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CHICAGO — Columbia has its first-ever James Beard Award. Lula Drake Wine Parlour , at 1635 Main St., earned a win in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages category at a June 10 ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The downtown wine bar, known for its eclectic pours and delectable small plates, was nominated for Outstanding Hospitality in last year's awards, considered the "Oscars of the food world." "I was just in total shock," owner Tim Gardner told The Post and Courier after receiving the award. "Never, ever was this part of the plan.



" Gardner was joined by nine of his staff members in Chicago. Just a few years ago, he was weeks away from having to close the Columbia wine bar amid the pandemic. He expressed his gratitude for the dedicated staff members and patrons of Columbia who have supported Lula Drake since it opened in 2016.

"To go from that to this, you can't make these kind of stories up," Gardner said. Finalists for the James Beard Foundation's Restaurant and Chef Awards — which recognize exceptional talent and a commitment to equity, community and sustainability — were nominated across 22 categories, including Outstanding Restaurateur, Emerging Chef, Outstanding Bar and Best Chefs (by region). South Carolina's list of 11 semifinalists was whittled down to four finalists in April, when Lula Drake and chefs Nikko Cagalanan, James London and Robbie Robinson made it to the final stage.

Cagalanan faced off against four chefs from across the country in the Em.

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