Andrew Hecht, chef and owner of The Liminal Bistro in Lyman, brings more than 15 years of professional culinary experience and a family-inspired passion for cooking to the restaurant, which opened in July. Photo courtesy of Andrew Hecht.
From the vibrant flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine to the warmth of Southern comfort food and beyond, Andrew Hecht is cooking up something special at The Liminal Bistro — a soon-to-be favorite of the Spartanburg dining scene.
A native of the Bronx, Hecht has been cooking professionally for over 15 years. It’s a passion that began at home, growing up in what he describes as “a very big food family.”
“My father is a huge foodie, and my mother cooked at home every night,” says Hecht. “My mom comes from an Irish background, so she cooked a lot of Irish food growing up, and my father comes from a Puerto Rican and Jewish background, so when they got married, she learned all of his family’s recipes.”
The variety didn’t stop there. Hecht cites his grandfather’s Italian heritage and his godmother’s flair for Southern cooking as further influences on his family’s ever-growing recipe book. However, the true origin of his desire to pursue a culinary career was one native to all cultures and cuisines.
“I was a sophomore in high school, and I was at that age where you’re looking to get attention from girls, and someone once told me that girls like a guy that could cook. So I said, well, then I’m going to be a chef, and girls will like me.” Hecht laughs as he finishes the story. “What they didn’t tell you is they meant at home on nights and weekends, and when you’re a chef, you’re never home on nights and weekends.”
And while he may have been slightly misinformed when scheming up a plan to win his dream girl, his choice of career still ended up working in his favor. “I actually met my fianceé in culinary school, so I did get what I wanted out of my career after all,” he says. “We’ve been together for twelve years.”
Hecht dove into the culinary world at a young age, after having graduated high school at only 16. He then spent 15 years letting his work take him up and down the East Coast, living and working everywhere from Vermont and Boston to Florida and Chicago.
Prior to coming down to the Carolinas, Hecht was working at the Roosevelt Room in Upstate New York. His parents had semi-retired in the Greenville area, and Hecht came down to help out during a challenging season for the family in 2023.
He took a job with Passion for Pizza in Taylors before officially relocating to the Spartanburg area. When the perfect spot opened up for rent, he jumped on it, and The Liminal Bistro was born.
Described by Hecht as an upscale New American concept, The Liminal Bistro officially opened on July 14th and brings the flavors, service, and quality of a high-end dining establishment to Lyman, keeping it at an approachable level for the community to enjoy. Hecht is passionate about keeping the restaurant rooted in fresh, authentic local ingredients, and locally sources as much as he possibly can.
“Jacob Towe of Jubilee Farms and Farmfare in Anderson and his mother, Paula are good friends of mine, and we work very closely with them,” says Hecht. “I met them at the Hub City Farmers Market, and they’ve been a great partner for getting fresh produce and fresh chicken, fresh pork, out of Anderson. It really cultivates the idea that I don’t want to go more than an hour or two away to get ingredients that represent this community and help this community.”
The Liminal Bistro runs a tight ship, with a small crew of dedicated professionals who deeply care about what they do. “Everybody here just pours their heart and soul into the quality of the food and the level of service expected from a nicer establishment,” says Hecht.
When asked his favorite dishes on the menu, he cites recipes that have been in his family for generations. “The pork and beans plate uses my great-grandmother’s red beans recipe,” says Hecht. “It’s a thick boneless pork chop that we deep fry and get nice and crispy and golden brown, and we finish it in the oven. It comes with those red beans and a side of rice. The red beans really make the dish, it’s probably my signature dish.” Other go-to favorites from the menu include the short rib pot stickers and crab cakes — but for Hecht, cooking is about more than any individual dish or meal.
“I’m happy cooking anything as long as it makes people happy,” he says. “I don’t really have a favorite in the sense of only liking to make one dish. I just enjoy cooking good food and getting to express myself, and I enjoy more so when that translates to people coming in and smiling and being able to make us a part of their lives. I look at cooking as an act of service. You know, we’re in the service industry, and I’m more motivated by what I do for people in their lives than what it does for me.”
At the end of the day, it’s a business built out of love and care for good food and the community as a whole. “I like coming to work every day and seeing people enjoy my food, because if we’re part of a night out or an anniversary or a birthday, or even just a quick lunch…food should be a comfort, and if you’re spending your time here, I want you to feel like it was worth your time and really provided a pleasant experience,” says Hecht.
The Liminal Bistro is located at 299 Spartanburg Highway in Lyman and is currently open from 12pm–8pm Wednesday through Sunday, with a variety of specials rotating throughout the week. To stay up to date on everything they offer, members of the community can visit https://www.liminalsc.com/ or follow along on the restaurant’s social media pages.
