October 10, 2024

Unpretentious Palate’s People of the Year 2024 Finalists

Meet the people making a difference in Charlotte’s food scene this year

This list features the names of noteworthy people who have made Charlotte’s food scene more vibrant, more sustainable, and more delicious in the past year. The finalist selection is a collaborative effort between our staff and UP Members, who know the city’s food scene better than anyone. Sign up for Unpretentious Palate’s free newsletter for the latest Charlotte restaurant news.

Winners will be announced live at The UPPY Awards on Monday, Nov. 4 at The Visulite Theatre in Elizabeth. Buy tickets today and be part of the celebration.

Congratulations to all of the finalists!

Farmer of the Year

JOE & AMY ROHRER
Boy & Girl Farm
A perennial farmers market favorite with scores of loyal customers, Waxhaw’s Boy & Girl Farm grows more than 60 types of fruits and vegetables, depending on the season. Harvesting year-round on ten acres, Joe and Amy Rohrer are steadfast believers in sustainable practices and maintaining soil health, not using any herbicides or fungicides. Amy is a fourth-generation farmer with firm ties to the land. Joe caught the farming bug as a teenager and has been working in the dirt since. Both have become fixtures in the Charlotte restaurant scene through their dedicated chef customers.

KIM SHAW & ROHAN GIBBS
Small City Farm
Our inaugural UPPY Farmer of the Year, Small City Farm began growing produce in 2007 and currently is one of the few bona fide farms within the Charlotte city limits. Known for growing several “off-the-mainstream” items such as huitlacoche, butterfly pea flowers, and salad burnet, Small City Farm has been a long-time supplier for several Charlotte chefs. One of the few area farmers who do not currently participate in farmers markets, the couple’s produce is available to the public via Freshlist, its own seasonal farmstand, and seasonal CSAs.

MARY ROBERTS
Windcrest Farm
Located in Monroe, Windcrest Farm is a fully USDA Certified organic greenhouse and farm. Roberts supplies farmers and home gardeners with more than 300,000 heirloom vegetable, flower, herb and fruit plants each year — including specialty and hard-to-find plant varieties — as well as growing fresh produce for local farmers markets and restaurants. The farm is particularly known for its annual ginger and turmeric farm shares as well as its on-the-farm classes. Roberts came to farming from a background in marketing — which is evident in the her informative newsletters and social media posts.

Food Artisan of the Year

NORMA ZUNIGA
Dulce Dreams Café
Born in Mexico, Zuniga’s family moved to Charlotte when she was five years old. While always a lover of all things sweet, her original path had her graduating Johnson C. Smith University with a degree in biology and working as a lab technician. Her sweet cravings led her to leave her job and start on a new path. She learned to bake her native Mexican conchas by watching YouTube videos. From there, Dulce Dreams Café was born. Today you’ll find her at various farmers markets and events around town, or you can order her goodies for takeout from her space at City Kitch. Her conchas (fluffy donuts without the hole) incorporate traditional flavors such as vanilla and cinnamon, plus some trendy twists like Nutella and pumpkin spice. She also makes other traditional Mexican sweets such as dulce de leche cakes and pan de muerto.

HANNAH NEVILLE
Honeybear Bake Shop
A 2022 UPPY Finalist, Neville’s cookies, cookie cakes, brownies, and other select pastries remain a favorite of sweet tooths all over town, available at pop-up events, farmers markets, and mail order. The former pastry chef at 5Church (now Church and Union) and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Neville rotates a wide array of popular, creative, and seasonal flavors, such as Tiramisu Oreos, Pumpkin S’mores, and Slutty Brownie Cookies.

MARY JAYNE WILSON
Thoughtful Baking Co.
Wilson launched Thoughtful Baking Co. during the pandemic lockdown as a result of being laid off from Amelie’s French Bakery. Her new business quickly earned a large and loyal following at Charlotte-area farmers markets and pop-up events with its wide selection of savory pot pies and quiches, plus a variety of sweet baked goods. This past year, Wilson started to evolve her business by setting up high-tech vending machines to provide easy access to her full line.

