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Todd Annis
VP of Culinary Operations
Todd Annis, VP of Culinary Operations at Cru Catering in Charleston, South Carolina possesses 30+ years of culinary knowledge in all things catering, restaurant operations, and the culinary business industry. After graduating from an Atlanta-based culinary school, Annis went on to become a culinary instructor, followed by assuming the role of executive chef at Carbo’s Café, a 3-star restaurant in the heart of Atlanta. In due time, his culinary prowess was marked by moving on to Atlanta-based Bistango and La Ciboulette, where he served in major back-of-house culinary roles in each establishment. One of Annis’ greatest accomplishments to date is opening his first restaurant Rainwater in Alpharetta, GA in 2001.
Following his time spent sharing his passion for the culinary arts discipline with emerging chefs, Annis joined the Atlanta-based Fifth Group Restaurants hospitality team as the executive chef of Bold Events and Catering. This position pushed him to raise the bar in the fast-paced Atlanta food and catering scene. Based on his love for education and creativity, he developed Scimitar Consulting Group, became a speaker at Catersource and ICA, and developed a podcast to help and inspire others. After a stellar culinary career, Annis longed for a fresh start. He made his way to the Lowcountry and joined the Cru Catering team – a full-service catering company voted among the top catering institutions in Charleston for more than 17 years – as VP of Culinary Operations. He combines his culinary background in menu consultation and day-to-day back-of-house efficacy to bolster Cru’s reputation in the ever-evolving catering market Charleston champions.
As a student of the craft himself, Annis spends time traveling abroad to procure an even broader understanding of the culinary arts by way of hands-on immersion among prominent forces in their respective countries. To date, Annis has traveled to Bahrain to consult on restaurants and catering services in the Western Asia island country, and most recently, has backpacked through Italy which left a notable mark on his comprehension of Western culture and cuisine.
