CHARLESTON, SC – (November 7, 2014) Garden & Gun proudly announces the winners of its fifth annual MADE IN THE SOUTH AWARDS, celebrating and encouraging Southern craftsmen making products in five categories: Food, Drink, Style & Design, Outdoors, and Home.
Garden & Gun unveiled the winners at the first-ever Made in the South Awards Gala, held in Savannah on the campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) on the evening of November 6th. The winners and runners-up will be featured in the magazine’s December 2014/January 2015 issue.
“We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our newest class of Made in the South winners and finalists than with one of the country’s leading art and design schools,” said David DiBenedetto, editor in chief of Garden & Gun. “We’re thrilled to partner with SCAD as we continue to showcase talented artisans throughout the South.”
The Outdoors and Overall Winner is Bulls Bay OYRO, maker of the OYRO Cooker, based in McClellanville, SC. Bulls Bay OYRO started as a catering venture, run by husband and wife team Oliver and Debbie Thames. They designed the OYRO Cooker out of a desire to host oyster roasts in the traditional Lowcountry way, with local Bulls Bay oysters roasted over a wood fire under a wet burlap sack. The OYRO Cooker is a portable 3-piece set constructed of durable steel and includes a cooking table, cooking tray and fire box.
“When we designed the OYRO Cooker, it was out of necessity for our business,” said Oliver Thames. “It is an unbelievable honor for it to be recognized by Garden & Gun Magazine and included in this talented lineup of finalists.”
Judges for the 2014 Made in the South Awards:
• Chris Hastings (Birmingham, AL), owner and executive chef, Hot & Hot Fish Club, as well as a James Beard Award winner (Food)
• Brooks Reitz (Charleston, SC), founder of Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. and co-owner of Leon’s Oyster Shop (Drink)
• Natalie Chanin (Florence, AL), founder of Alabama Chanin, a design company with a strong commitment to sustainable practices and local production in fashion, and winner of the 2013 CFDA/Lexis Eco-Fashion Challenge Award (Style & Design)
• T. Edward Nickens (Raleigh, NC), expert sportsman and author of The Total Outdoorsman Skills & Tools Manual, and a frequent Garden & Gun contributor (Outdoors)
• Celerie Kemble (Palm Beach, FL/New York, NY), renowned interior designer, partner in Kemble Interiors, and author of Black and White (and a Bit in Between) (Home)
To learn more about all 2014 Made in the South winners and finalists and how to purchase their products, pick up a copy of the December 2014/January 2015 issue of Garden & Gun or visit www.gardenandgun.com.
Garden & Gun is an award-winning national lifestyle magazine that covers the best of the South, including the sporting culture, the food, the music, the art, the literature, the people and their ideas. Reaching a national audience of more than 1.25 million passionate and engaged readers, the magazine has won numerous awards for its journalism, design, and overall excellence. Visit gardenandgun.com.