Four-Time James Beard Semifinalist Scott Crawford Plans Raleigh Restaurant

Raleigh-based chef Scott Crawford recently gained wide acclaim at the much-celebrated Standard Foods. He racked up a fourth James Beard Foundation Semifinalist nod and earned winning reviews, but less than six months in, he left the Triangle hotspot for a new project. Word spread that Crawford was working on another restaurant, but the details weren't forthcoming. Today, the chef happily introduces his first solo project — Crawford & Son.

Crawford takes on the roles of principal owner and chef at the upcoming eatery located at 618 North Person St., Raleigh. "The feeling will be very neighborhood," said Crawford. He wants to define what a modern, neighborhood restaurant looks like for the capital city. "As for the food, I think people have come to expect a certain style for me, which is a lighter, brighter, Southern style — which will be there, but the overall style will be very neighborhood." The menu will constantly change, depending on what local farmers are producing and what's in season.

A native of rural Pennsylvania, Crawford has whole-heartedly embraced the products and the cuisine of the South. Before Standard Foods, the chef worked at Herons in The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, North Carolina, The Georgian Room at The Cloister Hotel in Sea Island, Georgia, and at The Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville, South Carolina.

When asked why he wanted to stay in Raleigh, Crawford said, "It feels natural. It feels great. It feels authentic." The space that Crawford & Son will debut in was previously a restaurant, so the build-out won't take very long. Look for the new establishment to open this fall.

If those in Charleston want to sample the chef's cuisine in the Lowcountry, Crawfordwill participate in a Crawford & Son pop-up at Mercantile and Mash in Charleston on June 23.