Family is at the core of everything for Chef Chris Coleman. A native Charlottean, Chris first gained an appreciation for local ingredients and fostering community while spending summers on his grandparents’ farm in Mississippi. The access to fresh, locally-grown food imprinted on his budding culinary mind, as did the intimate, hands-on experience with Southern growing seasons. Chris was never far from Southern food. He was 14 when he started his first industry job at a local fish camp, working his way up through the ranks from busser to kitchen expediter. While a student in Central Piedmont’s culinary program, Chris took a job as a line cook at the McNinch House, one of Charlotte’s most storied fine dining restaurants. He was quickly promoted to head chef at the age of 21. Seasonality and celebrating the bounty of North Carolina, specifically the Piedmont region, motivated Chris to create a pop-up dinner series. The Market Kitchen used only locally-sourced ingredients prepared with experimental, modern cooking techniques. Chris followed up these early ventures by opening The Asbury, a 40-seat farm-to-fork restaurant at The Dunhill Hotel. Under his direction, the restaurant won multiple Charlotte Magazine “Best of the Best” Awards. As director of culinary experience at Charlotte Marriott City Center, Chris helped lead the team that reinvented food and beverage for Marriott international. Stoke, Stoke Bar, and Coco and the Director are brand firsts at Marriott’s M Beta hotel, where Chris oversaw all culinary aspects. In 2020, Chris stepped into the kitchen at The Goodyear House in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood. The Goodyear House has quickly become an instant classic in the Charlotte dining scene, leading by example, from innovative cuisine to philanthropic efforts. In 2021, Chris and his partners established Built on Hospitality, LLC, and opened their second restaurant, Old Town Kitchen & Cocktails in Rock Hill, SC. OTKC is the group’s ode to the classic neighborhood restaurants of yesteryear that serve as a community fixture, hosting date nights, family outings, and everything in between with its modern southern fare. In addition to his work with the restaurants, Chris has also appeared on Food Network multiple times, claiming wins on the programs “Chopped,” “Beat Bobby Flay,” and “Alex vs. America.” Chris is happy to still call Charlotte home, where he lives with his wife Ashley, and children Luke, 11, and Ellie, 7.