Charlotte Restaurateurs Featured in PBS’ New ‘Fork & Hammer’ Series

PBS will air a fresh 10-part series, Fork & Hammer, starting Oct. 13. The show tracks two Charlotte food pioneers, Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown, who turn old structures into busy dining spots.

The series shows how this married pair built their food empire of six Charlotte spots. Their work includes turning old churches into Plaza Midwood's Supperland and Dilworth's Lelulia Hall.

"We get into some pretty crazy restoration projects," said Jamie Brown to 800 viewers at the Carolina Theatre premiere on Oct. 8, per The Charlotte Observer. They picked this spot for its mix of old-world charm and food focus.

Watch as they tackle their biggest task yet: moving a building from 1903 across town for their next spot. The show takes you inside Lelulia Hall's switch from an old church to a hot new spot that opened in May.

Local group Susie Films started shooting in June 2024. Money came from big names like the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, Trust20, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, and Biltmore Estate Winery.

"A restaurant show without drama's a little tough, because 99% of the time you have one cuisine and you're making the same 20 dishes over and over again," Jeff Tonidandel said, according to The Charlotte Observer. "With us, we have a lot of different things going on."

Meet key players Chris Rogienski and Jon Rosenberg, who switched from Supperland to run things at Lelulia Hall. The cameras also catch Courtland Bradford, who makes magic in Supperland's kitchen.

The show jumps between Charlotte and Spain, where the pair and their kids hunt for fresh ideas and visit wine makers. You'll see both pro footage and Brown's own videos from when they built Lelulia Hall.

Start with It Started With a Crepe, which shows their first tiny shop from 16 years back. Then watch their climb to success with spots like Ever Andalo, Growlers Pourhouse, Haberdish, and Reigning Doughnuts.

Catch the first show on PBS.org or the PBS app Oct. 13. If you're in North Carolina, tune in Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. on PBS NC. New shows drop each week after.