Sam Beall
Sam Beall, the proprietor of Blackberry Farm, the nationally acclaimed luxury inn and restaurant located near Walland, Tenn., has died.
Beall, 39, died in a skiing accident in Colorado on Thursday, Blackberry Farm announced in a release today.
Blackberry Farm is in East Tennessee, in the scenic foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, but its influence extends to Nashville's dining scene. It's famous for its farm-to-table approach — the inn grows its own food on the property, and turns its produce into artisan items that can be found on store shelves even in Nashville, including its preserves. Blackberry Farm's saison beer is also very popular in Nashville.
“I don't think there's another place as connected to the land as Blackberry Farm,” Nashville chef Jeremy Barlow tells Bites, citing Blue Hill Farm in New York as the only example of a similar institution.
Barlow, the chef-owner of Sloco and the late, great Tayst, worked at Blackberry Farm in the 1990s. “I will forever remember my time at Blackberry and credit it for shaping my view of how to operate restaurants,” he says.
Barlow's tenure at Blackberry was before Sam Beall became its lead proprietor, but Barlow says he's kept in touch with him because their mutual interest in sustainability issues.
In 2012, Blackberry Farm hosted the inaugural installment of the James Beard Foundation's Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change, which included Barlow and Charleston/Nashville chef Sean Brock.
Among its most recent awards, the Barn restaurant at Blackberry Farm won the national James Beard award for Outstanding Service in 2015 and Outstanding Wine Program in 2014. In 2011, Travel + Leisure named Blackberry Farm the No. 1 Resort in the Continental U.S. and Canada.
Sam Beall's parents, Sandy and Kreis Beall, purchased and ran the inn starting in 1976. According to the Blackberry Farm website, Sam Beall was born there and eventually became the proprietor after attending the University of Tennessee and the California Culinary Academy. He also served an apprenticeship at the French Laundry, chef Thomas Keller's landmark California restaurant, working in the dining room, kitchen and garden.
“A very sad day as [we] mourn the loss of [French Laundry] alum Sam Beall,” Keller tweeted today. “Our thoughts are with his family.”
Beall lived on Blackberry Farm with his wife Mary Celeste and their five children. In its release today, the inn says:
The Beall family and the Blackberry Farm team are understandably shocked by this heartbreaking news about the man they loved dearly as a son, brother, father, friend and host. They welcome the thoughts and prayers of all those whose lives were touched by Sam’s hospitable nature, visionary leadership and adventurous spirit. They also request privacy for the Beall family during this difficult time. Memorial and funeral information will be announced soon; in the interim, please direct inquiries to questions[at]blackberryfarm[dot]com.
