Growing up on a cattle farm in Awendaw, South Carolina, Will Lacey saw from an early age how distinctive and delicious Lowcountry cuisine can be. After a career spent in restaurant kitchens, founding and running a specialty food company, and catering special events and popups, he started Driftwood Pantry in Spring 2018 to share his culinary philosophy of food that is rooted in Charleston, peppered with global influences. Driftwood Pantry offers: pitmaster services, catering and special events, chef and product collaborations, product and brand development, and a line of food products.

After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Lacey – a self-taught chef – cut his teeth in restaurant kitchens in Columbia, SC. His next steps were popups and menu development all while he worked to launch a specialty food company, Savvy Foods, named after his childhood yellow lab. Savvy launched, grew across the East Coast and garnered international interest, and Lacey found himself doing popup dinners and kitchen takeovers from Columbia to Richmond, VA to Boston, MA.

Food and community touch every aspect of Lacey’s life, and he works closely with non-profits such as Richmond, VA’s EAT Foundation. When not in the kitchen, you can find Lacey spending time with his wife, dogs and cat, exploring the Lowcountry’s best food and drink, and dreaming about the cuisine of Oaxaca, Mexico.