David and Tina Schuttenberg are the owners and operating partners behind Charleston, SC-based Always Awkward Hospitality, known for punk rock, Sichuan eatery Kwei Fei on James Island and Cantonese-inspired Beautiful South in historic downtown. David oversees all things culinary, while Tina handles the creative and marketing side of the business.

Tina’s career began in retail and fashion, where her eye for aesthetics paved the way for her role at Dean & DeLuca as the brand’s Creative Director before moving to Charleston in 2015. Despite having no restaurant experience, prior to starting Kwei Fei with David, her skillset has allowed a seamless transition into the hospitality industry.

Before moving to Charleston, David worked in some of New York City’s finest kitchens, including Tom Coliccio’s Craft, Zak Pelaccio’s venerable Fatty Crab, and arguably the country’s best butcher shop, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats. With over two decades of experience, David prefers a hands-on approach, keeping his knife skills sharp and his cooking acumen well honed, over a passive culinary role in his kitchens.

Ironically, it was a series of professional setbacks early in their Charleston lives that led the couple to open the cultish pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar Kwei Fei in late 2018. Five years later, in 2023, they opened Beautiful South on the upper peninsula, bringing flavors and inspiration from the foods of Southern China with a more delicate approach.