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Local restauranteur Brett McKee -- formerly of Oak Steakhouse and O-Ku, which he left to work on expanding his Roadside Kitchen empire -- recently received notification that he'd been effectively terminated from the project.

In an email which he received on Friday, McKee's partners in the Roadside Kitchen venture told him he was getting the boot. The news came as a shock to McKee, who is in fact the namesake for the newest restaurant to open: Brett's Roadside Kitchen on James Island.

As to exactly why McKee was terminated by his partners is not discussed, but The Post and Courier has some additional details and reactions from McKee.

• For a look back at McKee's culinary impact on Charleston, check out our topic page.