The Cliffs Welcomes New Executive Chef

Bill Klein brings 20 years of fine dining experience to The Cliffs at Walnut Cove

ARDEN, NC – The Cliffs announced that Bill Klein has joined its culinary team as Executive Chef at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. Bringing extensive culinary experience and training from some of the industry’s most respected institutions, Chef Bill prepares food using French cooking techniques to highlight each ingredient. He most recently served as Executive Chef of The Bistro at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.

“Chef Bill has a deep well of experience from which to draw and always has his finger on the pulse of the hyper-local, Southern/regional, and broader culinary trends,” stated David Sawyer, Managing Partner of The Cliffs Clubs. “He will be an important figure in mentoring and growing our culinary team at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove and amplifying The Cliffs’ dining experience across our club spectrum. I know he is also looking forward to fostering relationships with our members and getting them back in the kitchen with some interactive cooking classes and demonstrations around their specific interests.”

In 1995, Klein became Executive Chef of The River House in Grassy Creek, N.C., at the ripe age of twenty-two. After recognizing his aptitude in “the back of the house”, friend and colleague Gayle Winston saw Chef Bill to the New England Culinary Institute where, following his formal training, he went on to study in France in Michelin Star rated restaurants.

Upon returning to the States in 1998, Chef Bill was recruited to join a team of chefs that won the 1999 James Beard Award for “Best New Restaurant in the U.S.” and five Mobil Stars, Relais et Châteaux and Relais Gourmands designations for Gary Danko in San Francisco. In 2001, he was hand picked to help save Masa, a landmark restaurant in San Francisco that, within three months under Ron Siegel’s (the first American to win the original Iron Chef) leadership, catapulted to one of the city’s top three dining establishments.

In 2002, Chef Bill came back to his roots in North Carolina, serving in his previous position as Executive Chef of The River House before moving to Asheville. After teaming up with Treavis and Traci Taylor, FIG Bistro opened in the Biltmore Village, where Klein served as Executive Chef for six years. He then accepted an offer of Executive Chef at The Bistro at Biltmore Estate, followed by an offer to return to where he started his career, The River House. While The River House is close to his heart, it is far from his family and the professional opportunities he desired.

Upon his return to the Asheville area, Chef Bill explained, “River House is very remote and isolated, and I really needed a bigger pond. After being in the area for ten years now, I developed relationships with farmers, purveyors and most importantly colleagues that share interests in the pursuit of great food and beverage. Thus, I came back to Asheville to maintain these interests.”

As Executive Chef of The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, Chef Bill will showcase his talents and his simple, refined, approachable take on cuisine. As with all seven of The Cliffs’ clubs, Walnut Cove under Chef Bill will continue the heritage of serving local meats and fish, local artisan cheese, and seasonal produce, including seasonal selections from Broken Oak Organic Farm at The Cliffs. Chef Bill joins The Cliffs’ team of 15 executive, sous, and pastry chefs from the nation’s most highly acclaimed educational institutions, hotels and restaurants.

About The Cliffs

The Cliffs is a collection of seven premier, private residential lifestyle communities located between two of America’s top cities for foodies – Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC. Members of The Cliffs have access to all seven of The Cliffs’ clubs that, together, offer more than 50 restaurant and private event venues. A team of highly experienced Executive Chefs, trained by Michelin Star and James Beard Award winners, provide members with distinctive dining experiences, including fresh and fascinating dishes made from seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, many of which are sourced from Broken Oak Organic Farm at The Cliffs. The culinary scene pairs with a featured beverage program and four Certified Sommeliers. Members of The Cliffs’ enjoy culinary art through cooking demonstrations and classes; a full calendar of wine dinners; regular evenings of socializing and noshing hosted by our executive chefs; and an annual Wine+Food Festival. To learn more about The Cliffs’ culinary experience, visit www.CliffsLiving.com or watch this brief video. Homes at The Cliffs range in price from $500,000 to $4 million+; homesites, from $150,000. Contact The Cliffs at 866.411.5771 or [email protected] to arrange a Discovery Tour.