Strawberry Jalapeno BBQ Chicken
"I always tell people I was not born in the restaurant industry, but I was born into a world of food,” says Chef Guichard “Chef G” Ulysse.
Growing up in Haiti, Chef G’s earliest cooking lessons took place in an open-air kitchen where his mother cooked for their family of nine.
"I'm the third out of seven kids. So, growing up, I always found myself in the kitchen with my mom,” says Chef G. “You could always hear people talking, hear the smashing of spices because everything was made from scratch. We would go in the backyard and grab what we needed.”
Those early experiences laid the foundation for Guichard's approach to cooking. It wasn't just the way the food was made—by hand, with recipes handed down through generations and ingredients from the family garden—but the way every meal brought people together.
"It doesn't matter what kind of day everybody was having. As soon as the table was set, you could see everybody was happy,” he explains. “That's something I never understood back then, but that was a feeling I wanted to experience every time. Because food brought people together.”
His mother also encouraged him to embrace creativity in the kitchen, reminding him that sometimes the best ideas come from stepping outside the expected.
"My mother would say that when it comes to food, people may think you made a mistake, but sometimes those mistakes can become something uniquely your own. So always go outside the box."
Bringing His Story to the Table
The lessons Guichard learned in his mother's kitchen stayed with him long after he left Haiti. As his passion for food grew, he began to see cooking as more than a family tradition—it became a way to honor his heritage while expressing his own creativity and connecting with others.
"Growing up, I always said when it comes to my cooking, I want to express everything about me,” says Chef G. “Going to French culinary school gave me a strong technical foundation, and I love bringing those French techniques together with my Caribbean flavors because that's where I'm from."
As his career evolved, Guichard knew he wanted a space where his own story could take center stage. Rather than preparing someone else's recipes and vision, he set out to create a restaurant that reflected his background, his creativity and the experiences that shaped him.
“Everywhere I worked before, I was just producing someone else's vision, and I felt like my story—my experience—was missing. I live right here in this neighborhood, and I saw this location and knew I wanted to do something different and unique."
In 2022, Guichard and his wife, Jessica, launched House 509 Bistro & Wine Bar, focusing on a dining experience that encourages exploration. Instead of a standard menu, guests can enjoy curated entrée flights paired with wines chosen to enhance each dish. Jessica's expertise in wine plays a key role, frequently guiding both guests and Guichard toward surprising and innovative pairings.
For Guichard, though, the experience doesn't end with what's on the table. Behind every dish is a story—one that begins with his own journey but continues through the people who help bring each meal to life.
"I want people to feel like they belong when they taste my food. I don't want them to come here just to eat. Every ingredient and every recipe has a story attached to it,” says Chef G. “You're learning my story through a plate. Using ingredients from South Carolina makes that story even better. I could use ingredients from anywhere, but when I use products from local farmers, fishermen and producers, it becomes more than my story. It's the story of all of us working together. I want people to know that the experience they have here goes beyond dining.”
Where Passion Meets the Plate
Guichard’s passion for cooking and the ingredients he uses has led him to seek out relationships with farmers who share his commitment to quality and care. That’s what drew him to Joel and Tammy Sudduth of Skyland Farms, a family farm in the Upstate that raises pasture-raised pork, beef and poultry.
"As a local business, local restaurant, I connect with Joel and Tammy because you can see their passion. When you meet with people who are very passionate about what they do, and they care about what they do, it makes the connection and the relationship even better because I'm passionate about what I put on the plate in the restaurant,” Chef G explains.
That relationship has also created a connection between the farm and the restaurant, giving customers a direct link to the people behind their food.
"It's amazing to see the community impact that we have here, to see that combination where people can come to the restaurant or Skyland Farms and be able to get those products. It's an amazing thing."
For Joel and Tammy, serving their community has been at the heart of Skyland Farms since the beginning. What started as a small farmers market operation has grown into a place where customers know the people behind their food and understand the impact of supporting local agriculture.
That focus on community has been part of Skyland Farms since Joel and Tammy first began selling directly to customers with just a chest freezer, a folding table and a chair.
