Among all the hoopla last November when the prestigious MICHELIN Guide handed out stars to 19 restaurants in the American South region, almost overlooked was the fact that a Franklin restaurant joined an even more exclusive club as one of only five establishments to receive a Green Star designation from the MICHELIN inspectors. January, the flagship restaurant at Southall Farm & Inn was recognized for its commitment to sustainable practices, ethical and environmental standards, and leadership in stewardship of natural resources.
These are all hallmarks of the philosophy of the entire Southall operations, and they are showcased in delicious ways by recently-promoted executive chef Nate Leonard and his kitchen team at January. Leonard moved up in rank when the former exec chef Andrew Klamar was promoted to the role of Vice President of Culinary, and the two chefs have worked together on-and-off for more than 20 years in restaurants across the region.
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Equally important to the culinary team is Southall’s farm manager, Alec Higgins. The trio meets weekly for meetings to review last year’s plantings and results in anticipation of what amazing produce will be at its peak soon, so that the kitchen can add it to their arsenal for menu planning.
Leonard creates the menu from the weekly harvest log, anticipating how much of each item will be available to use since January strives to source as much as possible from the sustainable gardens, greenhouses, hydroponic operations, orchard, and beehives housed on the campus of Southall. Ingredients that cannot be cultivated on the farm are sourced from local partners who share January’s scrupulous environmental values.
All the good intentions in the world won’t make a restaurant successful unless the food is delicious, and Leonard truly believes you can taste the benefits of the kitchen’s dedication on the plate. The restaurant prints new menus daily for both a multi-course tasting menu and à la carte options, listing just the ingredients on the menu instead of describing the entire dish.
This intentionally coy way of presenting the nightly options serves multiple functions. First, it allows the kitchen to get creative with presentations and cooking methods, including the use of a magnificent wood-fired oven custom-made to extract the maximum flavor from the precious harvest from Southall’s gardens. Secondly, Leonard believes, “The farm dictates the dishes and helps tell the story. Seasonality is our number one emphasis when we plan a menu.” Lastly, the servers become the ones who explain each dish and can share the details of how the ingredients were grown, harvested, and cooked.
While the menu turns over fairly rapidly depending on the current harvest, there are plenty of fascinating options on offer year-round. On a late December visit, I was intrigued to discover a hamachi crudo dish featuring the yellowtail fish sliced thin and served raw along with smoked honey, pickled shallots, and satsuma oranges presented with several different preparations, including fresh segments and as satsuma oil. Citrus in Tennessee after the first hard freeze? It turns out that Southall operates an orangerie, a dedicated conservatory within one of the greenhouses that extends the growing season for citrus. It seems like there’s a surprise around every corner at Southall and in every entry on January’s menu!
Sitting inside the dining room, the rustic elegance of the barn-like lofted ceiling and emphasis on weathered natural materials exudes an ambiance that is luxurious and comforting at the same time, not unlike the food. Tall windows offer views of the fields where the ingredients are grown, and it’s not unusual to see a cook or a mixologist harvesting ingredients and garnishes from the beds that surround the restaurant.
One of Chef Leonard’s favorite parts about working at Southall is his access to the absolute freshest possible produce. He jokes, “If I need collards, I just hop on my four-wheeler and head down to the farm!” Now that’s the very definition of farm-to-table.
