CofC Podcast: Chef Lauren Furey's Recipe for Success
On this episode of the "Speaking of ... College of Charleston" podcast, we go behind the scenes with Chef Lauren Furey '19, the host of "Now We're Cookin'" on SCETV.
On this episode of the Speaking of … College of Charleston podcast, we speak to Lauren Furey ’19 about her recipe for success and her South Carolina ETV web series, Now We’re Cookin’ with Chef Lauren Furey, which she launched in 2024. Season Two premieres on March 17, 2026, celebrating makers and creators, from farmers and fishermen to butchers and beekeepers.
RELATED: Read more about Furey’s SCETV show.
At the College of Charleston, Furey was a double major in business administration and hospitality and tourism management and built a culinary career rooted in Lowcountry flavors.
She says the greatest value of her College of Charleston experience was the network forged by faculty who connected students with community professionals, like Nathalie Dupree and Bob Waggoner. These mentoring experiences gave her the chance to apply classroom knowledge to a career.
To manage her demanding schedule, Lauren has learned the important lesson of not saying yes to everything, despite the entrepreneurial temptation to do so. To maintain her wellbeing, she makes time for activities like surfing and reading.
“I’m always hungry to learn,” she says. “I like to go to the library to check out cookbooks and memoirs from chefs. That’s a great way to relax.”
She says an important factor in helping her manage her business is her involvement with the Charleston Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international philanthropic organization that provides scholarships and mentorships to women in the food, wine and hospitality industries. She advises students who want to follow her path to push themselves.
“Whatever you set your mind to, you might as well go ahead and put your all in,” she says.
Listen to the full episode above or download from your favorite podcast app:
Chef Furey’s tips for hosting dinner parties:
- Get people involved and help them feel wanted in the kitchen by giving them tasks.
- Create a handwritten timeline.
- Prep ahead of time as much as possible.
Chef Furey’s Favorite Cookbooks:
- Deep Run Roots, by Vivian Howard
- Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking, by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart
- Dining In, by Alison Roman
- Everyday Italian, by Giada de Laurentiis
- Essentials of Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan
- Chasing Flavor, by Dan Kluger
Chef Furey’s Favorite Local Resources:
- The Veggie Bin
- Crosby’s Seafood
- Ted’s Butcher Block
- NY Butcher Shop
- Peculiar Pig Farm
- Fire Ant Farm
- LowLand Farms
Resources From This episode:
Contact Furey for a dinner party at laurenfurey.com.
