Charlotte's moment at the table, with Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Palate

Kristen Wile has spent more than a decade documenting Charlotte’s restaurant scene, and in that time she’s watched the city transform from a place searching for its culinary identity into one drawing national attention. Michelin stars, Top Chef contestants and James Beard semifinalists may dominate the headlines today, but Wile argues Charlotte’s rise didn’t happen overnight. Instead, it’s the result of years of growth, local talent, ambitious chefs and a dining community that has steadily built something worth noticing.In this live episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, recorded at The Sharon in SouthPark, Wile — founder and editor of Unpretentious Palate — joins Ledger managing editor Ashley Fahey for a conversation about the forces shaping Charlotte’s food scene. They discuss:How Charlotte evolved into a city chefs increasingly want to build careers in The growing challenges independent restaurants face from national chains and rising costs How takeout, changing drinking habits and labor shortages continue to reshape the industry Why the “regular” restaurant customer has largely disappeared The surprising rise of chicken tenders and other comfort foods during economic uncertainty Whether viral food trends actually help restaurants build lasting success How Charlotte diners can better support local restaurants Wile's favorite restaurants, dishes and hidden gems around Charlotte Why she believes Charlotte should stop looking to outsiders for validation of its food scene➡️ Find out more about Unpretentious PalateToday’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc. Looking for child care? Our team provides guidance every step of the way! Search online at www.FindChildCareNC.org or call 1-888-600-1685 for live assistance and free, customized referrals.This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks. For more information on The Charlotte Ledger, go to TheCharlotteLedger.com.