Born and raised in Harlem in New York City, Tyquan Poinsette grew up watching his grandmother cook. As her taste tester, Poinsette became enamored with the culinary arts early in life. At 14-yearsold, he moved to Charleston, where he’d vacationed every summer while visiting family. By high school he was winning cooking competitions in home economics class and fell head over heels with gastronomy.
As Poinsette was wrapping up his senior year, he consulted with a career counselor who guided him to a job bussing tables at O’Charley’s in West Ashley. While simultaneously attending Trident Technical College to earn a degree in the culinary arts, he moved up in the ranks to dishwasher and then to sauté cook. When he graduated, he realized there were no further options for advancing his career at O’Charley’s, and decided it was time to move on.
His next stop was East Bay Deli, where he became a line cook at both the downtown and West Ashley locations. After three or four years there, he began looking for experience in fine dining. A line cook position opened up at the Old Village Post House, where he said he had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside great chefs, such as Forrest Parker, who now leads Undiscovered Charleston culinary history walking tours downtown. One of the other chefs moved to The Refuge and he helped out there parttime while still working at the Post House. When she left, he took over her role as the executive chef.
Poinsette’s favorite Refuge menu items to make – and eat – are the best-selling chicken pesto tortellini, the seared scallops or the triggerfish, which is accompanied by Lowcountry- style crab rice, bacon cauliflower puree and a garlic dill beurre blanc. He also enjoys creating daily specials as well as theme nights, such as steak Tuesdays, prime rib Thursdays and lobster Sundays, the latter of which features fresh lobsters flown in from Maine.
At home, Poinsette loves to make soul food such as mac and cheese and collard greens. When he’s not in the kitchen, he builds motorized bikes, chills at home or hangs out with friends. He is also a barbeque connoisseur who favors Rodney Scott’s and Home Team.
“Everyone around is like family,” Poinsette said. “It truly is a place to come and seek refuge.”
To reserve a table, visit refugeiop.com.
By Sarah Rose
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