At Unpretentious Palate, we believe storytelling takes many forms. A big part of what we do, of course, is to tell the stories of what’s happening in Charlotte’s restaurants, bars, and food community. But you don’t always need us. You’ve heard stories directly from chefs and restaurant owners at our Unpretentious Preview events, and we’ve heard you when you’ve told us how much you love that. So we’re launching a new kind of dinner on June 30 — our Meet the Chef series.

This series will merge storytelling and dining — the two things UP is all about. We want you to get to know some of the chefs around town, but aren’t big on stuffy meet-and-greets or formal discussions. So on Sunday, June 30, the executive chef of Dot Dot Dot, Daniel Wheeler, will share his childhood and career with you through a four-course meal. Get tickets here.

Each dish will tell a story: the amuse bouche, which represents the chef overall; one course based on the chef’s childhood; another inspired by a restaurant or chef that has heavily influenced Wheeler’s career. As you enjoy the amuse and each of the four courses, chef Wheeler will explain the story behind the dish, his story. Of course, being at Dot Dot Dot, you’ll also enjoy a fantastic cocktail with each course.

We’ve heard from many of you that your favorite part of our Unpretentious Preview events is getting to know the people behind the restaurants we visit. With our Meet the Chef series, you’ll be able to experience food storytelling in a whole new way. Consider it a meet-and-eat.

We’ll be sending out an email with a link to purchase tickets to paid subscribers tomorrow at noon. Because this is a coursed meal and we want to ensure you get some face time with chef Wheeler, we’re limiting this event to 30 seats, so get your ticket fast! Only paying Unpretentious Palate subscribers get the invite to attend these events. It’s just another perk of being a member!

Don’t miss out on our exclusive dinners. Subscribe today if you haven’t already, and get one week on us. You can also learn more about what you get with a subscription here. —Kristen Wile