Our Press

"CITY NOTEBOOK: CHARLESTON"

Southern Accents follows Chef Mike Lata and three other well-known locals to get the inside scoop on their favorite shops, restaurants, hotels and other hot spots.  Chef Lata says that he looks forward to "roe shrimp season" in the spring because of its sweet taste.

"FOOD IS GOOD"

Beloved southern chef Frank Stitt profiles Chef Mike Lata for Kiawah Island’s annual Legends magazine, paying tribute to FIG’s chicken liver mousse, steak tartare, and “rustic, precise cooking of sustainably raised vegetables.”  Stitt commends Chef Lata for "capturing well the soul and flavor of farmlands and waters."

"FINE DINING"

FIG is featured in the dining guide of the Charleston Post & Courier.  Chef Lata is praised for finding the "true essence and identity of an ingredient" and making it bloom.

"CHARELSTON: EDITOR'S GUIDE FOR WHERE TO EAT NOW"

Southern Living editors Lyda Burnette, Jennifer Cole and Shannon Satterwhite eat their way through Charleston, one appetizer at a time in “Bite Sized Charleston,” stopping at FIG for the off-the-menu but insider-favorite seasonal veggie plate.

"100 SOUTHERN FOODS YOU ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, MUST TRY BEFORE YOU DIE"

Southern food expert and Southern Foodways Alliance Director John T. Edge searches far and wide to find outstanding southern cuisine naming FIG’s Chicken Liver Pâté as one of his favorites.

"MEET CHEF MIKE LATA: FIG MEANS GOURMET DINING IN CHARLESTON"

Noted food writer Doc Lawrence interviews Chef Mike Lata for Charleston Review. In this interview, Lata talks candidly about his food philosophy, his mentors, his commitment to locally-grown products, and his passion for the Lowcountry.  Lata notes that much of his culinary inspiration comes for French cooking and French master chefs.  Also discussed in the article is Lata's dedication to local ingredients and his involvement in the Slow Food Movement.

"THE LOCAVORE'S DILEMMA"

In this first-person account written  by Chef Mike Lata for the Charleston City Paper’s bi-annually published DISH, we go behind the scenes during a typical day at FIG, from the arrival of the first produce truck at 8 a.m., to creating the daily menu, to the hustle-and-bustle of a regular dinner service.  Chef Lata describes the drama in the kitchen and the intricate process of creating dishes made with only local ingredients.  Readers learn that while cooking like a locavore makes the food taste better, the process isn't easy.

"SOUTH BY SOUTHEAST"

Writer Brittany Edwards visits “a cool crop of outposts revitalizing (Charleston’s) historic cobblestone streets.”

“The smart wine list is packed with loads of surprisingly affordable bottles.”

“Everything about the experience (at FIG) was perfect. Lata has just the right touch to create an evening that lasts in the memory and lingers on the palate.”