Cityview Magazine’s Top Chefs 2022 Competition
This year, we were beyond thrilled to learn that our very own Chef Darin Hoagland was invited to participate in Cityview Magazine’s Top Chefs competition! During the event guests had the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional hand-picked menu curated by Chef Darin, as well as enjoy an unforgettable dining experience.
This year, we were beyond thrilled to learn that our very own Chef Darin Hoagland was invited to participate in Cityview Magazine’s Top Chefs competition! Each spring there are seven, one-night-only events that happen throughout Knoxville where seven restaurant’s chefs are invited to participate in a competition that is all about bringing an unforgettable experience to all who attend. During the event guests had the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional hand-picked menu curated by Chef Darin as well as an unforgettable dining experience. Ticket sales benefitted East Tennessee Children's Hospital.
We are happy to report that this year, $28,800 was donated to East Tennessee’s Children’s Hospital.
The Curated Menu
Chef Darin curated a menu that drew on his journey as a chef thus far. With a cameo of a Royale favorite to homages to his time in Florida and childhood favorites, the menu was as eclectic as the evening!
Appetizer - Tuna Sashimi
A dish that is commonly requested, the Tuna Sashimi is made with kimchi mayo, sweet soy reduction, scallions, pickled ginger, wasabi cream cheese, crispy wonton, and tobiko. This appetizer is paired with J Vineyards ‘J’ Brut Rose, Russian River Valley.
Entree - Caribbean Jerked Black Grouper
This entree is made with okinawan purple sweet potato, papaya, mango, kiwi salsa, crispy plantains, and coconut beurre blanc. The Grouper goes great with a glass of 2019 Pieropan Calvarino, Italy.
Dessert - Strawberry Rhubarb
This dessert is made in phyllo with whipped vanilla ricotta, sweet cream, strawberry caviar, and spun sugar. Who doesn’t love a glass of wine with their dessert? This one pairs great with a 2019 Ratti Ochetti Nebbiolo, Italy.
Results are in!
This event was one of the best nights of Chef Darin’s career! While the experience was intense and exhilarating, Chef Darin performed some of his best work under pressure! When asked what his proudest moment of the evening was, he said it was after competing in the event with his staff. Being able to see how proud everyone was of themselves meant the most to him and was the biggest reward of the evening.
The results of the 2022 Top Chefs Competition are in!
APPETIZER
1ST PLACE – Tuna Sashimi Crisp
DESSERT
2ND PLACE – Strawberry Rhubarb
EXPERIENCE
3RD PLACE – Darin Hoagland
We couldn’t be more proud of Chef Darin and the entire Oliver Royale team! We can’t wait for next year’s competition!
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P.S. Don’t forget about our Q2 fundraiser for Knoxville Habitat for Humanity happening now through June 30th. For every Royale Roulette or Librarian Recommendation (PKL) ordered - a $1 donation will be made on your behalf to Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, as well as a percentage of every ticket purchased for one of our wine dinners.
Oliver Family Initiatives
In the last two years of binding together as a community - Oliver Royale, The Oliver Hotel and Peter Kern Library have been committed to raising funds for a Knoxville-based organization or charity each quarter. We love an opportunity to give back to the city and community that we love.
In the last two years of binding together as a community - Oliver Royale, The Oliver Hotel and Peter Kern Library have been committed to raising funds for a Knoxville-based organization or charity each quarter. We love an opportunity to give back to the city and community that we love.
Let’s dive into the organizations we chose and give you an opportunity to be a part of our Q2 initiative too!
Recapping our Q1 fundraising organization - Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL)
In the first quarter of 2022, we partnered with the Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL), a civil rights, economic development and social service organization, that came into existence in 1968 at the height of the civil rights movement to promote equal employment opportunities for African-Americans in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Knoxville Area Urban League is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the country’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream.
We were able to raise $2,255 for their workforce program that helps their mission of every adult in America having equal access to resources that enhance employment and job mobility, including post-secondary education and training.
Thank you for your continued support to our community!
Getting to know our Q2 organization - Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, housing ministry that partners with people of all beliefs. Knoxville Habitat has been an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International since 1985 and builds homes in partnership with families and individuals in need of a safe and affordable place to live.
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity is also a Veterans Build Affiliate with Habitat for Humanity International, part of a national effort to provide affordable homes for local men and women who have served our country. In addition, they're also affiliated with Cost of Home that works toward policy solutions to address the need for home affordability in local communities, the state of Tennessee and nationwide. Knoxville Habitat for Humanity has worked with over 700 families in Knoxville County.
How you can partner with us to raise funds for Knoxville Habitat for Humanity and all our quarterly initiatives
In addition to learning more about each of our quarterly initiatives and volunteering your time with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library allow you to give back financially to support their mission! Here’s how:
Now through June 30, 2022 -
For every Royale Roulette or Librarian Recommendation (PKL) ordered - a $1 donation will be made on your behalf to Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.
A % of all wine dinner sales will be made on your behalf to Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.
We can’t wait to see how together, we can make a big difference in the lives of those right here in Knoxville!
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For more information on Knoxville Habitat for Humanity and Knoxville Urban League - make sure to visit their website!
Meet Sous Chef Ben Dawson
Known for his passion for his craft and taking day trips whenever possible, we sat down with our Knoxville native Sous Chef Ben Dawson to learn more about his background, passions and mentors .
This month, we sat down with Ben Dawson who joined our culinary team in April 2021. Ben, a born and raised Knoxvillian specifically from Karns and Powell, is known for his passion for his craft and taking day trips whenever possible to experience other cities, foods and cultures.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our conversation Ben Dawson!
Our Conversation with Ben Dawson
Q: Tell us more about your background?
I graduated from Powell High School. I also studied Mechanical Engineering at Pellissippi State Community College.
Q: What has your journey in the Hospitality industry been so far?
I have been in the industry since I was 18 years old and started at Fuddruckers here in West Knoxville. I have learned and worked all over Knoxville, from Fuddruckers to the French Market and Cru. My education has been on-the-job, real-life experience. These experiences are what has helped make me who I am today.
Q: What made you want to be in this industry?
I love how food gives us the ability to help people in need while also making them happy. The opportunity to meet so many new and different people that I wouldn’t otherwise have met is also really fun. Cooking for others is one way I can serve others.
Q: What cooking style is your passion?
As someone that was born and raised in the South - there’s a culture about our food that draws people in. Southern Cuisine is my top favorite style of cooking. The flavors are more intense. It’s a craft in and of itself.
Q: Where do you get your influence from?
I take inspiration with me from every kitchen I've worked in. There is always something new to learn and every new kitchen and team has challenged and taught me something along the way.
Q: Do you have any mentors that really stuck with you to this day or in general? Any greats of the craft that you really admire and like to model your craft and passion with.
A few big names I look up to and find inspiration from are Sean Brock, Thomas Keller and Anthony Bordaine. As for workplace mentors, I have learned a ton from working under Chef Darin Hoagland. His passion for the basic craft and his ability to break down techniques to teach the newest person on the line is like nothing I've seen before in a kitchen. I learn something new every time I work with him.
Q: How has moving through COVID affected or changed your life and work style? Any big ways that you move differently now?
I am just thankful that I was able to and had a place to work through quarantine. Not everyone had that luxury.
Q: If given the opportunity, any place you would love to work or any person you would love to work with?
I would go back in time and work with Jacques Pepin back in the 90’s. He is one of the first celebrity chefs and I believe he coined the persona of chef “bad boy”. I also have hopes to work as an Executive Chef one day and hope to be known for teaching something to every person I work with. Giving them something they can carry with them throughout their career.
Thank you Chef Ben! We love having you on the team.
For the most up to date information or to book a reservation, visit our website or give us a call at (865) 622-6434.
