January at Southall Farm & Inn Affirming the Seed-to-Fork Connection

A visit to Southall Farm & Inn is full of astonishing moments. It begins with you sighting a huge hydroponic greenhouse as you near the entrance off Carters Creek Pike. Excitement mounts as you turn onto the property — 325 acres, the vast percentage of which is left to nature. Paths bend around a large pond and lead to a ridge of nestled treehouse cottages, winding past swaths of native wildflowers, an apple orchard and apiaries with brightly painted hives, all against a backdrop of lush green hills. These moments continue as you arrive at the inn’s main entry. First, there is a bespoke reception and lounge with soaring peaked ceilings, hefty wood beams and walls of glass — modern and rustic at once. To the right is Sojourner, a casual all-day cafe and bar. But as executive chef Andrew Klamar notes, the greatest wows are reserved for January, Southall’s signature fine dining restaurant.

“With any dining experience, there’s anticipation combined with elements of the unexpected,” Andrew says. “You walk past Sojourner and down a hall into this jewel box that you didn’t know was there. That’s where you go, ‘Ahh!’”

Indeed the room is a stunner, designed in harmony with the natural surroundings — open yet intimate, in warm wood and cream tones. Windows on all sides not only provide views of the farm and countryside, they also bring nature into the space, affirming the seed-to-fork connection.

January is Southall’s tour de force. Guided by Andrew and chef Nate Leonard, the fare is ingredient-driven, utilizing greens, fruits, vegetables, herbs, eggs and honey sourced from the farm itself. The chefs work closely with Southall’s farmers in planning the crops for the year. As crops mature, the chefs meet weekly with the farmers to learn what and how much will be available. 

“We put in our requests for certain tomatoes, for instance. We love black cherry and sungolds, Brandywines and Green Zebras,” says Andrew. “We like to have Amish paste [tomatoes] for sauces. And we ask that they grow lots of Habanada peppers. We recognize, of course, that there are no guarantees in farming, so we have learned to be adaptive.”

Further, the chefs work with other local and regional producers, such as Bear Creek Farm, Simpson’s Meats and Joyce Farms for pork, beef and duck respectively. They take great pains to source responsibly caught fish and seafood. “Sustainability is a word that can be misused,” says Andrew. “We seek out operations that mirror our ethos.”

The food is precious, but the execution is not.

“Our philosophy is to work with the produce in ways to highlight them,” says Nate. “Salt, acid, fat can lift everything. Simplify! While we use some modern techniques, like fluid gels or the immersion circulator, our focus is this: Flavor first.” 

In achieving that, the chefs have a state-of-the-art kitchen, visible from January’s dining room. Here, the team works the flattop, sauté station, garde manger and the star — a custom-built wood-burning oven and grill. Fronting the kitchen is a counter fitted with a large slab of marble, where the chefs garnish plates and bowls using the array of herbs, berries and flowers grown in Southall’s gardens. 

Because January was conceived as the pinnacle of dining at Southall, it was the last of the concepts on the property to open. Great care was taken to ensure all the components — butchery, charcuterie, pastry and breads, and even the preservation kitchen, The Jammery — were operating smoothly.

“We took our time with January, in deciding what it would be,” says Andrew. “Obviously, it is fine dining. We wanted it to be approachable, yet with some complexity. We wanted it to represent us, our diverse backgrounds, what we are stoked to eat.” Their green curry short rib, for example, was inspired by Andrew’s meals at King Market, which, he says, has incredible food. “So no boundaries, really — excepting, of course, what nature dictates,” he says. 

The menu rotates, and you can choose something from each of its three sections: starters, first courses and mains. But even with the constant changes, there are some dishes that have become so beloved they remain constants. The wood-grilled oysters fall into that category — a delicate smoky-sweetness imparted into each mollusk, finished with a creamy chowder-like sauce and a mini oyster cracker. The mammoth-yet-light Parker House rolls with Southall honey butter are always in demand, and for good reason. Steaks, dry-aged in house for 45 to 70 days and offered in different cuts by the ounce, are succulent on their own. But lavish touches, like popovers and sauce au poivre, elevate them to extraordinary.

There are seasonal variations on a dish. In early spring, the lamb rib may be roasted in tamarind and coffee. In mid-summer, it might be accented with chili and peach. Coppa, a pork collar steak that is brined, cooked sous-vide and finished on the grill, takes on savory-sweet root vegetable notes in winter, contrasted by collards, dates and fiery chorizo in warmer months. The gorgeous selection of lettuces grown on site in the hydroponic greenhouse form the foundation of memorable salads, their tastes enhanced in straightforward vinaigrettes and sparks of fruit, be it citrus, blackberries or pickled strawberries from the prior year. 

“We seek ways to extend the seasons,” Andrew notes. “Chef Richard Jones of The Jammery is always at work, preserving, fermenting, canning and pickling so that we have access to the bounty year-round.” 

Regardless of the time of year, each meal begins with a complimentary amuse-bouche, a gift that changes on a weekly basis. “The idea is that this is something playful, delicious and fleeting,” Andrew says. “One week it was an homage to the Reuben — a rye pancake topped with beef belly bacon and kraut. Another was inspired by our love of Crab Rangoon, only made with crawfish tail and our smoked honey.” 

Expect luscious, creative confections from the hands of pastry chef Emma Livingston and her colleague, chef Joshua  House, such as their Peach Miso Tart or Chocolate Meringue with rum and dark cherries. They also craft lovely bonbons as a parting gift.

While the Southall complex has been designed as a luxury stay, dining on-site was not set up solely for guests checked into the inn or one of the cottages. Locals are invited to partake. The experience of this serene setting, a mere 40-minute drive from downtown Nashville, is a welcome step out of time and place. It provides a deeper appreciation for the gifts of the farm, and how a team of talented chefs manipulate them, seed-to-fork.