Kimpton found her way here after enduring a grind familiar to many talented chefs: frequent moves, long hours, and high stress. A particularly grueling gig sent her surfing the web for options, and this place caught her eye. “It’s pretty amazing as a chef to have that fresh, quality food right at your fingertips,” she says. “I wash the dirt off of my own vegetables.” She has helped Tuttle renovate its cafe kitchen, launch seasonal dinners in the orchard, and build a space for making fresh doughnuts every day. The store’s freezer is packed with scratch-made to-go options: quiche, cobbler, and, yes, potpie. It all adds up to the life Kimpton was looking for. “Being kind, being compassionate, and making a community out here is who I am.”
One of Kimpton’s favorite things? “My mom’s roast beef.” Check out the recipe.