Janie X Spring 2021 Cocktail Menu
Janie Brackett, Oliver Royale Bar Manager, hit the ground running when she took over Oliver’s bar program earlier this year. This uncharted territory has challenged Janie creatively, and from the outside looking in, we’re seeing how the bigger picture view is influencing things across the board...in a good way!
Janie Brackett, Oliver’s newly promoted Bar Manager, has been with us for 3 years this fall. From server to bartender in just about 6 months, (which is pretty fast in our company), Janie’s long time experience in the hospitality industry is seen on and off the floor. Her love of people and the built-in flexibility while she completed her undergraduate degree in 2015 in psychology and english have made the years fly by.
Though her role as Bar Manager gives her the opportunity to craft seasonally rotated cocktail menus, a management position isn't new to Janie. In fact, following the great footsteps of her predecessor, Ari Rector, Janie hit the ground running as she took over Oliver’s bar program earlier this year. This uncharted territory has challenged Janie creatively, and from the outside looking in, we’re seeing how the bigger picture view is influencing things across the board...in a good way!
New Role, Fresh Innovation
Transitioning from being on the floor, at times in the trenches, to taking a step back to be able to oversee the bigger picture of all the wheels turning at once, has brought about fresh innovation throughout.
Janie has been praised, and rightfully so, for absolutely slaying (as the kids say) her first cocktail menu as bar manager. We honestly couldn’t be more proud. Here’s what Janie had to say:
“As the bar manager, building a new menu wasn’t just about creating and tasting cocktails, though that is a big and fun component! First and foremost, aligning with the same energy and vision as our new Executive Chef Darin Hoagland had to be the foundation from which we built off of. And it was more challenging than I expected!
In the process of following spring flavors and ingredients, it was important that the cocktails paired beautifully with the new spring menu. I also had a personal goal of encouraging and mentoring our new and growing staff to showcase their talents, experiences and ideas as well.
I’m really proud of the product that our bar team created for the spring 2021 cocktail menu. The teamwork, encouragement of ideas, and comradery that took place was infectious and we hope our guests can sense that with every sip. We played with new ideas and flavors that hadn’t been featured on our menu before like Matcha Gin, blueberry yellow chartreuse, and thai tea. ”
To pair these exciting new flavors with Chef Hoagland’s new spring menu, join us and make sure to order the CATTYWAMPUS (house-infused matcha gin, green chartreuse, lemon, honey), MAURY STREET HOUSE (mezcal, house-infused blueberry yellow chartreuse, lemon, campari, simple, tiki bitters), and WEST JACKSON JIVE (postmodern kore vodka, thai tea, arancia, lemon, honey, champagne, soda).
p.s. don’t forget about our Q2 fundraiser for Zoo Knoxville happening now through June 30th too. For every Royale Roulette or Librarian Recommendation (PKL) ordered - a $1 donation will be made on your behalf to Zoo Knoxville. A percentage of every ticket purchased to our Bubbles & Rose wine dinner will be donated to Zoo Knoxville and our hotel room minibars are now stocked with Flying Panda Specialty Beverages and Tip Top Proper Cocktails. A $1 donation will be made on your behalf when you purchase either beverage while staying with us.
Zoo Knoxville - A Generational Experience
After a year of binding together as a community - Oliver Royale, The Oliver Hotel and Peter Kern Library have committed to raising funds for a Knoxville-based organization, non-profit, charity or business for each quarter of 2021.
This quarter, we chose Zoo Knoxville and this interview shares in more detail why.
We sat down with Zoo Knoxville CEO, Lisa New, for a candid interview to learn more about our beloved Zoo Knoxville. Like most businesses, the pandemic brought its challenges but with the help of the community, this treasured Knoxville landmark is looking forward to better days.
After a year of binding together as a community - Oliver Royale, The Oliver Hotel and Peter Kern Library have committed to raising funds for a Knoxville-based organization, non-profit, charity or business for each quarter of 2021.
This quarter, we chose Zoo Knoxville and this interview shares in more detail why.
Getting to know Zoo Knoxville
The Modern Knoxville Zoo dates back to 1971 - ringing in its 50th anniversary this year! From historical moments, like becoming the home to the first African elephant born in the western hemisphere in 1978, to being the first zoo to successfully breed the second generation of captive-born Arakan Forest turtles and common spider tortoises - Zoo Knoxville has made important contributions in the science of conservation.
In speaking with CEO, Lisa New, perhaps equally as impactful of a contribution has been seeing and hearing the stories of generations of families who are now bringing their own children to the zoo as adults decades later. Zoo Knoxville is accredited by the National Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) where they have the opportunity to work with other accredited facilities on a collective species survival plan for all animals that live in AZA accredited zoos in North America.
Zoo Knoxville & the Pandemic
This time last year the zoo was closed for over sixty days which created a significant financial hardship. During a time of year when traffic is high due to Spring Break visitors - the loss of this peak season was a hard hit for the zoo.
Despite their apprehension and careful consideration to not burden the community, it was simultaneously an amazing moment of reflection to see how much the community plays an active role in the culture of Zoo Knoxville.
Throughout the closure, people continued to be deeply fascinated and interested in what was going on inside the zoo and the community responded in a BIG way! The Mayor and City Council voted to support the zoo, affording them a long-term low interest loan from the county in addition to a remarkable $300k raised by everyday citizens of Knoxville.
This coming together helped close a gap that seemed insurmountable at the moment.
Exciting Happenings at Zoo Knoxville
On May 18, 2020 Zoo Knoxville reopened and the people of Knoxville have steadily been coming ever since! The outdoor nature of visiting the zoo made for a safe place for the community to experience fun outdoors in the height of the pandemic.
In the past 5 years the zoo has experienced exponential growth and redevelopment of over 1/3 of its property to include the newly opened Clayton Family Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Campus. This 12,500 square foot+, indoor facility showcases exciting species like the radiated tortoise, poison dart frog, red spitting cobra, gravity defying cuban croc, and sloths and highlights the work that Zoo Knoxville is most famous for - the conservation work for turtles, reptiles, and amphibians. The North American river otter exhibit will open later this summer 2021.
How you can partner with us to raise funds for Zoo Knoxville
In addition to purchasing daily passes and memberships, or attending special events such as Behind the Scenes Tours, Night Safaris, Zoo Camp, the annual Boo at the Zoo or their Craft Bear Nights featuring extended hours on Thursdays to sample local food trucks and breweries - patronizing Oliver Royale, Peter Kern Library and The Oliver Hotel allows you to give back too! Here’s how:
Now through June 30, 2021 -
For every Royale Roulette or Librarian Recommendation (PKL) ordered - a $1 donation will be made on your behalf to Zoo Knoxville..
A percentage of every ticket purchased to our June Virtual Cocktail Class will be donated to Zoo Knoxville.
Our hotel room minibars are now stocked with Flying Panda Specialty Beverages and Tip Top Proper Cocktails. A $1 donation will be made on your behalf when you purchase either beverage while staying with us.
We can’t wait to see how together, we can make a huge difference in our community!
For more information on Zoo Knoxville - visit their site at zooknoxville.org
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the most up to date information and happenings.
Meet Oliver Royale Executive Chef Darin Hoagland!
You may catch a glimpse of Oliver Royale Executive Chef Darin if you’re dining in, but most days he’s leading the charge in the back of the house. We sat down with Chef Darin to learn more about his background, hobbies, and the things that he values most in his career.
Last month we introduced Executive Chef Darin Hoagland on our Instagram and Facebook, and in true Oliver fam fashion - the welcome was enthusiastic and warm! Chef Darin is far from a new face at Oliver Royale. In fact, he started with the Oliver team in 2017 and in 2020 was promoted to Executive Chef! You may catch a glimpse of Chef Darin if you’re dining in, but most days he’s leading the charge in the back of the house - so instead, we’re bringing him to you!
