Meet Nicci Hughes | Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicci Hughes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicci, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I honestly never thought about it for a long time. I just thought working hard also meant being there anytime they needed me. Once we all went through quarantine (2020) and I actually spent time with my family without the constraints of running a kitchen. It’s like I woke up from a fog and I couldn’t ever look back! So, it took me a while to get here, but I finally have a good work life balance. I put my family and self before anything else, which is something I didn’t always do. By doing that, I find a good balance that is still fulfilling for my passions and I am thriving more than ever with my family and home life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My hospitality journey started when I was fifteen, I got my first job bussing tables at a local restaurant in Anderson, SC, called Charlie T’s Wings. The very first shift, I knew that I loved the restaurant industry. I have worked in many different establishments since then and have learned so much along the way.

I definitely had challenges to overcome, but I started with being the first of my family to graduate high school and college. I knew that I wanted to elevate my career in the hospitality industry and what better way to do that than take my education seriously. In addition, being a woman in the kitchen can present new challenges too, but with grit and pure determination those obstacles were conquered too!

Throughout my career I have learned to listen to the wisdom of others and not be so serious all of the time.

I want people to know Graze Daze because it is fun, intimate and tailored to each client’s vision. We are not trying to compete with the more well known, big caterers out there. We are trying to create lasting memories with our people. I want to have a drink with you at the end of your event, not race out of there because it was so stuffy and not enjoyable.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We love Greenville! It is our home and has so much to offer. The first place we are going is to my house. I want to show off our garden, make some yummy snacks and visit with our fur babies. Then we will go to Unity Park for some activities, eat some lunch at GB&D (Chicken Sando, all day!), grab some beers from community tap and enjoy the view. We would definitely go visit my old friend, Executive Chef Josh Dill at Coral in West End of Greenville for dinner. After some fun Greenville entertainment, we would finish the trip up with my famous steak dinner, almost famous arugula salad and Mary’s Filthy Martinis! We Love to entertain so it’s likely there would be a dance party too!

A few other places would include:
Breakfast Burritos with Popup Daylight Burrito
Sandwiches at Harry’s Hoagies
Afternoon snacks at Universal joint
Live Music at Radio Room
Late Night Dancing at Blu Martini
Pastries from Camilla’s Cafe at M Judson Booksellers

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I feel very fortunate to have so many people that deserve a shoutout for being so important in my story. However, I’ve had one person in my corner as my biggest supporter for 13 years and she’s my wife, Mary Harris. She has been monumental in my growth as a professional, and as a human. I am so lucky to have such an amazing partner who has always been my driving force. As many know, the life of a chef can be quite strenuous and consuming. Our families and partners can sometimes get the short end of the stick. I recognized that back in November of 2023 when I decided to put my focus back to my family and me.

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