With a resume that reads like a Food Network roundup of the best Southern-inspired restaurants, chef Scott Ostrander will feel right at home as the newly ordained executive chef in the Grand Bohemian Hotel’s restaurant, Red Stag Grill.
“With chef Ostrander at the helm,” says Grand Bohemian’s general manager John Luckett, “guests of the restaurant are in for an unforgettable experience.”
Ostrander got the rough equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in farm-to-table cuisine when he spent four years in Savannah, Ga. establishing a locally-sourced menu from scratch by networking with small food suppliers.
The chef has also gained practical experience under accomplished colleagues nationwide, including Hawaii’s Roy Yamaguchi and Virginia’s Christopher Brooks, and graduated at the top of his class at the Culinary Institute of America in New York state before accepting a position as executive chef at Mama’s Boy Southern Table & Refuge in Connecticut. During his time at Mama’s Boy, Osterander was even featured on the Cooking Channel’s Road Trip with G. Garvin.
Now chef Ostrander brings his culinary and management expertise and passion for locally grown ingredients and Southern food to Foodtopia. In addition to overseeing all kitchen staff, Osterander plans to improve upon the fine-dining experience at Red Stag, whose menu already conveys a commitment to Asheville-area sourcing and sustainable farming.
“The Red Stag Grill is proud to focus on locally sourced steaks practicing sustainable agriculture and hormone free practices,” reads the dinner menu, listing grass-fed filet mignon from Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, N.C and ribeye steak from either Murphy or Asheville, N.C. among the entrée options.
The Grand Bohemian Hotel aims to “reflect the eclectic, edgy artistry of Asheville” and was recently named the “Best Luxury Hotel in North Carolina” by Frommer’s and “Readers’ Choice Best Hotel in the South” by Conde Nast Traveler. The luxury property is one of a dozen boutique hotels in the Kessler Collection, which is known for its “blend of distinctive architecture, rare art and music, and exemplary service,” according to the company’s website.
This year, the Grand Bohemian and Red Stag are celebrating their five-year mark by adding a five-layer red velvet cake with cream cheese icing to the restaurant’s dessert menu. Here’s hoping that many more prosperous layers are in store for both chef Osterander and his new team.
Red Stag Grill is located at 11 Boston Way in Biltmore Village. bohemianhotelasheville.com/dining/.
Meh. Good luck chef. You’ll need to work 24/7 to fix that place. The problems start at the top and feed all the way to the bottom. Lot of egos to overcome.