When Andrea Ciavardini-Royko’s phone rang on Wednesday, Jan. 21, it was Chef Dayna Lee on the other line to let her know she was joining an elite club in Greenville — the James Beard semifinalists club.
Andrea, managing partner and sommelier at Jianna, is the lone SC nominee in the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service category.
I vividly remember interviewing Chef Dayna the day she became a James Beard nominee in 2023: the shock, the excitement, and an overwhelming amount of humility. I felt the same when speaking with Andrea, who told me she was jumping up and down on her bed while on the phone with her friend.
“It’s the second most exciting day besides me getting married to my husband,” she told me. “This is huge for me!”
It is huge and, in my opinion, oh-so-deserved. She proudly boasts that Jianna’s wine program represents every region in Italy (and the islands).
