A Conversation with Sam Hart
May 18, 2026
Moderated by chef Nikki Sawyer Moore
Doors open at 5:30 pm
ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center
Wells Fargo Playhouse
300 E. 7th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Join us for an evening at the intersection of culinary arts and library advocacy.
In a moderated conversation, the city’s first Michelin-starred chef, Sam Hart, will share how storytelling shapes every course they create and why they’re donating a curated collection of culinary books to the new Main Library at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
We’ll also debut our Great Big Story Builders campaign, an ambitious effort to raise $500,000 for the opening day collection at the new Main Library in Uptown to fill the shelves with stories that nourish, inform and inspire our community.
Stay after the conversation for light refreshments and a chance to connect with Sam and Nikki.
ABOUT THE CHEF AND RESTAURANT
counter- is a story-driven dining experience focused on producing the highest level personal memory for guests, while showcasing our region in a singular composition. Owned and operated as a collective effort amongst employees with a shared mission to change the industry, counter- is designed to evoke emotion throughout the progressive dining experience, fully immersing guests by utilizing sound, taste, and art as a vehicle. The menu, which rotates quarterly, is driven by sense-based storylines such as music, modern art, and mental health.
This innovative approach has earned widespread recognition. In 2025, Counter- was awarded one Michelin Star by the Michelin Guide, along with the prestigious Green Star for gastronomy and sustainability. Chef Sam Hart was named a Best Chef Southeast finalist by the James Beard Foundation in 2023. The restaurant’s exceptional wine program has also been honored with the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator from 2023 through 2025, and it was recognized among the Forward 50 Restaurants by Wine Enthusiast in 2024.
Executive Chef/Founder Sam Hart aspires for counter- to be an incubator for rising star chefs, providing them a place for empowerment, guidance, and inspiration to open their own concepts in Charlotte, while also elevating experiences in Hart’s own hometown.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Nikki Sawyer Moore holds an English degree from Davidson College and an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte.
As the owner of FOOD LOVE, Nikki spent over a decade offering in-home catering and cooking classes and corporate team-building to the Charlotte community. Her culinary endeavors include food writing, recipe testing, televised cooking demonstrations, consulting, and cookbook editing in addition to restaurant and catering experience.
Nikki lives in Charlotte with her husband North and their three daughters and spends a good part of each day thinking about what her next meal will be. When not in the kitchen, you’ll find her with a library book.
Nikki currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Foundation and is a member of the Charlotte Leadership Council for the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina in addition to being an active volunteer for causes near to her heart in the Charlotte area.