Knoxville’s fanciest restaurant celebrates its reopening with a rollicking reception

Hundreds of happy regulars poured into The Orangery last night in a party mood. The beloved eatery hosted a reception to celebrate its reopening under new management since owner Karen Kendrick retired in March, closing the doors of Knoxville’s highest-end restaurant.

Executive chef John Bryant, left, poses with former executive chef David Pinckney and Susan Roberts

David Kiger, who worked as maitre’d at the establishment for seven years in his 20s, has taken over The Orangery and, with consultation from Kendrick, hired an executive chef and re-assembled a team with long-time Orangery connections.

The chef, John Bryant, comes to The Orangery after five years as executive chef at Johnson City’s The Ridges Golf and Country Club. He is a 1998 honors graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Charleston. Lunch manager is Jane Kendrick, who held that post for many years prior to The Orangery’s closing. Dinner manager is Kathleen Anderson, who worked at The Orangery for 25 years before leaving to manage the Stir Fry Cafe in The Gallery shopping center.

The decor, including many antique furnishings and architectural details, remains the same. But an exciting new feature is a light, airy cocktail area which has been added to the right as you enter the front door. Karen Kendrick speculated that her son, Stuart, would be angry about that because Stuart, who had served as sommelier, maitre’d and manager for many years when Karen ran The Orangery, had strongly suggested adding the bar area, but Karen had resisted.

Bright new bar area has been added

In any case, no one was angry Thursday night. The event truly was a gathering of old friends, driving the noise level in the aptly named Phoenix Ballroom into the high decibels. You could hardly hear the wonderful Tom Johnson on the piano. Buffet offerings were over-the-top. Examples: duck confit on cheddar grit cakes with preserved cherries, sweet tea lacquered quail legs with mission fig compote, and beef tenderloin with bleu cheese flatbread and vidalia onion chutney.

The Orangery will be open for lunch from 11:30 to 2 Monday through Friday. Dinner will be from 5:30 to 10 Monday through Thursday and 5:30 to 11 on Friday and Saturday. The hours are slightly extended from before when The Orangery didn’t open until 6 at night. Jane Kendrick said the restaurant is so often a starting place for folks heading to the symphony, opera or Clarence Brown Theatre that the earlier opening time will allow for a more leisurely dinner service.

The Orangery’s former executive chef, David Pinckney, who is now executive chef at Cherokee Country Club, even dropped by to greet old friends Thursday night. Here are a few others among the happy revelers: John and Patty Purvis, John and Mary Rayson, Jim and Natalie Haslam, Mary Ellen Brewington, Nick Cazana, Glady and Ross Faires, Fred and Faye Langley, Anne Furrow, Bill and Barbara Arant, Molly Bland, Freddie Crowell, Barbara Apking, Bill and Sharon Laing, Richard and Bette Bryan, Dick and Anne Goldstine, Barbara Aston Wash, Glenn and Sheila Laiken, John Craig and Patricia Robledo, Barry Steinberg, Janie Dempster, Glo Klarich, Sandy Smith, John and Allyn Purvis Schwartz, David and Robin Purvis, Kevin Diffley, Bill and Gay Lyons, Janet Crossley, Janet Testerman, David and Cathy Campbell, Beverly and Walter Lemasurier, Phil Trotter, Penny Wilson, Merrill and Hank Ammons, Sandra Emond, Anna Hinds, Karen Eberle, John Rosson and Sherry Witt.

Karen Kendrick, left, Beverly and Walter Lemasurier

Sandra Emond, left, Bill and Sharon Laing

Alan Carmichael, left, Bette and Richard Bryan

John Craig, left, Patricia Robledo and Glenn Laiken

Pianist Tom Johnson and Glo Klarich