Last night I had the pleasure of attending an event in Charlotte all about food and how it shapes community. The event was the second course of #SkylineCLT. It consisted of a moderated talk hosted by John T. Edge discussing the role of food in the community, and the burgeoning Charlotte food scene. The event featured a few award-winning chefs from Atlanta, Sarah Crosland, a local food critic and writer who happens to be my boss, and local restaurateur Chef Bruce Moffett.

At the conclusion of the talk, guests were able to try some of the great food by featured chefs, including the best lamb burger I’ve ever had. Local beer was present (thanks Birdsong and NoDa), and free popsicles from King of Pops was a great way to cap off the evening.

Takeaways of the event: Food shapes the community as a whole, and has the ability to lead a revitalization effort in under-served areas. As Chef Linton Hopkins said, “Food shapes who we are as a people, fundamentally.”