Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2019

LC 32 www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.MountPleasantRestaurant.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com lowcountry cuisine it from A to B,” explained Hough. “It’s using your resources, your networks.” Enter: Food. “I like to eat,” said Hough, “and over the years, I’ve just had to learn how to cook.” After a boozy evening that ended in front his computer filling out an application to cook on TV, Hough started getting phone calls from California. He ignored them. “I completely forgot that I filled out an application,” said Hough. He had never seen “MasterChef ” when he was chosen from a pool of nearly 20,000 applicants and then sent to Los Angeles to cook for the likes of Gordon Ramsay. With a fan base of millions across 40 different countries, Hough took advantage of the chance to give Southeast Rescue & Relief a broader voice. “‘MasterChef ’ gave me a lot of opportunity to tell my story and to tell folks what we do, and now it’s coming to fruition.” Cooking on the show has opened a lot of doors for Hough. “People are hiring me to come cook at their house, which I love doing,” Hough said. “It’s hard work, but it enables me to cook with friends of mine.” Those friends include chef Bob Cook and front-of-house manager Ryan Babb of Edmund’s Oast, with whom Hough is currently producing a podcast called “Roasting Goats.” Hough is teaming up with Nashville singer and songwriter Patrick Davis to host a multi-day festival called Songwriters in Paradise (SIP) to raise money for Southeast Rescue and Davis’ nonprofit, Hope4HopeTown.com. Previous SIP artists include Randy Houser, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line and Darius Rucker. The inaugural Charleston event will include a culinary spin, as an array of local and celebrity chefs will create dishes and cocktails inspired by the music of a participating artist. Funds raised will go directly to support long-term relief efforts – like restoring ground power and rebuilding schools – in the Bahamas. Hough traveled to the Bahamas just one week after Hurricane Dorian decimated the islands. He cooked and served roughly 1,500 meals. Seeing the continued need for cooks on the island, Hough started a rotating roster of chefs and has been funding their travel to and from Hope Town since the last day he visited. Hough plans to return several times over the coming months, or “as long as there is a need on the island to have someone preparing meals.” Southeast Rescue & Relief is constantly collecting and sending provisions. They split the cost of a barge with another agency, delivering over $1.5 million in donated goods – “enough to start and run a small city,” said Hough. They will continue sending provisions, including laptops and school supplies, while setting aside funds to rebuild schools and daycare facilities. “We’re partnering with another nonprofit organization so the high school kids can take classes online,” said Hough. “It’s exhilarating, and it’s also liberating…Southeast Rescue has changed my life forever. I think about people differently. I think about life differently. The amount of compassion that I have for people – I don’t think that’s changed. It’s just easier for me to express it now,” he said. “You’ve got to start somewhere,” shared Hough. “A jar of peanuts starts with just one nut, right?” For more information about Southeast Rescue & Relief, including how to donate or volunteer, visit southeastrelief.org or call 843-364-1749. Jamie Hough and Sally Myers help flood victims in Beaumont, Texas, during Hurricane Harvey. Photo by XXXXXXXX.