by Michelle Boudin
Weather update: Due to the winter storm, Soup on Sunday has been rescheduled for Feb. 1, 2026.
For 25 years, Soup on Sunday has been a beloved community fundraiser for an organization that touches many in the region.
“It ends up being a full meal because there are so many gourmet soups to try. It doesn’t take much until you’re pretty full,” explains Pete Brunnick, president and CEO of VIA Health Partners. The local organization, formerly Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region, hosts the popular winter gathering.
“As a nonprofit, we serve all people who need our services regardless of their ability to pay,” Brunnick explains. “We have a lot of patients who don’t have insurance. We serve the poorest of the poor, homeless people — and the money from Soup on Sunday goes to help us provide that support. It also goes to provide bereavement counseling for people who have lost a loved one.”
Pete Brunnick, president and CEO of VIA Health Partners, with participating chefs at Soup on Sunday
Each January, 25 Charlotte chefs bring their best soup offerings in five-gallon batches, and the public is invited to sample as many as they’d like.
Nancy Cole, director of special events at VIA Health Partners, has organized the event for 23 years. She says Soup on Sunday continues to grow in popularity because it’s just a great thing to do on a chilly winter Sunday.
“We have soups and bisques, stews and chilis, and Great Harvest Bread comes as well — so you get soup and a little something on the side. It’s a great opportunity for chefs to have camaraderie as well.”
This year, 300 East, Barrington’s and Mert’s Heart & Soul are just a few of the local spots participating in the fundraiser.
Jon Dressler, whose Rare Roots Hospitality owns several restaurants including Fin & Fino and Dressler’s, has sent a team for the last seven years and will again this year.
“We participate because hospice is just a great service that is provided to anyone at any time without question, and they do work that is very difficult,” Dressler says. His mom was in hospice for two weeks before she passed away. “When my mom was in hospice, I talked to one of the nurses about being surrounded by death, and she said, ‘My life is about providing comfort for people like your mother and people like you.’”
In addition to a hearty meal, there are also handcrafted pottery bowls — made by local artists — for sale, with proceeds supporting VIA’s free hospice services in the Charlotte region. Since its inception in 2000, the event has raised more than $1 million.
“Soup lovers take it very seriously,” says Cole. “They show up with a cupcake tin and they carry those around and they go to four or five different stations, get their samples and enjoy them.”
Brunnick says despite the sadness that can surround the work VIA does, the event itself is uplifting and fun.
“There’s a lot of smiles. It’s family-friendly and always turns into a big social event where people enjoy each other and catch up with old friends. It’s really a great communal event.” SP
The 26th annual Soup on Sunday is Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. at Central Piedmont’s Philip Van Every Culinary Arts Building. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door and range from $35 for general admission to $75 for a VIP experience with early entry and a chef demo.
