The Kitchen

Full disclosure. We consider ourselves food enthusiasts. We love to eat. We love to go grocery shopping, meal plan, cook, entertain, eat out, take cooking classes, read food magazines and pretty much anything having to do with food. Ask our friends and family. Most would say we’re a bit obsessed with food and it’s (almost) all that we think about. And, frankly, they’d be right.

So, when we heard all our friends talking about how amazing The Kitchen is, we didn’t really take note, because we tend to do all our own cooking. But the buzz was getting to such a fevered pitch that we had to see it for ourselves. And, readers, we are here to tell you that we have seen the light. We have drunk the Kool-Aid. And we have become fans of Beaufort’s phenomenal fresh-foods-to-go emporium in Island Square shopping center, along with other favorites, Ole Timey Meats, Grayco, and Bill’s Liquors.

Owned by two Beaufort native sisters, Leigh Ann Pingree and Michelle

Clark, The Kitchen was established 13-ish years ago on a whim. Self-taught home cook Leigh Ann and her husband were raising their family of five and doing a lot of cooking along the way—for her own family and for friends who might be sick or celebrating special occasions. On a lark, she donated a meal-per-month for six months as a fundraiser auction item. The highest bidder would often invite folks over for Leigh Ann’s dinners and word started to spread like buttah—and the cooking and catering burner was lit.

Leigh Ann also had experience with large volume cooking. She’s the youngest of nine children (yep, you heard us right), so naturally, feeding the family in her household meant large servings of everything. And, as an adult, putting on Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for her extended family meant she was often whipping up holiday meals for 40 to 50 people at a sitting.

With an education in business and food and beverage experience before kids, Leigh Ann, along with her sister, Michelle, realized a dream in 2012 when they opened The Kitchen in a tiny space in Newpoint—where folks placed meal orders online and picked them up at the tiny retail location. Business was brisk and within a few years, they had outgrown the space and had grand plans for expansion. It took them a few years to find a location and finally took the plunge in their new digs in January 2020. And then, of course, Covid changed the world.

Fortunately for them, Covid was a bit of a blessing in disguise. People were even more inclined to bring home freshly prepared food, without having to go to the grocery store or to a restaurant. Although not ideal circumstances or timing, The Kitchen weathered the Covid storm quite well, and it’s just been getting bigger and better since then.

They recently expanded their current location for some much-needed storage space by renting additional space on the back of their existing footprint from their Grayco neighbors. And they have some exciting news for future expansion. But, alas, we are getting ahead of ourselves.

If you haven’t been to The Kitchen, let us paint a tasty picture for you. You step into the inviting retail store, and you are enveloped by deliciousness everywhere you look. Straight ahead is the counter and cash register surrounded by shelves of sinful looking desserts (how smart are they to have sweets and baked goods dead ahead—life is short after all, eat dessert first). We’re talking luscious looking cakes, cheesecakes, and pies (whole or slices), cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, scones, crumb cakes, bars, cookies, breads, croissants and more. The vast majority are made from-scratch in-house, with a smattering of options from some high-end food vendors that Leigh Ann and Michelle couldn’t resist.

Both side walls feature floor-to-ceiling refrigerators that are stacked

with a cornucopia of options. We’re talking great grab-and-go items like salads (garden, Caesar, Greek, superfood, fall harvest and Leigh Ann’s favorite, the BLT salad); soups (their highly regarded seasonal watermelon gazpacho and shrimp gazpacho, chicken noodle, Southwest sweet potato, and more); wraps and sandwiches (veggie hummus, shrimp salad, Cuban, deviled egg salad, four different kinds of chicken salad—including the fan favorite of the cranberry chicken salad— and so many more). They also have an excellent selection of artisan chips and beverages (think specialty sodas and teas, close to a dozen different kinds of waters, Well House juices, and canned iced coffees) to complete a take-away lunch.

Then there are pizzas in all kinds of flavors, including Michelle’s favorite, the margharita cauliflower crust pizza; quiche in a half dozen varieties like shrimp and crab, tomato spinach and bacon tomato, not to mention mini quiches; lots of appetizers like pickled shrimp, crisp Rangoon dumplings, and spanakopita; and tons of dips, including spinach artichoke, pimento cheese, hummus, and their famed Kitchen Dip (roasted corn, green onion, bacon, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, slivered almonds and mayo—um, YUM!), along with firecrackers they make themselves, which are saltines slathered in butter, sprinkled with piquant seasonings, and then baked again for a simply addictive carrier for most anything. They also stock an impressive selection of frozen appetizers perfect for entertaining like pretzel bites, pigs n’ blankets and mini crabcakes, complete with cooking instructions.

