Toby Simmons is known throughout Charleston as "The Pie Man." Simmons was born in Charleston and began his pie business at the young age of 19. He claims to have the best Sweet Potato Pie in Charleston, if not the country.

Q: What's your first food memory?

A: I liked these manwich dogs my mom made us. They were hot dogs with manwich sauce on them.

Q: What's been the best thing about being involved in the Charleston food scene?

A: Meeting different people from different walks of life.

No matter what anyone's going through or how they are living, it's great to see their response to tasting what I offer.

It's very exciting to me and a highlight of what I do; it's what I look forward to.

Q: How do you think that the Lowcountry influences you as a chef?

A: Once again, I'm going back to the different people who come through the Lowcountry, and the people who live here. I always go back to my pies.

I put a lot of love in my pie and I remind people of that love.

That's my aspiration and my drive. If I can make people happy with my pies, then I've achieved what I've set out to do.

Q: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment as a chef?

A: I call myself a baker and a "baka." I can do things from scratch and I can take what someone else gives me and make it better. I have changed the way pies are made forever.

The way that was customary to make pies, I took it to another level by prayer and by instinct.

I have redesigned the way that crusts are made. I have a universal pie crust that's perfect for any pie: fruit, vegetable, meat, etc.

I also wanted the best sweet potato pie in the country and I have accomplished that.

As a child, I dreamed of having a sweet potato pie factory and my goal was to have the best one in the world. It took 10 years to do it, but I have.

Q: What do you think sets you apart from other bakers?

A: What sets me apart from any chefs or bakers is that I'm more hard-core in my knowledge and my process. It's taking something from nothing and creating it without being taught. I observed and took some things from my grandmother, some things from my mother, some things from other elders.

I paid attention and I carried that information with me when I grew up. I remembered and I used that knowledge. I am self-made. That's what sets me apart.

Q: Who is your favorite chef?

A: Paula Deen gets my attention. She keeps my attention because she's more of a natural. She's not trying to copy someone else, she's original.

Q: What is your favorite meal?

A: Slow roasted barbecue ribs with a loaded baked potato or a sweet potato with cinnamon and sugar.