We sat down with Chef Darin to learn more about his background, hobbies, and things that he values most in his career. Without further ado...here’s our interview with Chef!
Our Interview with Chef Darin Hoagland
Q: Chef, how long have you been in the industry?
I started in 2003 and trained under Chef Saucy from Cafe Maxx for 6 years! I started from the bottom and worked my way up to Sous Chef. I learned a ton from Chef Saucy - a German Chef that specialized in classical French cuisine with Caribbean influence.
Q: What has your journey been like since entering the culinary scene?
After leaving Cafe Maxx, I spent my first few years at a fine dining Italian restaurant - Bistro Mezzaluna before transitioning to the Riverside Hotel in Ft.Lauderdale. I spent 4 years at Riverside - one of the oldest hotels in Ft. Lauderdale! I’m originally from Central Valley, California but my move across the country to South Florida was where I began my culinary journey. And now, Knoxville, TN!
Q: Chef, what is your vision for Oliver Royale?
I was fortunate enough to step into a restaurant culture that values pushing creative boundaries and innovating. My vision for Olvier is to bring back classics with a bit of a modern twist while staying loyal to the heavy southern roots that Knoxville and Royale take pride in. I’m excited to bring a Caribbean flare to Knoxville's downtown cuisine as well as a heavier seafood presence to the menu.
I also love collaborating with our entire staff to create our seasonal menus. The collaborations extend beyond our doors too! We’re always actively and intentionally building relationships with our local farmers, butchers, mixologists, distilleries and breweries.
We believe in supporting local businesses and hopefully, in the process, investing in our community’s growth.
Q: What are some fun facts our readers may not know about you?
Well for one, I really take pride in mentoring my team. I enjoy teaching them my techniques and making sure that new and up and coming cooks and chefs understand the importance of vision. I was given the opportunity to be mentored and it holds a special place in my heart to be able to pay this forward in the new generation of culinary passionate people.
I’m also an avid trout fisher, foodie, and I try to be outdoors as much as possible. It’s actually one of the reasons I like Knoxville so much...I get all 4 seasons! Being in-tune with nature and connected to our local agricultural community challenges me and also allows me to have fun while creating our seasonal menus.
A big thank you to Chef Darin for this interview.
Stay tuned for our Spring 2021 menu launching March 24th! In the meantime, we’d love for you to dine with us M-Th 4PM - 10PM, Friday 10AM - 10PM, and Saturday/Sunday 9AM - 10PM.
Cocktail for a Cause
The feeling of giving back and contributing to our community is high on our list of things we enjoy most. It’s also a great way to get to know the challenges and opportunities our community faces and the people we get to directly impact in the process.
Despite all its challenges, 2020 was an incredible year of seeing firsthand how YOU, our customers, rallied alongside us in the journey of giving back to the city of Knoxville. We ended 2020 with a bang with our Second Harvest Food Bank initiative giving 1,500+ warm meals to East Tennesseans in need right before the holidays. We matched every $100 gift card purchase with 15 meals and we couldn’t have done it without you.
The support and feedback of this effort was so overwhelming that we’ve decided to build upon the spirit giving throughout 2021. Each quarter we will choose a local organization, nonprofit or charity to support by donating proceeds from the specified promotion chosen. Best of all, we get to do this together again.
Now through February 28th, 2021, we will be supporting YWCA Knoxville!
About YWCA Knoxville
YWCA Knoxville is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. They serve more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high quality programs that are located at three sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge. YWCA serves women and their families year-round, with programs ranging from victim advocacy services, to transitional housing, to after-school enrichment programs. They also provide support groups, counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence. To say that they are deserving would be the understatement of the century. The impact they’re making will be seen for generations to come.
How can you help support YWCA?
Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library will be donating $1 from every Royale Roulette or Reading Recommendation cocktail that is purchased to YWCA. Our Royale Roulette/Reading Recommendation are rotating cocktails that are new and different every day, which means every time you visit us and purchase these cocktails, you will be supporting YWCA and their mission! We will even be donating a percentage of our sales from our wine dinners to YWCA. This initiative ends on February 28th, so stop by often for cocktails for a cause at either Oliver Royale or Peter Kern Library today!
Join us for indoor dining or enjoy our outdoor heated patio tables for a great night out. If you haven’t tried our winter 2020 menu, call and make a reservation today. There is still time to enjoy those menu items and they pair perfectly with our Royale Roulette cocktail. Who doesn’t love a great cocktail that supports a great cause?
Giving Back to Our City in 2020
Giving back to our community has been a part of our DNA from day one. This month, we share with you the organizations we partnered with in 2020 and take a look at our Holiday initiative with Second Harvest Food Bank.
Giving back to our community has been a part of our DNA from day one. This year, more than ever, partnering with different local organizations to provide meals and monetary donations to the city and people of Knoxville, became our focus. And in hindsight, even during a season where giving back seemed more complex than ever...we found a way.
Like everything, the burden is lighter when you find like-minded people and organizations to come alongside you. Amidst the unknown, here's a snapshot of the amazing organizations we partnered with in 2020…
How we impacted our city
For our July 8th Castle and Key Cocktail Class, we donated a portion of ticket sale proceeds to The Women LLC of Knoxville.
Throughout quarantine, we were able to help prepare and distribute over 500 meals for the essential workers.
For the past 3 years, we have been able to make a donation to Nourish Knoxville. And even though COVID put a huge halt in the way we have been involved previously, especially with our beloved farmers market, we are looking forward to 2021 when we can partner again!
How you can help us provide 1,500 meals in the month of December
We couldn’t end this year without another amazing Holiday initiative. For the past 3 years, we have offered our gift card promotion around the holidays and this year we are bringing it back with an exciting addition.
We are teaming up with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and for every $100 gift card purchased, we will be donating 15 hot meals to our community. Through this partnership, we are setting a goal of providing 1,500 meals to Knoxville residents by December 24th, 2020. We know we can do it! To show our gratitude, when you purchase a $100 gift card, you’ll also receive a $15 bonus gift card.
How to purchase a gift card...
· You can visit us at Oliver Royale and purchase a card in person.
· You can also call us at 865-622-6434, and order a gift card that can be mailed to you at no extra cost.
We are excited to see the impact this promotion will bring to our community. Help us make a difference this holiday season in the fight against hunger in Knoxville!
The Inspiration Behind Our Fall Cocktail Menu
The fall cocktail menu features drinks that are refreshing and bright, while still highlighting autumnal flavors. With help from our Bar Manager Ari Rector, let’s dive in!
This year's fall cocktail menu was especially exciting for our bartenders to create. We combined our Spring and Summer menu due to Covid delays, which gave them a much longer shelf life than usual. With help from our Bar Manager Ari Rector, let’s dive in!
The fall cocktail menu features drinks that are refreshing and bright, while still highlighting autumnal flavors. Having a diverse selection of original cocktails while maintaining a unified theme of seasonality is what allowed us to continue with a flavorful and lively menu.
Two staff favorites to the cocktail menu this month are the Shiny Knees and the Pear of Marys. Shiny Knees features a house-infused orange and spice gin with lemon, honey and earthy bitters. Also included is a barrel aged orange bitters liqueur from a local distillery PostModern Spirits, a frequent partner of Oliver Royale! Pear of Marys is our signature vodka cocktail of the season. Made with wheatley vodka, a pear puree, lime juice, rosemary simple syrup and a dash of walnut liqueur, the Pear of Marys tastes like a refreshing pear tart turned into a cocktail.
