the fearrington house grand chef press kit

T H E F E A R R I N GTO N H O USE
GRAND CHEF PRESS KIT
TA B L E O F CO N T E N T S
Press Releases
From Fearrington House
“Fearrington House Executive Chef Colin Bedford Earns
International Culinary Distinction”
From Relais & Châteaux
“Colin Bedford, Barbara Lynch, and Michael Tusk
Announced 2013 Relais & Châteaux North American
Grand Chefs”
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6
Executive Chef Colin Bedford
Biography
Question & Answer
8
10
The Fearrington House Menus
2012 Fall Menu
2012 Summer Menu
2012 Spring Menu
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17
21
The Story of Fearrington
Timeline
Village Map
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33
About Relais & Châteaux
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Press Contacts
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PRESS RELEASES
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RELAIS & CHATEAUX ANNOUNCES NEW GRANDS CHEFS AT CONGRESS IN TURIN, ITALY
Fearrington Village, NC, November 12, 2012 – Executive Chef Colin Bedford has been named a Grand Chef, announced the
Relais & Châteaux press office in Paris, following an awards ceremony this past weekend in Turin, Italy.
At age 34, Bedford is one of three Grands Chefs in North America to join this short and elite list of accomplished and revered
chefs. This list includes Patrick O’Connell (Inn at Little Washington), Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park), Thomas Keller
(Per Se), Gary Danko (Gary Danko), and Daniel Boulud (Daniel).
Grands Chefs are “the avant garde of the finest chefs in the world,” states Relais & Châteaux, proudly. “Foodie stars in their
respective countries, but always first to report back to work in their own kitchen, they are all shining examples to be emulated
by generations of future chef.”
“Quite honestly, I am little overwhelmed since I heard the news,” said Chef Bedford. “It is an amazing honor, and I am
humbled to be considered in the ranks of some of my idols. I’ve had the opportunity to travel and meet other Grands Chefs
and experience their restaurants and understand that being a Grand Chef is to be considered at the top of your field. This is
something my team and I have been working towards since I came to Fearrington – something we’d long hoped for, and really
set out to achieve.”
Chef Bedford’s trajectory toward Grand Chef accelerated two years ago when Greg Cox, critic for the Raleigh newspaper,
the News & Observer, wrote after his dinner, “exquisite from start to finish...indeed sublime...at once cleverly original and
intelligently conceived with a nod to tradition,” which led him to rate Fearrington a Gold Medalist.
“On behalf of the North American Grands Chefs it is a great pleasure to welcome Chef Colin Bedford to the Relais and
Châteaux Grands Chefs Association,” said Patrick O’Connell, Executive Chef at The Inn at Little Washington. “This
distinction will be awarded to only 25 US chefs in the 2013 Relais and Châteaux Guide. Proprietor R. B. Fitch, General
Manager Theresa Chiettini and the entire culinary team at Fearrington should be congratulated not only on this honor, but
for their patience and perseverance in achieving it. While Chef Bedford’s sophisticated Southern Cuisine has been celebrated
regionally and nationally, this newest honor positions Colin and Fearrington among the world’s finest,” said O’Connell.
Inspiration for Chef Bedford’s menu comes from both place and people. Bedford and Executive Sous Chef Tom Whitaker
and Sous Chef Tom Card discuss and experiment constantly with local foods and traditions interjecting more exotic
ingredients, dishes from his native UK, inventive combinations and preparation techniques, until each seasonal menu is ready
for release. Constant communications with the extraordinarily talented Wine Director Max Kast, Maitre d’ Joris Harhuis,
and others on the service staff also help ensure what they aim toward each evening meets their vision: a truly exceptional and
delicious dining experience.
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FE ARRINGTON HOUSE PRESS RELE A SE
FEARRINGTON HOUSE EXECUTIVE CHEF COLIN BEDFORD
EARNS INTERNATIONAL CULINARY DISTINCTION
The fall menu at Fearrington is amazing. First must-have courses are Beef Carpaccio, Beausoleils Oysters, Truffle and Madeira
Custard with Artichokes, Wild Game Pave with Chesnut Jam, Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup. For the second course choose
from Sweetbreads and Johnson County Country Ham, Roasted Pheasant with Parsnip, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Lamb Loin
with Rutabaga and Collards, and Fearrington’s fall Foie Gras with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms. Among the main courses:
Venison Striploin, a Confit Ribeye, Duck Breast and Confit Celery Root or the Pork Belly and Braised Pork with Cider Sauce.
Desserts include Sorghum Tart with Toasted Pecans and Brandy Ice Cream. Details may be devoured by viewing the Fall Menu,
Vegetarian Tasting Menu, and Chef ’s Tasting Menu.
For more on Chef Bedford, please read the attached biography and Q&A.
The Grand Chef honor is the capstone of a long and distinguished journey for Fearrington House, which founded by R.B. and
Jenny Fitch in 1980, is now ranked among the top restaurants of the world.
The Fearrington House restaurant is surrounded by renown gardens and is adjacent to a 32-room Inn. The garden paths, rolling
pasture views, and restaurant are among the many reasons Fearrington was voted No. 2 of the top 40 hotels in the south, No. 5 in
the US and No. 24 of the top 100 hotels by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine. The Fearrington House was also voted
as a world’s best hotel, top ranked for food by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine.
This quintessentially southern, internationally rated inn, is the perfect stop midway between Charleston, SC and Washington,
DC — 8 miles south of Chapel Hill. NC and 20 miles west of Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Guests cite Fearrington’s gorgeous, individually furnished spacious rooms and baths, the boutique shops full of great books,
gifts, clothes and jewelry, the spa, and the unforgettable experience of walking beneath majestic oaks toward the white-columned
restaurant, stopping on the porch or beside the fireplace or garden-view bar and then enjoying a perfectly comfortable, yet
formal and stunningly delicious three or four-course dinner.
MORE ABOUT RELAIS & CHATEAUX and THE GRAND CHEF DESIGNATION
Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of over 500 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries.
Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting
outstanding properties with a truly unique character. Furthermore, Relais & Châteaux is also a family of hoteliers and Grands
Chefs from all over the world who share a passion for and a personal commitment to ensuring their guests are privy to moments
of exceptional harmony, an unforgettable celebration of the senses. From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali,
from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers all the stops on the finest route for
discovering each special place and country.
The Relais & Châteaux signature reflects this ambition: “ALL AROUND THE WORLD, UNIQUE IN THE WORLD”.
Among the 500 Relais & Châteaux properties worldwide, only 165 have been designated Grands Chefs and Colin Bedford is
one of only 21 in the US.
Explains Relais & Châteaux, “The common factor in Grands Chefs might be that they like both tradition and modernity, and
insist on the finest produce from around the world. They are legendary chefs. Their names are enough to make us dream.
Who would go to Crissier but for Philipppe Rochat, to Vienne but for Patrick Henriroux, to Vézelay but for Marc Meneau, to
Mayerling but for Heinz Hanner, to Yountville but for Thomas Keller? They are the star attractions in their towns.”
That said, we are honored to have Chef Colin Bedford of Fearrington inducted as a Grand Chef.
