by TM Petaccia

Chef Chris Coleman in Haymaker kitchen Wednesday evening. Built on Hospitality formally took ownership of the Uptown restaurant earlier in the day. TM Petaccia/UP

The Goodyear House and Old Town Kitchen and Cocktails have a new sibling. Built On Hospitality has purchased Uptown restaurant Haymaker from chef/owner William Dissen.

“It’s pretty bittersweet,” Dissen says. “We literally built this place from a gravel floor. I can walk through every nook and cranny of the restaurant and tell you what local artisan built what — like the table tops are made from recycled and reused black walnut that came out of a tobacco barn. I can tell you the artisans who built all of it. But looking toward the future, after a lot of soul searching it was time to make a change.”

Chef William Dissen. Photo courtesy

“I’ve got a young family, and I’m on the road quite a bit,” he adds. “I want to be able to spend more time with them as they’re growing up. Plus, I have a cookbook that’s coming out soon, and I’m working on some other writing projects. I want to be able to focus on my writing career as well.”

The process of selling Haymaker began in early spring. “They (Built on Hospitality) were the first people we spoke with,” Dissen says. “I’ve known Chris for a long time. He is a great professional, a kind man, a very talented chef, and is focused on local food, community, and farm-to-table the way I am. It just seemed like a natural fit.”

“We see eye to eye on a lot of things,” Coleman says. “We source from many of the same farms. Our cooking styles are very similar. The restaurant itself is just a gorgeous space to showcase everything. It just made sense.”

Built On Hospitality took ownership of Haymaker yesterday; the staff was informed ahead of dinner service. Coleman was in the Haymaker kitchen Wednesday evening observing operations.

“For the first month or two, we’re just going to observe, learn the team that’s in place now and see what they’re doing really well, what they might need some guidance on, and how we can help them,” he says. “We love what they’ve developed at Haymaker. Bill has done a great job of assembling an awesome team. We’re looking forward to getting in there and learning everybody’s names and their strengths.”

One eventual change Coleman plans is to reestablish Haymaker’s focus on Appalachian cuisine. “I love the lens of Southern cooking through Appalachia that William focused on. The restaurant morphed into modern Southern, but I’m excited to focus on what it started out as, exploring ingredients and techniques of Appalachian culture.”

It hasn’t been decided how many of the current menu items will remain long-term. “We haven’t had a culinary meeting yet,” Coleman says. However, for proprietary reasons, some of Dissen’s signature items will be removed over the next couple of weeks, including Benton’s bacon-washed Old Fashioned and smoked cheddar mac & cheese from the dinner menu. Billy D’s fried chicken sandwich and biscuit items will be removed from the brunch menu.

Owen Dumas will remain at Haymaker as chef de cuisine. TM Petaccia/UP

Other planned changes are a revised cocktail program developed by BOH beverage director Bob Peters as well as an updated dessert program by The Goodyear House’s pastry chef Becca Rankin. No significant staffing changes are planned for the kitchen. Owen Dumas will remain as chef de cuisine.

Compared to The Goodyear House and Old Town Kitchen, Haymaker returns Coleman to a more fine dining environment. “I get to pull out my tweezers again,” he says.

Coleman also anticipates reopening for lunch service. “Uptown is coming back in a big way with office workers. We’re excited to bring lunch back,” Coleman says. Also look for special pregame activities and menus for Charlotte Knights, Charlotte FC, and Carolina Panthers games as the restaurant is close to Truist Field and Bank of America Stadium. “We’ll be doing some pregame activities that will tie in seamlessly with the Haymaker brand,” he says.

The purchase of Haymaker returns Coleman to the Uptown Charlotte restaurant scene, where he started and developed his culinary style with stints at McNinch House, The Asbury, and Stoke. BOH operating partner Sean Potter also has Uptown roots. He and Coleman met while they were both at Stoke. Potter was also on the opening team of BLT Steak and a managing partner at the former Enso Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar. “Both of us are excited to kind of attack Uptown again and make those shiny buildings our home,” Coleman says.

Selling Haymaker leaves Dissen with his original Asheville restaurant, The Market Place, entering its 45th year, and Billy D’s Fried Chicken with locations at The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro as well as Wake Forest and Elon universities. A new concept, Little Gem Restaurant, is currently in development. His first cookbook, Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted in the New South, will be released in April 2024.

Although currently without a Charlotte presence, Dissen says not to discount a return to the Queen City.

“You never know. There may be some things in the works,” he says.