Christa Hare
2019 Matilda Midnight

Born and raised in Lucedale, Mississippi, Christa Hare is a Southerner through and through. Her passion for food took roots in high school where she participated in a cooking class and developed an affection for pastry. Though Christa’s studies took her in a different direction in college, she never lost sight of her love for the kitchen. After a sociology degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, she jumped back in to the food & beverage world in a Hattiesburg café. Here, Christa quickly moved to management, and in the three years working there enjoyed developing the dessert menu and experimenting with sandwich creations.Upon moving to Chattanooga, Christa worked for Boar’s Head and enjoyed coming up with new and exciting recipes using only their signature products. From here, she took position as grill cook for Lookout Mountain’s Café on the Corner and served upscale Southern comfort food with a twist.In 2018, Christa took a position as line cook for the Solarium Café inside The Dwell Hotel in downtown Chattanooga. As The Dwell changed their food program, Christa assumed the role as Head Chef and is currently re-developing a sophisticated Southern cocktail bar menu and an out-of-the-ordinary event menu that matches the hotel’s quirky style.Throughout her career life, Christa also enjoyed working with after-school programs and assisting kids with homework and encouraging them as a mentor. Her dream is to one day have a non-profit that combines her passion for food and joy of working with young people. The idea is to create an after-school program that builds confidence in kids through cooking as an art form and working with your hands.