Food Truck of the Year

Presented by Julie Everakes, ReMax Realtor

CHOP CHOP RED POT
Chop Chop Red Pot focuses on Southern-inspired street food with a series of daily special menus that resemble fine dining dishes served on paper plates, such as smoked pork belly and collards, short rib grilled cheese, and shrimp and grits with fried polenta cakes. Owner/chef Erick Crawford prides himself with local sourcing as well as drawing inspiration from his grandmother, who used to wake up everyday at 5 a.m. to make the morning biscuits.

KATSU KART SANDO SHOP
Our 2022 UPPY Award winner and 2023 Finalist, UP members continue to sing the praises of chef Perry Saito’s take on Japanese sandwiches (served on Japanese milk bread), noodle bowls, rice bowls, and other delicacies. While Saito’s new endeavor Dōzo is sure to get a bunch of deserved attention over the next year, we’re happy to see his OG food truck is still bringing the hits.

UNION BARBECUE
Union Barbecue owner Holden Sasser is part of Charlotte restaurant royalty. His father, Tom Sasser, owns Burke Hospitality Group, which includes Mimosa Grill and Taco Molino, and the recently closed Harper’s. Initially embarking on a career in investment banking, Sasser could not resist his family’s culinary calling. He describes Union Barbecue as “new school barbecue with Mexican flavors.” His mobile kitchen incorporates a 500-gallon barbecue pit and direct heat cooker which produces everything from brisket to pulled pork to chicken and more.

Non-restaurant Chef of the Year

CARLOS ABRAHAMS
Cravn Caribbean
A former UPPY Ghost Kitchen of the Year finalist, Abrahams and his Cravn Caribbean has earned a large and loyal following. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Abrahams gets his culinary inspiration from his mother, who nurtured his passion for cooking. Now with more than 16 years of culinary experience, his food shines with rich Caribbean traditions, plus a few of his own riffs like Oxtail Cheesesteak and Oxtail Lo Mein.

REYAÑA RADCLIFF
Your Braisen Chef
Born and raised in New Orleans, Radcliff is a graduate of Johnson & Wales Charlotte. Her resume includes several prestigious stints at top hotels and country clubs, plus a season of catering for the United States House of Representatives. Your Braisen Chef combines personal chef and catering services. Her bright personality has made her a natural for several local TV appearances and she always can be counted on for delicious contributions to local events, such as the BayHaven Food & Wine Festival and Farm to Fork in the Garden.

ALYSSA WILEN
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
Wilen has about as solid a resume as you can find: Working in the kitchens of noted Charlotte chefs Marc Jacksina and Paul Verica, a former executive chef at Fern, and two trips to New York City to cook at the James Beard House. She could easily run one of Charlotte’s top restaurants — if that’s what she wanted. However, she found her real passion is to teach others how to cook — something she’s done for a decade now. In that time, she’s helped create a population of diners that appreciate both the art of cooking and its sourcing.

Nonprofit of the Year

BEN’S FRIENDS
The restaurant industry has long grappled with how to minimize the presence of addiction among hospitality employees. Ben’s Friends, a nonprofit co-founded by Indigo Road Hospitality’s Steve Palmer and helmed here largely by chef Sam Diminich, is a safe space and support for those working towards and maintaining sobriety.

THE BULB
You don’t have to travel far in Charlotte to be in the midst of a food desert. At The Bulb, fresh foods are rescued and repackaged to serve neighborhoods where produce is harder to come by at their mobile, pop-up markets. The nonprofit is both minimizing food waste and increasing accessibility to produce, as well as providing education and wellness resources to its customers.

COMMUNITY MATTERS CAFE
This nonprofit restaurant, a part of Charlotte Rescue Mission, employs graduates of its substance abuse programs. Team members learn both life skills and restaurant skills, giving them a chance to find a career in hospitality and a path to self-sufficiency. Yet the restaurant’s strong leadership ensures that a dining experience there doesn’t feel like you’re simply doing good; rather, it’s on par with some of the best restaurants in the city.

Sommelier of the Year

Presented by 3 Keys Wine Distributing

HILARY DEMMITT
Chapter 6
It’s difficult to match such a broad menu highlighting so many culinary traditions to a wine list. Yet Demmitt’s selections at Chapter 6 mirror the journey guests take with the food, as well as offering diversity in geography, notoriety, price point, and winery size. Demmitt handles the large restaurant’s varied needs with an expertly crafted wine program.