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FE ARRINGTON HOUSE PRESS RELE A SE
CAPSTONE ACHIEVEMENT FOR FEARRINGTON RESTAURANT & INN
NEW YORK, NY, November 12, 2012 – Relais & Châteaux, the prestigious association of the world’s finest hoteliers, chefs
and restaurateurs that has set the standard for excellence in hospitality for over 50 years, announced the 2013 North America
Grand Chefs - Colin Bedford of The Fearrington House, Barbara Lynch of Menton, and Michael Tusk of Quince. The trio
joins a prestigious group of 160 Grands Chefs on five continents which includes Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Jean-Georges
Vongerichten, and many others.
Grand Chef Barbara Lynch at Boston’s Menton pays tribute to the French Riviera with the use of pristine ingredients and
perfectly executed technique that create exceptional dishes. As the only female Grand Chef in North America, Lynch leads
Boston’s culinary scene with superior food that is a refined mixture of French and Italian in an elegantly luxurious setting.
For an unforgettable dining experience, Chef ’s Table at Menton provides a brilliant vantage point from which to observe the
kitchen.
In San Francisco, Michael Tusk, Grand Chef at Quince Restaurant produces dishes that are a delicate blend of locally
produced ingredients with inspiration from home and abroad. Tusk’s daily changing Italian and French-inspired menu
celebrates the seasonal bounty of Northern California. Under the direction of Chef Tusk, the Quince kitchen uses only
superior products by working with an established network of Northern California purveyors, small farms to cultivate organic
produce and meats, fish mongers to source out flawless fish, and local cheese makers to produce farmhouse cheeses.
One of the South’s most celebrated restaurants, the award-winning Fearrington House Restaurant is where Grand Chef Colin
Bedford’s inspirations are interplay of the legendary culinary traditions of the American South, local ingredients, his own
English roots, and his genius in technique and taste. Chef Bedford is equally adept with directing the creation of house-made
jams and house-cured meats, baking breads, foraging on the Fearrington grounds for herbs and figs, and scouting for local
produce, hams, rabbits, as he is sourcing and inventing menu courses with choice exotic ingredients.
Relais & Châteaux welcomed 36 new properties and twelve new Grand Chefs into their unique collection of over 500
properties worldwide. This prestigious distinction promises the creation of exclusive new Routes du Bonheur, gastronomy
that is celebrated more than ever before, and original and unforgettable experiences. With the latest additions, the Relais &
Châteaux family is growing larger, offering commitment to excellence, respect for heritage, and the passion to promote ‘art de
vivre’ worldwide.
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R E L A I S & C H AT E AU X P R E S S R E L E A S E
COLIN BEDFORD, BARBARA LYNCH, AND MICHAEL TUSK
ANNOUNCED 2013 RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX NORTH AMERICA
GRAND CHEFS
EXECUTIVE CHEF
COLIN BEDFORD
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Chef Colin Bedford’s exceptional menus have won over loyal diners at Fearrington House, and won critical
acclaim, including The Fearrington House nationally ranking as No. 2 of the top 40 hotels in the south, No. 5 in
the US and No. 24 of the 100 hotels in the world (Condé Nast Traveler), one of the top hotel food destinations
in the world (Condé Nast Traveler) and, locally, a Gold Medalist restaurant in 2011 and 2012 (Raleigh News &
Observer).
In his four years as Executive Chef at Fearringon, Chef Colin Bedford has worked tirelessly in all aspects of
culinary offerings: among them, grand-scale wedding receptions; cookbook author lunches and evening events
with traveling chef/authors; gastro-pub fare at the casual restaurant, The Fearrington Granary and our beer garden,
Roost; individual room service; and most notably, at The Fearrington House, one of the most venerable farm-tofork restaurants in the South.
Chef Bedford’s menu inspirations are an interplay of the legendary culinary traditions of the American South, local
ingredients, his own English roots, and, not least, his genius in technique and taste.
For example, the fall 2012 menu at Fearrington House is as much rooted in the South (locally inspired and
procured Lamb, paired with our state’s best McRitchie wine) as it is international (an exotic treat of exquisite
Beausoleil oysters from New Brunswick, paired with a stellar Muscadet from the Loire).
Chef Bedford is equally adept with directing the creation of house-made jams and house-cured meats; baking of
breads; growing of micro-greens; foraging on the Fearrington grounds for herbs and figs; and scouting for local
produce, hams, rabbits; as he is sourcing and inventing menu courses with choice exotic ingredients.
Under Chef Bedford’s leadership, ‘the House’ has benefited from an unprecedented level of collaboration between
not just the kitchen staff, but also with the wait staff and wine staff. For example, when each seasonal menu is put
together—with Chef Bedford working with his top lieutenants Executive Sous Chef Tom Whitaker and Sous
Chef Tom Card and with Wine Director Max Kast —the entire restaurant team joins in a full day of training and
feedback, with Chef Bedford leading the way.
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BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
Background
In 2000, Colin relocated to Canada and began working at The Prince Of Wales Hotel, a Four-Diamond CAA/AAA
restaurant offering a la carte dining and conference/catering facilities in Niagara-on-The-Lake, Ontario. He was
soon promoted to the position of Junior Sous Chef, where he gained exposure to farm to table cuisine and realized
that “simplicity is key to maximizing flavors.”
Chef Bedford was recruited to The Fearrington House in 2005 as Executive Sous Chef. He became Executive
Chef in 2008 and has transformed culinary programs throughout Fearrington Village and taken cuisine at The
Fearrington House Restaurant to a higher level.
Among Chef Bedford’s Accomplishments
• FIVE DIAMONDS — Maintaining the restaurant’s AAA Five Diamond award (given continuously since 1996).
• RELAIS & CHATEAUX — Joining such chefs as Thomas Keller, Patrick O’Connell and Daniel Humm, in the Relais & Châteaux cookbooks: 85 Inspirational Chefs: Recipes from North America, Mexico and the Caribbean
and Chefs at Home: Favorite Recipes from Chefs of Relais & Châteaux in North America.
• LOCAL ACCLAIM — Garnering critical local acclaim along with a very few: Gold Medalist recognition, from
the tri-county (Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, NC) News & Observer in 2011 and 2012.
• NATIONAL ACCLAIM — Being named as a Top 50 Best Overall restaurant in the US since 2009, based on
over two million reviews by OpenTable diners; World’s Best Destination, Top Hotel Food by the readers of Condé
Nast Traveler Magazine, 2012.
• GREEN CERTIFIED — Stewarding us toward becoming the only AAA Five Diamond restaurant in the country
to be Green Certified by the not-for-profit Green Restaurant Association.
• SUSTAINABILITY — Joining in a worldwide, global seafood conservation effort with other Relais & Châteaux
chefs. At Fearrington, we serve only non-endangered seafood species from sustainable sources, practicing oceanfriendly fishing methods.
• PHILANTHROPY — Spearheading and volunteering for public school initiatives to improve lunchtime menus
in Chatham County public schools.
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BIOGRAPHY
Anyone who has chatted with 34-year-old Bedford might quickly guess he grew up in England. Bedford’s culinary
interests started at an early age, he says, enamored by his mother’s home baking and helping his father water the
vegetable garden. After graduating from Yeovil College in Somerset with a Diploma in Hospitality, he took on
his first full-time job in 1996. He became an apprentice at The Castle Hotel, a Norman fortress built in the 12th
century, where he worked under esteemed British chef Phil Vickery. The Castle, like Fearrington, is a family-run
property, known for fostering up-and-coming chefs.
Q&A WITH CHEF BEDFORD
How are you today, right now, and how many hours in this week will you spend
thinking about food?
