As a boy growing up in Brooklyn, Charles Arena was fascinated by watching his mom and grandmother cook what he called “Italian comfort food.” In middle school, Arena’s family moved to Monticello, New York. He envied his older brother who found a job working in a small restaurant a couple of blocks from their new home. At 14 years old, Arena was also hired to work in a nearby restaurant. Following his passion for the food and beverage industry, he attended the Culinary Institute of America.
After graduating in 1998, Arena decided it was time to make a move away from wintry weather toward a warmer climate. He and his roommate traveled to South Carolina where they interviewed at restaurants along the coast from Myrtle Beach to Charleston. Parked at a table at Applebee’s in West Ashley one Wednesday night, the friends decided that Charleston would become the destination for their new home.
For the next seven years, Arena worked as chef for the Kiawah River Course & Beach Club. Then an opportunity arose to join The Boathouse as chef for the Breach Inlet and downtown locations, as well as overseeing their catering department. After a 12-year chapter with the group, Acme Lowcountry Kitchen called Arena, inquiring if he was ready to make a change. While Arena enjoyed his tenure at The Boathouse, when Acme presented their proposal, it was the right time for the transition.
Eight years later, Arena is happy working with a fantastic team while making local favorites such as the IOP shrimp and grits, his favorite seafood dish on Acme’s menu, and succotash.
A day in the life of a chef at Acme, he said, begins at 10 a.m. when he arrives to check in with the managers and sous chefs to get a lay of the land and a feel for what’s happening that day. Between working with vendors and creating nightly specials based on local and seasonal fresh catch and produce, Arena added that the most rewarding part of his job is keeping guests raving about the menu items, whether staples or innovative options.
When he’s not in the kitchen, Arena can be found at home hanging out with his wife and 17-year-old son, Tate, who has aspirations of becoming an animation artist; catching up on the phone with his 19-year-old son, Tre, who is studying to become an engineer; working out or playing with his two dogs Hondo and Sully. Arena said he rarely cooks in his own kitchen unless it’s the holidays and the kids are around. In that case, he pays homage to the Italian fare that he grew up with, along with traditional French dishes.
After 33 years in the food and beverage industry, Arena has his finger on the pulse of what keeps locals and visitors alike coming back. It’s quite evident that the kitchen is his arena.
By Sarah Rose
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