NEIGHBORHOOD BUTCHER SHOP AND MARKET WELCOMES NEW CHEF-IN-RESIDENCE, MICHAEL RUGGIERO, TO THE TEAM

For Immediate Release

Charleston, SC, July 24, 2006 – Charleston’s neighborhood butcher shop and gourmet market, Ted’s Butcherblock, welcomes a new member to the team, Michael Ruggiero. Ruggiero joins Ted’s as Chef and Kitchen Manager.

Ruggiero spent several years in high-profile kitchens along the East Coast before joining the team at Ted’s Butcherblock in June 2006. Originally from the seaside town of Barrington, Rhode Island, Ruggiero began his culinary career as a chef at various restaurants in nearby Newport. After moving south to St. Petersburg, FL, Ruggiero worked at well-known restaurants and resorts including Don CeSar Beach Resort at St. Pete Beach, Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber in Clearwater, FL, and Little’s Joe’s of San Francisco, where he worked under Master Chef Joe Dimaggio, Jr. Most recently, Ruggiero worked as chef at Sullivan’s on Sullivan’s Island, SC. As Chef and Kitchen Manager at Ted’s Butcherblock, he is available daily to lend culinary advice to customers and assist in menu creation.