Forrest Parker is a 23-year industry veteran who has built a distinguished career in acclaimed restaurants throughout South Carolina’s Lowcountry and beyond. Parker is particularly celebrated for his work as an ͞agricultural archeologist͟ who rediscovers and reintroduces to local farmers heirloom varieties – some dating back to the establishment of the Carolina Colony – that were once the foundation of regional cooking but have been assumed extinct due to crosspollination and the homogenization of large-scale agribusiness. Due to his advocacy in restoring sustainable seed stock for these varieties, along with his support for local family farmers and fishermen, Governor Nikki Haley named Parker the 2016 South Carolina Chef Ambassador for the Lowcountry, one of four designated food regions in the state. As a member of James Beard Foundation, Southern Foodways Alliance and Slow Food USA, Parker brings his passion for elevated Southern cuisine executed at the highest level to diners at Drawing Room. Parker’s overarching vision while developing menus for Drawing Room is to honor the Lowcountry’s revered foodways with creative interpretations that make these ingredients relevant to Charleston’s current status as one of the South’s most influential and innovative culinary centers.