For fans of star chef Ian Boden and his famed, hole-in-the-wall, Staunton fine dinery The Shack, a visit to the newly launched Maude & the Bear culinary inn begins with a series of delightful shocks.
A thoughtfully landscaped parking area gives way to the arched porch of a 2,500-square-foot, English-style Montgomery Ward kit-home-turned-restaurant that dates to 1926. Inside is a small but beautifully renovated mid-century–esque bar area stocked with high-end spirits and fronted by a trio of tufted leather stools. It opens into a window-lined dining room, replete with restored hardwood floors, chic wood tables, candles, and fresh flowers.
To the left is a stunningly modern, 250-square-foot open kitchen backed by a wood-fired oven and staffed by a uniformed, three-person brigade de cuisine. Boden stands stooped over a granite plating counter under the warm glow of one of three retractable brass pendant lights, applying final touches to dishes.
The tableau is radically upscale compared to its predecessor. At The Shack, eaters were confronted by world-class, prix fixe dinners served in a shotgun room that was roughly the size of a one-car garage and featured concrete floors, mismatched chairs, a deli-style checkout counter, and tiny kitchen that looked more short-order diner than gourmet. Boden typically cooked in a T-shirt and apron with a lone sous chef. Waitstaff often wore band tees and jeans.
But the changes go beyond setting and vibe. For Boden devotees, Maude & the Bear’s four and seven-course tasting experiences with bonus dishes and an optional extra course bring further surprises.
Yes, there are now marvelously executed wine pairings ($120 for the full service) and a mixologist-crafted cocktail menu. A survey of the weekly, sometimes nightly shuffle of plates reveals techniques and ingredients that would have seemed out of place at The Shack. Here, Boden dramatically expands the boundaries of the hyperlocal, Appalachian-inspired cuisine that’s made the 44-year-old a two-time James Beard Best Chef semifinalist.
Pan-seared, foraged morel mushrooms, for instance, may be sprinkled with starflowers and served in a buttery, citrusy nettle-ramp sauce and injected with liquified scallops. A house-made schmaltz focaccia is topped with crème fraîche, crisped chicken skin, edible flowers, and hackleback caviar from Mississippi. International delicacies like Galician gooseneck barnacles and scorpion fish also make appearances. The decadent experiences last about two hours and are Michelin star–worthy.
Why tinker with the ethos that made him famous? Boden sees the cuisine at Maude & the Bear, which opened this past April, as both an evolution and throwback to his time at downtown Charlottesville’s wildly ambitious, 100-seat Glass Haus restaurant.
“There were no rules beyond letting your talent and creativity take you where it wanted,” says Boden. “I love the idea of revisiting that no-holds-barred approach, but with the restraint and [culinary voice] that I’ve cultivated over the past decade.”
He and his wife, Leslie, further up the ante with an immersive stay experience.
Maude & the Bear—a combo of the Bodens’ nicknames for their two children—offers a pair of spacious upstairs suites and a cozy little backyard cottage nestled amid lush landscaping. All feature sitting rooms, bedrooms, and upscale baths with walk-in showers and jacuzzi tubs. They’re chock-full of accoutrements like king beds, leather sofas, original paintings, espresso machines, and vintage lamps. The cottage offers a kitchen and dining room area and a private, pergola-covered outdoor patio. Multicourse breakfasts are part of overnight packages and are as stunning as dinners. Sunday brunches—also open to the public, not just reserved for overnight guests—are to die for. Imagine smoked sable, au poivre mayo, aidalias, and fried egg stacked on schmaltzy focaccia. It’s as delicious as it is pretty.
But don’t worry, The Shack isn’t gone. Boden partnered with longtime sous, Mike Skipper, to transform it into a wood-fired pizzeria and gourmet burger joint with a full menu of opulent small plates that’s open Thursday through Saturday.
“With Maude & the Bear, I wanted to take everything I’ve learned in the course of 25 years in the fine dining and hospitality industry and funnel it into a comprehensive vision,” says Boden. The culinary inn seeks to combine the inviting coziness of The Shack with the subtle but mind-bogglingly innovative gastronomy of Glass Haus and his time in New York cooking under icons like Bill Telepan.
And by all metrics, the Bodens have pulled it off.
This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue.
