Today we’d like to introduce you to Allegra Grant.
Hi Allegra, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My path into hospitality began as a cook at the young age of 15 while living in Marietta, Georgia. What I thought would be just another fun summer job was actually just the beginning of my foundation as a hospitality professional that has been developed over the past seventeen years. After high school I went on to earn a Culinary Arts & Food Service Management Degree from Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. After college I moved to Asheville, North Carolina and began my proper professional career at Curate. I had the unique opportunity to work with Katie Button on the Curate Cookbook and found myself traveling across the country to promote the cookbook through special events and classes. From there my passion for events blossomed and I found myself taking on a unique opportunity in Atlanta to work as a Farms Manager for a national culinary festival promoting sustainability through heritage breed hog farmers and chef partnerships. Shortly thereafter I found myself working as the Grand Tasting Manager for Chow Chow, a food festival celebrating Southern Appalachian Foodways. I was also dipping my toes in the Wilmington food scene at that time working in small independent restaurants. I somehow also managed to create recipes for Springer Mountain Farms Chicken and was also teaching cooking classes at The Seasoned Gourmet at this time. It is never dull when you have a serious thirst for knowledge like I do! After bouncing around Charlotte, Asheville, and Atlanta, Wilmington is now home where I reside with my husband and sweet dog.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It most certainly has not been a smooth road, that’s boring! Not acknowledging the signs of burnout in myself and colleagues before it’s too late has been a struggle throughout my career. In 2021 during the height of the darkest times of the pandemic I found myself wanting to learn more about health, so I enrolled in school again through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Through my training there I have been able to utilize effective holistic modalities to prevent burnout and be the light.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I currently work as the Executive Chef & Operations Manager for Salt & Charm in Wilmington, North Carolina. We specialize in luxury catering and private chef experiences that feature Southern Hospitality that expands through Southern classics and global cuisine. Through my attention to detail, logistics management, and team first mentality it sets our service apart from the typical catering experience. We are known for custom client driven experiences that cultivate community around the table. I am most proud of the culinary team that I have cultivated over the past three years in my current role and how they each bring our collected vision to light.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The accessibility of the beach at my fingertips in Wilmington is remarkable, however the lack of proper infrastructure for the developing city can be a bit of a drawback at times. I love the Arts & Cultural energy that Raleigh provides, especially the Red Hat Amphitheater and the Natural Science Museum, but that traffic sometimes gives me PTSD of Atlanta days. Love to call Wilmington home for a nice balance of small town meets city energy!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eat.saltandcharm.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oallegragrant/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/oallegragrant
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/saltandcharm/
