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

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