A&E

Frogs Leap Public House celebrates 10 years BY GARRET K. WOODWARD S TAFF WRITER C oming into this spring, Executive Chef Kaighn Raymond was looking forward to his restaurant hitting the 10-year mark. What he didn’t expect was for Frogs Leap Public House to be closed to the public.

“I feel like this is just one more obstacle in the way of an industry that has been hurdling obstacles since the beginning of time,” Raymond said in reference to the Coronavirus Pandemic and the slow reopening of the culinary industry. “I feel like it will be a quick comeback, but there Kaighn Raymond might not be as many restaurants standing in a few years. For now, I would ask everybody to do their best to get out there and support local business and the regional economy.”

Located in downtown Waynesville, Frogs Leap Public House is regarded as a cornerstone of fine dining in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Between its cosmopolitan approach towards the menu and presentation, and its keen sense of using local ingredients,

the restaurant has become a “must try” culinary destination in our region.

“Nearly every item on our menu will come out of the local market,” Raymond said. “We work with many local farmers and different purveyors, and we’ve always been here to help those purveyors grow. If you have those fresh, local ingredients for the level of fine dining use, then we’re willing to help support you.”

Alongside his wife, Toni, the Raymonds have owned and operated Frogs Leap Public House since its opening day on June 25, 2010.

“I think it was my tenth restaurant opening in my career, but it was probably the hardest because we were in a new town — not knowing my staff, not knowing anybody,” Kaighn said. “And when you’re in a town where no one knows you, and you’re touting yourself as being a real chef, then people are going to hold you to the highest scrutiny — your reputation is on every dish you put out.”

Back then, the property was the former home of the Lomo Grill. At that time, Kaighn was an acclaimed chef in Atlanta, Georgia. He eventually found himself in Waynesville and knew there was something special about the small town.

“I dined at Lomo a few times, and I always had an eye on this building,” Kaighn said. “And when I finally decided to leave Atlanta, this was the only place I wanted to be — in this building and in Waynesville itself. So, we got to work and finally made it happen.”

Celebrating a decade in business, the Frogs Leap Public House anniversary dinner will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the restaurant in Waynesville. To RSVP for the event, call 828.456.1930.

As well, Frogs Leap will be open for dinner to the public throughout the next month from 5 to 9 p.m. June 18-20 and 27, July 1-3 and 9-11, with normal operating hours returning hopefully thereafter.

For more information, call 828.456.1930 or www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

Since the 1980s, the average American palate has become more and more sophisticated towards fine dining options, especially with the farm-to-table movement across the country in recent years, where the consumer now actively seeks out fresher ingredients from local sources.

“It’s been a 30-year process in the culinary industry to get to this point in fine dining in America. There was a sentiment then that nothing made in America was at the level of European fine dining,” Kaighn noted. “All of these chefs and fine dining restaurants have tried to bring back all of those great American ingredients because so many delicious things from our own country got lost along the way. And now, those ingredients are becoming part of the American culture again, and people are excited to try those things.”

When asked about what the title “executive chef ” means to him, personally and professionally, Kaighn paused for a moment, seemingly reflecting on a 30-year fine dining career in a whirlwind industry.

“‘Executive chef means that you’re the creative driver behind the team. You’re also the morale and the leadership. And of course, you share those responsibilities with your team,” Kaighn said. “And I try to do my best, because I view it as my responsibility to bring satisfaction to my cooks’ lives, whether financially or creatively — all the blame is mine and all the accolades are theirs.”

And through all of the organized chaos of simply running a restaurant, let alone a fine dining establishment, Kaighn has been able to take a few moments during the pandemic shutdown to not only look back at what Frogs Leap Public House has built, but also where the beloved business will go from here.

