The story of Charlotte’s first Michelin star
Plus: Business services tops jobs growth; Big spending in UCity race; Toppman reviews 'Boundless'; Fútbol is back; ICE proposes facility in Concord; Local businesses react to tariff ruling
Good morning! Today is Monday, February 23, 2026. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Hi Charlotte Ledger reader, it’s Ashley. Today’s newsletter includes (part of) an engaging conversation with Sam Hart, the chef and creator of Counter- and founder of Irreverently Refined Hospitality Group. As you likely already know, Counter- is the only North Carolina restaurant to, so far, receive a Michelin star. But there’s a lot you probably don’t know about how Counter- came to be.
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Q&A: After grueling 17-hour days and a stop in a mental health facility, chef Sam Hart got a phone call during Covid that led to starting Charlotte’s most acclaimed culinary destination
When the Michelin Guide made its long-awaited move into the American South, Counter- in west Charlotte emerged with a distinction no other restaurant in North Carolina could claim: a Michelin star, plus the Michelin Green Star for sustainability. Overnight, reservations booked up, the spotlight widened and a restaurant that already felt a little mythical to locals became, suddenly, a destination with global validation.
But if you ask founder Sam Hart, the star isn’t the most interesting part of the story. Hart calls Counter- “a fully immersive sensory dining experience,” one built around memory as much as food: music pairings, storytelling, hospitality and a deep commitment to Carolinian ingredients. The star may be new, but the obsession behind it has been years in the making — and it came with costs that Hart is unusually candid about.
Hart recently sat down with The Charlotte Ledger Podcast host Steve Dunn to retrace the improbable path that led to this moment: a late-blooming love of cooking that started as survival, a vision that hit so fully formed that Hart left the corporate world the next day, a punishing apprenticeship in Chicago fine dining, and the decision to build something different on the plate and behind the kitchen doors.
The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity. You can listen to the full episode anywhere you stream your podcasts.
Q. I’ll venture a guess that you like food and that food is something that you have a passion for. I wonder what your earliest memories of that are.
I really discovered cooking in my early 20s. I was out in Utah, didn’t have any money, and realized the only way I was going to survive was by cooking. I started with cheap pasta and jarred sauce — and it just clicked. It was a small spark of joy during a depressing time.
That hobby turned into having friends over, cooking for them, and then one day, the idea for Counter- came to me fully formed. I sketched it out exactly how it exists now. I quit my job the next day and went to culinary school.
Q. So connect the dots between watching the episode of “Chef’s Table” on Netflix with Grant Achatz and what it was like, what you saw there, and then bring me to the creation of Counter-.
I watched that episode right when I decided to leave corporate America … and things are just not working out the way that I thought they were. I went through a divorce. I wasn’t really making the food that I was expecting to make, and it was just a severe struggle. I really wanted to get just a little bit of motivation, just a little bit of inspiration to keep going, so I watched that episode a second time, and I realized, OK, you didn’t give up all of this to not succeed.
I got a tattoo of one of the dishes [from the Netflix episode] and posted it. The chef reposted it, and I asked if that got me an interview. It did.
And I made a decision in that moment that I was not going to leave unless they gave me a job or they put me in handcuffs and pried me out of this restaurant because it’s such an awe-inspiring kitchen. It’s perfectly clean, perfectly organized. The smells are insane … I worked 5 a.m. to around 10 p.m. or midnight.
When he offered me a job [at Alinea in Chicago], I wept.
I was there for four months. And slowly, I saw it and felt it happening. Within the first month and a half, I had lost about 20 pounds. I was sober, completely sober at the time. I was getting nosebleeds randomly … I literally felt like my world was crumbling around me.
I’m crashing out hard, and I just remember going to the train, and then I blink, and I wake up, and I’m in the Ravenswood Behavioral Health Hospital. I find out that I had jumped onto the tracks of the North and Clybourn Red Line station an entire two minutes before the train was going to arrive there because I was just so out of my mind.
I found out that I was not the first cook that was from this restaurant that had these issues and just in restaurants in general. I knew that had to change.
Q. And then how does Counter- happen from that?
I ended up working at a place called Momotaro Japanese restaurant. Learned a bunch there. I was teaching kids how to cook, and I was doing some side gigs, like being a catering chef for a kosher catering company.
