Chefs to Watch: UNC-Chapel Hill’s Aramark Chef fancies up down-home Carolina flavors

Chef Michael Gueiss was a bit taken aback when he overheard a student calling him “The Fancy Chef,” but the nickname is appropriate, given the way he’s elevating the dining game day by day at UNC.

From the nickname came an Instagram video series in which Gueiss shows students some useful culinary basics, from grilling chicken to cutting a bell pepper and working with pineapple, which—fun fact—is an enduring symbol of Southern hospitality. The videos also provided a way for Gueiss to connect with students and keep dining at top of mind (or at least Instagram feed).

For UNC menus shaping up for this new semester, Gueiss is bringing down-home flavors to fine-dining flair in dishes like pulled pork grilled cheese sandwiches.

Gueiss shares his professional journey to the campus chef life and gives us a few sneak previews of new menu items the UNC team will share with students as they arrive back on campus.