Sam Hart is the executive chef and owner of Counter-, a MICHELIN-starred and Green Star-awarded dining experience in Charlotte, North Carolina. Born and raised in the Queen City, Hart founded Counter- with the goal of reimagining fine dining while mentoring the next generation of chefs and strengthening Charlotte's culinary community.
Hart's path into the kitchen was unconventional. After graduating from Dickinson College in 2011, they spent five years working in advertising before leaving corporate America in 2016 to pursue a culinary degree at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. While in school, Hart gained experience at several local restaurants, including Heirloom, Myers Park Country Club, Angeline's, and Haymaker.
In 2018, Hart moved to Chicago to immerse themselves in fine dining, beginning at the three-MICHELIN-starred Alinea under Executive Chef Simon Davies before working as a sashimi chef at Momotaro alongside Chef Gene Kato. They later served as lead culinary instructor at The Kids' Table while developing private tasting menus that became the research and development foundation for Counter-.
Returning to Charlotte in 2019, Hart launched Counter- as a monthly pop-up before opening its first permanent location in 2020. The restaurant relocated to West Charlotte in 2022 and has since earned both a MICHELIN Star and Green Star. Hart was also named a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: Southeast in 2023.