Assuming we’ve whetted your appetite for lunch or entertaining possibilities, there is also the traditional dinner concept. From entrees like chicken tetrazzini, pot pie, and salmon with roasted vegetable orzo to sides like mac & cheese, fig balsamic Brussels sprouts, loaded cheese grits and mashed cauliflower, the options appeal to even the pickiest eater.

They also have a Fit Kitchen area that focuses on healthier options, with gluten free, vegetarian & vegan choices, like quinoa power salad, crustless quiche, eggplant and spaghetti squash lasagna, and stuffed marinated portobello mushrooms. Don’t miss the frozen family size selections with options like the extremely popular lasagna and white chicken enchiladas.

Most everything is available in half (serves 1-2) and full sizes (serves 2-3), and many items are available in family sized meals, which are perfect for large family gatherings, special occasion entertaining, and family vacations and come with easy-to-understand reheating instructions. Don’t forget to pick up a baguette, cornbread, dinner rolls or a cheesy garlic loaf to round out the meal.

Each week, The Kitchen puts out a Weekly Specials list in every category

that are available in addition to the regular menu. The specials are often seasonal or crowd favorites that are only available Wednesday to Saturday or until they run out. They also offer full-on catering orders, from intimate dinners to crowd-sized cocktail parties.

Now if all of this wasn’t enough, The Kitchen also stocks a wonderful selection of pre-packaged food items that are perfect for your pantry or make for great hostess gifts. Items like sauces, mustards, jams and jellies, glazes, pickles, chow chow, oils, nuts, coffee and even t-shirts and sweatshirts with The Kitchen logo.

In addition to the convenience of so much prepared food at your fingertips, Leigh Ann and Michelle have created a culture of service that is truly above and beyond. Sort of the Nordstrom of gourmet meals. You wouldn’t know it when you come in, but The Kitchen employs 60 employees. Quite a few of them are front-of-the-house helpers that are standing by to answer questions, make recommendations, find items, and even help you plan a meal or party menu. You can recognize them by the cute aprons and big smiles waiting for you when you walk in the store.

The rest of The Kitchen brigade, however, is back in the kitchen lovingly peeling, chopping, marinating, shredding, blending, kneading, baking, sautéing, roasting, assembling, plating, labeling and all those other ing-ing words that you think of when it comes to cooking and baking. Many of the kitchen staff are high school kids, college students and retirees. They even have several mother/daughter duos, as well as family members, in that several of Leigh Ann and Michelle’s kids can be found in the kitchen. Michelle is even looking forward to having three generations of her family in The Kitchen in the not-too-distant future. Both are quite proud of their staff and treat them as family members.

As if you aren’t already salivating, The Kitchen has some exciting news for early-2025. They have recently taken over the space next door. It will add about 2/3 more space to their already existing 5,000 square feet and will be adding additional refrigeration space, more grab-and-go retails options AND (wait for it) a grab-and-sit café space.

The plan is to not only offer a place to sit and enjoy a to-go sandwich or salad, but to offer a couple of hot specials every day, including breakfast sandwiches, paninis, hot soups, and a hot meal one night a week where they stay open late for dinner service. They also envision coffee service, beer and wine by the glass and by the bottle, and renting out the space for private events. It’s still a work in progress, so stay tuned and be on the lookout for a DISH update early next year.

If you’ve already drunk The Kitchen Kool-Aid, you know where we are coming from. And, you likely can’t wait to see what the new space brings. If you haven’t tried The Kitchen yet, what are you waiting for? Take it from these food enthusiasts, you don’t know what you are missing.

 

The Kitchen

136 Sea Island Pkwy. #5

Beaufort, SC 29907

843-379-3303

Open Monday-Friday 9:00am-6:00pm; Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm; Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm

www.thebeaufortkitchen.com

 

 

Beaufort-based travel journalists Lynn and Cele Seldon (www.seldonink.com) often cover culinary travel around the world and Lowcountry Weekly lured them to write a monthly feature covering the local food scene. This includes articles about restaurants, chefs, food-focused stores, farms, farmers, farmers markets, and more. They welcome suggestions for topics.