Mayflower Inn and Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection Welcomes Celebrated Chef Victoria Blamey

WASHINGTON, Conn. (CT), July 2, 2020 — This week, chef Victoria Blamey joins one of New England’s most lauded luxury retreats, the recently renovated Mayflower Inn and Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, for a three-month residency as part of the hotel’s new “Friends of Mayflower” series, adding new life and energy to the historic country inn. Blamey brings her culinary artistry and global flavors to the menus of this bucolic, 58-acre Connecticut property, as the first in a series of renowned chefs, artists and creatives to visit the property for events and residencies throughout the coming year.

A native of Santiago, Chile, Blamey most recently served as executive chef of the renowned Gotham Bar & Grill in New York City, where she was awarded a glowing, three-star review from The New York Times in September 2019 in which restaurant critic Pete Wells called her food “boldly creative.” Before Gotham Bar & Grill, Blamey held a series of high-level positions crafting menus at some of the country’s most lauded restaurants, including New York’s legendary tavern Chumley’s, along with Il Buco Alimentari e Vinieri, Upland, Corton and Atera.

“We are thrilled to welcome chef Blamey to The Mayflower as we re-open our doors, unveil a full redesign and celebrate our centennial birthday,” said General Manager Israel Benyair. “Her creativity, skill and passion have led some of the best restaurants in the country, and she’s created an entirely new, destination-worthy experience for the Mayflower’s guests to escape to this summer.”

From July 2 to September 7, Blamey will take over the entirety of The Mayflower’s culinary offerings, creating all-new menus in the main dining room, Tap Room, pool deck and take-out picnic offerings. The highlight of the new experience is Blamey’s Garden Menu, offered Thursday through Saturday evenings in the hotel’s elegant main dining room, recently redesigned by New York-based interior designer Celerie Kemble as part of an overall property redesign.

Crafting local ingredients from nearby Connecticut farmsteads into unexpectedly bold dishes that speak to the Mayflower’s New England heritage and Blamey’s Chilean roots, the Garden Menu is offered as a three-course tasting menu for $130 per guest with an optional mid-course supplement for $15 per guest. Wine pairings are available for $55 per guest (three-course) or $70 per guest (four-course). Though dishes will change week by week, dishes from the first iteration of the menu include Spanish Mackerel with eggplant, “sauce vierge” and white soy; Braised Rabbit Leg with green garlic, English peas and pickled onion and Smoked Chocolate and passion fruit.

“After cooking in New York, it feels incredible to be out in the country crafting a new summer menu for the Mayflower Inn & Spa,” Blamey said. “I’ve been inspired by the property’s abundant, lush nature and gardens, as well as the history of the Mayflower’s historic buildings, and look forward to offering a new menu and dining experience that surprises guests with unexpected iterations of familiar dishes and ingredients.”

The Garden Menu is served in the Mayflower’s main dining room, with a refreshed vision overseen by Kemble Interiors. The design pulls from nature, featuring a large-scale floral mural adorned with butterflies, bell jar lanterns in a variety of purple hues, green lattice work on the ceiling and vibrant greenery throughout the space. Blamey’s menu pulls from its verdant surroundings to offer guests a playful yet elegant way to taste globally inspired dishes made with local Connecticut ingredients — each dish introducing unexpected, surprising elements of flavor made in familiar preparations.

Drawing from her experience cooking at former speakeasy and iconic West Village tavern Chumley’s — named one of Esquire Magazine’s 2017 best restaurants in the country when Blamey was in the kitchen — chef Blamey will reinvigorate the offerings at the Mayflower’s beloved local spot, the Tap Room. Chef Blamey’s new Tap Room dishes are both rustic yet refined, including Summer Burrata with tomato confit, cucumber, trout roe and nectarine; Shrimp Katsu Sando with tartar sauce and iceberg lettuce and Vic’s Burger with mango BBQ sauce, bone marrow and fried shallot. A handcrafted cocktail menu offers summer spirits meant to be enjoyed in the Tap Room or on the Mayflower’s extensive outdoor patio, overlooking its verdant gardens.

In addition to overseeing the Garden Menu and Tap Room, chef Blamey is also offering a picnic menu, meant for guests to take along on adventures in the surrounding area. Ideal for lunch breaks while hiking, canoeing or kayaking in nearby nature preserves, Blamey’s picnic menu is inspired by Italian antipasto-style meals with her dishes also extending to the stunning pool deck, where guests can opt for signature menu items while lounging poolside.

The beloved Connecticut property looks forward to announcing future residencies in the coming months as part of their new “Friends of Mayflower” series, including guest chef dinners, local artist collaborations and more.

Blamey’s Garden Menu will be offered Thursday through Saturday from 11am to 3pm and 6pm to 9pm in the main dining room. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 860.868.9466. The Tap Room is open to hotel guests and locals for lunch, dinner and brunch Sunday through Wednesday, with a limited all day menu offered daily from 3pm to 5pm. As part of Mayflower Inn and Spa’s commitment to exceptional guest experiences, the property follows all current government regulations and CDC guidelines. Please visit the website to learn more about the property’s health and safety practices.

About Mayflower Inn and Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection Only a two-hour drive from New York City, Mayflower Inn and Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection is a luxurious country retreat located in the idyllic town of Washington, Connecticut. Set on 58-acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and woodlands, the property defines New England elegance and is renowned as one of the northeast’s most lauded luxury hideaways. Boasting 35 guest rooms, the hotel offers exceptional service and gracious attention to guest’s personalized needs. Amenities include a 20,000 square-foot spa sanctuary, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, expansive gardens, a tennis court, miles of hiking trails, a standalone two-story private-event space, The Huntress boutique, and two sumptuous dining venues: The Mayflower Dining Room for New England-inspired fine dining and the Tap Room for casual country fare. In honor of the Inn’s forthcoming centennial birthday in fall 2020, acclaimed New York-based interior designer Celerie Kemble will oversee a dramatic redesign encompassing guest rooms and suites, Mayflower’s signature restaurant, and the Inn’s historic main house, featuring a charming parlor.