Myrtle Beach-area chefs to face off in nationally televised competition

A dozen Grand Strand chefs and their restaurants will be featured on national TV in the coming weeks in a reality show that officials hope brings fresh attention to the region’s culinary scene.

“Chef Swap at the Beach” premieres Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. on The Cooking Channel for a six-episode run that puts chefs in rival kitchens for themed challenges.

Hosted by Amanda Freitag, a frequent panelist on Food Network’s “Chopped,” the show includes eateries in Conway, Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island.

“It’s tough to cook in someone else’s kitchen, so ‘Chef Swap at the Beach’ takes that pressure, adds the suspense of competition and even gets to the emotion of why these chefs pour their best into their menus,” Freitag said in a statement.

Participating restaurants are:

• 44 & King in Myrtle Beach
• Big Mike’s Soul Food in Myrtle Beach
• Bistro 217 in Pawleys Island
• Bonfire in Conway
• Ciao in Myrtle Beach
• Drift in Myrtle Beach
• Hook & Barrel in Myrtle Beach
• Johnny D’s in Myrtle Beach
• Perrone’s in Pawleys Island
• Sea Captain’s House in Myrtle Beach
• Tidal Creek Brewhouse in Myrtle Beach
• Winna’s Kitchen in Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce chief Karen Riordan said the episodes should help deepen interest in South Carolina’s leading tourism spot.

Freitag will appear alongside Dylan Foster, chef and owner of Two Sons Seafood in Murrells Inlet and YouTube personality Johanna Wilson Jones, a locally based writer.

The series, created in conjunction with The Workshop Content Studios is “integral to our efforts in showcasing the Grand Strand’s exciting restaurant scene,” Riordan said.

Myrtle Beach is no stranger to the film and TV world, appearing in twenty movies since 1967 and a half dozen TV shows.

Editor’s note: This story misspelled the name of the Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Karen Riordan. (Updated 8:45 a.m. on 8/31/2022)

This story was originally published August 30, 2022 at 12:00 AM.