"We started doing home farm sales and wanted to keep money in our community,” explains Joel. “That's what our customers enjoy. If they buy from our store, they're supporting the community they live in."
In addition to selling pasture-raised, farm-fresh chicken and eggs, pork and Angus beef, the Skyland Farms store features products from more than 20 other local vendors, including Dark Spore Mushroom Co and Forx Farm.
Joel and Tammy demonstrate the same care and dedication toward their animals as they do for their community. The farm's pasture-based approach allows chickens to move freely, forage naturally and live the kind of life Joel and Tammy believe they deserve.
"We want to give these animals the best life they can have in the short time that they're here. We don't clip the wings on those chickens,” Joey says. “If they want to fly out into our yard, that's OK because they can be a chicken." Sometimes, Joel and Tammy even catch them playing card games back in their roost.
That care also shapes the flavor of the ingredients Guichard brings into his kitchen. Because the birds spend time on pasture, they are exposed to a variety of forage that contributes to their distinct flavor profile.
"One of our biggest benefits is the diversity of the forage,” explains Joel. “You can't duplicate in feed alone what that bird's taking out of that field because every field is different. They're eating fescue. They're eating vetch. We have three types of clover in the pastures. The flavor profile of that meat is going to be very different than what you get in a store, and that's what our customers notice. They come back after they try it and they're like, 'It tastes like old-timey chicken.'"
The partnership also gives Guichard something that goes beyond the product itself—the ability to work directly with the people who raise it. Whether he needs a specific ingredient or has a question about what’s available, he knows he can pick up the phone and call Joel and Tammy.
"Having a local farmer and knowing where your food is coming from means a lot to me,” says Chef G. “Knowing that I'm going to have a local product that is going to be fresh and flavorful and then be able to transport that and bring something unique to the dish is such a proud moment for me. That's the beauty of local.”
Joel sees that same level of intention in Guichard's cooking, saying, "Chef G is very particular about how that product looks and how that product tastes when it comes out. He's not just slinging food out there. When you go to his restaurant, he's cooking it when you get there. It comes out fresh, and it makes a world of difference."
Strawberry Jalapeno BBQ Chicken
Served over creamy smoked Gouda grits
“I’m the type of person that’s always thinking, what can I do to elevate any dish possible? People talk about barbecue chicken, and for me to be able to have that foodie taste to it from the fresh strawberry, and also have the heat from the jalapeno, bring that together with fresh herbs—that’s what makes this dish come together.”
One of his favorite dishes, Guichard’s strawberry barbecue chicken over smoked Gouda grits brings together the influences that shape his cooking—from his Haitian roots and French culinary training to his connection with South Carolina farmers. The dish features chicken from Skyland Farms, strawberries from Fowler Farm, cheese from Forx Farm and grits from Marsh Hen Mill.
Strawberry Jalapeno BBQ Chicken Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless Skyland Farm chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 red onion, diced
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
16 oz strawberries, stemmed, halved and sliced, from Strawberry Hills Farm
3 jalapenos, seeded, chopped and divided
2 shallots, chopped and divided
1 cup dry white wine, preferably Chardonnay
16 oz of Young’s Backyard Hot Honey BBQ Sauce
Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Dry-pat chicken; season both sides with pepper, garlic powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Add chicken to skillet and pan-sear, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss cilantro, half of the strawberries, jalapenos and salt together. Set aside.
In the same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cook red onions, shallots, garlic and jalapenos and a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until shallots and onions start to soften, about 2 minutes.
Add the remaining strawberries and white wine, then stir to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the skillet. Stir in hot honey BBQ sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened and strawberries have started to cook down, 7 to 8 minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 175°F. Spoon the strawberry salsa over. Top with cilantro.
Smoked Gouda Grits Ingredients
1 cup white stone-ground grits, Marsh Hen Mill
5 cups water
4 tbsp butter
1 cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a gentle boil with salt and pepper.
Slowly whisk in the grits to prevent lumps.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 – 30 minutes (or according to package directions) until creamy and tender.
Stir in the butter and smoked Gouda. Finish with the heavy cream.