MICHAEL MYERS
Counter-
Whether you order the most affordable pairing or opt for the “absurd” (a title designated by the restaurant itself) pairing with your tasting menu at Counter-, the choices will be equally thoughtful. Myers’ ability to match such an incredible range of wines with the restaurant’s ever-changing dishes makes the pairings at Counter- as exciting as the menus themselves.

SHARON BALAS
Foxcroft Wine Co. SouthPark
The general manager of Foxcroft Wine Co.’s SouthPark store has worked at some of the city’s most well-loved wine restaurants in her nearly 40-year hospitality career. It’s that strong resume which enables Balas to easily select bottles of wine with both expertise and a strong intuition, whether its for guests enjoying a meal or looking for something to take home.

Mixologist of the Year

Presented by Campari

KYLE BROWN
Customshop
Behind the bar at Customshop, you’ll find Brown creating a tight menu of well-selected craft cocktails. Like the restaurant’s menu, Brown’s drink list takes inspiration from the seasons to create well-balanced, unique cocktails. The bar may be small, but Charlotte craft cocktail lovers will want to pull up a seat.

RHEA BUCK
Supperland
Though hers isn’t always the first name to come to mind when thinking of the cocktails at Supperland, Buck is a big reason for the beverage program’s success. Such broad and intricate offerings — from the main dining room to the bar and speakeasy — at Supperland are delivered with consistency, thanks to the support of Buck.

JUSTIN HAZELTON
Lorem Ipsum
With Lorem Ipsum, Hazelton began his venture as a bar owner — and it has been an impressive start. The cocktail bar’s intimate vibe and excellent cocktails have drawn a loyal following, all while making Charlotte’s craft cocktail scene more inclusive. With new ventures on the horizon, we expect Hazelton to make an even bigger name in the bar scene.

General Manager of the Year

Presented by OpenTable

ELLIS LINDSAY
Chapter 6
There’s a reason Rare Roots Hospitality restaurants have become a destination for date nights, birthdays, graduations, and business meetings alike: they hold a high standard for hospitality, and Chapter 6 is no exception, thanks to Lindsay. Following seven years as general manager at modern steakhouse The Porter’s House in Waverly, Lindsay continues to bring her style of casual yet admirable leadership to this South End restaurant. The scale of the restaurant requires excruciating attention to detail, which Lindsay accomplishes while maintaining a smile and welcoming attitude to its patrons.

NORI SCHMIDT
Dot Dot Dot
For more than two-and-a-half years, Schmidt has handled the duties of this popular Charlotte speakeasy with both a high degree of professionalism and personality. Her resume reads like a world atlas with prior restaurant and bar management gigs in Australia and California in addition to Charlotte. Her experience is reflected by how much she is respected by staff and adored by patrons, which explains the number of UPPY nominations she received this year.

JILL VANDE WOUDE
Restaurant Constance
While to outsiders Restaurant Constance may appear to be a small operation, Vande Woude’s role is much larger than what you see in the restaurant’s dining room. She joined the Your Farms Your Table team in its earliest days as event planner before earning her current title of Chief Executive Officer. Beyond her duties at Constance, Vande Woude helps manage the restaurant’s other business arms, including its home delivery, retail line, and nonprofit efforts.

Chef to Watch

Presented by 86Search

TCHNAVIA “TCHÉ” CARTER
Community Matters Cafe
From her time in the kitchen with Greg Collier at Leah & Louise to working with chef Chayil Johnson at Community Matters, Carter has learned from some of the city’s most talented chefs. Her ability and creativity are clear in her dishes for events such as the History & Homage dinner series — and we’re excited to see where they take her.

KENNY DO
Counter-
Chef Do has proved his versatility as a chef, comfortably cooking complex, high-touch dishes at tasting menu concepts like Bardo and Counter- as well as international staples like pastas and street food. He’ll be doing the latter at the upcoming Uptown food stall Maneki, but we expect to find even his simpler dishes to have the hidden depth we’ve come to know him for.

