2026 CLIENT PORTFOLIO
All of my 2026 clients are based in the Asheville/WNC region. For media inquiries, press trips, or partnerships, please email catherine@oneforthebooks.com. Stay up to date with all of OFTB’ clients on social media and with the latest news.
Media kits and assets available.
ASHEVILLE
Embassy Suites downtown
A fast-rising hotel star with multiple awards in the heart of Asheville.
MEDIA KIT
2026 NCRLA Star of the Industry Award
2026 #2 Breakfast in Embassy Suites worldwide
2026 “13 Best Hotels in Asheville” by AFAR
The only Embassy Suites worldwide with a MICHELIN restaurant
2025 Conrad Award (top 1% Embassy Suites worldwide)
2025 GM of the Year Award
Opened in the winter of 2023, the Embassy Suites Downtown Asheville features 188 quiet and spacious suites, complimentary made-to-order breakfast and evening receptions, all amenities, as well as one of the city’s only indoor pools. On the rooftop, you'll find Soprana, home to award-winning and MICHELIN-recommended pizza and cocktails. A practical base for both business travel and long weekend stay, the hotel frequently hosts regional events and conferences, positioning it as part of the city’s civic and tourism infrastructure.
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TRUST
The retreats at spring creek preserve
A secluded mountain preserve offering a storied stay with private trails and more.
Certified Wildlife Habitat (National Wildlife Federation and NC Wildlife Federation)
Space is the new self-care. Located in Trust, North Carolina halfway between Asheville and Hot Springs, The Retreats at Spring Creek Preserve are setting a new standard for mountain getaways. Situated in a private park-like nature sanctuary spanning 80 acres in the Pisgah National Forest, The Retreats feature a secluded historic log cabin that becomes your mountain sanctuary, complete with 5 miles of private professionally designed trails, a hot tub with views, Le Creuset-outfitted kitchen, heated bathroom floors and more. It appeals to travelers seeking quiet, rural immersion and creekside landscapes away from urban centers, reflecting the broader demand for slow travel and restorative stays. Plans are in the works to build additional private cabins on the preserve, one at a time, to keep the experience thoughtful and sustainable.
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ASHEVILLE
jettie rae’s oyster house
Award-winning oyster house bringing seafood culture to the NC mountains.
2026 TripAdvisor Best of the Best - Top 5 Restaurant in the United States
2025 Eater Carolinas “Most Essential Restaurants in Asheville”
2025 TimeOut’s “Best Restaurants in Asheville”
2025 Best of WNC Awards for Seafood and Cocktails
Jettie Rae’s Oyster House focuses on oysters, Atlantic seafood, and Southern hospitality traditions within a landlocked mountain city. The restaurant reflects Asheville’s appetite for destination dining and seafood sourcing from the coast, creating an interesting supply chain and cultural story.
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ASHEVILLE
DoubleTree downtown
An acclaimed oasis of relaxation with sweeping views of the Blue Ridge.
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Positioned near Asheville’s commercial and cultural core, DoubleTree Downtown Asheville provides some of the most spacious accommodations (larger than standard DoubleTree properties), on-site dining at The Montford Rooftop Bar, and meeting space geared toward corporate travelers and tour groups. It reflects the city’s steady growth in professional travel while still functioning as a leisure base for visitors exploring the Blue Ridge region.
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ASHEVILLE
Firelight at shope creek
A boutique nature-focused retreat that blends modern Scandinavian design with Appalachian quiet in Asheville.
2026 “13 Best Hotels in Asheville” by AFAR
Firelight at Shope Creek offers architecturally distinctive 1-bedroom cabins set in a wooded landscape near Asheville. Founded by owners and longtime friends Shari Robins and Amy Cavanaugh, Firelight is women-built and women-powered from ownership to architecture to landscape design. It attracts individuals, couples, women-focused retreats, and others seeking privacy without sacrificing proximity to the city. Amenities include private hot tubs at each cabin, wood fireplaces, full kitchens, flower and herb gardens for guests, heated bathroom pools, a private sauna and hiking trails. The property speaks to the rise of intentional, small-scale lodging built around design and nature.
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ASHEVILLE
Soprana rooftop cucina
Alps meets Appalachia in this award-winning rooftop dining destination.
