All It’s Cracked Up to Be

Fresh Chef owner offers a fresh take on breakfast with Fresh Egg

Lake Norman Currents | June 2019

By Aaron Garcia

The decision for Mel Funk to open Fresh Egg in mid-April wasn't part of any grand design, explains the restaurant owner. The other three openings he's helped oversee over the past four months — all expansions of his ultra-popular Cornelius spot, Fresh Chef — were bullets on his to-do list. He saw them coming.

But opening a brand new breakfast and lunch concept at the same time?

"We would've never planned it this way," says Funk with a laugh.

Cracking the case

A large piece of the puzzle falls into place when you walk up to Fresh Egg and realize wholesale changes haven't taken place, and they didn't really need to. For starters, it's located in Fresh Chef's former 1,900 square-foot spot in The Shops at Fresh Market shopping center. Really, the biggest change seems to be the logo — a mustachioed egg sits between the familiar collegiate block lettering of "FRESH" and "EGG," a spinoff of Fresh Chef's mustache with a chef hat (or is it a chef's hat with a mustache?).

The changes made inside are as minimal. It still feels natural and fresh with its light green and white paint stacked on top of its dark wood floors and trim. The giant "CHEF'S TABLE" sign still runs down the sidewall. Now, though, it's sandwiched by oversized prints of waffles and eggs benedict instead of grilled meats and peppers. The transition has certainly seemed just as smooth for its patrons, as the only gripe since it opened seems to be the long lines on weekends.

For Funk, the spark that started his latest restaurant happened when a new opportunity struck an old idea. For five years Fresh Chef made good use of Fresh Egg's current address. At times, though, customers waiting in line would have to stand just a few feet away from those already seated and eating.

"We were just too successful for the space," Funk explains.

He'd had his eye on a larger spot previously occupied by another restaurant just six doors down. When they moved out earlier this year, Funk says he jumped on the opportunity to nearly triple his square footage.

The old spot, however, "was too good to walk away from," says Funk.

What came first? The Chef or the Egg?

Funk had the sketching for a new, "eclectic" menu already in his head. It had been there since he owned a breakfast place in northern Georgia 15 years ago. Now with an open space he had a reason to put them on paper.

Funk says the goal was to offer some down-home, comfort-food-style offerings that still honored the "Fresh" part of the name. That's why you have the option of stacking bacon, sausage and hollandaise on top of a cauliflower patty for your benedict instead of an English muffin. The omelets range from Meat Lovers to Vegetarian, and the upcoming Quiche of the Day is hand-pounded to nearly plate-size before it's breaded, sautéed and smothered in hand-pulled mozzarella.

"I wanted it to feel like a 1983 diner," says Funk.

The new project also gives Funk the chance to tinker. Fresh Egg offers curbside pick-up and is serving to-go orders in commuter friendly trays. There are plans to use Fresh Egg as a private room or event space during its off hours. Funk also hopes to draw in the brunch crowd with mimosas and wine.

"To get people away from their normal breakfast spot," says Funk, "you've got to be special."