Biography: Robert Carter, Executive Chef

Southern born and bred Robert Carter arrived in Charleston in 1987 to attend Johnson & Wales University. In order to fund his education, the enterprising Carter began cooking for one of Charleston’s most aristocratic families. It didn’t take long for their kitchen to become the envy of their social set. Inspired by the copious accolades, Carter took on the role as the principal and sole employee of a popular catering endeavor called Rent-a-Chef.

After his 1989 graduation, Carter charted a culinary course that included an apprenticeship with certified master chef Victor Gielisse in Dallas and as Executive Chef at Tennessee’s The Inn at Blackberry Farm before docking in Key West in 1991 as the executive chef for Café Marquessa.

He developed a reputation for robust cuisine defined by a deceptively simple approach that bolsters the essence of each ingredient, creating extraordinary layers of flavor. Carter eventually developed a desire to return to Charleston, prompting him to partner with industry entrepreneur Hank Holliday. Their shared vision, The Peninsula Grill, opened at the Planters Inn in 1997 to rave reviews and capacity crowds. Esquire named it one of the Best New Restaurants of the Year, noting that for a city “with every other aesthetic inducement, Charleston sure could use a few restaurants in the equal of Peninsula Grill.”