Barnsley Resort unveils seasonal dining experience, Jules
Jules, a new seasonal dining experience, will open at North Georgia‘s Barnsley Resort this summer.
Brought to life by Executive Chef Shaun Doty, with interiors designed by David Thompson Studio, the restaurant is inspired by Julia Barnsley, the daughter of the original estate owner. Its Southern-inspired aesthetic pays homage to the property’s rich history.
With a career spanning three decades in the kitchen, Chef Doty is best known for his work at Atlanta’s The Federal, which earned a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant. He has also launched and led several Atlanta establishments, including Shaun’s, Yeah Burger and Bantam & Biddy in the Ansley neighbourhood. The chef’s early days were rooted in the former Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead under Chef Guenter Seeger, and time spent expanding his skill set abroad at Michelin-starred restaurants across France and Belgium.
The inaugural menu draws inspiration from Southern traditions, Japanese cooking techniques and European styles. At the heart of the kitchen is a Josper charcoal grill, delivering dishes with a rustic edge that honour the resort’s Sunbelt roots.
The menu is an homage to the ingredients of the region, an abundance sourced from the resort’s farm, local gardens, pastures and fields. Therefore, dishes will take their cue from nature, adapting to the availability of grains, meats, fruits and vegetables in their prime. Furthering the focus on sustainability, Doty plans to launch a fermentation program, explore composting and transition to menus printed on recycled paper and sustainable materials, all part of his mission to achieve a Michelin Green Star.
Menu highlights include: music paper bread with arugula, heirloom tomato and fava bean salad; heirloom pork schnitzel with peanuts, parsley, a Vidalia onion salad and herb aioli; Blue Ridge’s Bramlett’s Farm trout with South Carolina’s March Hen Mills farro, Swiss chard, charred leeks and smoked hollandaise; and prime steaks, Rohan duck and Poulet Rouge heritage chicken cooked over the flames of the Josper charcoal grill.
A striking redesign was executed by Romebased HDA Architects with interiors by David Thompson Studio. Interiors celebrate the property’s historic character while updating it with fresh finishes. A material palette of woods, ceramic and brick was selected, while the studio sourced a wide range of antique pieces and worked with original features.
The private dining salon is anchored by an original brick fireplace and an eight-seat cherry dining table with a Lazy Susan, commissioned by Thompson and inspired by an antique English piece.
A lively new bar and cocktail lounge features a butcher block bar top, complemented by plush velvet accents and a custom table made from reclaimed heart pine, crafted by Charleston woodworker Josh Brooks. Overlooking the space is an oil pastel portrait of Julia B. Barnsley, thought to have been painted in the 1850s by New Orleans artist Bayard Cole.
The dining room features leather-clad banquettes from Atlanta’s Bjork Studio, with a back wall adorned by large antique mirrors from Bob Hines’ Charleston workshop.
“Everything about Barnsley makes you crave a taste of the South,” concludes Doty. “Jules is my answer to that. It’s seasonal, soulful, and intentional – a reflection of where I’ve been and where I want to go, told through the lens of this extraordinary place.”
Jules will serve as the latest addition to the $16M slate of renovations executed at Barnsley over the past year. Operated by Davidson Resorts, the 3,000-acre destination was acquired by South Street Partners in 2022.
