Chef Michael Sibert of White Wine & Butter named a 2024 South Carolina Chef Ambassador

Greer-based Chef and White Wine & Butter owner Michael Sibert was named as one of three 2024 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors as a representative of culinary tradition while endorsing agricultural support within the Palmetto State.

During a press conference at the Columbia State House on Jan. 18, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Sibert as part of the 10th-anniversary class of the ambassadors program, joining Chef Javier Uriarte of Elgin and Chef Leslie Rohland of Bluffton.

"It's a very prestigious award for the state to consider you to represent them," said Sibert, a Greenwood, native. " At White Wine & Butter, we believe in community over competition which means having that bridge between Greenville, Greer, farmers and everyone else in the culinary industry in the state."

Sibert's appointment from the governor endorses the chef's ability to curate quality dining throughout the various food festivals and other promotional dining opportunities that promote South Carolina's growing culinary scene.

In July of 2023, he was featured on the Food Network's "Guy's Grocery Games" and has worked in the food & beverage industry for nearly a decade after training in New Orleans and receiving his education from Cornell University and Culinary Institute of the Carolinas. In the same year, Sibert opened Anonymous Burger in Greer.

"Our state's outstanding culinary talent contributes to the rich cultural heritage and quality that makes South Carolina unique and attractive to all," said Gov. McMaster. "Our newest class of Chef Ambassadors represent our mountains, Midlands, and coast, adding to the top-tier talent that this program has spotlighted over the past 10 years."

While excited to help drive tourism and gain a platform to generate more traffic for his food businesses, the state-recognized chef is also prioritizing food education for children through an upcoming April cooking class at The Children's Museum of the Upstate, and efforts that aim at attacking hunger and food disparity.

"Last year was our biggest involving holiday meals as we had over 100 turkeys sold, and donated an additional 50 during Thanksgiving," said Sibert. "To know we started with 15 turkeys in a garage, to then opening a small restaurant which turned into a catering kitchen and venue space; it's been amazing.

"We have a lot of reach here in the Upstate now, and we want to use the people who want to eat to help me feed people who need to eat."

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– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Chef Mike Sibert of White Wine & Butter named 2024 SC Chef Ambassador