Charlotte restaurant hires chef who worked at European spot named best in the world
Later this summer, Charlotte restaurant Counter- will be moving to its new, bigger location, opening sister spot Bibilo and now — doing it all with a new chef.
Counter- owner chef Sam Hart has hired chef Alex Wnorowski, who has worked at Three-Star Michelin restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, to lead the kitchen at Counter-’s new location.
Noma showcases New Nordic cuisine in the city’s Christiania section. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants named Noma the best restaurant in the world in 2021. Wnorowski credits his time there with discovering new methods and techniques.
He is from the Triangle area and started a pop-up series Reunion Park. The chef has a love of fermentation and open fire cooking, and he has traveled around the country demonstrating these techniques. Wnorowski also worked at Heron’s and a boutique butchery.
“Alex and I met when he asked to do a pop-up in our space this time last year. I was so impressed by his menu, the whimsical nature of his progression, and his use of fermentation,” Hart told CharlotteFive on Sunday. “Bringing him on is what I imagine it must have felt for Mr. Buss to land Kobe Bryant.”
Counter- is known for its multiple courses based on themes one would think would be impossible to taste, like breakups. “It’s around the concept of us being Counter- to how every restaurant runs and opens. We are Counter-intuitive etc. We are also wanting to be completely against preconceived notions so nothing about the food or menus until the guest shows up,” Hart told CharlotteFive in 2020.
Biblio is expected to open in July and Counter- plans to move from Thrift Road to Salt+Vinegar on West Morehead Street in August, Hart told CharlotteFive on Sunday.
Biblio
Location: 2001 W Morehead St., Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: FreeMoreWest/Ashley Park
Reservation only: reservations@counterclt.com
Opening July 2022
Instagram: @bibliocharlotte
Counter-
Current location (until August 2022): 2200 Thrift Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208
Future location (beginning in August 2022): 2001 W Morehead St., Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: FreeMoreWest/Ashley Park
Reservation only: reservations@counterclt.com
Instagram: @counterclt
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
