Hospitality in WNC & Why It Matters
Sponsored by:
Katie Button
Katie Button is a five-time James Beard Foundation award-nominated chef, cookbook author, media personality, and founder of Asheville-based Cúrate, a collection of restaurants, online marketplace, wine club, and culinary journeys designed to connect people with the Spanish experience.
Katie earned a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, but her passion for food and travel ultimately guided her towards a career in the food world after being immersed in the industry at a young age. She honed her craft in the kitchens of some of the world's best chefs, most notably Ferran Adrià and José Andrés, before finding her own success with her restaurant group, Button Meana Group, and Cúrate lifestyle brands.
Today, Button Meana Group houses Katie Button Media and Magnolia Network’s From The Source, a series exploring the origins and stories behind different ingredients, as well as the Cúrate brands - Katie’s bread and butter. This includes Cúrate Trips, Cúrate at Home, and Cúrate Wine Club, as well as two restaurants, La Bodega by Cúrate and Cúrate Bar de Tapas, which won the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Hospitality award in 2022. In 2016, Katie extended the Cúrate brand to a new medium, releasing her first cookbook, Cúrate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen.
Katie continues to challenge the industry standard, steadily building comprehensive benefits to create a sustainable work environment for her living wage-certified restaurant group.
Jocelyn Hunsader
Jeter Mountain Farm is a family-owned and operated u-pick apple orchard nestled on 400 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a short distance from historic downtown Hendersonville and Brevard. Owners Jared, Tyler, Jocelyn, and Kelsey Hunsader opened Jeter Mountain Farm to the public for the first time in fall 2020 after years of commercially farming vegetables on the property, and with a lineage of farming in their family history.
A first-generation apple farm, the first apple trees were planted in 2014 as the dream was birthed to create a place where the community could spend a day with friends and family creating memories and experiencing the joys of agriculture first hand.
Now in their 5th year of business, they open their doors to the community each July - October, offering a variety of u-pick apples and other fruits; a hard cider taproom featuring hard ciders crafted from apples picked, pressed, fermented and canned or kegged on site; a bakery; a Smokehouse serving in-house smoked BBQ; a full Coffee House; an indoor children's play area; 6,000 square feet of retail gift shop and market space; and many other fall favorite treats.
Jeter Mountain Farm aims to be a place where every member of the family is able to enjoy their day.
Jordan Turchin
Owner and Steward Jordan Turchin took the helm of The Horse Shoe Farm in 2017, transforming the once bustling 1950's cattle farm into a truly magical boutique farm resort.
Jordan's time at The Horse Shoe Farm has seen him wear many hats, from general manager to his current position as steward, ensuring that every aspect of the farm reflects the Turchin family’s dedication to creating a space where all guests can just be. Under his leadership, the farm has become a sanctuary with award-winning farm-to-table fare, luxury accommodations, and unparalleled spa experiences in a renovated equestrian stable known as The Stable Spa. Additionally, Jordan's commitment to holistic wellbeing allows guests to find inner peace with the property’s on-site wellness experiences, like its “Grains of Truth” Silo Meditation Tower, on-site Labyrinth, and deeply impactful Sweat Lodge ceremonies.
As a fourth-generation member of the Turchin family business, Jordan proudly upholds a legacy of transformative development and management. After studying at the University of Southern California and graduating from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, Jordan brought his diverse experience—including eight years in the entertainment industry and a role as operations manager at The Lodges at Eagles Nest—to the family business at The Horse Shoe Farm.