I didn’t come to the Lowcountry looking for a new career—but the tides had other plans.

After thirty years in the fast-paced world of publishing and graphic design—logos, deadlines, late nights—I found myself craving something quieter, slower, more rooted. When a long chapter in New York closed, I packed my bags and landed on Hilton Head Island with nothing but a suitcase, a broken heart, and a deep love of food.

What I found here was more than just a place to start over. I found salt air, soft mornings, and the kind of stillness that invites transformation.

I also found olive oil.

What began as a simple weekend job at a local olive oil and balsamics shop soon unfolded into something far greater—a calling. I fell in love with every facet of true extra virgin olive oil: its craftsmanship, its culture, its history, its flavor, its authenticity. What started as curiosity deepened into passion, and that passion carried me through study, tasting, and training until finally, I became an Olive Oil Sommelier.

Along the way, I realized olive oil wasn’t just changing my work—it was changing me. Each bottle carried lessons about patience, resilience, and balance. Just as an oil reveals its character through fruitiness, bitterness, and spice, I began to see my own life with new layers of depth and possibility. What started as a career shift became a personal transformation, one that continues to unfold at the table and beyond it.

This blog is a love letter to that new life—poured with purpose. It’s a collection of recipes, stories, and unforgettable characters, woven together with lessons in resilience, joy, and growth. The flavors are inspired by the Mediterranean way of eating—fresh, simple, vibrant—but grounded in the spirit of the Lowcountry: humble ingredients, generous hospitality, and a reverence for what grows close to home.

At its heart, this blog is about more than cooking; it’s about how olive oil can nourish a table, spark connection, and remind us that reinvention—like good flavor—takes time, courage, and a little bit of soul.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a New York designer follows her gut to the Carolina coast and discovers a life steeped in flavor—this is it. So come on in. Pour something good. And stay awhile.

Suzanne, The Olive Oil Gal