Mill Village Ministries will host its annual Culinary Concert fundraiser on October 29 at 6:30 p.m., bringing celebrity chefs, live music, and a five-course wine-paired tasting menu to Hotel Hartness east of Greenville. Tickets run $175 per person, with proceeds benefiting Mill Village Farms, the nonprofit's program dedicated to feeding families fresh and healthy food.
The event, first reported by the Greenville Journal, will feature chef Stephan Baity, a Food Network champion, alongside Troy Arnold, known locally as the “pasta guru.” The evening also includes live music from Steven Galloway, artisanal liqueurs, desserts, and a live auction. Table sponsorships are available and include entry to a VIP pre-party ahead of the main event, according to the same report.
Rhonda Rawlings, Mill Village Ministries' community director, is listed as part of the organization behind the gala, per the Greenville Journal's reporting. Mill Village Ministries is headquartered at 1186 Pendleton St. in Greenville, a facility the nonprofit built as part of a $5.5 million redevelopment project that broke ground in October 2023 to centralize its headquarters and community programs into a single service hub, according to the Post and Courier.
A Hub for More Than Fresh Produce
Mill Village Farms is just one piece of a larger ecosystem. The Post and Courier reports that Mill Village Ministries also runs Village Wrench, a bike shop and youth development program; Village Launch, an entrepreneurship training program; and Village Engage, a community equity and justice initiative.
The farms program's FoodShare Greenville initiative, run in partnership with FoodShare SC, distributes fresh produce boxes biweekly, the Greenville Journal reported separately. Boxes valued at more than $30 are offered for just $5 to SNAP recipients, making fresh produce accessible to families who might otherwise go without it.
Supporting Food Access
Fundraisers like the Culinary Concert support Mill Village Farms' work providing families with fresh, healthy food. Proceeds from the event benefit the organization.
Celebrity Chefs and Local Culinary Talent
Baity brings a national resume to the Hartness kitchen: Wofford College says he appeared on Cake Wars and Halloween Wars and won two awards for live carving at the Culinary Olympics, according to Wofford College. Arnold's path runs through Greenville's own food scene — he developed his handmade pasta techniques under chef Michael Kramer at Table 301 before starting his own pasta-making business, Pasta Guru, per Charleston Wine + Food.
Musical performer Steven Galloway rounds out the evening's talent lineup. Galloway, trained at Lander University, is a smooth-jazz saxophonist and pianist previously named the top jazz artist in Upstate South Carolina by the Greenville News, according to Antigua Winds.
An Upscale Setting With Its Own History
Hotel Hartness is located at 120 Halston Ave. east of Greenville.
This year's event at Hotel Hartness features a five-course tasting menu and live auction.
