When you walk into the restaurant Leah and Louise, you breathe history and community. From traditional southern classics like smothered cabbage, blackened catfish and chicken skins to unique recipes like Tang tart, James Beard nominated chef Greg Collier pays homage to his family (Leah was his late sister and Louise his grandmother) and to the culinary history of the Black community.
Greg started the restaurant with his wife and business leader Subrina, adding to the list of accomplishments of the couple transforming the culinary landscape in Charlotte, NC. But it doesn’t stop there; like many Black business owners, Subrina and Greg Collier see their success as an opportunity to give back and inspire young Black people.
As Subrina explained: “You can change people's mood really fast with food.”
In October of 2021, they expanded this desire to serve by hosting the inaugural BayHaven Food and Wine Festival to benefit No Kid Hungry. This celebration of Black culture inspired by the Harlem Renaissance aims to raise awareness of Black culinary experts and show newcomers and Black kids the possibilities within the industry.
“When I was growing up, you wanted to have a STEM career, either be a doctor, lawyer or scientist,” shared Subrina. “No one really said ‘Hey, you know, you could open a restaurant’.’”
Greg and Subrina understand that young Black people need role models and mentors that represent who they are.
“If you go into fine dining restaurants, you won’t see a Black woman as a general manager,” Subrina added. “If I do nothing else and contribute nothing else to the hospitality industry, it’s that there was a Black woman that was on the spectrum of higher-end dining and hospitality, that had that position.”
In its inaugural year, the BayHaven Festival was featured by some of the most premier magazines in hospitality and food. But the rewards come in the form of dozens of kids and their families who were able to witness Black entrepreneurs and dream of the possibilities. This mentorship path is not new for the Colliers.
“I think the time for me when I recognized that we were doing more than just opening great restaurants was after we did Soul Food Sessions. From there, we started to see younger chefs just reach out,” Greg said.
Soul Food Sessions was a collaboration between five Black chefs and Subrina Collier to highlight the contributions of Black people to the food industry in Charlotte, NC. The event included sessions with students, many of whom expressed the desire to find mentors who looked like them.
Greg and Subrina understand that the path forward for the Black community is not easy. They called out how challenging it was for them to receive funding compared to other chefs and how Black chefs can sometimes be pigeonholed into specializing just in soul food. But by becoming mentors and partnering with No Kid Hungry, they are allowing many kids to dream.
At No Kid Hungry we are proud of our relationship with the Colliers and about the example that they have set forth for millions of kids.
As Pamela Taylor, our chief communication officer said, “Hunger is a solvable problem, and we have a beautiful Black couple that can show you this is real and there's a way to make this happen.”
Join Greg and Subrina Collier and many others who are working to ensure kids have the meals they need to thrive.