We’ve just had a five-wedding weekend and a charity dinner for 75 people, so it has been food non-stop for the past few
weeks. The October norm is 6 days a week, 12-15 hours a day. I am a fan of 5-hour-energy shots!
Honestly the first menu I ever wrote — four years ago — was one of the hardest, just because I hadn’t done it before. It
is easier now because I have a great relationship with local farmers, and we plan out ahead. We just put our creativity and
different cooking techniques into the ingredients in that particular season.
A few weeks prior to the menu change, I sit down with my sous chefs; and the first thing we do is pick out the main
component of the dish. It is kind of like a jigsaw puzzle — we build the dishes from there. We try and think of things that
people will want to eat and will enjoy, as well as surprise them by introducing unusual ingredients and techniques.
We try and put a lot of thought into the vegetarian dishes as we noticed more and more guests are now vegetarian, and we
want to make it more exciting for them than just vegetables on a plate. I am thinking of it as bringing the “meat” techniques to
the vegetables.
As a born Brit who has come to live and work in one of the original British
colonial states in the US, what about Southern cuisine seems the most familiar
to you? Also the most strange?
That’s a tough question. There is a lot of comfort food in the South and that relates to English cooking: soups, stews,
casseroles; meat and two veg, is a very British thing. There is a lot of history in Southern food ,and it seems like all the good
recipes have been passed down through generations. In some respects it is intimidating; being a Brit, however, let’s say the
fried chicken and shrimp and grits have been mastered.
When your parents cross the pond from Southwest England to visit you in North
Carolina, where do you take them?
We go for BBQ.
How does pork figure into your fall menu?
We always feature pork in some fashion; people can relate to it. For the classic combination of pork and apples for fall, we
make a derivative of apples, a sauce with cider. The pork belly, we treat like bacon, roll it up for the appearance of pancetta.
Also on are slower cooked braised meats, like the braised pork cheeks.
Your seasonal menu rarely, if ever, has a repeat dish, even the Fearrington Fois
Gras changes each season. What’s your thinking on this?
We have a lot of repeat business, so we want guests to experience something new each time. Changing the menu each season
keeps the staff learning as well. It is not always about the guests that our food is always evolving. Changing dishes keeps us
motivated and inspired; and that translates in the restaurant.
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QUESTION & ANSWER
So what is the process for you in leading the creative team, in writing each
season, the seasonal vegetarian and chef’s tasting menus? Can you tell us?
How do you achieve a comfort level for special-occasion diners, perhaps in for the
first time, and also appeal to a jet-set, gourmet-savvy diner?
That’s all about creating the experience as soon as you walk through the door. There is not a podium at the door; the first thing
you see is the beautiful flower arrangement. The dining room is not intimidating, but elegant at the same time. The wait staff are
professional, but friendly.
One of my main things is that the menu is not worded in a complicated way, and we try to feature foods that are familiar to
everyone, but at the same time have some dishes on the menu that are more challenging and appeal to a more traveled palate.
Finally, there are lots of surprises throughout the meal, and the jet-set and the locals love them.
How have you changed since you arrived in the US, seven years ago? Also, how has
your food philosophy changed?
What has changed me most has been my becoming a leader. We spend a lot of time away from family and friends, work long
hours and so I have to motivate our staff to produce the best in challenging times. I have to be inspiring to my staff, but also get
the job done. Management and people skills have been what I have learned the most in the last 7 years—and the balance that it
takes to be successful. It goes back to the last question: you are always growing and learning.
But for food philosophy, maybe one of the biggest things I have learned is not overcomplicating plates and flavor—that
sometimes less is more.
What do you find the students in your cooking classes love learning the most?
Cooking is a hobby for most of the guests. They like to learn how to properly sharpen knives and dice. How to adjust sauces to
sweetness and acidity. I did a farmers’ market class where the focus was on what you can cook from your gardens, but someone
asked me how to filet a fish, so we went in the cooler, got one out and showed them.
How do you spend your Mondays off?
On the golf course or half-iron man training. Believe it or not, resting is not on the agenda! I get angry if I feel like I waste a day
off.
I like to be cooked for on my days off so will usually go out to restaurants, although it is hard to switch off when I do that, because
I am always analyzing.
What is your Favorite thing to eat? To cook for yourself? To drink?
Burgers, to be perfectly honest! The burgers at Shake Shack in NYC were an eye opener.
To cook for myself ? Comfort food — braised stews and things like that, although I do like to grill a steak every now and then. To
drink? Right now, I am on a bourbon kick. I really like the Basil Haydens with one large rock.
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QUESTION & ANSWER
We try and find a good balance, because we have guests who are well traveled, but then we also have guests who save for 6
months to come here for a special occasion, and you absolutely don’t want anyone to be intimidated by the menu or the service.
THE FE ARRINGTON HOUSE
MENUS
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FALL MENU
FIRST COURSE
Beef Carpaccio with Crispy Quinoa & Pumpkin Seed Marshmallow
Blue Cheese, Radish, Beet, Mustard
Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup with Caper Panna Cotta
Hazelnut, Raisin, Black Garlic, Watercress
Wild Game and Peppercorn Paté with Whipped Foie Gras
Chestnut, Pearl Onion, Pistachio, Black Currant
Pear Bloomed Oysters with Salsify & Root Vegetable Escabeche
Avocado, Pomegranate, Shallot, Radish Tails
Chilled Poached Lobster with Vanilla White Bean Salad
Carrot, Apple, Turnip, Yogurt
SECOND COURSE
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sweet Onion Purée and Smoked Farmers Cheese
Cranberry, Pecan, Cinnamon, Kale