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2025 MICHELIN Recommended Restaurant
2025 Pizza Today PIE Award - Best In The Southeast
2025 Best of WNC Award for Restaurant With a View
2026 NCRLA Star of the Industry Award
Soprana is the only MICHELIN restaurant in any Embassy Suites in the world, offering a lens into how the city’s food scene is moving upward, literally and economically. After spending months studying and working with a master piazzolo based in New York, Philip Bollhoefer carefully chose every brick, olive oil, and tomato source before opening Soprana in 2024 on the rooftop. With unobstructed views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Soprana is known for its sunset dining over pizza, cocktails, and salads, working with unique local flavors such as Asheville Bee Charmer hot honey, North Carolina truffles, Chop Shop Butchery meats, and serving Spicewalla red pepper flakes at the table.
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ASHEVILLE
the montford
A high-altitude cocktail bar where every sip and bite creatively is a love letter to local ingredients.
MEDIA KIT
2025 WNC Best of Awards for Bar with A View
Celebrating 10 Years in 2026
One of Asheville’s first rooftop bars
The Montford opened in the summer of 2016 as one of the first rooftop bars in Asheville. Featuring sweeping views of the Appalachian Mountains and a menu so locally-focused it included fresh herbs and edible flowers grown on the rooftop patio by Chef (now VP of Food & Bev) Philip Bollhoefer, guests flocked to the 53-seat bar to watch the sun set and bask in four-season fresh air (blankets and heaters are plentiful in the colder months).
In 2026, they celebrate their 10th year and are introducing a fully revived menu under the F&B direction of Chef Heather Hickman and Joel Abshier, returning to their focus on local ingredients.
This is a place for al fresco snacks and drinks, panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, imple and warm hospitality without posturing, a place to finish up work or grab a post-hike beverage.
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ASHEVILLE
the majestic
A love letter to iconic New York Chinese-American restaurants and the newest arrival in Asheville’s dining scene.
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Opening mid-July 2026
The Majestic, the fourth concept from The Scheffer Group, is slated to open in late May 2026. Like Eric Scheffer’s other restaurants, The Majestic is a love letter to his New York childhood and the iconic dining destinations he grew up with, leaving a timeless impression on how he shaped his palate and his career. The North Asheville neighborhood takeout/dine-in spot will answer a years-long demand for more Chinese food options in Asheville.
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ASHEVILLE
vinnie’s italian
A no-reservations locals’ favorite Italian restaurant, rooted in family-style hospitality, with two locations.
2025 TripAdvisor Best of the Best Awards - Top 5 Restaurant in the U.S.
2025 WNC Best of Awards - Best Bartender, Best Italian, Best Restaurant
Celebrating 16 years in business in 2026
Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian is known for classic red-sauce dishes, pasta, and a loyal local following. In a city known for trend-driven restaurants, Vinnie’s represents durability and neighborhood identity, offering a counterpoint to constant culinary reinvention. There are two locations, Vinnie’s Original (North Asheville) and Vinnie’s South (South Asheville).
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2025 Best of WNC Awards for Best Takeout
Gan Shan serves dumplings, noodle bowls, and globally influenced comfort dishes in a casual setting. It has become part of Asheville’s evolution from Appalachian food town to globally curious dining destination, offering a story about regional taste expansion and approachable Asian-inspired cuisine. Executive Chef Ray Hui is a first generation Chinese American and grew up in his family restaurants, now bringing his philosophy of comfort food and some family recipes to the table in this quaint takeout gem in West Asheville.
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ASHEVILLE
asheville proper
The city’s only live-fire steakhouse, in a restored Art Deco dining space within downtown’s Grove Arcade.
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Asheville Proper is a live fire steakhouse built around a clear, disciplined idea: It's not worth doing something if it's not done properly. An “everything touches the fire” approach shapes the entire experience, from dry-aged steaks and whole-animal cuts to vegetables and sides that carry the same depth and intention, with a wood-fired grill at the center.
The beverage program rounds it out in a way that holds its own. The cocktail list is thoughtful and restrained. The wine program leans into structure and pairing, with bottles that support the richness of dry-aged beef while still leaving room for lighter, seasonal dishes. It completes the experience in a way that feels cohesive from start to finish. The dessert program deserves its own spotlight, too.
Asheville Proper is run by longtime Asheville hospitality figures: owners Mindi & Owen McGlynn, Executive Chef Jason Sweeney, and GM Michael Pearce.
