Food Hall Brand Finding Community in Emerging Markets

3 Min Read By MRM Staff

The team at Hospitality HQ, lead by Chef Akhtar Nawab has been switching up the food hall model by launching projects designed to emphacize culinary exploration and community connection in markets including Silver Spring, Maryland, Charlotte, North Carolina and Orlando. They are currently up to 18 locations. 

When curating these locations, Nawab and his team strive to close the opportunity gap for aspiring chefs and restaurateurs, primarily those of BIPOC identities, through mentorship, from menu curation to business development. The featured vendors of each location reflect the unique cultural fabric of each community, shedding light on niche cuisines and mom-and-pop startups.

The team's most recent projects include Monarch Market in Charlotte, N.C.; Solaire Social, in Silver Spring; and Southern Box Food Hall in Orlando. Expansion plans include Burnsville, Minnesota and Atlanta. 

Chef Akhtar Nawab and Rod Daya of Hospitality HQ tell Modern Restaurant Management (MRM)…