[Updated: 3/22 with winners] Slow Food Charleston is organizing an inaugural Snail Awards program to recognize leaders in the community that support the Slow Food movement. The event, set for Monday, March 21 from 6:00 to 9:00pm will take place at The American Theater. For the event, there will be an awards ceremony that will announce the winners of the following award categories—The Activist, The Provider, The Artist (food & beverage categories), The Snailblazer, and The Place. There is also an award for The Legend ,which will be presented to Chef Mike Lata of FIG and The Ordinary, who was one of the original founders of the Slow Food Charleston chapter and is a starch advocate of supporting local foodways. Lata will receive a custom trophy by Robert Thomas. Winners will receive a custom Le Creuset Dutch Oven with a custom snail knob crafted by Robert Morris. The Snailblazer will receive a $1,000 cash prize. Finalists and winners were chosen by a panel of esteemed judges including: Dr. David Shields, University of South Carolina, Slow Food Southeast Ark of Taste Committee Chair Stephanie Burt, The Southern Fork Jed Portman, Garden & Gun Patricia Agnew, Culinary Institute of Charleston Vanessa Driscoll Bialobreski, Farm to Table Event Co, Caitlin […]