Yang Kwei Fei was an 8th century consort of the last Tang Dynasty emperor Xuanzong. Known both for her beauty and her fondness for alcohol, she is one half of one of the most famous love stories of ancient China. It is that love that has inspired Kwei Fei, a restaurant concept from Chef David Schuttenberg inspired by the foods of Western China, and more specifically the province of Sichuan. This style of Chinese cooking is known for its vibrant, colorful, and piquant flavors.
Charleston’s 2019 Eater Award Winners
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
“James Islanders luck out with Kwei Fei's unlikely arrival and bold flavors”
-Vanessa Wolf, Charleston City Paper
★★★★☆ The great Chinese restaurant that Charleston has long awaited
- Hanna Raskin, The Post Courier
Owners of Kwei Fei on James Island put together new menu instead of China trip scrapbook
For a city known for its food, these eight newcomers are worth a reservation.
ENJOY KWEI FEI
FAQ
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It's pronounced KH-WHY FAY. Not what you thought? Get your mind out of the gutter.
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Wanting to change or make a reservation? Head over to Resy.com to make any changes. We do not accept any reservation changes via email, DM or phone. Please do not arrive with more people than your reservation size without a confirmation from Resy or booking a Banquet. Our largest table available without pre-booking a banquet is six people, not seven, six. That's not because we don't want to, it's the table's fault. Maybe one day they'll grow? … don’t forget to count the kids in the reservation.
Think you made a reservation, but didn't get a confirmation? Make sure you accept our cancelation policy and create a Resy account. Not into the idea of adding a credit card to hold the reservation? You're welcome to walk-in, but know that there might be a wait.
We don’t have a ton of seats, so we’re very strict about the reservation policy.
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We believe everyone on Team Kwei Fei plays an important part in your experience. To show that appreciation All tips (even takeout) are shared with the team of Kwei Fei Cooks.
We recently added a 3% Charge for all non-cash payments. This was in a large part to help give wage increases and to provide wellness benefits for our full-time employees.
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No, you’re not having an allergic reaction, it’s those sichuan peppercorns doing what they do. Making the molecules in your lips dance. That “Chili sauce” that’s giving us one star reviews on Google is actually chili oil. Chinese food uses broken sauces instead of emulsified sauces seen in French cooking. It’s just different than some people are used to and that’s ok. We never said we were for everyone, but we sure hope you like it.
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Best way to enjoy Chinese food is family style, which means you get to try a bunch of things. Really not feeling like sharing? I mean, I guess you can, but it’s discouraged and will negatively affect your experience. Granny Sue might have her food 20 min before you get yours. Get ready to tell a looong story while you’re waiting.
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Someone once explained it to us like this, Chef works everyday to perfect each dish. It’s a lot like seeing an actor on stage. We hope you’ll give us a chance to give you that performance. That said we know some people just can’t do spice, so we’ve got you covered. We can lower the heat on some dishes. Please ask your server for suggestion. Keep in mind you are at a Sichuan restaurant. We can lower the heat, but it’s still going to blow the top off some.
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We love dogs too, but after an incident we no longer allow them in the restaurant.
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STILL NEED SOME HELP?
OUR TEAM
We couldn’t do it without them.
DAVID SCHUTTENBERG
Chef/Owner Always Awkward Hospitality
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David Schuttenberg is the Chef/Owner of Always Awkward Hospitality, the quirky and irreverent driving force behind Charleston, SC’s beloved punk rock & Sichuan restaurant Kwei Fei and elevated Chinese-American hotspot Beautiful South.
An industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, David has spent time in some of the country’s highest regarded kitchens. He started his career in New York, NY, working under Tom Coliccio at The New York Times 3 Star Craft, where he learned the value of cooking simply, while using the highest quality ingredients with technique. David later spent six years under James Beard award-winning Zak Pelaccio, where he helped develop Malaysian gastropub Fatty Crab in the West Village and discovered his love for vibrant and “punch-you-in-the-face flavors” that would later inspire Kwei Fei. Before deciding it was time to leave the city, he spent four years with Jacob Dickson in arguably the best butcher shop in the country, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, as Chef and Culinary Creative Director. David’s move to Charleston in 2015 reunited him with his first chef from Craft, Damon Wise, where he worked on the opening team as Director of Culinary Operations for Scarecrow and Co.
Ready to realize his ultimate dream of opening a restaurant that would combine his cooking acumen and his personality, David and his wife, Tina, began concepting Kwei Fei, a Sichuan pop-up that quickly formed a cult-following and opened as a brick and mortar on James Island in late 2018. They opened Beautiful South five years later, in 2023, bringing flavors and inspiration from the foods of Southern China with a more delicate approach. P
referring to keep his knife skills sharp over a passive culinary role, you can find David heating the wok and jamming to good tunes in one of the two kitchens on any given night.
TINA HEATH-SCHUTTENBERG
Creative Director/Owner Always Awkward Hospitality
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The AZ native followed her passion for design and fashion to art school in Denver and soon after made a cross-country trek to live in NYC and work in high fashion, holding a position at Zac Posen. During the economic recession of 2008, Tina left fashion to stay at home with her daughter full-time. Seeking to reinvent herself within her creative abilities, she pivoted to food and beverage by helping friends open trend-setting Brooklyn-based micro-grocery The General Greene. She then transitioned to the Plaza Hotel to oversee the launch of its retail flagship The Plaza Food Hall, finally landing at the renowned Dean & Deluca where she oversaw merchandising. Before accepting a new role as Dean & Deluca’s Creative Director in 2015, Tina moved to Charleston, SC where she soon joined Caviar & Bananas growing business as Director of Merchandising. after opening kwei fei in 2019, Micho in 2020, she opened portal, a preloved designer and vintage clothing pop-up, in 2021. Both are now closed to so she could take on the next adventure, Beautiful South.