The (R)evolution of
HEALTHY
HABIT
It started out as a new restaurant concept. But it may yet jump start a revolution in how we eat healthy. BY BARRY KAUFMAN
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TASTEOFHILTONHEAD.COM
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PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN
Devotees of the island’s culinary scene don’t need any introduction to Nick Bergelt. Hilton Head’s home-grown entrepreneur burst into the restaurant industry with an out-of-the-park home run on his first swing, the awardwinning burger joint Charbar Co. His batting average only improved with the celebrated openings of Holy Tequila and Whiskey Room, cementing his status as a rising star. And then something curious happened. At the height of his restaurants’ collective popularity, Bergelt sold all three to SERG Restaurant Group and turned his efforts towards a concept he hadn’t even originated. For an entrepreneur used to building from the ground up, however, taking over the Healthy Habit concept was more than just a restaurant acquisition. “Our main goal is advancing health,” he said. “It’s never just been about a restaurant.” Taking over Healthy Habit came at a time when Bergelt was increasingly cognizant of his own health. Still a young man, he had nonetheless fallen into the pitfall that every restaurateur encounters – after all, you can’t know how good your food is unless you try all of it, right? Couple that with the never-ending schedule of meetings and obligations that come with running a business and you have a lifestyle that leaves a lot to be desired in terms of health. “I’d been in the restaurant business burning the candle at both ends for a decade,” he said. “Burgers and churros five days a week were an occupational hazard, but you can handle it when you’re