Acclaimed chef’s stint at the Mayton Inn’s Verandah restaurant cut short

Former Little Hen chef Regan Stachler has resigned from his short-lived post as executive chef at Cary’s Mayton Inn, citing a clash of cultures.

“Because of irreconcilable differences, such as previous established culture, not understanding fresh quality food and repeatedly undermining my authority, I have decided to step away from my job at The Mayton Inn,” Stachler said in an email statement Thursday.

Deanna Crossman, who owns the hotel with her husband, Colin, confirmed Stachler’s departure Thursday and said there is no ill will with the chef.

When Stachler took over the Verandah restaurant at the downtown Cary boutique hotel, it was a much anticipated reintroduction for the chef. He closed his acclaimed Little Hen restaurant earlier this year, an Apex farm-to-table restaurant that showed promise and received a four-and-a-half star review from News & Observer dining critic Greg Cox. Stachler took off six months before joining the Mayton Inn.

At Verandah, Stachler’s role was much broader than at Little Hen, requiring the oversight of breakfast, lunch and dinner and frequent banquets rather than dinner service several nights of the week.

“They did give me a chance and I have great respect (for that), but clearly we didn’t see eye to eye in how to run the kitchen,” Stachler said in a phone interview Thursday.

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Acclaimed chef’s stint at the Mayton Inn’s Verandah restaurant cut short."