by TM Petaccia

Since 2000, Soup on Sunday has raised over one million dollars. Photo courtesy

For the 24th year, local chefs and restaurants will be gathering at CPCC’s Philip Van Every Culinary Arts Building on Sunday, January 28, with the goal of providing comfort to area families via one of the world’s most ubiquitous comfort foods: soup.

Soup on Sunday is an annual event to raise funds for VIA Health Partners (formerly Hospice & Palliative Care, Charlotte Region), which provides hospice care and bereavement services in the North and South Carolina counties surrounding Charlotte.

“It’s been an event that has created a life of its own,” says Peter A. Brunnick, President & CEO of VIA Health. “It’s such a great event. It’s the right time of year for soup, and you get to meet you meet the folks at restaurants like Bruce Moffett (Moffett Restaurant Group — Barrington’s) or Greg Zanitsch (The Fig Tree). So it’s not just somebody handing out soup. Many of the restaurant owners and chefs are there. They really get engaged and enthusiastic about it.”

Since its first event in 2000, Soup on Sunday has raised over one million dollars to support area hospice and palliative care.

“We are so very excited to support the Soup on Sunday event,” says Jon Dressler, owner of Rare Roots Hospitality, whose restaurants Chapter 6, Dressler’s, Fin & Fino, and The Porter’s House will each be participating in the event. “Hospice is a service that goes largely unnoticed until you need it. VIA Health does incredible work in our community, and we are so proud to help do our part to show how much we appreciate their efforts.”

Running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 28, 26 area restaurants will be offering a variety of bisques, soups, and stews — from she-crab soup to gumbo to vegan wild mushroom chowder.

“Soup on Sunday is one of my favorite yearly fundraisers,” says Julia Simon of Plant Joy. “This is my sixth year participating. The VIA Health and CPCC teams put on a really well-run event, and the crowd is sweet, curious, and appreciative.”

Carey Travelier of Supperland will do an exclusive cooking demo for VIP ticket holders. Photo courtesy

General admission tickets cost $35 and gives access to all soups being offered over the three-hour event. The Soup Lover’s Special ticket ($45) adds a custom pottery soup bowl made by a local crafter.

The VIP Chef’s Experience ticket adds early admission, plus an exclusive demo by Carey Travelier, sous chef at Supperland. Pottery bowls can also be purchased separately. “Being given the opportunity to cook at an event for such a good cause means a lot,” Travelier says. “I look forward to showing guests what we’re all about at Supperland and also use this as a chance to inspire young cooks.” Click here for all tickets.

“For me, this is also in honor of one of my favorite humans: my Gramma, who spent some of her last days on earth in hospice and had some truly spectacular nurses,” Simon says. “If I can make a few gallons of soup to support that experience for others, it’s a no-brainier.”