The Grand Bohemian Lodge’s restaurant is committed to telling the story of place
In mid-September 2024, Elizabeth Santelises had just started her new position as Director of
Food & Beverage and Sommelier at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville’s Biltmore Village. It
was just weeks before the tsunami of tourists would begin their annual pilgrimage to the small
mountain town in Western North Carolina, lured by spectacular fall foliage, a vibrant art scene,
culinary notoriety, the Blue Ridge Parkway and one of the country’s largest and most
spectacular homes, Biltmore Estate. Thanks to its proximity to the Biltmore – as well as world
class accommodations and amenities – the Grand Bohemian was prepared for a busy season.
No one was prepared for Hurricane Helene, which arrived in the region on September 27, and
left in its wake mass destruction. Like all of Biltmore Village, the Grand Bohemian was flooded,
its entire first floor devastated.
“It was quite the onboarding experience,” Santelises remembers ruefully. “Everything on the first
floor was damaged or destroyed. The walls had to be taken down to the studs, the art and
furnishings lost. We were closed for seven months, but we had the support of the Kessler family
(Mark and Diana Kessler of the Kessler Collection) and teams working 24/7 to make it happen.”
On May 8, 2025, those teams witnessed the ribbon cutting ceremony on the landmark property,
re-introduced as Grand Bohemian Lodge, a befitting description of architectural style that is
Tudor-inspired, clad in Biltmore Village’s distinctive peppledash exterior and evocative of a
European hunting lodge.
While meticulously restoring and renovating the main level, the company also took the
opportunity to refresh everything, including guest rooms, the spa, the ballroom, the Grand
Bohemian Gallery and the Red Stag Grill.

All three distinct areas of the Grill – the bar and lounge, main dining room and the Black Forest
Wine Room – were regally renewed, set with elegant, sumptuous furnishings and adorned with
stunning original art and mounted trophies of a hunt.
Less apparent to first-time guests, but key to the ethos of the Red Stag Grill, is the deepened
commitment to and intentional curation of local providers, farmers and makers that Western
North Carolina is so richly imbued with.
“There is so much to celebrate in this culturally and agriculturally rich region,” Santelises points
out. “Post Helene, we verysignificantly increased the local sourcing to make it our #1 priority.

The word that really rested on our hearts as we were preparing to re-open was intention. After
what everyone had been through, we wanted to uplift as many local entrepreneurs as possible,
including farmers, ranchers, bakers and makers of all kinds.”
There are multiple opportunities to shine a light on local through the food and beverage program
at Grand Bohemian Lodge – Red Stag Grill serves breakfast, brunch and dinner, and a Bites
menu in the bar seven days a week; hosts multi-course wine dinners with winemakers and
private parties for up to 18 guests in the Black Forest Wine Room, and is the kitchen for
banquets and celebrations in the stunning fourth floor ballroom.

Among the local and regional suppliers and growers are Mother Bakery, Joey’s NY Bagels,Looking Glass Creamery, Sunburst Trout, Coffee Library, Asheville Tea Company, Apple Brandy
Beef, Farm & Sparrow, Carolina Bison, Lusty Monk Mustard, Benton’s Bacon and Muddy Pond
Sorghum.
“We really wanted to put our purchasing power behind all these artisans and providers in the
community and create an authentic experience for our guests.”
The overall culinary profile is described as classic steakhouse traditions meet locally sourced
game driven dishes, and that is most apparent on the dinner menu, starting with the elk
carpaccio appetizer. “It is one of our most popular items,” Santelises says. “Chef uses Coffee
Library espresso grounds as a dry rub, which adds a subtle but distinct aroma and flavor that
marries beautifully with the Lusty Monk mustard aioli, pickled mushrooms, crispy capers and
shaved parmigiano. It is a total flavor bomb.”
Other top choices are the whole, head-on Sunburst trout stuffed with aromatics, the lamb shank
braised for seven hours, bone marrow served with toast points, crispy Brussels sprouts and the
carrot cake which has been on the menu since opening day nearly 20 years ago.
The Butcher’s Reserve is a true showstopper, in presentation and product — Mishima reserve
wagyu striploin, red deer or elk loin, roasted bone marrow, two sauces and two sides – all of it
delivered to the table on a large butcher block board.
Beverage service keeps the elevated pace with food – there are over 700 bottles on the wine list
(and at least one certified sommelier on the floor at all times to walk you through it), local beer
and cider, classic, craft and NA cocktails that are a collaborative effort from the beverage team
and like the food menu change seasonally.
Most impressive are the Old Fashioned for two, presented in a crystal carafe, two rocks glasses
and large cubes stamped with the red stag; and Tableside Martinis. “When you come to dinner,
we want you to take your time and feel like a VIP. The martini cart really enhances your
experience. The bartender wheels out the cart stocked with Belvedere 10 vodka and Procera
Blue Dot gin from Africa and prepares your martini how you like it — dirty, dry, with lemon twist,
blue cheese olive.”
Locals in particular are fond of Wine Up Mondays when bottles (with some restrictions) are 50%
off, and Prime Rib Wednesdays — a prix fix menu at $95 per person includes a starter, slow-
roasted prime rib with scalloped potatoes, salad and a mini crème Brulé.
“Asheville, Western North Carolina and Appalachia have such a storied past, and we get to tell
that story, a story of tradition, innovation, resilience and a deeply rooted sense of place.”

Red stag Grill