And then someone that I used to work with, as well as my stepbrother, were like, “Let’s do a pop-up. You might want to move back down to Charlotte.” … And we come down and do a pop-up in October of 2019. We actually did it in someone’s house. We did two nights at someone’s house and sold out immediately. We got really great reception from it. Then we did another round.
We did this until February 2020, when, you know, the world ended [referring to the Covid pandemic]. And I thought what was now at this point called Counter- was done, at least for the foreseeable future, and I was just focusing in on developing myself more in Chicago.
What really changed everything was May 5, 2020. And this is one of the most vivid memories I’ve ever had — I’m walking down North Avenue, four blocks west from where I jumped in front of the train, and I’m walking next to the sketchiest Home Depot you’ve ever seen, over this bridge. And I get a call … about an opportunity for a space that I didn’t have to really put any money into, they were going to build it out, all the equipment — everything was going to be baked into the lease.
So I opened up Counter- on $15,000. I leased the equipment, but $15,000 was the loan that we got from private investors.
Q. So walk me through it. What is my experience as a patron at Counter- when I arrive?
It begins before you walk in the door. The first handshake is your interaction with the reservation platform.
We have someone whose title is “dream weaver.” She finds out what you’re celebrating, where you’re coming from, dietary restrictions — without giving too much away.
When you arrive, you meet her. Then you go through our butterfly hallway. There are 125 butterflies, each representing a different chapter — a different menu. We opened Sept. 9, 2020, and we close Sept. 9, 2032.
Every 90 days, the entire menu changes. The music changes. The art changes. The plates change. The thread stays the same — Carolinian ingredients, high-level cookery, storytelling — but the story itself evolves.
Q. Counter- was this year awarded a Michelin star. What does that mean to you?
The Michelin release for the South last year was probably the weirdest Michelin release of all time. … The list of who got stars and recommendations was leaked at 11 a.m., and the ceremony was at 7 p.m. It was a huge deal, and everyone was confused.
You have over 250 restaurants show up [to the ceremony in Greenville, S.C.]. Only nine people got a star. Frankly, it was a very somber ceremony at the beginning because you had so many people who felt let down and, you know, we’re trying to celebrate. We got to have the best celebration because we also got the Michelin Green Star, which is frankly more important to us than anything else, and that represents sustainability. We all freaked out, like we’re crying. …
We got the star Nov. 5. We were sold out through March, so a bunch came in immediately. So then we released our spring and summer reservations like the first week of December. Now we are sold out through April. The majority of May, June, July and August are booked.
Q. So what’s the future look like? You’re in the second half of the lifespan of Counter-. It’s got an end date [Sept. 9, 2032]. What does that look like?
I am giving over the majority of the ownership to the team that’s there. Whatever they want to do. Like, our lease ends two years after our end date. So many people are like, “Oh, you just did it with your leasing.” I’m going to give them two years to do whatever they want with it.
But I’m going to move. I feel like my story in Charlotte will be where it needs to be for me to walk away from my hometown. And I’m scoping out two cities internationally right now for what would be my project.
There’s a word. I actually have it tattooed on my face. It’s one that completely changed from my perspective of everything — and it’s a word called “sonder.” It’s only 14 years old. It was created for a dictionary called “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.” And it’s a realization where you understand that every single person in the world has just as unique and complicated of a life as you do, making the same mundane and important decisions that you make every single day.
And the butterfly effects of your decisions and their decisions could end up meeting up, maybe never meet up, or they might be hugely impactful on your life, and you’ll never know. That realization was the spur of what I wanted to turn into a concept. I’ve spent the past four years working and developing on what that concept’s going to look like.
I want to take a couple of years after Counter- closes to do more exploration and learn more about not just that concept but myself. And then my goal is that I’ll open up that restaurant probably when I’m 40, 41.
🎙️ Stream the full conversation anywhere you get your podcasts. (We think this episode is worth the listen!)
Today’s supporting sponsor is Landon A. Dunn, attorney-at-law in Matthews:
A closer look at Charlotte’s strong job numbers: Business services, health care, hospitality all thrive; manufacturing not so much
It was a boon for Charlotte to learn this month that our region was the No. 2 job creator in the country in 2025, behind only New York City.
A closer look at the Labor Department data shows that the majority of the 37,600 jobs created in the Charlotte region last year were in fields including business services, health care and hospitality.
And while most employment sectors in the region gained jobs last year, the number of jobs in two sectors — manufacturing and information, which includes jobs in telecom and publishing — actually fell.
