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CALIFORNIA NATIVE ~
chef brian stapleton
finds niche in chapel hill
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Return to
Great Carolina Chefs
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this is an evolving section
of our
web site and
information on
more chefs
and their restaurants
are on the way.
and as always, happy and
adventurous eating ...
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ince boyhood, Brian Stapleton has been immersed in the cycles of life. Growing
up in California's verdant farmlands, he bought calves at auction with his father,
brought them home and fed them, and grew artichokes, corn and tomatoes in
the family garden. After school, he'd go hunting. The pheasant he brought home
that afternoon was supper that night.
"I didn't realize everybody in the world didn't do that," he says now from the
kitchen at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, where he's executive chef and food
and beverage manager. "I would not trade my childhood for anything. Those
kinds of responsibilities teach you how to be successful from a leadership point of
view."
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Stapleton has taken leadership of extraordinary dining in his corner
of North Carolina.
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Stapleton has taken leadership of extraordinary dining in his corner of North Carolina. Voted
Triangle Chef of the Year in 1999, he's practiced his art in Palm Beach, St. Louis, Atlanta and Boston.
Though North Carolina is far from California in geography, it's not in spirit. Stapleton, a
graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, haunts the local farmers
market for the freshest produce and buys seafood from nearby fisherman. The result
is "American cuisine with a traditional southern flair."
One favorite entrée is the oven-roasted snapper and shrimp jambalaya, served over Carolina
Gold rice and braised greens. Seared Dayboat Scallops come with a country ham succotash and
sweet potato biscuits. Colorado lamb is prepared with oven-roasted tomatoes and roasted
eggplant, then accompanied by sweet potato and goat cheese bread pudding.
Hungry? Stapleton will fix you right up. "Cooking," he says, "is the favorite part
of the day for me.
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The Carolina Inn is an elegant, historic 1924 hotel that celebrates the University of
North Carolina (look for photos of a young Andy Griffith in college productions). It's
located on campus at 211 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
The CrossRoads
Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch and afternoon tea.
Breakfast is 6:30 - 11 a.m., with the buffet open until 10:30 a.m. Lunch is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday-Saturday. Dinner is 5-10 p.m. seven nights a week. Sunday brunch is 11:30 to 2 p.m.
Afternoon tea is 3-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
The menu is seasonal; the wine cellar houses
about 100 different selections from France, the United States, Italy, Austria and Spain.
Bottles range from $30 to $250. Smoking is not allowed. An author's tea is scheduled
once a month.
For reservations, which are recommended for evenings and required for
tea, call 919.918.2735. See www.carolinainn.com for more information.
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Aida Rogers has worked in newspapers, magazines, legal newsletters
and television. USC graduate and Lexington, SC native currently is
managing editor of Sandlapper, The Magazine of South Carolina, for which she
writes a column about the most popular restaurants in The Palmetto State.
Call her with your favorites at 803.808.1664
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