What’s new in food: Beradu opens in Black Mountain

Beradu, a specialty market and restaurant, opened at The Village of Cheshire in Black Mountain on Nov. 11. 

The market features local goods, wild game, North Carolina seafood and a selection of wine, beer and unique nonalcoholic beverages.

Co-owners Patrick and Maggie Beraduce moved to Black Mountain from Naples, Fla. this summer after purchasing the business formerly known as The Grocery.

“We didn’t know anything about Black Mountain, but we came to look at the business and just fell in love with the town and everything,” says Patrick, executive chef, who owned a catering and private chef company in Naples.

Maggie, a former elementary school teacher, calls herself Patrick’s “sous chef.” Patrick used to visit her classroom to perform cooking demonstrations, and then they started teaming up and giving lessons around the Naples area. They discovered they enjoyed working with each other. “Once we found our groove, we were ready to do this,” she says. “It’s been really fun, a good partnership.”

Whereas the former market was more wine-focused, Beradu will emphasize food products made in or sourced from the Carolinas, such as grains and beans. Patrick, an expert on wild game, says he’s excited to introduce it to market customers as well as restaurant diners. He will also make charcuterie in-house and, in a nod to his Italian background, offer house-made pastas and sauces.

The name is also an homage to Patrick’s ancestors. His given last name was McGrath. But he changed it to Beraduce — altered at Ellis Island from the original Beraducci — to carry on the name of his maternal grandfather, who raised him.

The market is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Its restaurant, which is undergoing kitchen renovations, is estimated to open after Thanksgiving. For the first two weeks after opening, restaurant seating will be reservation only.

Beradu is at 2 E. Market St., Suite A, Black Mountain. For more information, visit avl.mx/d6j.

Breweries raise money for Maui

Several local breweries are joining a campaign to brew Kokua beer to raise money for those affected by Maui’s August wildfires.

The Kokua Project involves more than 700 domestic and international breweries who pledge to donate proceeds to the Global Empowerment Mission, the nonprofit organization facilitating the Maui Brewing Co. Fire Fund. Kokua means “extending help to others” in the Hawaiian language.

The beer is a session IPA with a tropical hop aroma. It can be found on draft locally at Big Pillow Brewing Co., Ecusta Brewing Co., Green Man Brewery, Highland Brewing Co. and Oskar Blues Brewery.

For more information, visit avl.mx/d6i.

Four decades of yule logs

On Nov. 13, The Hop Handcrafted Ice Cream began taking orders via its online store for its annual ice cream yule logs.

The yule logs, which are a 40-plus-year tradition for the shop, can be ordered traditional or vegan, with both regular- and mini-size options, through Wednesday, Dec. 20. Supply is limited: the ice creamery will make 600 total.

The logs consist of house-made chocolate cake rolled with a choice of salted caramel, peppermint stick or vanilla bean ice cream, topped with chocolate ice cream and decorated with toadstools, holly leaves, poinsettias or a wrapped present — with custom decorations as an option. Vegan yule logs are made the same, but with house-made vegan cake and vegan oat milk ice cream.

Curbside pickup for all orders is currently Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at The Hop Creamery at 167 Haywood Road.

For more information, visit avl.mx/auf.

Loott House gets a new home

The Loott House, a family-owned restaurant in Swannanoa, celebrated its grand reopening in Beacon Village on Nov. 12.

The new location accommodates more seating, as well as more parking and private event space. The current menu — pub food with a twist — will be expanded, with more nightly and weekly specials.

“This is an exciting upgrade, both for our team and for the community,” says Loott House co-owner and chef Jake Whitman, in a press release. “Though it’s a bittersweet feeling to leave our original location, we are looking forward to the opportunities waiting for us in the new space.”

Formerly at 2372 Highway 70, Whitman and his wife, Ali, opened Loott House in June 2022, along with Jake’s brother Jason Whitman and his wife Maggie. The restaurant’s name is a combined celebration of the Jake and Ali’s favorite “loott” — their children, whose names are Logan and Otto.

Loott House is at 204 Whitson Ave., Swannanoa. For more information, visit avl.mx/d6g.

Gourmand closes in S&W Market

Gourmand, a charcuterie and wine counter, has closed its location in downtown’s historic S&W Market, after opening in spring.

“Hello friends, we have some news to share with you,” said owners Katie Grabach and Peyton Barrell in an Oct. 27 Instagram post. “Tomorrow will be our final service at the S&W. We are very grateful to have had an amazing launching pad to what will hopefully be a long and fruitful career in Asheville. This is by no means the end of Gourmand! We have so many great things lined up in the coming months that we can’t wait to share with you.”

For more information, visit avl.mx/d6h.

Scheffer Group buys Gan Shan West

Eric Scheffer and his management firm, The Scheffer Group, bought Asian restaurant Gan Shan West from founder and owner Patrick O’Cain earlier this month.

Scheffer’s Asheville hospitality career has spanned 25 years, with ventures including Jettie Rae’s Oyster House and Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian.

“We’re not coming in to make any drastic changes,” Scheffer says. “We love Gan Shan West as it exists right now, and we’re extremely grateful and excited to have the current chef de cuisine, Ray Hui, at the forefront of the menu direction and helming the transition of ownership.”

Gan Shan West is at 285 Haywood Road. For more information, visit avl.mx/prxo.

Editor’s note: This article was updated on Nov. 21.