Sam Beall

Sam Beall, Proprietor of Blackberry Farm, passes away at 39. Sam Beall, the Proprietor of the acclaimed resort property Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, passed away in a tragic skiing accident on February 25. The accomplished businessman, who was just 39 years old, was married with five children. Under his visionary leadership, Blackberry Farm became one of the world’s most renowned destinations for food, wine and wellness. Beall was known for his commitment to hospitality, his passion for adventure, his appreciation for fine food and wine, and his great love and passion for family. He is also remembered for his early, important role in championing the nation’s farm-driven culinary renaissance, particularly in the South. Born at Blackberry Farm in 1976, Beall made the Smoky Mountain property his home for much of his life, and in 2002 took over leadership of the destination from his parents, Blackberry Farm founders, Sandy and Kreis Beall. Inspired by both the local, sustainable cuisine he fell in love with while working in California and the heritage traditions he grew up around in the Tennessee Foothills, Beall envisioned Blackberry Farm’s future as a country estate where what’s grown and raised in the fields shapes what’s served at the table. He imagined a place where guests felt like family, a place where people could experience some of life’s simplest yet greatest joys—around the table, on the porch, by the streams or in the gardens, meadows or hills. In just a few years, Beall realized this vision and took Blackberry Farm from a well-kept secret to a world standard-bearer for food, wine, adventure and hospitality. Guided by Beall’s passion and vision, Blackberry Farm earned wide acclaim and accolades, including Travel + Leisure’s Number 1 Hotel in North America and three prestigious James Beard Awards for Best Chef – Southeast, Outstanding Wine Program and Outstanding Service. He led the development of Blackberry’s award-winning farm, food and beverage production programs, which preserve heirloom seeds, honor traditional techniques and celebrate regional food and foodways. He is the author of two cookbooks, The Blackberry Farm Cookbook and The Foothills Cuisine of Blackberry Farm. News of his death quickly rippled through the culinary and hospitality communities, where Beall was counted as a dear friend, loyal ally and visionary colleague. He was thoughtfully recalled as a consummate host, a true gentleman and a modern renaissance man. Beall was also a quiet advocate for sustainable food systems and artisan processes. Long before they became trends, Sam championed various nonprofits dedicated to preserving the foodways of the South. A majority of the nation’s finest chefs and vintners have shared the kitchens of Blackberry Farm with him over the years; and many note their time at Blackberry as having launched or significantly shaped their careers. Beall is perhaps remembered most fondly for his graciousness, humility, and warmth. He was, as many noted, quick to smile and eager to share. Those characteristics have come to define Blackberry Farm’s signature hospitality. Many have noted his rare gift for making everyone, no matter how new or unfamiliar, feel like a dear friend. It is this welcoming spirit and his boundless commitment to genuinely personal service that helped Blackberry Farm become one of the most celebrated resorts in the world. Before becoming Proprietor, Sam studied at the University of Tennessee and California Culinary Academy. He then apprenticed at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California, where he worked in the dining room, the kitchen and the garden. He also spent time working at the Ritz-Carlton, Cowgirl Creamery and various California wineries—all of which would later fuel his passion for sustainable food and wine and inform his bold vision for Blackberry Farm. Always eager for adventure with family or friends, Beall was an avid cyclist and an outdoors enthusiast. When not welcoming or hosting guests on property, he could be found enjoying the Great Smoky Mountains with his family, and he helped create an award-winning wellness program for Blackberry Farm that emphasizes the balanced lifestyle he so fully embraced. He was the epitome of living life to the fullest with his family, friends, guests and team. Sam was always thinking ahead and ever positive. He gave his all to everything he did. Beall was a devoted son, brother, husband and father—a man deeply loved by all who knew him and worked with him. He chose to put his roots down at Blackberry Farm to raise his family, and made a home where they could cook, live, play and entertain with a view of the Smokies and of the farm he loved so much. He is survived by his father and mother, Sandy Beall and Kreis Beall; and by his wife Mary Celeste Beall and his five children, Cameron, Sam, Rose, Josephine and Lila; as well as his brother David Beall and grandparents Sam and Mary Ann Beall, and David and Jane Bailey. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 1st at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, the family will receive friends beginning at 11:30am. The services will be followed by a private burial. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Sam Beall’s memory may be sent to the Blackberry Farm Foundation or made online at blackberryfarm.com/foundation/give. The fund will support charity organizations that benefit foodways and children—two causes Sam Beall cared deeply about. On-line condolences can be sent to rememberingsam@blackberryfarm.com Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel.

Tributes

Sam Beall

February 25, 2016