Sweetbreads with Broccoli and Johnston County Country Ham
Garlic, Baby Carrots, Matsutake Mushroom, Parsley
Herb Crusted Lamb Loin with Rutabaga & Black Pepper
Apricot, Cabbage, Root Vegetables, Rosemary
Roasted Pheasant with Parsnip and Rosemary Brioche Oatmeal
Medjool Date, Brussels Sprouts, Apple, Smoked Bacon
Seared Tuna with Crispy Rice Cakes and Candied Lemon
Sweet Potato, Spaghetti Squash, Black Sesame, Cashew
Seared Foie Gras with Muscat Poached Pineapple and Smoked Hen of the Woods
Gingerbread, Sunchokes, Brussels Sprouts, Ice Wine
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2012 FALL MENU
Truffle & Madeira Custard with Artichokes and Pickled Quince
Wild Mushroom, Leek, Potato, Fennel
MAIN COURSE
Honey Spiced Duck Breast with Confit Celery Root and Brandy Vanilla Sauce
Red Cabbage, Blewit Mushrooms, Blackberry, Turnip
House Smoked Bacon and Braised Pork with Sage & Cider Sauce
Sweet Potato, Mustard, Quince, Baby Radish
Confit Ribeye with Creamed Savoy Cabbage and Port Pickled Red Onion
Potato, Elf Mushrooms, Baby Vegetables, Béarnaise
Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash and Mango Sauce
Almond, Curry, Samphire, Ivory Lentils
Venison Striploin with Butter Braised Sunchokes, Juniper & Huckleberry Sauce
Bacon, Pear, Brussels Sprouts, Cocoa
Almond and Leek Pavé with Acorn Squash, Crispy Egg Yolk and Brown Butter
Spinach, Parsnip, Maple, Autumn Baby Vegetables
Flounder with Pasta Leaves, Caviar and Truffle Velouté
Chicken, Pine Nut, Spinach, Cauliflower
DESSERT
Sorghum Tart with Toasted Pecans, Prune & Brandy Ice Cream
Burnt Butter, Brown Sugar, Orange
Mulled Wine Poached Pears with Caramelized Milk Ice Cream & Nitro Chocolate
Brandy, Cream Cheese, Hazelnut, Nutmeg
Passion Fruit Parfait with Vanilla Meringue and Guava Sorbet
Banana, Lychee, Mango, Lemon
Spiced Pumpkin with Brown Bread Ice Cream and Chai Tea Espuma
Maple, Chocolate, Graham Cracker, Medjool Date
Hot Chocolate Soufflé
Hot Chocolate Sauce, Whipped Cream
A Selection of Artisan Cheeses
House made Chutney, Apricot & Oatmeal Bread
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2012 FALL MENU
NC Red Fish with King Trumpet Mushroom, Sherry Maple Sauce
Green Beans, Hazelnut, Salsify, Beets, Brioche
FA L L V E G ETA R I A N TA S T I N G M E N U
AMUSE BOUCHE
Hazelnut, Raisin, Black Garlic, Watercress
SECOND COURSE
Truffle & Madeira Custard with Artichokes and Pickled Quince
Wild Mushroom, Leek, Potato, Fennel
THIRD COURSE
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sweet Onion Puree and Smoked Farmers Cheese
Cranberry, Pecan, Cinnamon, Kale
MAIN COURSE
Almond & Leek Pavé with Acorn Squash, Crispy Egg Yolk and Brown butter
Spinach, Parsnip, Maple, Autumn Baby Vegetables
CHEESE COURSE
A Selection of Artisan Cheeses
House Made Chutney, Apricot & Oatmeal Bread
PR E -DESSERT
DESSERT
Mulled Wine Poached Pears with Caramelized Milk Ice Cream & Nitro Chocolate
Brandy, Cream Cheese, Hazelnut, Nutmeg
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2 0 1 2 FA L L V EG ETA R I A N TA S T I N G M E N U
FIRST COURSE
Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup with Caper Panna Cotta
FA L L C H E F ’S TA S T I N G M E N U
AMUSE BOUCHE
SECOND COURSE
Butter Poached Lobster Knuckles & Confit Duck with Sweet Onion & Vanilla Purée
Butternut Squash, Pecan, Kale, Elephant Garlic
THIRD COURSE
Seared Halibut with Madeira & Mushroom Purée, Sherry Sauce
Salsify, King Trumpet, Oatmeal, Savoy Cabbage
MAIN COURSE
Maple Spiced Veal with Confit Celery Root & Seared Foie Gras
Red Cabbage, Blackberry, Turnip, Thumbelina Carrots
CHEESE COURSE
Ellington Goat Cheese with Pistachio Butter
Orange, Poppy Seed, Olive
PR E -DESSERT
DESSERT
Raspberry Gratin with Chocolate Sorbet
Hazelnut, Orange, Champagne
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2 0 1 2 FA L L C H E F ’S TA S T I N G M E N U
FIRST COURSE
Adirondack Purple Potatoes with Truffle Sour Cream & Caramel Pickled Wood Ear Mushrooms
Pecans, Celery, Calvander Cheese, Egg
SUMMER MENU
FIRST COURSE
Adirondack Purple Potatoes with Truffle Sour Cream & Caramel Pickled Wood Ear Mushrooms
Pecans, Celery, Calvander Cheese, Egg
Royal Red Shrimp Ceviche with Tomato & Horseradish
Olive Oil, Yuzu, Radish, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
Salad of Local Tomatoes with Parmesan Bread & Yellow Peppers
Basil, Mozzarella, Cucumber, Vincotto Balsamic
Chilled Watermelon & Cucumber Gazpacho with Lemon & Basil Sorbet
Tomato, Local Pork, Watermelon Rind, Yellow Beans
Kombu Cured Escolar with Seaweed Salad & Lemon Dressing
Squid Ink, Avocado, Cucumber, Edamame
SECOND COURSE
Bacon Roasted Quail with Charred Corn Cake & Confit Garlic Sauce
Lima Beans, Peanut, Poblano, Summer Peppers
Corn & Hazelnut Bread Pudding with Lu’s Farm Egg
Truffle Mustard, Red Pearl Onions, Sugar Snaps, Salsify
NC Mountain Trout with Smoked Tapioca, Apple & Verjus Gribiche
Cabbage, Beet, Dill, Goat Milk
Seared Foie Gras with Savory Waffle, Elderberry & Bayleaf Sauce
Port, Local Fig, Anise Hyssop
Seared Flounder with Grilled Octopus, Vanilla Cous Cous & Muscat Dressing
Cauliflower, Mango, Fennel, Baby Grapes
House Cured Bacon with Smoked Tomato Jam & Pickled Peaches
Baby Zucchini, Kale, Pineapple Sage, Leek
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2012 SUMMER MENU
Duck Breast with Smoked Onion Purée & Marinated Cherries
Jasmine, Pistachio, Foie Gras, Orange
MAIN COURSE
Roasted Scallops with Buttermilk, Lime Nage & Caviar
Sea Beans, Black Quinoa, Tomatoes, Basil
Cornish Hen with Truffled Creamed Corn & Local Speck Ham
Chanterelles, Wheat Berries, Black Garlic, Broccolini
Seared Halibut with Sweet & Sour Tomatoes, Pink Peppercorn & Caper Butter Sauce
Butterbeans, Yellow Beets, Green Tomato, Maitake Mushroom
Seared Bass with Confit Cuttlefish, Tomato & Lomo Vinaigrette
Artichokes, Eggplant, Fennel, Olive
Tasting of Eggplant with Lemon Ricotta, Tomato & Basil Butter
Red Pepper, Zucchini, Pine Nuts, Spinach
Pecan Crusted Berkshire Pork with Caramelized Honey & Mustard Sauce
Red Cabbage, Crab Apple, Kholrabi, Pearl Barley
Olive Oil Poached Wild Salmon with Zucchini Blossom & Crab
Cucumber, Melon, Yogurt, Chili
DESSERT
Yoghurt Sorbet with Cardamom Mousse and Granola
Lemon, Blueberry, Mint, Honey
Vanilla Poached Peaches with Peach Sorbet and Raspberry
Milk, Almond, Basil, Corn
Lemon Tart with Bronze Fennel and Crème Fraîche Sorbet
Sauternes, Yuzu, Toffee, White Chocolate
Cherries with Chilled Chocolate Pudding and Ginger
Ricotta, Orange, Pistachio, Caramel
Hot Chocolate Soufflé
Hot Chocolate Sauce, Whipped Cream
A Selection of Artisan Cheeses
House made Chutney, Apricot & Oatmeal Bread
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2012 SUMMER MENU
