Posts Tagged ‘Goodstone Inn’
Ashby Inn Welcomes New Hospitality Team
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
The next chapter in the storied history of Paris’ Ashby Inn is set to be written by chef Tarver King and co-managing partner Neal Wavra–a dynamic duo of fine dining who last turned heads during their (brief) tenure at the neighboring Goodstone Inn.
After parting ways with the Goodstone last summer, Wavra said he quietly resolved to pursue his own farm-to-table dining venture (“The next step for me will be my own place,” he said of his dare-to-fly-solo mindset).
The entrepreneurial bug led him to begin scouting local farms–which, in a very roundabout way, culminated in a surprise introduction to Ashby Inn owners Chuck and Jackie Leopold.
When all was said and done, Neal and his wife, Star, had carved out a partnership deal for themselves. And journeyman chefs King (executive) and Nathan Shapiro (sous) found themselves working together once more.
Although he’s now officially an “innkeeper,” Wavra said he’s very much looking forward to revamping the Ashby’s wine and beverage program (think: visiting winemaker dinners and more local pours) and mixing things up in the kitchen with King.
“I’m working every day in the restaurant,” Wavra said of his hands-on management style.
King said he is pleased to be back behind the burners, but stressed that he’s still formulating a plan that melds Ashby’s longstanding traditions with his passion for progressive cuisine.
“A lot of that is definitely on hold,” he said when pressed about resurrecting the elaborate foams and eyebrow-raising proteins (self-cooking steak, anyone?) that obliged people to hike out to Middleburg.
In the meantime, King says he’ll delve even deeper into locally-sourced everything–”It’s not just bright points. We are seeking to do the whole menu locally,” Wavra stated–floating plans for potential farm-to-fork dinners showcasing specific producers or a grand scale “meat-the-farmers” tasting featuring a variety of agricultural artisans and their wholesome wares.
“We’re going to have a LOT of farmer dinners,” he predicted.
Till then, King plans to busy himself by fine-tuning his a la carte selections–latest offerings include: rabbit stew with cider and chestnuts, roast pork with kale and sherry vinegar, and scallop dumplings with tomato confit and fennel–and tinkering with some tasting menu options (he’s currently considering a “spontaneous tasting menu” for adventurous guests as well as a traditional degustation format).
But don’t expect any sweeping changes before January.
–Warren
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, September 14th, 2009
The powers that be at the Goodstone Inn have confirmed that chef Tarver King has stepped down, paving the way for yet another regime change at the troubled Middleburg estate.
King’s departure caps a string of high-profile defections from the tumultuous property, including general manager Simon Smith (left September 1) and sommelier Neal Wavra (decamped in July). And many online gawkers had nervously been waiting for the final shoe to drop.
A Goodstone spokesperson said William J. Walden–a French cooking vet who spent several years at L’Auberge Chez Francois before branching out on his own with La Fleur de Lis (now defunct) in Lovettsville–will slide behind the burners effective immediately.
The spokesperson added that Goodstone owner Mark Betts is hoping to broaden the restaurant’s base by adopting a la carte offerings (Goodstone had adhered to a tasting menu format under King and his predecessor, the Wine Kitchen’s Christopher Carey) and instituting a Sunday brunch option.
“I think he [Betts] thinks locals think it’s too expensive,” the Goodstone spokesperson said of the latest dining overhaul.
No word on whether King plans to remain in the area.
–Warren
Second Thoughts Before that First Bite
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, July 24th, 2009
Image: Goodstone Inn
Goodstone Inn toque Tarver King seems somewhat conflicted about the approaching slaughter season, confessing on his blog that he has bonded with the estate’s Yorkshire-Duroc hogs:
I’ve had animals raised for me before.
But this time its different. We see these guys every day, pet them every day.
His momentary waver is understandable, considering staff have cared for this particular herd going on five months now.
King, perhaps better than anyone, understands the swine was always destined to grace the Goodstone’s china–and ultimately resolves to pay his respects the best way a chef knows how: offering up a farewell feast.
We’ve isolated this pig [pictured above] and started to gorge him on nothing but Virginia peanuts to fatten him up and give him a good nutty flavor.
Every last gram of him will be cherished and very carefully prepared.
I’d love to hear from other local chefs/career farmers who’ve had to wrestle with the burden of dutifully shepherding a four-legged friend to the killing floor.
I imagine it’s a task that weighs heavily on our food purveyors–and is taken all too lightly by the average consumer.
–Warren