The sector-by-sector numbers show how the local economy is changing, with the number of service jobs continuing to increase as goods-producing jobs are much flatter. And despite concerns about the effects of artificial intelligence on jobs, many office-related job sectors are still on the rise in the Charlotte region, including those with roles such as bankers, lawyers, accountants, engineers and consultants.
Here’s the breakdown by job sector:
Although you might be tempted to think that business services has been the big winner longer-term, that distinction actually goes to the sector known as “trade, transportation and utilities,” which includes retail and transportation/warehousing. It has grown by nearly 53,000 jobs in the Charlotte region over the past decade, putting it ahead of job creation in areas including education and health (+44,900) and the Charlotte stalwart, finance (+36,700).
Jobs numbers are published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. —Tony Mecia
🇺🇸 Election Notes: Expensive race for UCity N.C. House seat as Sadler doubles Cunningham’s fundraising; Mix-N-Mingle with candidates this week; Unspun Unscripted
◼️ Big money for N.C. House seat: The effort to unseat N.C. Rep. Carla Cunningham isn’t just getting intense. It’s also getting expensive.
Campaign finance records show that through the end of 2025, Cunningham had raised about $57,000 in this election cycle, while her main opponent, Rodney Sadler, had taken in about $122,000. That seems pricey for a single N.C. House seat. And it doesn’t even count the outside money pouring into the University City-area district that is trying to paint Cunningham as a Trump acolyte.
Some Democrats have become disenchanted with Cunningham, who has broken ranks and voted with Republicans to override vetoes on issues such as immigration enforcement.
Sadler has the backing of some Democratic establishment figures, including Gov. Josh Stein. His campaign treasurer is the co-founder of Maven Strategies, a Raleigh-based “progressive full-service consulting firm.”
About 60% of the money to Cunningham and Sadler comes from outside Charlotte, according to a Ledger analysis of campaign finance records.
Sadler’s contributors include county commissioner Laura Meier ($250), the N.C. Democratic Party ($500) and former Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts ($380), state records show.
Cunningham’s contributors include the Atrium Health Employees PAC ($1,000), StarMed Healthcare founder Michael Estramonte ($5,500), law firm McGuireWoods ($2,000), the N.C. Dental PAC ($1,000), the N.C. Farm Bureau PAC ($2,000), and $6,800 each from the N.C. Homebuilders Association PAC, the N.C. Nurse Anesthetists PAC, the N.C. Nurses PAC and the N.C. Realtors PAC.
A third candidate in the race, Vermanno Bowman, had not filed an end-of-year finance report, state records show.
◼️ Meet the candidates on Wednesday: We hope you’ll join us at Wednesday’s “Mix & Mingle 2026 Candidate Social,” being put on by CLT Public Relations, the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce, The Election Hub and The Charlotte Ledger. It’s your chance to speak directly with candidates. Details:
When: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5-6:30 p.m.
Where: The Innovation Barn, 932 Seigle Ave.
More info and registration: The event is free; register here
◼️ Unspun Unscripted: PBS Charlotte “Unspun” host and former Gov. Pat McCrory and The Ledger’s Tony Mecia will hold an online discussion 10 a.m. on Friday called “Unspun Unscripted.” It will explore what politicians may be thinking but not saying, and you’re welcome to join and participate. Registration and more info here. —Tony Mecia
Review: Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Boundless’ pairs a socially charged meditation on division with a joyous, immersive romp, showcasing the company’s emotional depth and exuberant versatility
Arts critic Lawrence Toppman took in a recent performance of Charlotte Ballet’s “Winter Works: Boundless” and left wanting to see it again.
In his review, which was sent to Toppman on the Arts subscribers earlier this morning, he wrote:
Can I explain why a woman darted around the square, unheeded by the grooving ensemble, shouting “Bobby? Bobby?” Or why a man turned his body into a percussion instrument, slapping himself and recoiling like a small planet being struck by tiny asteroids? Sure can’t.
Yet every time chaos or silliness threatens to overwhelm us, a wave of gentleness rolls through. Dancers hold audience members by the hands calmly and look into their eyes. They encourage us to come with them to vogue, to adopt poses vaguely like yoga stretches, to boogie relaxedly. We’re almost never this close to professional dancers, and Naharin humanizes them: You look at faces more than bodies for once, and you see them panting like thoroughbreds who have just run the Belmont Stakes.