Seared Beef Tenderloin with King Oyster Mushrooms & Smoked Madeira Sauce
Tomatoes, Cippolini, Baby Summer Vegetables, Garlic
SU M M E R V EG ETA R I A N TA S T I N G M E N U
AMUSE BOUCHE
SECOND COURSE
Adirondack Purple Potatoes with Truffle Sour Cream & Caramel Pickled Wood Ear Mushrooms
Pecans, Celery, Calvander Cheese, Egg
THIRD COURSE
Corn & Hazelnut Bread Pudding with Lu’s Farm Egg
Truffle Mustard, Red Pearl Onions, Sugar Snaps, Salsify
MAIN COURSE
Eggplant Caviar with Lemon Ricotta, Tomato & Basil Butter
Red Pepper, Zucchini, Pine Nuts, Spinach
CHEESE COURSE
Ellington Goat Cheese with Pistachio Butter
Orange, Poppy Seed, Olive
PR E -DESSERT
DESSERT
Yoghurt Sorbet with Cardamom Mousse and Granola
Lemon, Blueberry, Mint, Honey
19
2 0 1 2 SU M M E R V EG ETA R I A N TA S T I N G M E N U
FIRST COURSE
Salad of Local Tomatoes with Parmesan Bread & Yellow Peppers
Basil, Mozzarella, Cucumber, Vincotto Balsamic
SU M M E R C H E F ’S TA S T I N G M E N U
AMUSE BOUCHE
SECOND COURSE
Smoked Duck with Pickled Strawberries
Ramps, Baby Vegetables, Bacon, Aged Balsamic
THIRD COURSE
Seared Scallops with Celery Root Puree
Rhubarb, Beech Mushrooms, Sea Beans, Fennel
MAIN COURSE
Veal “Tournedos Rossini” with Seared Foie Gras
Truffle, Baby Carrots, Brioche, Pearl Onion
CHEESE COURSE
Ellington Goat Cheese with Pistachio Butter
Orange, Poppy Seed, Olive
PR E -DESSERT
DESSERT
Raspberry Gratin with Chocolate Sorbet
Hazelnut, Orange, Champagne
20
2 0 1 2 SU M M E R C H E F ’S TA S T I N G M E N U
FIRST COURSE
Avocado Mousse with Crab and Caviar
Pineapple, Couscous, Celery, White Soy
SPRING MENU
FIRST COURSE
Garden Pea Soup with Johnston County Country Ham
Lemon, Crème Fraîche, Pearl Onions, Marjoram
Chapel Hill Creamery Pheta Cheese with Greek Yogurt and Fearrington Honey
Arugula, Cucumber, Baby Beets, Hazelnut
Tuna and Beef Tartare with Truffle Whipped Lardo
Asparagus, Salted Capers, Quail Egg, Avocado
Torchon of Foie Gras with Confit Duck
Elderflower, Strawberry, Ivory Lentils, Vincotto Vinegar
Dungeness Crab and Lu’s Farm Free Range Egg Custard
Parmesan, Osetra Caviar, Sauternes, Woodland Sorrel
SECOND COURSE
Seared Foie Gras with Rhubarb and Ginger Cornbread
Celery, Newski Bacon, Cabbage, Macadamia Nut
White Asparagus with 62 Degree Egg and Sherry
Morel Mushrooms, Speck Ham, Fava Beans, Pink Salt
Seared Black Cod with Lobster Consommé and Ikura Roe
Saffron Couscous, Spring Vegetable, Chili, Lemon
Taleggio Agnolotti with Truffle Butter and Sunny Creek Farm Ramps
Cauliflower, Walnut, Wood Ear Mushrooms, Ice Wine
Royal Red Shrimp with Smoked Garlic Gnocchi and Tarragon
Bacon, Spring Carrots, Sea Beans, Hickory Grove Cheese
Olive Oil Poached Poussin with Local Clotted Cream Risotto
Basil, Garden Peas, Spring Garlic, Pine Nuts
21
2012 SPRING MENU
Scallop Ceviche with Snow Crab and Smoked Vanilla
Mango, Fava Beans, Jalapeno, Lime
MAIN COURSE
Butter Poached Lobster with Vanilla Flan and Yuzu
Rhubarb, Fava Bean, White Asparagus, Sugar Snap
Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Braised Lettuce and Housemade Bacon
Yukon Potato, Garden Peas, Pearl Onions, Pecorino
Steamed Halibut with Carolina Gold Rice and Salsa Verde
Baby Peppers, Zucchini, Broccoli, Cucumber
Seared Squab with Whole Wheat Spaetzle and Pickled Blackberries
Tarragon, Foie Gras, Elf Mushrooms, Celery Root
Braised Lamb with Popcorn Sweetbreads and Rosemary
Garden Peas, Baby Carrots, Turnips, Beluga Lentils
King Trumpet “Wellington” with Wild Mushroom
Salsify, Garden Peas, Celery Root, Asparagus
Arctic Char with Brioche Crusted Goat Lady Dairy Cheese
Beets, Ramps, Chick Peas, Parsley
DESSERT
Tonka Bean Mousse with Espresso Ice Cream
Polenta, Orange, Hazelnut, Sea Salt Caramel
Local Strawberries with Olive Oil and Black Pepper
Elderflower, Basil Seeds, Cucumber, Vanilla
Iced Muscovado Sugar Parfait with Raspberry Sorbet
Lemon, Milk, Shortbread, Honey
Hot Chocolate Soufflé
Hot Chocolate Sauce, Whipped Cream
Strawberry Sorbet with Chocolate Mousse and Angel Food Cake
Vanilla, Balsamic, Shortbread, Basil
A Selection of Artisan Cheeses
House made Chutney, Apricot & Oatmeal Bread
22
2012 SPRINGMENU
Snowy Hill Rabbit Saddle with Confit Leg and Mustard Seeds
Baby Red Onions, Baby Carrots, Leeks, Basil
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
23
The story of Fearrington is the story of an historic farm, the families that maintained it, and a couple who redefined
it. This couple, RB and Jenny Fitch, melded a wealth of experiences, patience and care to bring to life a village that
offers warm personality and a new definition of hospitality, style and beauty. They assembled a team of individuals
whose remarkable dedication and spirit of cooperation built the Village. They relentlessly experimented until it felt
just right.
Located next to the college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Fearrington today seamlessly blends the old
with the new, the regional with the cosmopolitan, a distinct sense of place with the unexpected. The result is both
reassuring and forward-looking, exciting and comforting.
Visible from the road leading to Chapel Hill, there is the handsome silo and barn that declare the agricultural
heritage of the place, surrounded by pastures containing our eye-catching mascots, the Belted Galloway cows.
Approaching the Village Center, one sees the family homestead and farm structures that have been re-adapted with
new structures carefully tucked in between them to create a collection of intimate structures encircling a village
green, and beautiful gardens everywhere.
RB and Jenny Fitch
RB Fitch grew up 8 miles north of Fearrington in neighboring Chapel Hill, home of the University of North
Carolina, the nation’s oldest public university. His father and grandfather had been lumber and hardware
merchants. The town of his childhood then had only 5,000 inhabitants—a place where just about all breadwinners
worked for “The University” and where one could walk just about anywhere to get life’s necessities. He stayed in
town through college, graduating from UNC in 1955.
A ROTC scholarship led to a three year assignment in U.S. Air Force, where he was assigned to fly F-100 fighter
aircraft. During an assignment in England—his first time overseas—RB came to love the look and scale of its
countryside and smaller villages.
Jenny Fitch grew up in the small town of Siler City, 15 miles east of Fearrington. Siler City was even smaller than
Chapel Hill: “Growing up, I had a four digit telephone number—5491—but Jenny had a two digit telephone
number—79—so I was in a much larger town,” RB notes. Jenny attended Salem College for two years and then
transferred to Carolina for two more years, graduating in 1960.
