click to enlarge - Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
- Chelsea Morgan and Tom D'Angelo
Local chefs Chelsea Morgan and Tom D'Angelo will open a new restaurant in the former Kitchen Table Bistro in Richmond with the financial support of silent partners, who purchased the historic brick building and the restaurant assets for an undisclosed amount. The property was listed with Pomerleau Real Estate at $750,000 for the building and $150,000 for the restaurant.
Morgan, 33, and D'Angelo, 36, will be co-chefs at Vermont Fine, which will offer "cozy, approachable fine dining," Morgan said. They hope to open for dinner by mid-September or early October after a light refresh of the interior.
The couple said they plan to follow in the successful tradition of Kitchen Table Bistro, which had a 19-year run under chef-owners Lara and Steve Atkins. The Atkinses closed their restaurant in November, citing personal reasons that included Steve's severe back injury.
Vermont Fine, D'Angelo explained, is "kind of a play on Connecticut casual." The Connecticut term, the couple said, indicates a dress code of Sperry boat shoes and a polo shirt, whereas Vermont Fine "is kinda like a Carhartt jacket and flannel," Morgan said.
"You can come as you are and enjoy the food," D'Angelo said.
"You can come here right off the farm," added Morgan, who grew up on the famous Jenne Farm in Reading.
With almost 40 years of combined experience in restaurant kitchens from New York City to Park City, Utah, to Burlington dining destinations such as Hen of the Wood and the Farmhouse Tap & Grill, the couple had been looking for their own restaurant. "We really want to create our own brand," Morgan said.
D'Angelo and Morgan most recently worked as chef and front-of-house manager, respectively, at Butter Bar and Kitchen in Burlington's New North End. Their stint there lasted just more than three months.
"We thought it was a great opportunity, but it wasn't a good fit," Morgan said.
Kitchen Table Bistro is "more a reflection of what we are as chefs: this atmosphere, this vibe, what we can do here," Morgan said. "There's just really good energy in this building. So many people in the industry have cooked here."
"So many birthdays and anniversaries have been celebrated here," D'Angelo added.
A draft Vermont Fine menu highlights local ingredients in dishes such as beef tartare with cured egg yolk and housemade chips; fresh, housemade ravioli filled with spinach, ricotta and egg; and a lamb burger with fried goat cheese, crispy shallots and roasted pepper aioli.
The couple hopes to host live music in the property's outdoor gardens and work up to growing some of their own produce on a one-acre plot belonging to one of their investors.
"We've got big shoes to fill, but we're not scared," Morgan said.