Performances run through March 21 at McBride-Bonnefoux Center for Dance, 701 N. Tryon St.
🎭 Sign up for The Ledger’s Toppman on the Arts newsletter on your account settings page to receive Toppman’s full reviews straight to your inbox.
⚽️ Charlotte FC’s season kicked off this weekend. That means Fútbol Friday is back.
The return of soccer this weekend means The Ledger’s Fútbol Friday, helmed by experienced sportswriter Carroll Walton, is back for its fifth season of covering Charlotte FC.
On Friday, Walton’s newsletter dove into 10 things to know for the club’s fifth season, including what’s going on with the players and how this spring and summer’s World Cup — to be hosted across North America in multiple cities — will affect the league’s schedule this year.
But before the season even started, Walton’s newsletter that came out Feb. 13 included a touching, nuanced and thoughtful story about Charlotte FC Coach Dean Smith and his father’s experience with Alzheimer’s has shaped one of the most meaningful chapters of his career.
➡️ Ledger subscribers can add or drop individual newsletters, including Fútbol Friday, on their “My Account” page.
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
THURSDAY: “Fuel the Fire: Celebrating the Voices, Stories and Opportunities that Champion Girls and Women in Sport,” 6-8 p.m., at Queens University of Charlotte, 1900 Selwyn Ave. Join Queens University of Charlotte as Molly Grantham delivers a powerful keynote, “Bet on Yourself,” followed by a moderated panel with Anna Cockrell, Olympian; Kieth Cockrell, President, Bank of America Charlotte; Andrea Smith, Chair, Bank of America Alumni Network; Molly Barker, Founder, Girls on the Run International. $25/individual ticket. $18/groups of 10 or more.
FRIDAY: “Senior Scholars Weekly Meeting: Microplastics and Other Contaminants,” 10-11 a.m., at Providence United Methodist Church, 2810 Providence Road. Join the members of Senior Scholars as Dr. Olay Keen, an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNC Charlotte, discusses where we stand and how we move forward to address the adverse effects of environmental pollutants. Dr. Keen is the author of over 30 peer-reviewed articles on contaminants of emerging concern. $5 for guests. $25 annual membership.
MARCH 5: “Champions of Public Education: It’s Everybody’s Business,” 5:30-8 p.m., at Central Piedmont Community College, Central Campus Zeiss Building, Parr Lecture Auditorium #110, 1231 Elizabeth Ave. Join the League of Women Voters of Charlotte Mecklenburg for a panel discussion with leaders from education, business, and civic life on what it means to be a champion of public education. Learn why strong public schools matter to everyone—and how you can help drive meaningful change. Bring a friend. Free.
MARCH 7: “Michelle’s Mighty Mission 24,000 Meter Row,” 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Sugar Creek Brewing Company, 215 Southside Drive. Join Sugar Creek Brewing Co., CrossFit Mecklenburg and 24 Foundation to pull together for the cancer community at the Seventh Annual Michelle’s Mighty Mission 24,000 Meter Row. Be part of a high-energy day of fitness, fun and something truly mighty. All are welcome; participants must be age eight or older. $50/person.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
ICE eyes new facility in Concord: The Department of Homeland Security, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is seeking to buy industrial warehouses to turn them into detention centers for immigrants. One of the proposed facilities is in Concord, which would have an estimated 1,500 beds. The effort is running into local resistance across the U.S., including locally, as dozens protested in Concord on Sunday. (Charlotte Observer)
Charlotte business owners relieved at tariff ruling: On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs, ruling that the power to impose taxes lies with Congress. Charlotte-area business owners of restaurants, international grocers and marts, builders, and auto shops have felt the effects of tariffs with rising costs and customer concerns, and say they are relieved by the decision. (Charlotte Observer)
More than 2,400 are unhoused: The recently released Housing Instability and Homelessness report from Mecklenburg County Community Support Services found 2,404 people in Mecklenburg County were experiencing homelessness as of June 2025. That’s actually down 14% from last year’s report, but the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time in fiscal year 2024 grew 11% from the previous period. (Report)
I-77 opponents expected at City Council tonight: Charlotte residents who are against the proposed I-77 South toll lane expansion are expected to pack the City Council chamber tonight to express their opposition to the project. Mayor Vi Lyles has asked the council’s transportation committee to discuss the controversial project on March 5. A majority of City Council members have said they support pausing the project. (WFAE)