After his return to the States as a civilian, he was soon introduced to Jenny by a fellow fraternity-mate; dating
ensued, and, in 1962, marriage. Thereafter he worked briefly in the family lumber business, but wanting a more
satisfying outlet for his entrepreneurial interests, he left and moved into residential construction—first by
remodeling kitchens, then building homes “on your lot for $12,500,” (the cost of a new bathroom today!) and then
developing small subdivisions. RB was looking for something more long-term and rewarding when in 1974, the
Fearrington farm became available.
24
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
The Fearrington farm was a well-known local fixture.
The homestead, a Southern colonial revival house built
in 1927, is tucked under giant oaks and surrounded
by pastures. It was prominent on the road south from
Chapel Hill that ended at the Atlantic Ocean in Myrtle
Beach. RB noticed the property on visits to the beach,
and he vaguely knew the owner, Jesse Fearrington, since
their fathers had done business together: RB’s father had
bought wood timbered on the farm for milling at his
lumber company from Jesse’s father, Bunn Fearrington.
Jesse Fearrington on the farm, circa 1932
The operational center of the farm, now the Village Center,
circa 1975
By 1974 Jesse was approaching retirement age and his
children did not want to pursue farming careers, but the
farm had been in his family for nearly two hundred years
and he was eager to retain the beauty and agricultural
heritage of the farm for future generations.
An agreement was reached, and the community was
named to honor the stewardship of Jesse and his
forebears. The Fitches soon received permission to create
one of North Carolina’s first planned developments, a
designation that gave them the flexibility to craft a village
in their vision, utilizing the best aspects of the farm and
the landscape. Homes possessing then cutting edge
energy efficiency methods were carefully tucked in the
wooded hillsides, while the structures of the farm and
the surrounding pastures were largely retained. The first
home was finished in 1976.
The Village Center
A particular appeal of the property for the Fitches was the opportunity to assemble a “coming together place” set
amidst the farm structures where one could pick up daily necessities, visit with friends, and enjoy a tranquil setting.
Jenny envisioned a place that married both sophistication and warmth. This place offered a laboratory for both of
them to transfer and experiment with what they loved most on their trips through Europe, from lush landscaping
to charming shops to fresh local food. A vision for the Village Center came into being.
Of importance to them was keeping the surrounding pastures and the simple, painted white farm structures that
dotted the hilltop. They wanted to re-use these structures while carefully integrating new buildings designed
to blend together and complement the architecture of the homestead. The Fitches worked with Fearrington’s
architect, Jon Condoret, in designing building renovations, additions and new structures.
In a 1992 interview, Jenny discussed the atmosphere they wanted to foster: “I hope that guests feel very
comfortable while they’re here—whether they’re at the Restaurant or the Inn—that there’s nothing ostentatious
there, but a comfort that makes them want to return.”
In a 1996 interview, RB said, “We’ve taken it slowly; we’ve not been in a big hurry. We’ve tried to let it evolve the
way communities evolved years ago. You’d have maybe one business built and then a while before another—it
didn’t all happen at one time. It tends to build a little character. It gets a little patina if you take it a little slower.” The
first business in the Village Center was The Fearrington House Restaurant.
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THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
The Fearrington Farm
In 1976, Bill and Moreton Neal leased the Fearrington
family homestead and opened up the acclaimed French
restaurant, La Residence. But Chatham County was a
dry county then, and in 1978 the Neals had expanded
and moved their restaurant to Chapel Hill in adjacent
Orange County, where liquor laws permitted selling
wine. As Morton later said, “Our patrons were relieved
to be able to buy wine with dinner in liberated Orange
County, rather than brown-bagging their own.”
Perhaps it was natural that Jenny would be interested
in opening a restaurant there, as she had been melding
French cooking techniques with local foods for
some time. Jenny learned basic culinary skills—and
the merits of eating fresh from a backyard vegetable
garden—from her mother, but it wasn’t until the
1970s that she became a passionate gourmand. Soon
she and a small group of likeminded friends in Chapel
Hill formed a weekly cooking group, where they
experimented with new techniques and recipes—many
of which originated from Child’s book, Mastering the Art
of French Cooking, but also came from trailblazers like
Richard Olney and Perla Meyers. She attended cooking
schools such as the Cordon Bleu in Paris and sampled
some of Europe’s best restaurants. And she noticed
that the most memorable of them were members of an
organization called Relais & Châteaux.
Edna Lewis and Jenny Fitch, circa 1983
Hot Chocolate Soufflé was Edna’s introduction
Soon the farm house was renovated and opened as The Fearrington House Restaurant. With her boundless energy,
she created and oversaw the gardens (more on this later), designed the interior spaces, assembled beautiful floral
creations using local in-season material, and served as its first executive chef. She was the first in a line of talented
cooks who would build The Fearrington House to its current AAA Five Diamond status, an honor it has held every
year since 1995.
With the kitchen staff assembled, acclaimed Southern chef and author Edna Lewis served as guest chef—and
the restaurant’s first professional chef—after Jenny. Edna had written several cookbooks, including The Taste of
Country Cooking (1976); it immediately became a classic study of Southern cooking. Upon her death in 2006,
she was called “the South’s answer to Julia Child,”—and in fact both Julia and Edna had worked with the same
editor at Knopf for almost all of their manuscripts. Edna introduced the chocolate soufflé dessert to the menu,
and it remains on the menu to this day. The iconic dessert, photographed at the Restaurant, graced the cover of
Gourmet magazine in 1983 and was the lead for an article about the establishment, then only three years old.
By 1986, a good kitchen team was in place, and liquor by the drink was approved. Jenny stepped back from dayto-day management in 1986 but continued to guide its direction. In the 1992 interview, she said, “[The Executive
Chef and I] will sit down and talk a lot. We may sit down in the fall and talk about what fall says to us in food.
Could it be persimmons? Could it be apples? What kind of things in that season lend themselves well to what we’re
going to do?”
This idea of seasonality was reinforced in her 1987 book, The Fearrington House Cookbook. Beautifully illustrated
by Daneen Griffin, it offers six full menus for each season, and showcases recipes served at the Restaurant as well as
the secrets to her exuberant flower arrangements.
26
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
The Fearrington House Restaurant
Soon after opening the Restaurant, Jenny felt that diners
in the country might like to stroll in a garden before
or after their meals. Over the next decade, the gravel
driveway and parking area adjacent to the homestead
was replaced with a more intimate setting of lawns
and planting beds, from the formal Knot Garden
to the herbaceous Dovecote Garden. The stunning
mature specimen trees surrounding the homestead
that had either grown naturally or were planted by the
Fearringtons remained, and created a backdrop for these
new public spaces.
Jenny’s Garden
As the Village Center grew new gardens started. Over
the years, Jenny collaborated with talented Southern
landscape designers such as Dan Sears, Chip Calloway,
Ryan Gainey and Edith Edelmen on projects ranging
from Jenny’s Garden to the Silo Road entrance.
Fearrington was becoming a gardens destination not only
because of their beauty but also because famous garden
luminaries were coming here. At Jenny’s invitation,
garden designers and authors like Rosemary Verey,
Penelope Hobhouse and Lady Bird Johnson shared their
wisdom to packed audiences in the Barn.
