Get on Board with Lowcountry Bites: The Parrillas have found an artistic niche through their successful business

By Ashley Daniels

Tatina “Tati” Parrilla is an accountant by trade and the owner of Lowcountry Bites, which fuels her artistic passion.

The creative charcuterie board outlet was first sparked during the COVID pandemic, when many new ideas took shape. She and her husband, Joseph, began handcrafting wooden trays and cutting boards, which she says, “sold like crazy.”

“For three years, we made the wooden trays, showcased them, and we’d fill them up with food and take pictures,” says Tati. “And then we have all this food left over because we can only eat so much between my husband, me, and our two kids. Oh, and the dogs love prosciutto, too! And then we would give them to friends and family, and people were saying, ‘Oh my God, I want the food too.’ Eventually, we realized we needed a different outlet for creativity, so we started doing this, and we are loving it.”

Tati, originally from Brazil, and her husband (also a certified chef) officially opened Lowcountry Bites out of a commercial licensed kitchen in Murrells Inlet in March 2024, and, at the time of our interview, she was waiting on the final permit approvals and inspections for their new storefront in Pawleys Island on Willbrook Boulevard.

“With the new storefront, we are going to expand from just charcuterie to like a café, selling sandwiches, paninis, salads, coffee, specialty coffees, and we will have a small selection of desserts or quick bites,” explains Tati. “And with charcuterie, we will have a few grab-and-go charcuterie boxes. But you can also order online for pickup, or you can come by and place an order, or call it in.”

She says repeat customers reorder based on word-of-mouth feedback, which has been best for business. “We’re putting a lot of work into this, and we are getting great feedback because of it,” says Tati. “People don’t typically give feedback unless it’s to complain. … I mean, anybody can buy cheeses and meats and do it themselves. We put in the time to make it look pretty. We’ll source different cheeses, gourmet cheese, specialty items that you might not be able to find at your everyday grocery store.”

Tati admits that she doesn’t cook (that’s something her professional chef husband takes care of) and doesn’t have the patience to wait for the water to boil, but she does when folding salami, slicing cheeses, and arranging strawberries in pure artistry.

“I really enjoy that. When I’m doing it, that’s all I’m doing, and I’m not thinking of anything else. …  I’m an accountant, and I needed something so my brain wouldn’t burst,” she says with a laugh. “But I am one of those weird people who actually like accounting. It’s not terrible. I just needed a network outlet and something to do with my hands, and this has been a blessing in disguise.”

’Tis the season, and Lowcountry Bites will be taking catering orders for Christmas events and gatherings. Charcuterie boards range from different sizes of trays to huge grazing tables in a variety of beautiful themes, such as brunch boards or s’mores boards.

Tati says they will be testing the waters on open hours at the new Lowcountry Bites location, with a tentative timeframe of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to focus more on brunch and lunch.

“We want to be more of your quick lunch, date lunch, or office meeting lunch, that kind of thing,” she says. “We’re also looking to gear up for small catering and large catering, obviously, if you’re having an office lunch. And then mid-afternoon, if you want a pick-me-up, we’ll have some protein snacks and coffee. If you don’t feel like cooking dinner and want something light, you can grab a few sandwiches, a salad, or a charcuterie box.”

For more information and updates, visit Lowcountrybites.com.