“I love making people happy, and I don’t do it well any other way except for cooking. So, that’s how I choose to spend my time,” Kaighn said modestly. “I’m certainly not in the business to get rich, nor am I in the business to be lazy. So, that leaves 30 years of my life of really enjoying the feeling I get from making people happy through my cooking. It’s about bringing people together and giving people an escape from their daily existence — it’s uplifting.”

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

It started with a text message. While making a sandwich for lunch in my parents’

Upstate New York farmhouse the other day, my smart phone vibrated. It was my old friend Leah, a beloved face I hadn’t seen or heard from in several years.

An art therapist in New York’s Hudson Valley, she reached out to see if I could help her with finding some music for a group meeting she was hosting. She needed about an hour or so of “songs that people will dance to” from the 1960s through 1980s.

So, telling her I’d be more than happy to help out, I dove deep into the back of my melodic mind, pulling out numerous tunes that would be ideal for what she was seeking.

Of which, I made sure to include “Soulful Strut” (Young-Holt Unlimited), “The Safety Dance” (Men Without Hats), “Dance to the Music” (Sly & The Family Stone), “Amie” (Pure Prairie League) and “Happy Together” (The Turtles), among others.

A couple days later, she messaged me again. The playlist was a hit. She then asked what I was doing that coming weekend. Me? No plans. Interviews for the week had already been conducted. Articles not due to my editor for a few more days. She was in the midst of moving into a new apartment, but wanted to reconnect and hangout. It was decided I would roll into the Hudson Valley for a weekend of frolicking.

Along the 3.5-hour drive downstate, I thought about the last time I saw Leah. We both grew up in the same hometown on the Canadian Border. Though she was a couple years younger than me, we were on the cross-country team together and became instant friends. During my senior year, that crew of folks (teammates who became lifelong friends) were (and remain) some of the most beautiful and introspective souls I’ve ever known.

Stepping into her old apartment, there were moving boxes everywhere. Boxes of old memories, winter sweaters, countless pairs of shoes, kitchenware, and trinkets from her journey to the here and now. With a big bear hug, our years of distance were immediately erased over some cold beers held high, sitting on the hillside next to her kitchen window.

For the rest of that first night, we traded stories of our respective paths. She told me about her time going to the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and what it was like to live and work in Brooklyn in your 20s. I countered with my high desert adventures around the Rocky Mountains as a rookie reporter at a small newspaper in Eastern Idaho.

Then, we swapped tales of breakups and makeups and what it means to be alone and trying to make sense of “it all” in your early to mid-30s. She was moving out of the apartment she loved because it reminded her too much of her ex-boyfriend who packed up and exited last year.

“There are too many ghosts in here,” she solemnly said. I sympathized with my own breakup a couple years ago, my ex-girlfriend now long gone. But, the memories, for good or ill, still remain within the walls of my humble abode.

The next morning, we packed up the bed of my truck with the boxes and headed for her new apartment across the Hudson River. Situated above a garage of a work colleague of hers, the newly renovated apartment sits within earshot of a huge waterfall down below the backyard.

After the last box was brought up from the truck, we sat, sweaty and weary, and cracked open a beer to christen the new spot. A slight grin rolled across my face, to which Leah noticed and said, “What are you smiling about?”

I told her I was smiling just thinking about all the great memories she was going to make within that space, all of new and old friends who will visit, this blank canvas and fresh chapter to pursue whatever you heart desires in due time.

Shortly thereafter, it was decided to go explore the backyard and figure out a way to get down to the waterfall. Throwing on our hiking gear, we traversed through thick brush and over dead trees, under heavy branches and around ancient boulders. Soon enough, there the falls were in all their aquatic glory.

We stood under the falls in awe. The sheer splendor and scale of the falls took our minds off of recent conversations, where our thoughts swirled around the idea of childlike wonder and being grateful for the moment we had each found ourselves in. Thus, it was only proper that we jump into the water and swim around, this cosmic baptism of sorts into a new and exciting phase of our separate lives.

