Greg Collier Infuses Fine and Fettle with Southern Flavors and French Touches
Memphis-born chef Greg Collier, a James Beard Award finalist, steps in as executive chef at Fine and Fettle, the Canopy by Hilton restaurant in Charlotte's SouthPark. His October debut dinner menu blends Southern heritage with subtle French techniques, aiming to delight hotel guests from Chicago, Detroit, and beyond alongside local diners. Collier's approach redefines hotel dining by rooting elevated cuisine in Black Southern traditions.
Southern Roots Shape a New Menu
Collier's cooking draws directly from his upbringing in the South, where Black American heritage informs every dish. "Everything I do, and will ever do, will have a thread of Southern in it," he said. At Fine and Fettle, this means pan-seared duck breast with braised collard greens and house-made cornmeal gnocchi, a nod to his affinity for duck. Seared scallops pair with pickled okra, potlikker redux, and Hoppin' John featuring smoked turkey instead of pork, offering a surf-and-turf twist unfamiliar to many visitors.
Collier prioritizes resourcefulness, turning sweet potato peels into honey butter for yeast rolls. This practice echoes Southern cooking's history of maximizing ingredients amid scarcity, now refined for a broader audience. The menu avoids a personal narrative, unlike his past work at Leah and Louise, and instead explores Southern-French interplay through mother sauces and braising methods.
Breakfast Highlights Juxtapositions and Classics
Fine and Fettle serves breakfast with options that balance innovation and familiarity. Umami mushroom toast features a ragu of portobello, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms deglazed with marsala, enriched by cream and vegetable stock, then topped with savory coffee, togarashi, and crunchy collard greens. Collier crafts avocado toast with pickled green onions, pistachios, and watermelon radish to create striking contrasts in texture and flavor.
Traditional choices include egg white omelets, a grits bowl, and duck-fat poached flank steak with eggs. Amid nearby steakhouses, Collier focuses on precise execution across coffee, wine, cocktails, service, and cooking to build a loyal clientele. His emphasis on high standards elevates hotel fare beyond convenience.
Heritage Meets Culinary Exploration
Collier's philosophy probes deeper questions, as at Leah and Louise, where he imagined Southern food unbound by slavery's constraints—refined rather than humble. Fine and Fettle continues this inquiry through Southern influences on French cuisine, using familiar greens and peas in sophisticated presentations. Such fusion preserves African Diaspora elements while introducing them to diverse guests, fostering cultural exchange in Charlotte's dining scene.
By adapting dishes like Hoppin' John for modern palates, Collier bridges regional traditions with accessibility. His ventures with wife Subrina—Uptown Yolk, 3rd and Fernwood, and the paused Leah and Louise—demonstrate sustained commitment to Southern identity. This role at Fine and Fettle promises to anchor the hotel's kitchen with authentic, boundary-pushing flavors.