For whiskey lovers, we haven’t forgotten about you! No New Friends is a must try! A classically-inspired spirit forward cocktail with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, luxardo maraschino liqueur, campari and angostura bitters. This drink is garnished with a classic and delicious luxardo cherry.
If you are looking for even more cocktails to pair with your next entrée, check out all 13 of our featured cocktails on our fall cocktail menu that was created just for you!
8 Girl Bosses We Can Get Behind!
Meet the women and #girlbosses running the show at the Oliver Properties across the country! Without further ado, meet our squad.
The deeper our roots run in Knoxville, the wider our reach seems to have spanned across the country over the past few years. From Tennessee to Atlanta and now, California, being a part of a family of hotels, restaurants and bars has afforded us many unique opportunities. Events, collaborations, and best of all - creating social spaces for the community run by a team from that community as well. You won’t find a dull personality or uninteresting story here. 2020 has given us a chance to reimagine, reinvent, and have a front row seat at the magic a committed team can make happen.
Today, we’re spotlighting and showcasing the amazing women that lead our various brands. Get to know them, follow them, and even better, come in and meet them yourselves. It’ll be time well spent.
The Women of the Oliver Properties
You’ll see a wide range of roles these #girlbosses fill and kick butt at and the wide-range of backgrounds and interests they bring too. Without further ado, meet our squad.
Sondra Richardson, General Manager
Oliver Royale, The Oliver Hotel, & Peter Kern Library (Knoxville, TN)
Sondra joined the Oliver Hospitality team as our General Manager to the Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library in 2016, just 4 months after the grand opening of the restaurant. Her role evolved the most in February 2020 when she stepped into the role of General Manager of The Oliver Hotel, making her our General Manager for the entire property! And guess what? She hasn’t skipped a beat.
Sondra is known for her passion in helping people grow both professionally and personally. She leads with a focus on creating the perfect customer experience, striving to build teams known for setting the standard for excellence within the industry.
Through her twenty-plus years of hospitality service and management experience, Sondra has gained proven leadership expertise in hospitality operations, sales, and staff development, making her a valuable asset to our company nationwide.
To know Sondra is to love her. Follow her on Instagram: @sondralynne1
Claudia Martinez, Pastry Chef - Tiny Lou’s (Atlanta, GA)
Meet Executive Pastry Chef, Claudia Martinez, from our sister property in Atlanta, GA, Tiny Lou’s! This Venezuelan food enthusiast is the mastermind behind Cafe Claudia, a concept born from the global pandemic that hit the soul, finances and brick and mortar of the hospitality industry particularly hard. Claudia wanted to set aside anything that she was facing and jump in for her family in the Atlanta hospitality industry.
The goal of Cafe Claudia is to bring to the table as many creatives in the industry that she could, and give them somewhere to shine their light even bigger. So far, partnerships have included the amazing Whiskey and Rosemary, Have Some More ATL, Twelve Flour, and Dope Coffee. Cafe Claudia has many more partnerships in the works, including savory chefs with breakfast items, a taco pop-up, and more artists.
Fellow team members describe Chef Claudia as one of the kindest people with the most subtle humor who’s always willing to help out.
Follow Claudia on Instagram: @claudvictoria and Tiny Lou’s: @tinylousatl
Margaux Gamble, Server, Bartender, & On Premise Photographer
Oliver Royale (Knoxville, TN)
Margaux has been with the Oliver family since 2018 and perhaps wins the award for jack of all trades in Knoxville. Margaux was hired originally as a bartender at Oliver Royale and later cross-trained as a server. Soon after she cross-trained in our Speakeasy (Peter Kern Library) as a barback and cocktail server and also holds the role of our on premise photographer for menu changes and overall photoshoots for the general staff. (Her photos are amazing! Don’t believe us? Take a peek at our Instagram feed!)
Margaux was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest (hailing from Washington state) and is passionate about travel, street photography and life in general. She has a background in wedding photography and has photographed over 350 weddings all over the world including Portugal, Paris, Honduras, and Costa Rica.
Her passion for life shines in her a big personality that fills the room. She is generous and team oriented.
Get to know Margaux on Instagram: @margauxphoto and Oliver Royale: @oliverroyale
Casey Brooks, Assistant General Manager
Station House Inn (S Lake Tahoe, CA)
Casey Brooks is the Assistant General Manager of Oliver Hospitality’s South Lake Tahoe property, Station House Inn. When she joined the Oliver family in 2015, she brought along with her years of experience in fine dining service, management, corporate sales and marketing. Within her time with Oliver Royale, she gained the roles of Assistant General Manager, Marketing Manager and Events Coordinator. While doing so, she was also utilized to help open and train employees for future dining properties within the Oliver Hospitality family.
Casey is passionate about being in and working with nature to live as healthy as possible, traveling the country with friends to watch live music, and trying to always maintain a bright and positive spirit for everyone around her. We miss her in Knoxville and from the photos we’re receiving, she’s definitely living her best life in Lake Tahoe!
Follow Casey and her adventures on Instagram: @br00ksie85 and Station House Inn: @stationhouseinn
Grace Renshaw, Assistant General Manager
Hotel Clermont (Atlanta, GA)
Grace Renshaw is a Georgia native and has been with Hotel Clermont since 2018 after graduating from Georgia State University Business School. She started as the Assistant General Manager of Food and Beverage and is now improving our game on the hotel side as the Assistant General Manager.
Grace found her niche in fine dining and loves being able to show off what the team can do in the Tiny Lou's dining room, lobby and rooftop bars! Though she excels in guest experience, she’s a woman of many interests! Some of those include American muscle cars, her blue nose pitbull Maddux (named after Greg Maddux of course...go Braves!), and she was also a professional clogger for 10 years! Woah! You’re buckets of fun, Grace!
To follow Grace, find her on Instagram: @grace_renshaw and Hotel Clermont: @hotelclermont
Graham Harlin, Director of Brand Marketing
Fairlane Hotel (Nashville, TN)
With over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing for luxury hotels, Graham brings enthusiasm, creativity and organization to Oliver Hospitality's growing family of hotels. As the Director of Brand Marketing, Graham implements standardization to processes behind the scenes in an effort to improve customer service, drive compelling brand messaging, and most importantly grow revenue through brand awareness.
When she’s not cranking out amazing messaging and eye-opening analytics for us, she spends her time with her family (she’s a mama of 4!!), avoiding the dark - which she admits being terrified of, getting her cycling miles in (she has a big goal of riding across the country before she’s 40), and browsing food and interior design inspiration online.
Follow this powerhouse on Instagram: @grahamharlin411 and Fairlane Hotel: @thefairlanehotel
Meg Lambert, Marketing & Events Manager
Peter Kern Library (Knoxville, TN)
Meg joined the Oliver Hospitality team late 2016 as a server in Oliver Royale and since then, has held quite a few roles in our Historic Kern Building we get to call home. Meg quickly found her niche as a cocktail server in Peter Kern Library and soon after promoted to Bartender. As she was preparing for the arrival of her first baby, Meg took over as our on-site Marketing & Events Manager and those 15+ years of Hospitality experience has been rocking the marketing and events department ever since!
Meg is passionate about people, and actively participates and speaks out on topics ranging from equality to community. She is a hard worker, no matter the task put in front of her, and besides her daughter, Olivia, is also passionate about her yoga practice, teaching a donation-based class here in East Knoxville since 2016.
Follow Meg and her many bold hair colors on Instagram: @eyeshewe and Peter Kern Library: @peterkernlibrary
Leslie Payne, Hotel Concierge
The Oliver Hotel (Knoxville, TN)
Leslie has been with The Oliver Hotel since 2015, filling the roles of Housekeeper, then moving up to Housekeeping Manager, and eventually landing in her current role of Hotel Concierge. One of the things Leslie loves about her role is that it involves a little bit of everything - from Valet to marketing meetings.