Emerging from the deep waters, we sat on a rock and basked in the hot afternoon sun. With her back to me, Leah gazed out over the river and up toward the bluebird sky. “It’s sad that I’ll be enjoying this view alone after you leave,” she said, a few tears welling up in her eyes.

“It’s not sad. There’s a difference between loneliness and solitude. And finding that inner peace by being alone is one of the great joys in life,” I replied. “You’ll find that, I promise. And besides, I’ll always make sure to swing through here in my travels from now on.”

She smiled and gave me a hug. We walked back up the riverbank and to the new apartment. Hopping back into the truck, we headed back to the old apartment to finish the packing and say goodbye to her most recent chapter. It was good to see my friend. There are certain people you’re supposed to know and embrace in your life — she is one of those in mine.

Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

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The following will be occurring at the Haywood County Arts Council in downtown Waynesville. • Through June 27: Haywood County Studio Tour Exhibit. The HCAC will proudly host artists from the Haywood County Studio Tour in the Gallery & Gifts space at 86 North Main Street. The show will offer a sampling of the work from 29 local artists.

The 2020 Studio Tour has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the 2021 tour is scheduled for June 26-27. Participants work in diverse media including clay, fiber, wood, jewelry, glass, mixed-media, sculpture, and two-dimensional applications.

The Arts Council’s Haywood County Studio Tour Show offers visitors a generous taste of what they’ll experience in June 2020. For additional information, visit www.haywoodarts.org/studio-tour-participants or www.facebook.com/openstudioshaywood. • June 24: Opening Day of “Auction for the Arts!” at Cedar Hill Gallery on Main Street in Waynesville. Free and open to the public.

The HCAC is holding its silent auction of original artwork from June 24 to July 11 at Cedar Hill Gallery. Bidding will begin at noon on Wednesday, June 24 and end at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11.

All proceeds from the auction will go toward HCAC’s “Arts Now! Our Campaign for the Future.” The goal of the campaign is to establish a fund for the eventual purchase of a building large enough to provide gallery space for over 100 artists, an emerging artist incubator with affordable studio space, cre

ation space for youth arts educational programs, a dedicated music classroom, three additional classrooms, and an endowment.

Artwork donated by Mark Matheny, Barbara Brook, Remi Dawkins, Cayce Moyer, Jerry Stuart, Diannah Beauregard, Gretchen Clasby, Mary Decker, Dominick DePaolo, Janice Huse, Jan Kolenda, Gregg Livengood, Susan Livengood, Jude Lobe, Francoise Lynch, Jeremiah Maitri, John Nelson, Dee Noelle, and Debbie Skelly. www.haywoodarts.org.

The organizers of Concerts on the Creek in Sylva have made the difficult decision to postpone the beginning of the 11th season of performances until the end of June.

Concerts on the Creek are traditionally held every Friday night from 7 to 9 p.m., from Memorial Day through Labor Day at the Bridge Park in Sylva. The first performance will be held by Geoff McBride & Scott Baker on June 26.

The series is organized and put on by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Sylva, and the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.

“At this time, we’ve decided to reschedule the first four concerts until Saturdays later in the season,” said Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Julie Donaldson. “We’re planning on beginning the series on Friday, June 26, depending on how the Governor structures Phase 3. We’ll keep you posted and look forward to being together again soon.”

The performances are free with donations encouraged. Patrons should bring a chair or blanket and prepare to be “COVID safe.” Food trucks are expected to be at some of the concerts.

For a complete lineup schedule of Concerts on the Creek, click on www.mountainlovers.com or go to the Concerts on the Creek Facebook page. These sites will be updated with any changes going forward.

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with George ALSO: Ausman 2 p.m. June 14. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Lost Bridge 7:30 p.m. June 13. All shows are free and open to the public. www.curraheebrew.com. • Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host

Stephen Horvath June 13 and The Knotty G’s June 27. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Carey Deal 7 p.m. June 12 and Clint Roberts Trio 8 p.m. June 13. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.