PETER TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Chef Greg Collier, owner of BayHaven Restaurant Group, advanced to the semifinals for the James Beard Award.

The third time is the charm for chef Greg Collier.

The restaurateur is the first Charlottean to advance to the James Beard Awards semifinals. Collier is a finalist for James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Southeast award, will attend the national ceremony June 13 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. Collier, who along with his wife Subrina, own BayHaven Restaurant Group, opened their first restaurant in 2012.

“Being the first chef in Charlotte to reach the finals is an honor,” said Gregory, a Memphis native and a three-time Beard nominee. “This just goes to show how much work Subrina and I have put in and further adds to the notion that Charlotte is and has been a great food city. Representing our family, our culture, our heritage, and Charlotte is the most rewarding part of our career.”

The Colliers, whose flagship Leah & Louise restaurant in Camp North End was named one of Esquire magazine’s best new restaurants, launched BayHaven Restaurant Group and the BayHaven Food & Wine Festival last year. The festival featured 65 Black culinarians and had more than 2,000 attendees over three days in its debut. It will return in October.

BayHaven Restaurant Group will open five restaurants this year, including a relaunch of the beloved Uptown Yolk, as well as four concepts this summer at Camp North End: B.A.D. (Beyond Amazing Donuts), Bird is the Word, Passage Seafood and The Abyss.

The BayHaven Food & Wine Festival, an annual celebration of Black Foodways, aimed at raising awareness of Black culinary experts and creating opportunities for newcomers in the hospitality industry.

For more information visit bayhavenrestaurantgroup.com.

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