Nathan Hood had essentially reached the pinnacle of his profession. No longer a line cook constantly "in the weeds," Hood was the culinary director of a prominent Charleston hospitality group with three restaurants, including one near the Mount Pleasant home where he was raised.
Yet something felt off. He missed the constant creativity that came with the long hours and late nights in kitchens across the world. At the same time, he was looking for an avenue to spend more time with his wife, Shannon, and their three children.
What did he do next? Grow mushrooms in the garage, naturally. Three years since the first mushrooms fruited, the varieties Shannon suggested he sell to restaurants have multiplied, and the couple has established one of the most innovative new farms in the area.
Unlike ones growing tomatoes and corn, Raven Farms is housed inside a warehouse along a remote stretch of Charleston. A misty haze hovers in the air as the doors to Raven Farms' grow room are opened. When it dissipates, mushrooms shaped like globes and spaghetti with small, delicate caps come into full view.
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