Meet Chef Lucindy Willis
The Winemaker and The Chef: When Wine Met Food
Debbie Stikeleather, owner of The Winery at Iron Gate Farm in Mebane, NC, is pleased to announce her newly formed partnership with gourmet chef Lucindy Willis of Caswell County. During the upcoming year, Lucindy will host a series of cooking classes/demos at the winery. In addition, she will design and prepare seasonal menus for Iron Gate’s quarterly Supper Club** destination evenings to be hosted at the vineyard. All are open to the public.
These women bring a veritable smorgasbord of combined talent and experience to their new venture. Debbie is president and owner of the winery, and she is also its winemaker. It is rare to find a female winemaker in North Carolina, and Debbie’s example and expertise are sought after by North Carolinians from all walks who seek to learn about the world of wine.
In addition to combining flavors and preparing fresh, local foods, Lucindy holds a Ph.D. in English literature. She retired from NCSU to open The Yancey House restaurant in Yanceyville, NC, an historic home which she lovingly converted to Caswell County’s famed ‘purple house.’ In 2009 and 2011, the restaurant took first place in the Casual Dining category of the Best Dish in NC statewide competition. Lucindy is now Chef Emeritus of the Yancey House Restaurant (now closed), and now resides at Terrapin Cove Farm, also in Yanceyville.
From time to time, Lucindy will be sharing food and wine tips and recipes using Iron Gate wines.
Debbie and Lucindy are fast friends who have decided to join together to offer high-interest food and wine experiences at the winery. Each event promises to be fun, educational, and unique, all in a setting that is in itself a destination.
