Chef Erica McCier also known as Chef Trudy is the owner and executive chef of Indigenous Underground in Abbeville, SC. Her indomitable spirit, talents in the kitchen and penchant for showcasing local ingredients have earned her a place on the 2023 roster of South Carolina Chef Ambassadors. It took a near-death experience to give new life to Chef Erica McCier. When her kidneys failed in 2008, she was resuscitated and placed on dialysis while awaiting an organ transplant. Once a middle school teacher, active community member and busy mom, McCier now faced a massive void, and she filled it by watching cooking shows. When she received a donor kidney in 2013, it opened avenues for a new life direction—and food was at its core. Since opening Indigenous Underground in 2021, the energetic chef has been redefining the dining scene in Abbeville with dishes that are a fusion of Southern and global flavors.