Fine Dining is Rooted in the Earth at restaurant foraged. in Lovettsville
When Chef Chris Amendola first stepped into a restaurant kitchen as a 14-year-old dishwasher, he knew immediately where his life was headed. By 15, he was in culinary school. Today, after a career spanning top kitchens from New York to Baltimore, Chef Chris has stepped into the next chapter of his culinary vision in Lovettsville.
In January 2026, Chef Chris officially took over the historic farm and restaurant that sits at the edge of Virginia overlooking the Potomac River. What was once The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm is reimagined as restaurant foraged. at patowmack farm. Chef Chris, alongside Sommelier and Front of House Manager Kenny Grandon, is elevating the farm-to-table concept into a hyper-seasonal, fine-dining experience deeply tied to the Virginia countryside.
It was a match made in Northern Virginia. For Chef Chris, moving foraged. from Baltimore to Western Loudoun was about finding the ideal environment to match his philosophy.
“It was the perfect setting,” Chef notes. “The end goal was having an operating farm and this fit the concept. This was an opportunity to dial it in even more.”
The 40-acre property features about 20 acres of open pasture alongside dense, wooded forest and offers an ideal backdrop for an edible forest and hyper-local sourcing. Armed with farming and harvesting experience learned in South Carolina and New York, Chef Chris shapes his five-course chef tasting menus around what local growers harvest each week.
“We preserve a lot of the great ingredients we get throughout spring and summer so we can enjoy them in the winter when we’re all getting a little tired of eating root vegetables and potatoes,” Chef states. The kitchen works hand-in-hand with neighboring Loudoun farms, including Long Stone Farm, Georges Mill Farm, and Flora and Fauna Homestead.
The beverage program mirrors this commitment to regional terroir. foraged. serves an all-Virginia wine pairing lineup alongside an all-Loudoun craft beer roster, a commitment that recently earned the restaurant a Top 5 ranking statewide for supporting Virginia wine and named Kenny a 2026 Steward of Virginia Wine.
While the kitchen operates with fine-dining precision, driven by Chef Chris’s pursuit of perfection in both cooking and service, the dining room remains intentionally warm, unpretentious, and welcoming to all.
“We want the atmosphere to feel relaxed and welcoming, but when it comes to the food and service, we’re constantly pushing ourselves to execute at the highest level and be the best at what we do,” says Chef. Guests are encouraged to dress however they feel comfortable and leave the outside world behind. “We want people to feel like they’re coming into our home. You can have an incredible fine dining experience without all the stuffiness that sometimes comes with it.”
Looking ahead, Chef Chris’s long-term vision includes acquiring the property within the year, renovating the facility, and eventually expanding the site into a bed-and-breakfast destination.
Chef Chris built his original brands, C&J Hospitality and Amendola Restaurant Group, through grit, passion, and personal independence. As he builds his staff at foraged., he plans to create an inclusive culture where technical skills take a back seat to character.
“We can train anybody to do anything,” Chef states. “Fit and culture are the main things I need.”
restaurant foraged. is hiring for all front-of-house and back-of-house positions, seeking employees who have a passion for local craft and a service mindset.
Working at foraged. offers culinary and hospitality professionals the chance to escape the urban grind, collaborate directly with local producers, and be part of a growing, independent restaurant project from the ground up.
restaurant foraged. at patowmack farm is located at 42461 Lovettsville Road and is open Thursday & Friday at 6-9 pm, Saturday at 5-9 pm, and Sunday 4-8 pm.
Interested applicants and community members are encouraged to reach out directly to Chef Chris Amendola to discuss open roles and opportunities to collaborate. To learn more, please visit their website at restaurantforaged.com.