The original farm granary
Although Jenny passed away in 1995, her exuberant
horticultural spirit continues through the activities of a
full-time gardening team; they manage nearly 60 garden
beds throughout the Village Center. Gardeners have
responsibilities for individual beds and also collaborate
on larger projects, such as a new garden installation
or preparing the Village Center for Halloween or the
holidays.
The Fearrington Granary
Today the Granary hosts lunches, dinners and wine classes.
Because Fearrington was separated from Chapel Hill by
eight miles of winding, two-lane road (widened to four
lanes in the early 2000s), the Fitches in 1983 converted
the former granary of the farm to become a place where
one could buy daily necessities. Along with staples such
as milk, coffee, vegetables, newspapers and light bulbs,
the store sold baked goods created by the Fearrington
chefs. As demand for sandwiches grew, a deli was added.
In 2006, the store was refocused to become a casual, full-service restaurant called, fittingly, The Fearrington Granary
Restaurant. The Granary offers dinner, lunch and brunch in a casual setting. Indoor seating is offered on several
levels in the historic structure and some areas offer views of our pastures and grazing Belties. Outdoor patio dining
amidst vibrant year-round gardens offers another seating option.
27
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
The Gardens
In the early 1980s, the first “Belties” took their place in
our pastures. Informally called “oreo cows,” these black
and white cows are Belted Galloways, a rare breed of
Scottish beef cattle that were introduced to the United
States in 1946. Daneen Griffin spotted them in Maine
on a trip and reported it to RB, who soon thereafter saw
them again profiled in a National Geographic magazine
article on “rare and minor breeds in North America.” He
bought one male and five females, and the Fearrington
herd was started.
Scan here to learn
more about our beloved
mascots, the Belties.
There are now over 30 Belties
grazing the four pastures that
encircle the Village Center. A
breeding program managed by
our two farmers has resulted in
nearly perfect belts—with the
result that the Fearrington Beltie
is regarded as one of the most
prized in the country!
Our farmers with Grand Champion Cow/Calf Pair
The Fearrington House Inn
The Fitches had been captivated by their stays at Relais
& Châteaux properties in Europe and in the U.S. A
worldwide group of individually owned and operated
hotels and restaurants, the group originated in France
The Inn Courtyard
when six properties banded together in 1954 on the
route from Paris to Marseilles. Along with exceptional cuisine and service, the ideals of Relais & Châteaux focused
on generosity, a sense of place, a celebration of the senses and personal harmony.
During a stay at The Point, a small Relais property originally built as a woodlands retreat for the Rockefellers
in New York’s Adirondack mountains, the Fitches found themselves the only guests at the establishment. They
chatted with the Innkeeper who explained in depth what Relais stood for and what it meant for them to be a
member and an idea was born.
In the mid-1980s, the Fitches went to Paris to seek Relais membership for the Restaurant, only to be told they did
not qualify, since only properties featuring both a restaurant and inn would be considered. “So we built an inn,”
said RB. To generate ideas and inspiration for the new building, RB and Jenny took landscape designer Dan Sears
and architect Jon Condoret to numerous English country inns. In 1986, the Inn Building was constructed adjacent
to the restaurant. It featured 14 rooms tucked around a courtyard of flagstone paths and gardens. On the Inn’s
south side, a flagstone patio led guests to the trellised Jenny’s Garden, with a water sculpture playing off the Belted
Galloway cows and designed by North Carolina artist Wayne Trapp as a centerpiece.
The Fitches found success with their next application when in 1988, Fearrington House Inn and Restaurant was
accepted as a member of Relais & Châteaux. Then, as today, prospective and current member properties are
evaluated by the group’s traditional “Five C” standards: Character, Courtesy, Calm, Charm and Cuisine. The Five
C’s have embodied the spirit and guided the direction of the Inn and Restaurant ever since.
The Inn doubled in size in 1995 with the construction of the Park Building, a two story building that consists of
several shops on the first floor facing the Village Center, and Inn rooms throughout. Inn suites in the Park Building
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THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
Belted Galloway Cows
Shops
The Village Center became a retail destination in
1986 when Jenny opened its first shop, Dovecote, in
the former milking barn. Today it carries a beautiful
selection of women’s accessories (including jewelry,
scarves, handbags and hats), elegant furniture, patterned
area rugs, gift items like candles and cards, and more.
Dovecote Today
Next door, The Belted Goat offers a mix of soups, salads
and sandwiches in a deli atmosphere. It also carries
our signature Fearrington House Blend coffee, which
is roasted on-site and carried in all of our restaurants.
A mix of El Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Sumatran
coffees, this is a mild coffee with a chocolatey and earthy
aroma and a smooth, well-balanced flavor.
In 2010 our spa shop, Haven, opened. Haven carries
skin care and beauty products, linens and luxury home
goods. It also carries The Fearrington Collection,
amenities from The Fearrington House Inn, including
featherbeds, robes, towels, and those coveted shower
heads. Our fabulous Grand Hotel Vineyard Collection
mattresses locally produced by Kingsdown can be
McIntyre’s books hosts best-selling authors in the barn, next door. ordered. Our full range of Molton Brown and Elemis
bath and body products are also available.
McIntyre’s Books
McIntyre’s Books
No mention of shopping at Fearrington would be
complete without discussing McIntyre’s Books, which
opened in 1989. This independent bookstore was
founded by RB and Jenny’s eldest child, Keebe. Keebe
reflected that “twenty years ago I had just finished
college at UNC and was casting about, attempting to
answer the big question of what to do with my life. As
usual, my best and most favored advisor—my father,
RB Fitch—came to my rescue by suggesting we open a
small bookshop in the Fearrington Village Center as he
always enjoyed popping into them when traveling.”
Shortly, a handsome two story building between the Barn and former farm granary arose, another collaboration
between Condoret and the Fitches. It was decorated by Jenny and named in honor of Keebe’s paternal
grandmother, Katherine McIntyre Fitch. She added, “While I cannot recall the exact date of our first reading,
McIntyre’s was the first indie bookstore in the state to schedule regular author events.”
Today, McIntyre’s offers over 150 authors readings free to the public each year. Notable visitors have included
Khalid Housseini, Ernest Gaines, Amy Tan, Peter Mayle, Cokie Roberts, Haven Kimmel, Alan Furst, George
29
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
are larger than in the Inn Building, and many have
individual private courtyard entrances. There are now a
total of 32 suites at the Inn.
The Spa at Fearrington
One of the exciting recent developments at Fearrington
has been the opening, in the fall of 2010, of The Spa at
Fearrington. Inn guests can now enjoy the complete
retreat experience during their stay here. The nearly
4,000 square foot facility overlooks the Village
Center and includes a large studio for manicures
and pedicures, and four private treatment rooms for
The Spa at Fearrington’s manicure and pedicure salon
massage, facials and other treatments. The Spa also includes Haven, a boutique shop offering skin care, apothecary
products, simple chic apparel and luxury home goods.
Says proprietor RB Fitch: “About 10 years ago, we started thinking about opening a spa at Fearrington but the
timing and the location never seemed to work out. Then about a year ago it meshed for us. Most importantly, we
had a place in the Village we were excited about—a place that gave us not only a great spa layout but also a nice
boutique store. And we felt it was time; we had looked at enough spas, spoken with enough spa experts. So it
gelled.”
