A.J. Jackson Greenville News

A.J. James Beard Award nominee, Cienfuegos Harris, no longer at Topsoil; here’s what’s next

In four months, Chef Tania Cienfuegos Harris went from being named a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for outstanding pastry chef to being unemployed and picking up catering shifts across the Upstate. Since then, the highs and lows have come at a premium, as she has fought an emotional, financial, and food-based fight, all while finding solace in her career as a pastry chef.

Chef Cienfuegos Harris’ Departure from TopSoil

According to Cienfuegos Harris, she was relieved of her services at TopSoil Kitchen & Market in early May after representing the restaurant at Taste of the Upstate and returning from a vacation to visit family in Mexico City. After a meeting with management, she found out she was no longer employed at the Traveler’s Rest restaurant.

“I love the culture at Topsoil, love that it’s farm-to-table; that’s a huge reason I wanted to work there,” said Cienfuegos Harris. “When Chef Adam (Cooke) let me go, I was just speechless. I wanted to leave on good terms, but I feel hurt,” she said. “We spoke about how much they respected me, how much you think I’m an awesome chef, but is it true?”

Her accolades come from a long resume of working at some of Greenville’s more popular restaurants, including High Cotton, Bacon Bros. Public House, Lazy Goat, and Restaurant 17, before joining TopSoil. She is most known for her involvement in food-based community outreach projects, innovation in pastry dishes, and a sweet and rich tahini crunch cake. A representative from TopSoil Restaurant declined to comment on any of their former employees. Cienfuegos Harris and Chef Adam Cooke previously worked together at Restaurant 17 in Traveler’s Rest; Cooke was also named a James Beard Award finalist for best chef in 2020.

Continuing to Cook

Since her separation from TopSoil Restaurant, Chef Cienfuegos Harris has slowly gone through the grieving process and felt self-pity. She chooses to continue to do what she knows how to do best: cook.

“I am choosing not to get emotional anymore because I feel like I already cry a lot,” she said. “We are still like family, and this is difficult, but I know I have a future somewhere.”

Over the past three weeks, Cienfuegos Harris collaborated alongside Scoundrel — a downtown eatery that also was nominated as a 2024 James Beard Semifinalist for the best new restaurant category, during their “Friends of Mischief” event. She assisted Scoundrel with a Mexican-themed, five-star, private dinner alongside Executive Chef Joe Cash and Chef Luis Martinez.

“She has more pastry experience than I and Chef Martinez,” said Cash. “We were on the James Beard list at the same time and decided to reach out for a celebration of Mexican cuisine. “She’s got talent, for sure,” he added.

Since her leave from TopSoil, Chef Cienfuegos Harris has also been working part-time with White Wine & Butter while she figures out the next step in her pastry career. “Chef Mike (Sibert) is a good friend, and he reached out after he heard the news,” she said about her current employment. “Maybe I wasn’t a (James Beard Award) finalist or a winner this time around,” she said. “But I know my work is good and that I can bring a great level of experience that leads to positive results.”

What’s Next?

According to Cienfuegos Harris, since the James Beard Award nominations were announced in January, she has received more than five calls and offers for other pastry jobs. As flattering as the offers were, at the time, her interest was never to leave TopSoil.

Ideally, her next opportunity would involve becoming a corporate pastry chef or participating in a pastry program or team. “I have interviewed, and I’ve got some offers lined up,” she said. “I want to share my knowledge and make quality food, but I haven’t chosen a path just yet, but I am still open.”

Her immediate future in the Upstate includes assisting in community food service events with benefit events such as March of Dimes and 2024 euphoria. “I’m almost 40 years old so I’m not trying to be jumping from job to job,” she said. “But I do want to continue to grow as a pastry chef.”