Leslie is very passionate about running (as evidenced from her Instagram handle!) and all things active. When she’s not training for a race in pursuit of being a top notch athlete in running, she’s biking, hiking, camping or moving her body in some form or fashion. Leslie also loves to travel and read!
Keep up with Leslie, if you can, over on Instagram: @leslie_runs and The Oliver Hotel: @theoliverhotel
Together, We're Good In Action...
Photo c/o Heather Mount (https://www.instagram.com/heathermount/?hl=en)
To be in the restaurant and hospitality industry, by definition, requires that you be good under pressure. Long days on your feet are the precursor for the waves of busy followed by waves of slow. It’s a normal part of our world.
We’re good in action.
But these last few weeks and months have called upon us to be good in action in a new and meaningful way.
The Black Lives Matter movement has taken the world by storm after the horrific murder of George Floyd. This highly visible injustice united us globally and simply put...demanded that we all act and do better.
We’re no experts, and we know it, yet the gaps in our understanding are only motivating us more in the interim to make up for it in effort, action, and conversation.
Today we want to spotlight 3 organizations that we’ve begun relationships with right here in Knoxville, Tennessee. Though this conversation extends far beyond our corner of the world, we’re deeply committed to improving and pouring into our own backyard. We encourage you to follow, donate, and even volunteer with any one of these organizations.
Three Organizations To Get Involved With…
The Women LLC Knoxville
The Women LLC of Knoxville are a group of 6 Black Women (Tanika Harper, Deidra Harper, Kanika White, Angela Dennis, Kelle Jolly, and Dasha Lundy) who saw the lack of capital and economic resources available for Black Business Owners that want to expand their businesses and who aspired to be entrepreneurs. The founders of the Women LLC knew that the limited access to funds was a major contributor to the 42% poverty rate among Black Knoxvillians. Their mission is to create avenues to finance small business expansions and start-ups through various means such as crowd sourcing, community funding and real estate investment clubs.
Check out their website: thewomenllcknoxville.org
FB: The Women LLC of Knoxville
Instagram: The Women of Knoxville
Support The Women LLC Knoxville by attending our July 8th Virtual event!
* Our July 8th event, co-hosted by Peter Kern Library and Castle & Key will be donating a portion of the proceeds to The Women LLC Knoxville. Given the continued uncertainty of Covid we would like as many people to be able to enjoy this amazing class from the comfort of their home. The class video will air on our IGTV at 8pm on Wednesday the 8th. It will be an hour long class featuring 2 drinks (Last Word and Vesper) with 2 servings each for a total of 4 drinks and a meat and cheese spread. Pick up will be Tuesday, July 7th from 4-6 pm at the Oliver Hotel Lobby. Just like before, pull up to the valet area and we will bring it out to you! Buy your take-home kit HERE.
Sleeves4Needs
Sleeves4Needs is a 501c3 non-profit organization that exists to serve people who do not have access to basic goods and services by traditional means. Their vision is to provide FREE products, programs, and services to marginalized communities to promote self empowerment and to deliver basic goods and services to individuals, veterans, families, and groups in under-served/under-resourced communities.
Check out their website: https://www.sleeves4needs.org/
Black Coffee Justice
Black Coffee is a 501(c)4 organization committed to fighting injustice in all its forms. They fight for the Black Community and advocate for broad change. Ending oppressive poverty among the Black Community is their primary goal. Black Coffee Justice upholds many core values, one of them being the fight for social justice. They are working towards a society where people do not merely support progressive change, but fight for it. Donate today to support their work with the Movement for Black Lives, work to tear down institutional racism, and work to build a better, more compassionate world.
Check out their website: https://www.blackcoffeejustice.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/blackcoffeejustice
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackcoffeejust
How COVID-19 has impacted the Oliver Family and a few words with Chef Jon Gatlin
Covid-19 and the quarantine, with no current end in sight, came without warning, and turned the way we all do life and run our businesses upside down. Just over a month in we can already take inventory of all the ways we’ve course-corrected the details of the day-to-day to continue serving our team, our patrons, and our community the best way we know how.
A lot like you, we’re figuring this out as we go. And that’s the reality of this space in time. Life is being lived in the day to day.
It has meant everything to us to see our community, fellow business owners, and customers rally around us.
This month, we wanted you to hear from our Executive Chef Jon Gatlin. If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve seen team shout-outs on our feed, one of which was to this guy. A true innovator and genius under fire. Without fire, you can’t cook though, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Without further ado, we give you our interview with Chef Gatlin.
Our Interview with Executive Chef Jon Gatlin
Oliver Royale: Chef, what were your initial thoughts when news of restaurant closures were first announced?
Chef Gatlin: It was a devastating blow for us and anyone without sustainable income. Restaurants are the backbone of communities and the economy, and seeing many restaurants we love and support, close indefinitely was incredibly hard to process in real time. There are mass amounts of kitchen staff with idle time now and not by their own choosing. Pirates with no ships is the analogy that comes to mind.
How did you and your team pivot shortly after to begin offering Oliver Royale meals in a new way?
To date, our entire back of house staff has been furloughed except myself and my Sous Chef. We had to pivot in a major way in a matter of hours. We are simply taking it, literally, day-by-day but we’re motivated more than ever to maintain an environment for all of our staff to come back to as soon as possible. Within a matter of days we revamped our menu to cater to customers at home with or without family, we modified our hours of operation, set-up a delivery option with DoorDash, and moved all of our communication to social media and email.
How do you decide what meals you offer on any given day?
Our day-to-day menu offering is based on our current inventory utilization and cost effective sustainable product. For example, family style meals are able to be cooked, cooled and reheated to feed multiple people. That feels like a win for us during this time. In week 1, our Bolognese dinner was our most popular dish from the options we provided and has given us the opportunity to support Inland Seafood Co and Valley Produce along the way .My role is to do the best we can in the back of the house to ensure we’re positioning Oliver Royale the best possible. If there’s one thing we’re all learning through this transition, is that for many of us, learning how to cook and be sustainable at home is the safest option we have.
We know how tight-knit your team is. What are ways the restaurant and Oliver Group as a whole are finding ways to support the laid off staff?
We held off as long as we could before laying off staff. Even finding ways to strategically delay the inevitable so insurance coverage was intact for another 30 days. Beyond that, we immediately implemented a grocery reimbursement program where each employee receives $100 per week to use towards their food bill. Additionally, this month we started what we’ve coined “Saturday Supper” where laid off employees can pick up a family meal, from 3p-4p, on us. Our General Manager, Sondra, has been incredible and from day one, taken it upon herself to be available to us 24/7 via phone call, text, email for any question or concerns. I really appreciate the fact that our company gave us the option to be furloughed instead of being laid-off. We’re still working on additional ways to support our staff during this time, but it absolutely feels like we’re operating as a team.
_ _ _ _ _
Thank you Chef Gatlin for keeping it real!
It means everything to us to have your support! It’s the difference between having a chance to survive and it means we can still let some of our employees (those who feel comfortable to) continue to work. It reiterates the humongous sense of community that Knoxville holds.This city is truly like no other place a lot of us have ever experienced.
For the most up to date information, visit our site, social media, or give us a call at 865-521-0050.
Ways to Exercise Social Distancing While Supporting Your Community
Cabin fever has taken on a whole new meaning as the shutdowns of Covid-19 continue to change by the hour. During this time of strong encouragement to socially and physically distance, we thought of some ideas on ways to stay safe and sane, while continuing to support your favorite local establishments! Make sure to read all the way to the end, where our very own employees offer the ways they’re decompressing during this time.
