165: Greg Collier, Uptown Yolk, Leah & Louise (Charlotte, NC)

Years ago, I heard about this breakfast place in Rock Hill, SC where people were lining up to get in the door. I never got there, but I made a note. (I'm kind of like Santa, always taking notes). But when Greg Collier moved that restaurant, The Yolk, to Charlotte, NC, and kept it open while cooking at Loft & Cellar and was nominated for James Beard's Best Chef: South award, my chance to say "I knew him when" was long past. I've since had the opportunity to enjoy his food at Uptown Yolk and work with him for a session at Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. His fun-loving style and outgoing nature are just part of the personality of this chef, one who is driven by his intelligent research, his search for a creative voice, and his ability to build community through Soul Food Sessions. He and his wife Subrina will be opening Leah & Louise in 2020, and I can't wait to see what he's going to do next.