RootsTable

07/03/2026

Family Meal at Rootstable 🍽️

Today we're gathering around a beautiful plate of roast chicken with vibrant garlic scape chimichurri, creamy parsnip purée, and a fresh arugula salad with goat cheese and bright citrus. Simple, seasonal, and made to share. 🌿🍊🍗

06/27/2026

We had a small gathering at the restaurant tonight with friends and family to test our systems and interview new staff. Fun was had by all.

06/20/2026

R&D day at RootsTable: refining two dishes before they earn a permanent place on the menu.

Today's focus was a Tomato Caesar — fresh local tomatoes, barely dressed, built on our own Caesar dressing, anchored in an anchovy, garlic, and parmesan backbone. We're dialing in the balance: crispy fried capers, quick-pickled shallot, shaved parmesan — each element earning its spot without ever competing with the tomato itself.

Alongside it, our Peppa Chicken — dry-brined, stuffed with garlic and herbs, roasted for shattering crisp skin. We split it and dip it in a smoky house-made sorghum pepper sauce, glazed with charred chilies and peppers and put back under heat until it caramelizes.

This is the actual work — testing ratios, retesting technique, asking whether every component deserves to be there. We open July 3rd, and every dish on that menu will have earned it.

06/05/2026

Progress continues with an expected opening later this month or early next. Our new kitchen hood went in today!

05/30/2026

WE'RE HIRING - TOP PAY. These positions will fill fast, so don't wait. Apply today!

Sous Chef - [$23.00 an hour, Plus Performance Bonus]
Commis - Entry-Level Chef [$18.00 an hour]
Servers [$15.00 an hour, plus Pooled Tips]
Bartenders [$15.00 an hour, plus Bar/Pooled Tips]

Apply Now: https://rootstable.com/careers

05/16/2026

Today’s Saturday Samples featured something humble, comforting, and unexpectedly refined: Appalachian Hand Pies. Golden brown, flaky, and built to travel, these hand-held pastries offered a simple idea elevated through thoughtful ingredients and careful preparation.

Two versions came out of our kitchen today:

• Wayne's Country Fresh Meats pie with caramelized onions and blue cheese dressing
• Granny Smith apples, brie cheese, and cherry balsamic dressing

The contrast between savory richness and bright sweetness made for a fun afternoon of tasting and conversation as guests helped shape what may — or may not — find its way onto the final RootsTable menu.

That’s part of what Saturday Samples is about: experimenting, learning, and sharing the process before the restaurant officially opens. Fresh ingredients, handmade preparation, and a willingness to try something a little different each week.

05/14/2026

Every Saturday from Noon–2:00 PM until the official opening in June, RootsTable presents Saturday Samples—a complimentary tasting series offering guests an early look into the evolving kitchen. Each week features a rotating selection of seasonal small bites, experimental dishes, and chef-driven concepts crafted with locally sourced ingredients and thoughtful technique. Some dishes may eventually earn a place on the menu, while others exist only for the afternoon.

RootsTable is more than a restaurant. As part of the Ferleman Gallery, it will be a place of connection: between farm and table, between chef and guest, between the cycles of the land and the rituals of the meal. Saturday Samples offers an early glimpse into that vision—an inviting opportunity to experience the creativity, hospitality, and culinary direction shaping RootsTable before the restaurant officially opens.

05/09/2026

Another great Saturday Samples at RootsTable.

Saturday Samples is our free tasting series where we test dishes that may — or may not — make it onto the final menu. A lot depends on what you think.

One thing that's become very clear: our guests have high standards. That’s exactly why we’re committed to making everything fresh, thoughtful, and locally sourced.

Today’s samples featured handmade biscuit sandwiches served two ways:
• Braised pork belly with a glazed red sauce
• Buffalo chicken with celery slaw and blue cheese dressing

The feedback, conversations, and reactions continue to help shape what RootsTable will become. Thanks to everyone who joined us today and for Wayne's Country Fresh Meats for providing the great meats used today.

05/04/2026

We’re excited to be part of an incredible night at Gallery Stage 🎶 If you’re heading to the show, make sure to come early—RootsTable will be serving up Saturday Samples from 12–2PM, featuring free tastings of our locally sourced, farm-to-table dishes. It’s the perfect way to kick off your evening with great food before the music begins. Come hang with us, get a taste of what we’re building, and then stick around for an unforgettable performance 🥪

Cruz Contreras and The Black Lilies Return to Gallery Stage – Gallery Stage, Sat May 9, 2026 - Raised between the rugged lines of Tennessee and the long shadows of Michigan, Cruz Contreras has spent nearly thirty years forging his path through the Americana musical landscape. He’s a multi-instru...

05/04/2026