4 ways you can make an impact from home
Spread the online love like confetti!
Did you know that writing online reviews for your favorite stores and restaurants helps keep your beloved spots relevant and current online? While you are at it, go ahead and follow all your favorite businesses on social media and share their posts to help them spread the news of what and how they’re doing more quickly in your community. In 5 minutes or less, or in between stretch breaks from your current Netflix binge or book - you can make an positive impact on their digital presence. Here are some great websites to leave reviews on: Yelp, Google, Trip Advisor, and Facebook! And if you don’t already, here’s a shameless plug to follow us on Instagram (@oliverroyale, @peterkernlibrary, and @theoliverhotel), and like us on Facebook.
Gifting is Social Distancing Approved: Purchase a gift card or certificate with us, then let us show our appreciation in return!
Lucky for us, email and snail mail still check the box for social distancing. If gift-giving or acts of service fall in your wheelhouse of love languages, purchasing a gift card from your favorite spot can bring an unexpected smile to someones face or even give you an opportunity to save it for a later date for yourself and/or a loved one. to make this act even better, we have got some pretty sweet ways to say, “thank you” for your purchase!
*Oliver Royale: Receive a $20 bonus, with any $100 gift card purchase!
*The Oliver Hotel: Purchase a gift certificate now, to redeem at a later time, and have your choice of a complementary room upgrade or 2 complimentary drink tickets to your favorite speakeasy, Peter Kern Library!
This is a wonderful way to help support your local businesses as you stay snuggled under your covers with your significant other or furry friend. If visiting us is not an option, email us at Sondra@theoliverhotel.com and we will be happy to get you set up with one in the mail.
* E-cards coming soon!
Happy Hour a-la video chat!
Missing human interaction? Fret not! Schedule those long overdue calls with family and friends and do all the catching up over video chat that “normal” life sometimes doesn’t leave room for. We love a good cocktail or glass of wine with a charcuterie board, but the options are endless. Here’s our Gin X cocktail recipe that we shared back in June, if you are new to the cocktail world. Who knows, you may discover a passion for mixology, and at the very least, an appreciation for what it takes to make a memorable drink! If this is more your speed, stay tuned for our upcoming cocktail classes.
Enjoy Your Favorite Cuisine in your PJ’s
The Oliver Royale’s full menu is now available to-go with curbside service! And it’s super easy! Just check out our menu @https://www.oliverroyale.com/menus. Give us a call @ 865-622-6434 to place your order. Head straight to The Oliver Hotel, and pick up your order right at valet! That’s right, valet service for you dinner! This is one of the biggest ways you can support us, and get some instant and delicious gratification. Believe us when we say that we cannot wait to see you all in person again, but we need to make health and safety our biggest priority. So, until we can enjoy each others company again, hop into your Pj’s, binge some Netflix, and video chat your bestie over a nice glass of wine and a beautiful meal!
Suggestions from our staff!
Remembering to practice self-care and try to stay as stress free as possible during this time is so important. YouTube has amazing tutorials for at-home workouts and hobbies and several online education platforms are offering free access to their resources while kids are at home!
Meditate or listen to a guided meditation: Insight Timer is a great app to use!
Get moving! Knoxville has great urban trails and this is social distancing at its best!
Read a book! Why not a classic cocktail book? Some of our favorites are Classic Cocktails by Salvatore Calabrese and Regarding Cocktails by Georgette Moger-Petraski
A Look Back at Some Special Recent Events
Here at Oliver Royale, our events are our lifeblood. Far beyond just being a restaurant, we love being able to provide a whole experience for our guests. And often, that means designing special events that allow guests to really dive deep into a particular spirit, experience a special holiday dinner, or have fun with others who share their same culinary interests.
Whether you’ve joined us recently for an event, or you’re still mulling over which is the best option for you, take a look at some of the fun we’ve had over the past few months:
Taste of Spain 2-Day Event
The wine event was so good we had to double it up. We’ve featured Grapes of Spain wine at dinner events before. But there’s always been so much interest (and we enjoy the brand so much), that we decided to make this our first-ever multi-day event. Aurelio Cabestrero, the Grapes of Spain ambassador, was a huge part of that decision. His knowledge, charm, and all-around great personality, makes it easy to understand why his events are always such a great success! We wanted to make sure our community had twice the opportunity to experience Aurelio and his product, and we knew that transforming this into a two-day event would make the whole experience more intimate and accessible.
And Knoxville showed up! We sold out BOTH dinners, with 50+ people at each one. If you missed the chance to taste a little Spain, make sure to join us for our Cass Winery Dinner on March 11. It will be a similar celebration of some amazing wines, plus the delicious food to match.
Sazerac Bourbon Dinner
If you were one of the lucky 55 who got tickets to our sold-out Sazerac Bourbon Dinner, you’ll know why this is always one of our favorite events each year. This was our fourth Sazerac dinner, and we think they just keep getting better.
Whether you consider yourself a bourbon connoisseur, or you joined us because you’re trying to acquire that taste for whiskey, the Sazerac dinner is always the perfect night for both ends of the spectrum.
If you missed our Sazerac Bourbon Dinner, check out our cocktail class, June 7th with Post Modern Spirits. This will give you the chance to not only enjoy your favorite spirits, but also learn how to incorporate them into your own homemade cocktails.
Holiday Season Events
Starting from Thanksgiving on, Oliver Royale hosted a marathon of events: our Bubbles Dinner in early December, followed by our Christmas Day and New Years Eve dinners (and then our Valentine’s Day dinner less than 2 months later!). Thank you to everyone who continues to support us through these special events - we were completely booked for all of our holiday events! Since we ask our staff to come in and work on those holidays, the support and love we get from the community on these days means the world.
Warm Up With A Few of Our Favorite Winter Menu Items
We always create our menu based on what ingredients are freshest that time of year -- and winter is no exception. These cold months, even if they don’t feel particularly bright outside, still yield warm, bright, savory flavors that we have a lot of culinary fun with. Our inspirations are wide-ranging, and include hints of citrus and ingredients like parsnips, sunchoke, endives, persimmons, and blackberries.
Join us soon and try out a few of our favorites (alongside the drinks that will really bring them to life)...
Confit Duck Leg Cassoulet
One of our most signature dishes, the Confit Duck Leg Cassoulet combines mixed braised beans, fingerling brussel crisps, cured lemon, gremolata, and refogado into a meal as decadent as it is aesthetically pleasing. On the plate, you get the best of both worlds: citrus highlights, but grounded in the earthly tone of the cassoulet
Enjoy it with…
Hindsight: A little hindsight is never a bad thing, but especially this kind. This cocktail is deep, decadent, boozy, bitter and big enough to stand up to a duck confit. With house-infused coffee tequila, allspice dram, and fernet-branca, this cocktail screams winter flavor.
Sea Bass
Even if you don’t have a beach vacation planned over the winter, you can still eat like you do. Our Sea Bass dish comes with creamed leeks, confit sunchoke, parsnip, chestnut, apricot preserves and red endive. The sunchoke and parsnips bring out the savory, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth profile of the fish, while the apricot is a beautiful winter preserve that adds a bright and sweet finish.
Enjoy it with…
Empirical Funk: To maintain the brightness of the Sea Bass dish, let the juniper of the gin and grapefruit of the Aperol shine through this cocktail.
Flourless Chocolate Torte
No winter meal is complete without the dessert to really fill you up. And our Flourless Chocolate Torte is an explosion of flavor sure to satisfy you. The taste of rich, fresh winter fruits add bright and tarte notes, bringing out the slight bitterness of the chocolate.
Enjoy it with…
Our Orin Swift Mute Port wine combines a smooth front with a bountiful, spicy end to form a delicious complement to chocolate.