Located in Asheville’s historic Grove Arcade in the heart of downtown, this is the classic American steakhouse, reinterpreted for a new century: Original Art Deco ornaments have been beautifully restored and brought into focus again. Marble flooring, alabaster walls, 1920s-inspired lighting, and organic wooden elements create a sumptuous space for dining or enjoying a refreshing cocktail.
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BLACK MOUNTAIN
Oak & grist
North Carolina’s 100% grain to glass distillery, producing small batch whiskey and gin.
2025 Gold Medal - American Single Malt Whiskey - San Francisco World Spirits Competition
2026 Best Distilleries - Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine
Oak & Grist is a total grain to glass distillery in Black Mountain, North Carolina, producing small batch whiskey and genever anchored in local agriculture, Appalachian flavor, and traditional distilling methods. Founded in 2017, the distillery is one of North Carolina’s only 100% grain to glass producers, and the only one crafting spirits from locally grown and malted barley sourced within 60 miles of the distillery. Its story sits at the intersection of craft spirits, regional farming, Scottish distilling influence, and WNC hospitality. Beyond their bottles, Oak & Grist has grown into a cocktail bar/tasting room, education space, and local gathering place, offering tours, tastings, cocktail classes, community events, a covered patio and garden, mocktails, and local beer and wine. As the brand approaches its 10-year anniversary in 2027, Oak & Grist has regional and national recognition for what it has already become: a serious craft spirits producer with a distinct sense of place, and a Black Mountain destination that gives locals and visitors a reason to return.
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BLACK MOUNTAIN
BEV’S STEAK
One of the hottest new restaurants in the region and Black Mountain’s only steakhouse, created by longtime hospitality leaders Jake & Ali Whitman.
2026 - The Hottest New Steakhouses in America - Eater
Bev’s Steak is a local, chef-owned fine dining restaurant in Black Mountain, created by local hospitality leaders chef Jake Whitman (formerly The Admiral, Native Kitchen, Pure & Proper) and GM Ali Whitman. Opened in December 2025, the restaurant brings together the menu of a classic steakhouse with Asian influenced flavors, regional farm sourcing, and a cozy, speakeasy atmosphere. Named in honor of Jake’s grandmother Beverly, the 58-seat restaurant is tucked into a 1920s space on Cherry Street in the heart of downtown Black Mountain, giving it the feeling of a hidden local discovery. From patio cocktails to family dinners to special occasions, this is Black Mountain’s only steakhouse and poised to become of the best dining destinations in the city.
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BLOWING ROCK
CAFE VIOLETTE
A cozy restaurant delivering a taste of the French Mediterranean with seasonal local produce in the heart of NC’s High Country.
Located in Blowing Rock and tucked into a sunny courtyard in the heart of town, Cafe Violette is an under-the-radar French dining experience in a two story intimate space. The dinner menu takes inspiration from the French Riviera while remaining seasonal. Owners Catherine Thomas, Sunshine Martin and executive chef Kyle Martin (formerly The Gamekeeper, manna, Surfhouse) have created a restaurant that is truly at ease with itself. You won't find trendy plating or time limits here. Every bread, sauce, and dessert is made in-house. The wine list is thoughtful. This experience encourages you to slow down and stay awhile. You can recreate part of your experience at Tout Suite, their French bakery, cafe and gourmet market next door.
BLOWING ROCK
TOUT SUITE
Take a culinary trip to Provence from the heart of Blowing Rock at this all-day French bakery, cafe, and gourmet market.
Enjoy French staples like jambon buerre, quiche lorraine, or a croissant at Tout Suite, made fresh daily in-house by co-owner Sunshine Martin (formerly of The Gamekeeper, 9 Bakery & Lounge, Love Lydia) and her team. Along with coffee exclusively roasted for the cafe by Local Lion, guests can pick up picnic-friendly foods and wine, host gifts, or a snack. Open a bottle of bubbly in the courtyard to enjoy with friends, or take it with you. Their menu features pastries, sandwiches, and one of two places in the area to enjoy fresh ice cream (especially welcome after a day hiking in the mountains).
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About US
One For The Books is a PR studio for food, beverage, and hospitality brands, with 20 years' experience advising and building campaigns and a particular specialization in reviving legacy brands (10-100+ years old).
