Search

    Select Website Language

    Ayesha and Steph Curry are opening three new restaurants in Charlotte – in partnership with the luxury hotel brand – the Carlton-Ritz. The power couple is joining forces with Michelin-star chef Michael Mina to open Sweet July Cafe, The Eighth Rule, and Bourbon Steak as part of the hotel’s remodeling. 

    At the end of last month, the first of the trio of restaurants opened: Sweet July Cafe. The cafe serves specialty coffee, fresh pastries, and Caribbean-rooted comfort food inspired by Ayesha’s Jamaican heritage. The other two locations are set to open later in the year. 

    Related post: 5 Black Couples Building Businesses, Wealth, and Legacy Together

    Ayesha Curry’s Food Empire

    Born in Toronto, Ayesha and her family always used food to stay connected to their Jamaican roots. “I’m so grateful for those experiences with my mom and grandma, spending time with them and learning about the flavors of our Jamaican heritage,” Ayesha said in an interview with Andscape. She turned her passion into a full-time career as an entrepreneur and culinary influencer. 

    While her career initially began in acting, she gained popularity when she ventured into sharing recipes on her personal food blog and YouTube channel, Little Lights of Mine, in 2014. Her videos eventually gained over half a million subscribers. In 2016, she hosted the Food Network series Ayesha’s Home Kitchen. Since then, she has appeared as a judge or host on Chopped Junior, Family Food Fight, About Last Night and more. 

    Ayesha has written two New York Times best-selling cookbooks: The Seasoned Life in 2016, and The Full Plate in 2020. Eventually, in 2019, she pulled together all her different ventures under one lifestyle brand: Sweet July. The brand encompasses Sweet July Magazine, Sweet July Skin, Sweet July Productions, and the first Sweet July Cafe in Santa Monica, California. 

    This Ritz-Carlton expansion is also not the first time she collaborated with chef Mina. In 2016, the two worked together on International Smoke. What started as a Bay Area pop-up turned into a fully fledged restaurant in 2017. It closed its doors in May 2026, just in time to make space for their newest collaboration. 

    Related post: 4 Chefs To Follow for African & Caribbean Flavors

    Steph Curry on Building a Bourbon Tradition 

    For the four-time NBA champion, the Eighth Rule represents Steph’s first hospitality venture. Mina and Steph first launched the Eighth Rule in San Fransico in 2025 as their initial location. The intimate bourbon-inspired bar features craft cocktails, innovative pairings, and unique bottles. It was named the Eighth Rule, derived from the seven official rules of Burbon production. 

    “With The Eighth Rule Charlotte, we’re building on the foundation of the bourbon tradition while encouraging guests to create their own ‘eighth rule,’ their own way to celebrate and enjoy the moment. We can’t wait to welcome people into the space and become part of the Charlotte community,” Steph shared. The bar is set to open later this year. 

    Related post: Stephen Curry Inks Multi-Year Health Tech Deal With Google

    Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak Restaurant

    The final restaurant in the trio, Bourbon Steak, is Mina’s award-winning steakhouse, which has nearly 10 locations across the country. The modern American steakhouse is known for its butter-poached steaks, a technique that Mina pioneered. They offer complimentary duck-fat fries, various cuts of steak, and an extensive wine and spirits menu. 

    Mina has long been celebrated as one of the country’s top chefs. He has won multiple awards. including The Rising Star Chef in 1997 and Best Chef in California in 2002. In addition, Mina was honored as Bon Appétit’s Chef of the Year in 2005 and featured as a guest judge on television shows like Hell’s Kitchen and MasterChef. The MINA Group, which he co-founded with tennis star Andre Agassi, manages between 30 and 40 diverse concepts nationwide and globally. He is celebrated for blending his Egyptian heritage with Western culinary techniques. 

    Opening Shop in Charlotte 

    The trio has a longstanding relationship, and together they are expanding the culinary scene in the city. Karen Ayad, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, was especially excited about the collaboration. “The partnerships that we’re entering into with Michael Mina and Ayesha and Steph Curry are not just exciting for The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte — I think they are super exciting for Charlotte as a whole,” she said. 

    The couple’s return to Charlotte is particularly sentimental because it is the city where they first met. Now they are bringing Sweet July Cafe, The Eighth Rule and Bourbon Steak to life for the residents of Charlotte to enjoy. 

    Main image: Steph and Ayesha Curry, graphic created by UrbanGeekz

    Join the UrbanGeekz community for the latest in tech, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, and opportunities. Subscribe here.

    The post Ayesha and Steph Curry Expand Their Food Empire With Three New Restaurants appeared first on UrbanGeekz.

    Previous Article
    This Is the Most Competitive Era in NBA HISTORY!
    Next Article
    World’s Richest Black Man Aliko Dangote Plans to Give Away 33% of His Fortune

    Related Tech Updates:

    Are you sure? You want to delete this comment..! Remove Cancel

    Comments (0)

      Leave a comment