On a cool twilight drive to Lost Isle, the smell of a wood fire drifted in the wind as I neared the outdoor eatery. There is something about woodsmoke that whets my appetite for really good food, good conversation and a laid back, fun experience. I had high expectations, given the rave reviews and landing on the New York Times Top 50 List, not to mention being the only Charleston restaurant to earn that honor. Lost Isle is located a few minutes from downtown Charleston on Johns Island, SC.
Chef Josh Taylor and T.J. Lynch, restaurateur, originated the concept for the highly popular fire-to-table outdoor restaurant, which opened almost a year ago on a small plot behind a concrete block house. The space needed a great deal of originality and the team brought that to the table. “The space really dictated what we could do with it, so we made a huge live fire grill, a type of cooking I’ve always enjoyed,” says Taylor. Picture an elevated backyard BBQ vibe with sophisticated international flavors paired with southern classics like collards, fire roasted clams and oysters, steaks and chops, and veggies. Not to mention a grilled focaccia served with whipped ricotta!
Having grown up in and around his mom’s North Georgia restaurant, and working in them most of his youth, Chef Taylor finally went to culinary school in Athens, GA and began a chef’s life in corporate kitchens. At age 29, he led a staff of 150 employees across seven locations. As Taylor explains, he learned how to work with large kitchen staff and was mentored by the positive influence of the owners. “They taught me that you can run a large operation in a more relaxed way and use psychology to manage in order to avoid stressing out.” He says it serves him well now, because on Saturdays at Lost Isle the crowd is “so crazy straight out of the gate.” His pro tip? “Go later rather than early at opening when most arrive.”
As for T.J. Lynch, he operates several food and beverage businesses in New York, Chicago, and Nashville, to name a few. As a local, here in Charleston, he owns Lowlife on Folly Beach, also an open air venue, with “a menu that takes bar food to new heights,” reports Charleston Magazine.
When asked about the inspiration behind his cooking and what his favorite international food is, Taylor quickly replied, “Northern Thai street food! Cooked over fire outside. We visited Chiang Mai, Thailand, and were blown away.” The live oak cooking that Taylor practices includes a “bunch of flavors” as a personal preference including Northern Africa, Argentinian, and Thai to create the unique items that are on the menu. And new menu offerings are on the way soon, such as papas bravas with harissa and crème fraiche, and a steak au poivre that blends red eye gravy, mezcal, and espresso, for a sauce. “Almost everything we serve here is house made, [including] the cold brew coffee in the espresso martini, the juices in the cocktails, and sauces,” says Taylor. “What we don’t make we buy locally, in an effort to support our local businesses.”
As a result of the notoriety from being named a Top 50 restaurant in the New York Times, Taylor says, “we adjust on the prep side and now every weekday is a Friday.” He explains that he never knew they were dining with [The Times] back in May. “The photo editor emailed us for pictures and Patrick Farrell, the writer, called to fact check a few things. It’s super exciting to be included. It doesn’t change us or what we offer, We have a ton of local support and we appreciate it. We’ll keep doing what we do best in our current space here.”
AUTHOR
A seasoned PR pro and food photographer, Susan is an inspirational writer who travels the world planning her trips by dining reservations. She started the GA Lottery in the 90’s and turned to food watching Public TV with Jacques Pepin, Natalie Dupree and The Frugal Gourmet. She is an accomplished home cook and lover of all cuisines.
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