Meet Zach Meloy
Internationally recognized chef, skilled ceramicist, avid gardener & dad of two
Zach’s private dinners typically include produce from his own garden, and are served on ceramic plates handmade by the chef, himself.
Zach Meloy is an artist through and through, with ceramics and culinary arts firmly seated in his heart as the preferred tools to share his vision of the world with others. He’s always seen things a bit differently than most folks. He finds patterns everywhere – in flavors, colors, textures, shapes – and harnesses this vision to create beautiful and often unexpected combinations. He currently allows those interested to enjoy his latest creations in person, offering an immersive experience through the Mug of the Month Club.
Zach has degrees in both Spanish and ceramics from Samford University and a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales. After finishing all that education, he spent the next five in Central America, where he began finding a passion for combining Southern and Latin food after seeing how they overlap. Zach worked in several kitchens and grew his skills upon his return to the US, including starting a speakeasy supper club, which grew to over 5,000 members. He eventually went on to launch his own brick-and-mortar restaurant, Better Half, where he finally was able to connect his food with his ceramics. In a very successful five year run, Better Half was prominently featured in respected magazines, Art Culinaire and Toothache, for both its food and the ceramics it was served on.
Between previously organizing an award-winning underground supper club and then using his own ceramics to serve cuisine at Better Half, Zach had laid the foundation for properly sharing his gifts through food and art. Zach realized he wanted to bring this full circle vision to the forefront of his life, and also to create a business where he has time to focus on his family and being a great dad. Dirt Church is the result of this epiphany, and the latest offering – the Mug of the Month Club – brings guests closer to experiencing how Zach sees the world. Through his pairings of ingredients and cuisines with gorgeous ceramic pieces, he aims to create a full, immersive experience. No longer operating a full-time restaurant, Zach can truly focus on all his passions—family, ceramics, and food.
