COMMUNITY DINNER RESERVATIONS

Jim Noble is one of this city’s most successful, innovative, and philanthropic restaurant owners—and a lot of people in ever-changing Charlotte won’t set foot in his eateries

- KATHLEEN PURVIS

PICK A MEASURE OF RESTAURANT SUCCESS, and Jim Noble meets it: He was one of the city’s first chefs to work with local farmers to put heirloom and locally grown products on his menus. He has a long list of successful food businesses, from Rooster’s to The King’s Kitchen. He’s an innovator who has used online orders and catering to build support before he commits to brick-and-mortar spaces, like the newly opened bakery Copain and his barbecue business, Noble Smoke.

Then there are his good works: Before it closed temporarily during COVID-19, his nonprofit restaurant The King’s Kitchen drew national attention for using Noble’s farm-based cuisine to raise money and employ people struggling with homelessness and addiction. During the first seven months of COVID, Noble and his Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dream Kitchen distributed 140,000 meals to local families in need. Long known for his passionate evangelical beliefs, he leads a weekly Bible study at The King’s Kitchen and Sunday services as a pastor for Restoring Place Church on Freedom Drive.

So why does any mention of Noble on social media guarantee a quick backlash? A typical Twitter post from August 11, 2020: “Hi everyone in #charlotte please spread the word that Jim Noble is still homophobic! Please stop talking about his restaurants until he apologizes. Looking at you, @charlotteagenda.”