Le Bec Fin’s Steve Eckerd Is Heading To the Mainland Inn

As the final foot on Le Bec Fin dropped yesterday there was news that current chef Steven Eckerd would be landing at the old Mainland Inn in Harleysville, Montgomery County. The Mainland Inn, constructed in 1760, has been closed for almost three years and was purchased by Sloane Six and Scott Clemons, who also run the nearby Quarry Hill Farm, where Eckerd has served as agricultural architect.

Eckerd will bring an honest farm-to-table-concept to the inn, all you need to know to understand Eckerd’s connection with local farmers is to follow his Twitter feed, which is predominantly him talking to local farmers. The menu will feature the freshest, ripest and most flavorful organic produce Eckerd can get his hands on. Eckerd aims to “bring health-conscious, approachable organic meals to the Philadelphia region.” Eckerd says it Mainland Inn will be fine dining, “but it’ll be in a setting that will have a little more of a purpose than just the fine dining experience itself.”

Eckerd, who served as sous chef at Le Bec Fin since it reopened in June, 2012, was promoted to chef de cuisine in February. Eckerd will work with chef Justin Bogle over the summer as Bogle takes the iconic Walnut Street restaurant in a new direction.

Eckerd who studied at the Culinary Institute of America, trained under Francois Bruel and Eddy Leroux at Daniel. In Philadelphia he worked under Marc Vetri at Osteria and Vetri.

New owner: Mainland Inn set to reopen in September [Souderton Independent]

Photo via Souderton Independent