Cooking is in Executive Chef Sam Diminich’s lineage.  Originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Diminich grew up in the restaurants of both his father and grandfather.  After working his way up the ranks in his family restaurants, Diminich enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America where he graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts.

 

After graduation, Diminich trained under Chef and Owner Georges Perrier at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He then headed back to the South where he worked BLT Steak located in the Ritz Carlton Charlotte prior to joining Upstream in 2003 as Sous Chef.  Diminich next served as Sous Chef at Arpa located in Charlotte in 2004 before his tenure as Executive Chef from 2006-2009. Most recently he worked under Executive Chef Raffaele Dall-Erta at The Hampton’s Restaurant in Sumter.  He joined the Upstream family in fall 2017 as Chef de Cuisine.

 

Chef Diminich is passionate about working with local ingredients.  His approach to cuisine is to honor the ingredients using sound techniques with a balance of flavors and textures blending traditional flavors with contemporary ones.  His goal is to have a celebratory impact on the guest dining experience.

 

When he is not in the kitchen, Sam enjoys spending time with his 2 children and enjoying the beauty of the Carolinas.