Staff Report
Published May 4, 2010

Sean Brock, executive chef at McCrady’s restaurant in downtown Charleston, was named best chef in the Southeast by the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

Winners in the annual competition were announced Monday.

In the James Beard Foundation Awards competition, the Southeast region covers Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Last year, Mike Lata, chef and partner of FIG restaurant, took the honor for the best chef in the Southeast.

Another Charleston chef, Robert Stehling, chef and owner of Hominy Grill, won the same award in 2008.

Brock, originally from Virginia, attended Johnson & Wales University in Charleston and began his career working at Peninsula Grill.

After two years at the downtown restaurant, Brock went to work at restaurants in Richmond, Va., and Nashville, Tenn., before returning to Charleston as executive chef at McCrady’s.

The annual James Beard Foundation Awards recognize excellence among chefs, cookbook authors, food journalists, restaurant designers and others in the food and beverage industry.