Chef Sam Diminich’s culinary career comes with many stories. He won the Food Network competition show “Beating Bobby Flay” (hey, Bobby!) and opened Restaurant Constance in West Charlotte. Now, Diminich and Your Farms Your Table Restaurant Group is teaming up with HopeWay, a Charlotte-based mental health clinic, to share good will with a good meal.
A collaboration effort called The HopeWay Kitchen looks to provide seasonal, chef-driven, nutritious meals to HopeWay’s clients, guests, and staff.
“Food is integral to how we heal and connect, and it has quickly become apparent that the need for quality food in mental health facilities is high,” said Diminich.
The Your Farms Your Table (YFYT) team plans to manage HopeWay’s 9,000-sqft in-house kitchen, providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at the center’s 20-acre campus. With emphasis on fresh, local ingredients from Charlotte-area farms, YFYT looks to serve more than 100 meals everyday while supporting clients’ diverse dietary and therapeutic needs.
Fun fact: Since 2022, the YFYT team has prepared more than 36,000 meals for those receiving inpatient recovery and psychiatric services at facilities in Charlotte.
“When nourished with good food, it transforms everything about us,” says Jill Vande Woude, CEO and partner of Your Farms Your Table.
Hopeway’s clients will also have the opportunity to spend time in the Learning Kitchen to gain culinary experience. It’s part of HopeWay’s integrative therapy, building skills and confidence through hands-on meal preparation, group therapy, and meeting with dietitians.
“In addition to nourishment, we hope our food provides a sense of comfort to HopeWay’s clients,” added Diminich. “We believe that food helps heal, and are honored to help carry that mission forward.”
