{"id":379958,"date":"2026-05-07T12:00:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenvillejournal.com\/?p=379958"},"modified":"2026-05-06T14:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T18:00:03","slug":"get-to-know-hotel-harteness-new-chef-bear-weekly-dish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenvillejournal.com\/eat-drink\/get-to-know-hotel-harteness-new-chef-bear-weekly-dish\/","title":{"rendered":"Get to know new Hotel Hartness chef ‘Bear’ Hillard: Weekly Dish"},"content":{"rendered":"

In addition to being a worthy stop along a cocktail crawl,<\/a> Patterson Kitchen + Bar at Hotel Hartness is known as a chef-driven culinary destination \u2013 even boasting its own farm and farmer\u2019s market.<\/p>\n

The hotel and its attendant restaurant have a new chef on the line: Curtis \u201cChef Bear\u201d Hillard.<\/p>\n

Hillard is a Pinehurst Resort alum, which is known less for its accommodations and more for its reputation as the \u201cCradle of American Golf.\u201d In a similar way, Hilliard\u2019s career as a chef is occasionally shadowed by his role as as a James Beard Foundation member and support for the Bocuse d\u2019Or competition \u2013 an Olympics-style cooking competition in France. His presence in these arenas displays a deep commitment to innovation and merit.<\/p>\n

So what does this all mean for Patterson<\/a>?<\/p>\n

One of the items Hillard is most excited about is wild mushroom bruschetta. The dish is served on a thick crostini with whipped ricotta. The mushrooms are saut\u00e9ed with salt and cracked pepper and topped with herb vinaigrette arugula, pecorino Romano and a hint of truffle oil.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little over the top, layered, but still grounded in something simple \u2013 and that balance is probably the best reflection of my personality on the menu,\u201d he said in response to an emailed question.<\/p>\n

One of the questions I asked Hillard was: \u201cWhich of the new dishes are most indicative of your personality or upbringing and why?\u201d<\/p>\n

He replied: \u201cI don\u2019t usually design menus thinking about myself directly, but there are definitely elements that come through,\u201d he said. Instead, he explained that his childhood in the Midwest wasn\u2019t over-complicated. Meat and potatoes were a staple and he was exposed to other cultures\u2019 cuisine through his friends. With that in mind, he explained that roasted chicken was most reflective of his meals at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look at chefs like Julia Child, Jacques P\u00e9pin, and Thomas Keller, they show you that something as simple as a roasted chicken can still be one of the most refined and technically demanding dishes if you do it right. That idea has always stayed with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, for a dish that most mirrors the chef\u2019s values, he chose the arancini croquettes which utilizes Carolina Gold rice in place of arborio with pimento cheese. The \u201cfried rice balls\u201d are complimented by macerated green strawberries in pepper jelly and finished with elements of sorghum, red vein sorrel, microgreens and white balsamic vinaigrette with lime.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt hits everything I care about \u2013 using local product, respecting tradition, and applying technique in a way that elevates the dish without losing what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bite-sized bits<\/strong><\/p>\n