French King
Scoundrel, Chef Joe Cash’s flagship restaurant in downtown Greenville, is just as nuanced as the man himself
By Blair Knobel
Executive chef and owner Joe Cash embodies the mischievous essence of Scoundrel through his penchant for fine food and drink; photograph by Paul Mehaffey.
Chef Joe Cash seems all swagger. That is, until he looks you in the eye and speaks about the journey that led him to open his first restaurant. The chef is invested in the moment, in the conversation, and his seeming machismo is only a front to his deeply thoughtful way.
Per Se. Noma. Torrisi Italian Specialties. The Pool. Chef Joe has cooked in some of the most elite restaurants in the world. Some may credit luck as a major player in such a career trajectory, but much of the equation rests within the man himself. Cash credits David Breeden, now the chef de cuisine at the world-renowned California restaurant The French Laundry, with career-shaping advice.
“Forever ago at Per Se, Breeden (who was then the executive sous-chef) pulled me aside. I had checked in some onions that weren’t perfect, and he explained to me that in order to keep our standards where they are, we have to scrutinize everything. This small lesson over a few bad onions resonated with me throughout my entire career and is something I talk to my cooks about often. To be a great chef you have to have drive, you have to practice and hone your craft, and ultimately you have to have a wildly discerning eye . . . . You can’t let the small things slip through,” he says.
Cash’s philosophy of utilizing only the best ingredients, coupled with intention and execution, translates into superlative food at Scoundrel. The chef isn’t aiming for idiosyncratic flavors or artistic small plates. He combines encyclopedic knowledge with his favorite ways to cook and dine. That translates to dishes that satisfy, not mystify.
“To be a great chef you have to have drive, you have to practice and hone your craft, and ultimately you have to have a wildly discerning eye . . . . You can’t let the small things slip through.”
The chef delivers quintessential renditions of Parisian cuisine—the definition of escargots or steak frites. He wants folks to have a good time. To order a drink and get comfortable. To come for a celebration or just for dinner. “It’s more about this convivial moment, hanging out with your friends, being a part of this energetic dining room, and enjoying really beautiful food and wines and cocktails in between all of that,” he says.
A sexy French bistro spirit haunts the dining space at Scoundrel; photography by Savannah Bockus x Max DiNatale Digital.
After time as executive chef at New York’s The Pool, the pandemic led Cash and his wife, Jocelyn, to consider a different direction. The dominoes lined up for the family to return to the chef’s hometown of Greenville, where the fire for his career began at a now-closed Lone Star Steakhouse. After an illustrious run in the kitchens of others, Scoundrel now belongs to Cash. And, like the word implies, the chef may have a mischievous side, but his craft is magic.
Leading portrait of Chef Joe Cash by Savannah Bockus x Max DiNatale Digital; second portrait and photography of dishes (Tomahawk ribeye; shells; escargots) by Paul Mehaffey
Scoundrel, 18 N Main St, Greenville, Sc. scoundrelgvl.com
Don’t miss Scoundrel’s Friends in Mischief dinner, May 8th and 9th, featuring Chef Sungchul Shim of the lauded NYC restaurants Kochi and Mari, and soon-to-open Gui, and pastry chef Thomas Raquel. Friends in Mischief is a multi-course dinner series highlighting internationally renowned chefs. The six-course dinners are a one-of-a-kind creative collaboration between Chef Joe Cash and other top-tier culinary artists, Joe’s “friends in mischief,” from around the globe.
Tickets are $125+, with an additional $55 for an optional wine pairing. Two seatings are available, 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., on May 8th and 9th.