CRISTIAN MEDRANO
Supperland
Born in Peru, Medrano has an appreciation of dishes from around the world — especially classic French and Middle Eastern cuisine. His resume includes stops at Four Season Hotels, plus two Washington, D.C. Michelin-star restaurants, Albi and Fiola. The inaugural executive chef at Uptown’s Coquette, Medrano is currently a sous chef at Supperland and will be moving to Leluia Hall when the restaurant opens in 2025. His style reflects the grace and cultural depth of his international palate. We’re very excited to see how his food continues to evolve.

UPlifting Industry Member of the Year

Presented by NiceDay

CHRIS COLEMAN
Built On Hospitality
As board chair of the Piedmont Culinary Guild, Coleman volunteers a significant amount of time to helping shepherd the nonprofit into its post-pandemic form — time that’s hard to come by when you’re a parent and in the restaurant business. Yet even in addition to his work with PCG and helping run a rapidly expanding restaurant group, Coleman still makes time to support colleagues industry-wide whenever they need it.

SAM DIMINICH
Your Farms Your Table
An example of what the hard work of recovery can bring, chef Sam Diminich is not only inspiration for those battling addiction in the industry, but a constant support. He’s the driving force behind the local chapter of Ben’s Friends, spreading awareness of the nonprofit and a key mentor within it. With a community arm of his own restaurant group, he looks to bring dignity to the recovery process by providing healthy meals for those in treatment. That’s all in addition to his avid support of local farms in the area.

MATT MARTIN
Freshlist
In an industry that can be competitive and exhausting, Martin is a tireless cheerleader. Through his position at Freshlist, he has contact with chefs around the city — and that contact brings much-needed positivity along with it. Whenever you’re in need of a pat on the back or pep talk, Martin is there — most times, without even being asked.

Pastry Chef of the Year

SAVANNAH FOLTZ
Supperland
Leading the dessert program at a nationally recognized large-volume restaurant is no easy task, but Foltz meets the challenge and more. Her desserts mostly take a heartier approach, with dishes such as chocolate cobbler and seasonal bread puddings, but still evoke a sense of style and creativity.

FAITH MORLEY
Counter-
Winner of the 2023 UPPY for Pastry Chef of the Year, Morley continues to set the bar high. Formerly at Peppervine, Morley’s desserts are high concept works of art, in keeping with the leading edge cuisine found at James Beard-nominated Sam Hart’s West Charlotte restaurant. Her desserts show deep knowledge of how flavor, color, and plating can please all the senses.

ANN MARIE STEFANEY
Restaurant Constance
A 2023 UPPY Finalist, Stefaney has made a habit of leading the pastry program at Charlotte’s most esteemed restaurants. Stefaney’s name first became a known one in the food scene during her time at Heirloom. A few years back, she joined chef/owner Sam Diminich at Restaurant Constance, where she has continued to fashion desserts which are creative in approach, yet still comforting, and stay true to the menu’s seasonality.

Chef of the Year

Presented by Motown Spice Provisions

ERIC FERGUSON
L’Ostrica
The executive chef and co-owner of L’Ostrica remains an under-discovered talent in the city — and has been so since he moved here from the West Coast. Ferguson shows he’s one of Charlotte’s best chefs in the city with each dish on L’Ostrica’s menu, whether it’s the tasting menu or lunchtime sandwich offering. Dishes that appear simple to the eye are abundant with layered flavors and textures, taking seasonal produce and creating masterpieces worthy of the farmers who grew it.

ANDRES KAIFER
Customshop
Customshop has been known as a dependable fine dining spot in Charlotte since opening on Elizabeth Avenue in 2007. Since chef Andres Kaifer bought the restaurant a few years ago, that reputation has only gotten better. Kaifer’s menu maintains the strengths of the original Customshop, including its seafood dishes and use of seasonal ingredients, while bringing even more refinement to it.

KALEY LAIRD
Mimosa Grill
It’s not easy stepping into a legacy kitchen — especially one known for a specific style of menu. On the Mimosa Grill menu, you can see Laird’s subtle guidance bringing diners to a more modern, sustainable way of eating — something that’s most clear in the restaurant’s specials. Laird’s balance of remaining comfortable to longtime customers while bringing the restaurant into the future has been an impressive achievement.