Episode 237: Sam Hart (Counter-, Charlotte, NC)

**Content warning – this episode (briefly) discusses attempted suicide.**Sam Hart took a circuitous route to the professional kitchen. After a childhood in which cooking and food weren't especially central concerns, Sam was in a career in advertising when culinary inspiration struck, leading to jobs in such kitchens as  Alinea, and ultimately to becoming chef owner of Counter- and other concepts in Charlotte, NC. Andrew and Sam sat down a few months back to go through their fascinating career and creative arc.Please note: If experiencing suicidal feelings, for professional and/or medical advice/attention, please seek help from an appropriate mental health care specialist and/or medical provider.If you are in the U.S., here are two resources where you can seek help any day, at any time:National Suicide Prevention LifelineCrisis Text Line (also available in the UK, Ireland, and Canada)A great many national and regional resources are available, both in the US and around the world. If in the United States, you can seek a referral here. Wherever you are, a quick web search should point you to qualified help in your area and/or language. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!