Terra Vita, Chapel Hill’s annual food festival, has long been a favorite of local chefs. Each year, the festival brings chefs together for collaborative meals, tastings, and events, but also puts a significant focus on sustainability and inspiring us to think more deeply about what we eat.

This year’s festival takes place Oct. 17 through Oct. 20, and event tickets range from $45 to $525 for a weekend pass. (Learn more and buy tickets here.) A big draw is chef Carla Hall, who will take part in events and host a signing of her new cookbook, Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration. Charlotte chefs are involved throughout the weekend; see who’s participating and when below.

Oct. 17: East Meets West dinner
Chefs from across the Carolinas cook at The Carolina Table. Hosted by the Carolina Inn, this dinner showcases both chefs and farmers. $100; buy tickets here. 

Charlotte chefs included are:
Ashley Boyd, pastry chef at 300 East
Matthew Krenz, executive chef at The Asbury

Oct. 18: Hill Fire: The Third Plate Edition
TerraVita’s annual barbecue and grill night gets a twist this year, with chefs asked to focus on vegetables instead of slow-cooked meats. (Dan Barber’s book The Third Plate is a UP favorite.) $80; buy tickets here.

Charlotte chefs included are:
Clark Barlowe, executive chef at Heirloom

Oct. 19: Sustainable Classroom Walking Tour and Sustainable Classroom
The education piece of TerraVita includes a walking tour this year, where chefs give on-location demonstrations and host conversations. $100 for the walking tour; $85 for Sustainable Classroom. Buy tickets here. 

Charlotte chefs included are:
Clark Barlowe, executive chef at Heirloom, leading a fermentation demo
Food writers Keia Mastrianni and Kathleen Purvis, discussing heirloom apples and North Carolina distilleries, respectively
Jamie Swofford, The Chef’s Farmer, and Mastrianni will also be part of a joint discussion on chef/farmer couples

Oct. 20: Fall Fête on the Village Green
TerraVita’s grand finale has more than 40 chefs, as well as two dozen beverage producers, from coffee to natural wines. $65-$100; buy tickets here.

Charlotte chefs included are:
Miranda Brown, pastry chef at The Asbury

We’re hoping to get to at least one of the events. See you there! —Kristen Wile

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