Theresa Chiettini, Fearrington Village’s general manager, added: “We’ve looked at spas all over the US and Europe
and feel we’ve created something that’s quite unique in our area—a spa that offers tranquility, charm, a warm
professional staff, all in a relaxing setting.” The clean
aesthetic is called ‘Swedish Farmhouse,’ where interiors
are full of light, rooms are characteristically gray-washed
in soft color, furniture is simple, floors are bare and
space is unfussy.
Weddings, Meetings & Special Events
Since 1981, when the first guests asked if an outdoor
wedding reception could be hosted next to The
Fearrington House Restaurant, Fearrington has become
an enchanting destination for weddings and other
special events. Our most popular special event venue,
the adjacent Barn, was refurbished and is now a festive,
popular venue for receptions, author readings, concerts
and dinners.
Pastures & gardens provide a spectacular backdrop to weddings
In 2008 the Garden Terrace was built. Located on the west side of The Fearrington House Restaurant, this
pavilion structure is accented with stately columns reflecting the architecture of The Fearrington House Restaurant
and features a dramatic stone fireplace. It can accommodate up to 120 people for seated functions and 200 for
receptions. Open on three sides with stunning views of the former homestead, pastures and a stand of mature
white oak trees, it can also be easily enclosed and is climate controlled for year-round entertaining.
Fearrington House also hosts corporate events ranging from holiday parties to board of director meetings. It offers
four different meeting spaces. The largest, The Library at McIntyre’s, is located in the second floor above McIntyre’s
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THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
Pelecanos, Frances Mayes, P.D. Grimes, Tony Horwitz,
Reynolds Price, Lee Smith, Clyde Edgerton, Charles
Frazier, and former president Jimmy Carter, to name a
few.
Galloway Ridge
Galloway Ridge
Just south of the Village Center lies Galloway Ridge,
a state of the art continuing care community owned
and managed by the Co-operative Retirement Services
of America, Inc. (CRSA) of Memphis, Tennessee.
Opened in 2005, Galloway Ridge offers complete
maintenance-free living including weekly housekeeping,
24-hour security, landscaping and indoor maintenance.
Health and wellness services at Galloway Ridge have
been developed and are being managed by the Duke
University Health System. Duke staffs an outpatient
clinic at Galloway Ridge and also manages the Duke
Center for Living, a 20,000 square foot health and
wellness center that offers an Olympic-sized pool, an
indoor track, aerobic studios and a full complement of
Cybex equipment.
The Community Today
Homes in our newest neighborhood, The Knolls,
are all Energy Star certified
Residential construction continues at a steady,
measured pace. Today, over 1,800 residents from 40
states (and several countries) call Fearrington home—
all enjoying custom homes built by Fitch Creations.
Newest neighborhoods offer a variety of living options,
from compact, one story homes to estate homes on
large wooded lots. One common thread among new
residents: energy conservation. We launched an Energy
Star option in 2007 and over 80% of the homes we
build today are Energy Star Certified, compared to the
national average of 17%, according to the EPA.
Fitch Creations, Inc.
RB, Keebe and Greg Fitch
Fitch Creations, Inc. continues to be a family business,
run by RB Fitch and assisted by Keebe and son Greg,
who worked at Fearrington as a teenager and returned
home in 2006. Fearrington is the only development in
which Fitch Creations is involved.
Explains RB, “Fitch Creations gingerly develops the
land, designs and builds the homes, owns and operates
the inn, restaurant, spa and most of the shops.”
31
THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
Books; it was renovated in 2008 to become a dramatic
space capable of hosting corporate board of director and
other senior meetings. In addition to a large meeting
room, it has a separate break-out room and a beautifully
appointed sitting room arranged around a fireplace.
1786
William Cole purchases 640 acres for $80
1859
Farm passes to Cole’s daughter and her husband,
Edwin H. Fearrington
1925
Fire destroys original farmhouse
1927
Edwin’s son, John Bunyan Fearrington, rebuilds the homestead
1930
Fitch Creations established in Carrboro, NC by RB Fitch
as home remodeling business
1974
RB and wife Jenny buy Fearrington farm from John Bunyan’s son,
Jesse Fearrington
1975
RB and Jenny get approval for Chatham County’s first planned
community
1976
First house completed
1980
Homestead renovated, opens as The Fearrington House Restaurant
1981
The Fearrington Homeowners’ Association commence activities
1982
Creation of the Village Center is announced
1983
Swim & Croquet Club opens and The Market opens in former farm
granary
1986
Fourteen room Inn is added in the Village Center and Dovecote
opens in the former milking barn
1988
Inn and Restaurant accepted as member of Relais & Châteaux
1989
McIntyre’s Books opens
1995
Jenny Fitch passes away; Camden Park is created as a memorial
containing her favorite plants
1996
Park Building opens adding 18 additional Inn rooms
2005
Galloway Ridge and Duke Center for Living opens
2006
The Fearrington Granary Restaurant and The Belted Goat open
2007
Cooking School Kitchen in restaurant opens
2008
Garden Terrace opens
2010
Roost, our beer garden, opens
2010
The Spa at Fearrington opens
2011
The Fearrington Granary is redesigned and opened for dinner
2012
The Fearrington House Restaurant is redesigned
2012
The Fearrington House’s Executive Chef, Colin Bedford, receives
Grand Chef honor
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THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
A FE ARRINGTON TIMELINE
Dining & Lodging
Services
The Fearrington House Inn
The Fearrington House Restaurant
The Fearrington Granary Restaurant
The Belted Goat
Roost
Fitch Creations Real Estate
SunTrust Bank
The Village Beauty Shop
The Spa at Fearrington
Special Events
Shopping
Wedding and Special Events Planning
Meeting Rooms
The Barn
Haven
Dovecote Home and Garden Shop
McIntyre’s Books
Farmer’s Market
Curious Things
Belted Galloway Cows
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THE STORY OF FE ARRINGTON
VILLAGE MAP
ABOUT
R E L A I S & C H AT E AU X
34
Relais & Châteaux is a family of hoteliers and chefs from all over the world who share a passion for - and a personal
commitment to - ensuring their guests enjoy moments of exceptional harmony. To experience Relais & Châteaux
is to experience an unforgettable celebration of the senses.
The Fearrington House has been a member of Relais & Châteaux, a collection of the finest hotels and gourmet
restaurants in the world, since 1988.
Each property within this group is privately owned and operated. Beyond that of quality, the common
denominator is the passion with which every hotelier runs his or her establishment.
From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South
Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers a chance to explore the Route du Bonheur, or ‘Road to Happiness’ in a variety
of destinations. There are currently 500 Relais & Châteaux properties in 60 countries, including 36 in the United
States.
The History
Established in France in 1954 with the mission to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting
properties with a truly unique character.
The Southern Route du Bonheur
Experience the South’s finest regional cuisine, tour some of its most scenic byways and stay at its finest
independently-owned luxury properties with a self-directed tour through Washington DC, Virginia’s Blue Ridge
Mountains, North Carolina’s Piedmont and South Carolina’s low country.
The Properties
The Inn at Little Washington - Washington, VA
The Fearrington House - Pittsboro, NC
Planters Inn - Charleston, SC
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R E L A I S & C H AT E AU X M E M B E R S H I P
OUR MEMBERSHIP
Media & Photo Request Inquiries
Greg Fitch
Phone: (919) 545-5736
[email protected]
For Additional Information
Feel free to visit our website at www.fearrington.com.
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P R E S S CO N TA C T S
P R E S S CO N TA C T S