CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville food writer Simon Davidson, founder of Charlottesville29.com, joined Cville Right Now Live to reflect on the powerful culinary legacy of local chef Craig Hartman. During a recent trip to Connecticut, Davidson visited two acclaimed restaurants, Present Company and The Foundry, both led by Jeff Lizotte, a former student of Hartman’s. “It was just so wild to be up there… eating food influenced by Craig Hartman,” Davidson said.
Hartman, a fixture in the local dining scene for decades, earned a spot on Davidson’s “Mount Rushmore of Charlottesville chefs.” His influence runs deep, not just through restaurants he built like The Clifton Inn and BBQ Exchange, but through the chefs he mentored. “To me, it’s fair to say Craig Hartman is the most influential chef that I’ve ever known in the Charlottesville area,” Davidson shared. He added that Hartman once served as the head culinary instructor at Cornell, amplifying his reach even further…