If you’re looking for even more wines that go excellently with the flavors of our winter menu, make sure to grab tickets for one of our Taste of Spain wine dinners! This year will be a two-night event (each with their own distinctive menus and pairings). A couple that we’ll be featuring that go perfectly with winter flavors are the Biutiful Cava Brut Rose and the Mar de Vinas Albarino.
Oliver’s Holiday Treats on the Knoxville Peppermint Trail
Here at Oliver Royale, being a part of the Knoxville community is one of our biggest honors. The culture of this town is beautiful, and we love how everyone comes together as one, especially in the downtown area.
Knoxville is the perfect balance between economic growth, while still supporting local businesses and events. Since there’s such a huge focus on supporting each other, businesses in downtown Knoxville have built up a strong sense of community. We’re all in this together -- and that often means celebrating together, too.
Our sense of community is most obvious around this time of year when we get to participate in what is becoming a Knoxville holiday tradition: the Peppermint Trail. This is the fourth year that we’ve been a stop on the Peppermint Trail, and we have more and more fun with it every year.
Following the Peppermint Trail is easy (and beautiful). You just follow the peppermints along the sidewalks of downtown Knoxville to find all the holiday specials at local bars, restaurants, and coffee shops. Storefront windows are decorated with Christmas lights, garland is strung up in the trees, and there’s even more bustle around our Market Square area than usual.
Of course, we’ve added a few special beverages to the Peppermint Trail, which you can join us for up until Jan. 5.
At Royale, we developed the “Blitzen” -- peppermint-infused Wheatley vodka, cream, espresso, cacao liqueur, and vanilla peppermint syrup.
And at our speakeasy bar, the Peter Kern Library offers the “Thurman Merman.” This Stinger variation combines cognac, Branca Menta, and house-made peppermint syrup for a cocktail where sweet, earthy, and boozy collide.
If you’re looking for a dessert cocktail to finish off your meal at Royale, or you’re looking for a sweet nightcap on a cozy sofa at our speakeasy, the Blitzen and Thurman Merman are the perfect cocktails to add into your holiday festivities this year. And don’t forget to include a few other stops on the Peppermint Trail, if you want to make a whole evening of it.
You can find more info on the Peppermint Trail HERE. Other holiday events around Market Square are also listed HERE.
A Look At The Local Vendors That Make Our Menu Possible
Creating a new season’s menu at Oliver Royale involves a lot more than simply changing up the choices and printing a new menu. We start researching potential new ingredients for the next season’s menu up to a month and a half in advance. And one of our biggest focuses during this preparation phase is choosing the local vendors where we’ll get those ingredients.
Finding local farmers is a huge part of the process for building a new menu. Our Executive Chef, Jon Gatlin, takes the lead, meeting farmers in person to discuss what kind of crops they’re expecting that season. These relationships are always built in person: Jon either meets them at local farmers markets (including the one right here in Market Square!) or he’ll visit the farm himself. Once he has a better understanding of the ingredients available in the area that season, he develops menu items based off that list.
We take our place in downtown Knoxville seriously. We’re a part of this community, and we know how many amazing farmers are right here in our own neighborhood. Building off that community and using as many local ingredients as possible in our food is so important to us. As an added bonus, using local ingredients guarantees quality and freshness, while reducing the chance of damaged produce that often happens during long-term transportation.
If you’ve visited us recently, you’ve probably enjoyed at least a few of the ingredients that we’ve sourced from our neighbors. But when you were enjoying your food, you probably didn’t know the story behind your food. Here’s a look at all the vendors we worked with for this year’s menus, as well as the delicious ingredients they brought to the table:
Mountain Meadow Farms: stone fruit, berries, apples, and pears
In operation since 1970, Mountain Meadows is located in Anderson County, near Norris, Tennessee. They specialize in fruits and vegetables, and their products are available at several farmer’s markets in the area!
Cruze Dairy Farm: ice cream
Cruze Dairy has been around since 1980 and offers a ton of exciting ice cream flavors, including at Downtown Knoxville location. They also offer ice cream catering!
A Place of the Heart Farm: seasonal produce, fall squash, and beans
Located in Pioneer, Tennessee, A Place of the Heart Farm offers 70 different types of heirloom vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs, all certified naturally grown. They also specialize in using environmentally friendly farming practices.
Springer Mountain Farms: chicken
Springer Mountain has more than a half-century of experience in raising chickens, humanely and without antibiotics. They’re located right next door to Tennessee, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Abby Fields Farm: lettuce greens, pea tendrils
Abby Fields is truly our neighborhood farm, located just outside of downtown Knoxville. They have focused on creating local food systems and rebuilding urban spaces to produce healthy food.
Sugartree Farms: seasonal produce, fall squash
Mike Robinson runs Sugartree Farms, near Belvidere, Tennessee -- and he was actually named the 2017 Tennessee Farmer of the Year! On his hundreds of acres, he grows everything from produce and hay, and even raises timber, too.
Zavels Family Farms: seasonal produce, beets, butternut squash, kale
Located in Corryton, Tennessee, Zavels Family Farm is super active in our community and is a regular participant in several local farmers markets.
Huff Farms: corn
Huff Farms is family-owned and our go-to producer of sweet corn. They are the corn experts in the area, and are located in Blount County, Tennessee!
Honeybee Coffee: coffee beans
Maybe you like a cup of coffee with your dessert; thankfully, we have Honeybee’s special blends to offer! Honeybee is located right in Knoxville, and we also offer their coffee next door at The Oliver Hotel.
Lacewing Farms: heirlooms squash, tomatoes, beans
Lacewing is located just 17 miles from downtown Knoxville, in Corryton, Tennessee, and offers everything from vegetables to eggs. They even have their own beehives too!
Seven Springs Farm: tomatoes, beans, corn, specialty micro greens
This farm offers an incredibly diverse array of crops, including fruits, vegetables, and beef. They’re located in Maynardville, Tennessee, where you can also find The Winery at Seven Springs Farm.
Enjoy Our Favorite Fall Dishes From New Menu
Fall is one of our absolute favorite seasons at Oliver Royale. Not only are there tons of season-specific produce to choose from in terms of ingredients, but we also love putting together warm, cozy dishes that are perfect to take the chill out of the air.
Have you been by to try out something from our fall menu yet? If not, here are three of our favorite dishes this season:
Confit Duck Leg
There’s nothing quite like duck when the weather turns a little colder. In our signature Confit Duck Leg dish, the duck emerges meltingly tender, with a rich, slightly salty flavor, and just a hint of sweetness. The complex flavorings come from a combination of daikon, lotus root, boiled peanut, carrot, bok choy, tamarind, and cilantro.
Enjoy it with…
The depth of flavor from the Confit Duck Leg can only be matched with a drink equally as flavorful. Try the dish with an Alpina: house-infused ginger bourbon, Nux Alpina liqueur, Allspice Dram, and lemon, with candied walnuts as garnish.
Lamb Shank
Nothing says fall season quite like a good curry, and that’s exactly what you’ll get in this dish. Curry powder is a seasoning that captures all the most important flavors that go well with lamb. It’s a spice mix that was originally created to make Indian spices more appealing to Europeans. Curry powder has evolved over the years to become an excellent pop of flavor to a dish like this one, and you’ll love the unique flavor it evokes.
Enjoy it with…
The Rule of Rum: This cocktail, made with Zacapa 23 rum, Amaro Abano, velvet falernum, bitters, and a flamed orange, is rich and robust, just like the lamb.
Norwegian Steelhead
You might not have heard of Steelhead before, but don’t let that stop you. It’s a beautiful, mild, salmon-like fish that produces a hint of nut flavoring. In this dish, we cook it to perfection, with a crispy outside, while juicy and delicate enough on the inside to fall apart.
