Brothers Farm

Little did I expect a PBS TV series to make such an indelible impact on my life, but «A Chef’s Life» has made palpable not only the inner workings of Vivian Howard’s Chef and the Farmer, an upscale restaurant in the small North Carolina town of Kinston, but also the key local people who supply the high quality of the food being prepared. Prominent on the show is the congenial farmer Warren Brothers who along with his wife Jane decided to turn their charming home in pastoral La Grange into a B&B. Once I got wind of this, I made a reservation for a private room for my partner and myself in April, so we could frankly meet Warren and see where several of the key scenes on the series took place.
What I didn’t expect was the overwhelming generosity of our hosts in providing an experience that will remain parked comfortably in my memory. First, Jane was extraordinarily kind in ensuring we had a good time that she connected me with Vivian’s wondrous assistant Holley. Holley took us to several places of interest in Kinston like Mother Earth Brewing, the Buy Local art gallery, and the newly refurbished O’Neil Hotel. As Jane was unfortunately out of town when we arrived, Warren took over and immediately made us feel at home. He not only took the time to stay up and chat with us after our marathon feast at Chef and The Farmer, but he asked Lillie to come over early in the morning to make her famous biscuits (photo:
).
We already adored her from the series, and as it turned out, she is even funnier and warmer in person. What a treat to shoot the breeze with Warren, Lillie and Holley over those incredible biscuits and fresh over-​easy eggs that came straight from the chickens at his nearby farm (photo:
). After breakfast, Warren guided us to his two-​acre farm down the road where we watched him feed chickens and pigs and started to wash the turnips for transport (photo:
). As for our accommodations, the 1853-​restored farmhouse just felt comfortable the moment we stepped through the back porch door. Our bedroom was warm and spacious, an ideal setting for the claps of thunder we heard through the night.
They certainly made sure to stock the bathroom with every amenity. We loved all the family photos and paintings on almost every wall because you really felt the love in their family. I even thought it was heartwarming to see a huge «Breakfast at Tiffany’s» movie poster on the wall since I am such an Audrey Hepburn fan. How did they know (photo:
)? Oh well, I guess that’s what family is all about, and that’s what Warren and Jane are genuinely all about, making their guests feel like they are part of their family. I could not recommend staying in their home highly enough if you plan to create your own «A Chef’s Life» adventure or even if you simply want to take in the beauty of Eastern North Carolina. It’s an experience you will never forget.