The Artful Chef

A Chef’s Passion for Fine Wines and Intriguing Menus

Chef Brill Williams, proprietor at the Inn at Sawmill Farm on Crosstown Road in West Dover has enjoyed a lifelong romance with fresh ingredients, fine wines and intriguing menus during his 40 years at his family’s renowned inn. (The Inn is quite famous in fact Oprah’s Book Club met there!)

The Artful Chef

A Chef’s Passion for Fine Wines and Intriguing Menus

ArtfulChefBrill Chef Brill Williams, proprietor at the Inn at Sawmill Farm on Crosstown Road in West Dover has enjoyed a lifelong romance with fresh ingredients, fine wines and intriguing menus during his 40 years at his family’s renowned inn. (The Inn is quite famous in fact Oprah’s Book Club met there!)

Guests at the Inn delight in finding that the dishes and desserts in Chef Brill’s repertoire include recipes handed down to him from his grandmother and mother—both women had a hand in shaping his culinary talent. Chef Brill trusts that his patrons come with well-bred taste buds and artfully treats his guests to remarkable combinations. A Squab entree, for example, is served with two harmonzing preparations side-by-side on the same plate. The legs of these fresh poultry are first marinated, then grilled, while the succulent breast meat is sauteed with his foie gras and tender apple slices. A favorite appetizer is to pair Scottish Smoked Salmon with American Spoonbill Caviar and serve it with fresh-baked Onion Brioche and a Quail Egg.

One of the Inn’s most notable gastronomic events is one patrons create themselves by arranging in advance with Chef Brill for dinner and wine list tailored to the preferences of the guests. Imagine having all of your favorite foods on a six-course tasting menu with wine selections specifically paired to enhance each plate.

Chef Brill’s Eggs Sawmill, is a favorite breakfast specialty with the guests. It’s his take on the classic Benedict; here he incorporates the seductive sweetness of Vermont Maple Syrup, contrasting it with the subtle saltiness of Country Ham. Chef Brill’s local organic and vegetable vendors include the best nearby farm stands such as Walker’s in Dummerston and Dutton’s in Manchester; he chooses rabbit from one special Manchester farm; his guests always enjoy his selection of Vermont artisanal cheeses.

Whatever specialty foods he cannot buy from local growers and producers, such as fresh-caught Maine seafood, are flown in to him daily. The Inn’s multiple wine cellars are exceptionally well inventoried by Chef Brill. The dining room and tavern at the Inn at Sawmill Farm, rooms that were formerly a working Vermont barn, are open to the public.