Enjoy it with…
Our custom cocktail, called the Safe Word, produces botanical flavors perfect for highlighting the delicacy of the steelhead. We mix barrel-aged gin, Dolin Blanc, Peychaud’s Aperitivo, and an absinthe rinse to create a bright, boozy delight.
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As usual, a commitment to local food is a key ingredient throughout the whole fall menu. To develop the items you’ll find on the menu this season, we teamed up with several local farms, including Cruze Dairy, Wolf Creek Farms, Mountain Meadows Farm, and Abbey Fields Farm. Our Executive Chef, Jon Gatlin, also visits the Market Square farmer’s market, right in our neighborhood, every Saturday to pick up extra ingredients from local producers. Knoxville is such a hub for amazing, fresh ingredients -- and it shows in our latest menu. Come join us and try out a dish (or several)!
The Evolution of the Old Fashioned -- And How Oliver Royale Gave It Its Own Twist
Like a night after too many Old Fashioneds, the history of one of the most classic cocktails is a little blurry. But it remains one of our favorites -- both to drink and to experiment with.
Cocktail recipes, like that for the Old Fashioned, were often shared via word-of-mouth before official recipes were recorded in bar books or other publications. Bartenders used to be pretty secretive about their concoctions, so we may never know who actually created what we now know as an Old Fashioned.
Many credit a bartender named James E. Pepper with creating the cocktail in 1880. He mixed up one of the first Old Fashioneds at a private social club called Pendennis in -- where else? -- Kentucky. After that, Pepper traveled to the Waldorf-Astoria hotel bar in New York with the recipe. And the rest was history.
The name “Old Fashioned” doesn’t necessarily come from the bartenders involved in the mixology, though. It comes from the patrons.
Before recipes were “official” and cocktails were mostly mixed according to word-of-mouth instruction, the classic whiskey drink tended to vary quite a bit. People got tired of never getting a uniform result, and started ordering the cocktail the “old fashioned way.” That method involved whiskey, a sugar cube saturated with bitters, and ice stirred together.
Since then, the Old Fashioned has gone through several iterations. During Prohibition, people often could only get their hands on bootleg, low-quality whiskey. This is when bartenders started to muddle oranges or cherries to add to the drink, or even added a splash of soda water.
Here at Royale, we take pride in our own evolution of the drink. The historic Kern Building has a reputation for producing the city’s finest Old Fashioneds, and we like to think we live up to that. Like with everything we do here, though, we like to put our own spin on the classics.
We have the Old Fashioned #7 on our menu now, which is a Tennessee-style variation of an Old Fashioned. We mix up Tennessee’s Favorite Sour Mash, Jack Daniels #7, a banana simple syrup that we create in-house, and The Bitter Truth nut bitters. Garnishment, instead of the typical orange peel or cherry, is a bruleed banana slice. This is a sweeter version of the Old Fashioned you know and love, and brings out the inherent banana notes you taste in Jack Daniel’s.
If you visit us and ask for a classic Old Fashioned, though, we can deliver. Typically, the more classic version of the cocktail will include a rye whiskey. A rye’s tasting notes will usually shine through your cocktail a little better than other whiskeys. (For a bit of a kick, try a rye with notes of pepper, fruit, and oak).
Some popular whiskey requests in our classic Old Fashioned are Pikesville Rye, Maker’s Mark, and Blanton’s (we even have our own barrel selection of Blanton’s, so we always have that on deck). One of our bartenders, Ari’s, go-to’s is our own hand-selected barrel of Corsair’s Ryemaggedon Rye.
However you choose to drink your classic Old Fashioned, don’t forget our top pro tip -- don’t leave that cherry in the bottom of the glass when you’re finished.
Looking back on our favorite moments of 2019
As we head into the final quarter of 2019, we’re taking time to toast all that we’ve accomplished this year, because why wait until New Years?!
And don’t worry… we still have plenty more planned for the rest of 2019.
But for now, we’re celebrating eight of our favorite moments from the past eight months:
1. Sazerac Bourbon Dinner
We love this event so much that we decided to add another one to the calendar. Our first one was in January and kicked off 2019 in style. Our guests enjoyed it so much that we scheduled another one next month by popular demand! Set again for September 19th, our Sazerac Bourbon Dinner is where we raise our glasses to America’s native spirit. In our September event we’ll debut our trio of hand-selected Barrels Weller 107, Blanton’s, and Buffalo Trace. (Oh, and the five-course dinner is the proverbial cherry on top).
2. Orin Swift Valentine's Day Wine Dinner
Love was in the air at our signature Valentine's Day event, between the couples in attendance, of course! But there was also plenty of love for the four-course dinner and the delicious wine they were paired with.
3. Taste of Spain Wine Dinner
Guests didn’t even have to buy a plane ticket to enjoy the best grapes that Spain had to offer. We brought the Taste of Spain right to Knoxville, with this wine dinner back in March. In addition to the wines and the perfectly paired dinner, guests also got a history lesson on some of Spain’s most interesting wines, like Cava, Albariño, and Tempranillo.
4. Donkey and Goat Wine Dinner
Thanks to Wine Ambassador, Rich Dixon, guests at this event enjoyed a tasting (and the fascinating story) of some of Donkey & Goat’s most exciting wines, like Gadabout and The Bear and Gigi.
Can you tell how much we shared our love of wine in 2019?
5. Mother’s Day Champagne Dinner
For a little bubblier experience, we hosted our first-ever Mother’s Day Champagne Dinner in May. To celebrate all the amazing moms in our lives, we popped bottles of some of the most delicious champagnes in our collection.
6. Kicking off summer in style
We released our summer menu a couple months ago, and started enjoying favorites like the Sous Vide Swordfish and our classic Oliver Burger. With all the fresh produce ready to eat around this time of year, summer flavors are some of our favorites.
Speaking of produce, did you know we also use it in many of our cocktails? We taught 43 people about quality ingredients, mixology, and how to present the perfect cocktail to guests as part of our Launch to Summer Cocktail Class in June. One of our favorites? The Gin X.
7. Big change across our entire ownership group
You may have noticed some changes across our property if you’ve been to visit us recently. Right next door to Royale, we kicked off our biggest renovation yet of The Oliver Hotel. We’ve started remodeling many of the guest rooms, and we’ll continue the project through the rest of this year. We’re so excited for guests to see our new (yet still classic) look.
But our big year has extended even outside of Knoxville. Our ownership group just opened up the new Station House Inn in South Lake Tahoe. So when you need a getaway from the charm of downtown Knoxville, we’ve got just the western oasis for you, with access to a private beach, ski resorts, and the beautiful water of Lake Tahoe.
8. Buffalo Trace/Castle & Key Tour
Our events throughout the year are focused on our guests -- giving them the best experience, the most delicious dinner, and the most exciting spirits. But when it comes to our Buffalo Trace/Castle & Key Tour, this is where our staff gets the most amped up. As part of the barrel program, we visit Buffalo Trace every year as a group (combining forces from Royale, The Oliver Hotel and Peter Kern Library) to pick out our own barrels of Weller, Blanton’s and Buffalo Trace bourbons. This year, for the second year in a row, we were able to add on a tour of Castle and Key Distillery -- and most importantly, get our hands on a Weller Full-Proof Barrel!
As 2019 draws to a close, we’ll keep evolving in this last quarter. In addition to finishing up renovations at the hotel (focusing on the lobby next), our remodel is also set to include our speakeasy bar, the Peter Kern Library.
Even with the new looks, our guest experience will stay the same: delectable food, exciting events, and the best spirits in town. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for some of our favorite photos throughout the year, and sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on events.