthony.smith
Laurie Larsh is a freelance writer and travel junkie with an affinity for sunglasses, coffee and all things Tarheels. Relentless curiosity about people and places keep her wondering and wandering near and far and writing stories about it. Follow her travel adventures on Instagram @goexplauring or her website wwww.goexplauring.com.