Photo courtesy of Harriman's Grill
The fire pit at Harriman's Grill at Salamander resort in Middleburg.
Harrimans Grill, the signature Forbes Five-Star restaurant at Salamander Middleburg resort, has appointed Bin Lu as Chef de Cuisine. Acclaimed for his precision, creativity, and refined approach to modern American cuisine, Lu brings more than 15 years of experience in top kitchens across the United States and abroad.
Salamander Middleburg resort is about an hour's drive from Alexandria.
Photo by Scott Suchman
Chef Bin Headshots - 1
Chef Bin Lu at Harriman's Grill
Lu joins Harrimans from The Restaurant at Blue Rock in Washington, Virginia, where he served as executive chef and general manager and spearheaded the reopening of the historic property. Previously, Lu led the kitchen at Pineapple and Pearls, the celebrated two-Michelin-star restaurant in Washington, D.C., where he served as head chef. He also worked under Eric Ziebold at Cityzen in D.C., and earlier in his career sharpened his skills at top culinary institutions including Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina in D.C., Manresa in California under David Kinch, and Attica in Melbourne, Australia with Ben Shewry.
“I’m both excited and humbled to be joining Salamander’s exceptional team,” said Lu. “I look forward to working with the Harrimans team and helping create memorable experiences within this stunning setting.”
Born in Shanghai and raised in the United States, Lu took an unconventional path into the culinary world. It wasn’t until his college years at the University of Virginia that he discovered his passion for cooking – trading textbooks for tasting menus and ultimately choosing the kitchen over a more traditional career track. That late-blooming passion has since propelled him to the forefront of America’s fine dining scene.
In his new role at Harrimans, Lu will showcase the rich agricultural bounty of Virginia through seasonal, ingredient-driven menus. The restaurant features bold and flavorful dishes celebrating the rich resources and history of the state’s most fertile region.
The cuisine is locally driven and based on the bounty of Middleburg’s surrounding farms, butchers, and specialty sourced seafood from coastal water, while the carefully curated wine program showcases renowned wines of Virginia, including a vertical tasting of RDV Lost Mountain vintages from 2012 to 2021, as well as strong representation from Napa Valley, Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux.
The octagonal-shaped dining room features sweeping views of Salamander’s pastoral estate and offers a dedicated Cooking Studio, expansive Culinary Garden and firepits perfect for after-dinner drinks.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chef Lu to the Salamander Middleburg family,” said Scott Little, managing director of Salamander Middleburg. “His commitment to culinary excellence and boundary-pushing creativity aligns beautifully with our vision for Harrimans Grill as one of the region’s most exciting and elegant dining experiences.”
Located on 340 picturesque acres in the storied village of Middleburg – the heart of Virginia’s famed horse and wine country – Salamander Middleburg is located only 35 minutes from Washington Dulles International Airport. The luxury resort is one of only five properties in the United States and 26 globally to earn separate Forbes Five-Star Awards for its accommodations, restaurant and spa. Designed to blend into the surrounding rolling countryside, it draws its architectural inspiration from Resort Owner Sheila Johnson’s nearby farm and offers a series of immersive experiences unique to the area, including Harrimans, the Salamander Spa, a tree-top zip line tour, and a 22-stall equestrian center with riding arena. The resort has also recently developed Residences at Salamander, which offers luxury, built-for-sale homes within a pristine landscape.
About Salamander Collection
Salamander Collection is privately owned and operated, and based in Middleburg, VA, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded by entrepreneur Sheila Johnson, it has a luxury portfolio featuring the Forbes Five-Star Salamander Middleburg, an equestrian-inspired property in the Virginia countryside; Salamander Washington DC, elegantly and recently enhanced along the capital’s vibrant Southwest waterfront and featuring the highly acclaimed Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi; Half Moon, the storied resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, featuring three distinct experiences including the acclaimed Eclipse; Aspen Meadows Resort, which features sweeping views on 40 beautiful acres in Aspen, CO’s west end and newly renovated Herbert Bayer-inspired accommodations and arrival experience; Hotel Bennett, a spectacular grand hotel in Charleston, SC, overlooking the city’s historic Marion Square; Innisbrook Resort in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, which hosts the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship each year on its famed Copperhead Course; and PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, which recently underwent a $100 million enhancement and hosts the PGA TOUR’s Cognizant Classic each year on its renowned Champion Course.www.SalamanderHotels.com
...
