Chef Jacob Sessoms takes 'radical' approach in new RAD dining, bar concepts

ASHEVILLE - A local restaurateur is imparting his expertise to create unique dining and drink-centered experiences at a new boutique hotel opening soon in Asheville.

The Radical, slated to open in October, is undergoing extensive renovations at 95 Roberts St. to transform the formerly vacant 1920s breakfast cereal factory into a chic destination echoing the city’s vibrant River Arts District.

A “rebel luxe interior” design with modern additions was chosen that incorporates the building’s original features, like the exposed brick walls and concrete pillars, to create a “bold” and “daring” look and attitude.

Original street art and other exhibited work from local artists will adorn the guest rooms and suites and public areas intended to further push convention.

“Every room has a custom mural that they’re currently working on for the 70 rooms, and there’s a bunch of work that’s being done in each common area – the stairwells, the entryways. It’s pretty cool,” said Jacob Sessoms, a James Beard Award-nominated chef and food and beverage consultant for The Radical.

The Radical, owned by Hatteras Sky and operated by Lark Hotels, will feature three novel food and beverage concepts to wow travelers staying a night and locals dropping in for a bite.

Sessoms, who owns Table and All Day Darling restaurants, has consulted on many restaurant and bar projects during his 18 years in Asheville, including Wicked Weed Brewing’s Cultura.

Here’s how Sessoms is planning on elevating The Radical from the chophouse to the coffee shop-deejay lounge to the rooftop bar with a golden view.

Afterglow

Afterglow, the coffee and cocktail bar, will be adjacent to the lobby and check-in desk on the fourth-floor street level, accessible from Roberts Street.

By day, freshly baked savory and sweet pastries and light bites will be served alongside a full coffee menu for breakfast and lunch service.

Counter Culture, a sustainable specialty coffee roaster, will supply single-origin and blended coffee.

Bread, croissants and other baked goods will be prepared by The Radical’s in-house baking team.

The lunch menu will offer items like salads and sandwiches.

“It’s kind of like an All Day Darling vibe during the day then turning into more like moody cocktail-focused in the afternoon,” Sessoms said.

In the afternoon, the space will flip into a cocktail and deejay bar playing down-tempo beats.

The small bites menu will feature skewers, sandwiches, dips and other shareable dishes to nibble on while taking sips.

Handcrafted draft cocktails will be poured at the bar, plus coffee-infused drinks, such as an espresso martini and warm chai cocktails.

Golden Hour

Golden Hour, a wood-fire chophouse and pub, will be one level below Afterglow on the third floor.

The bar-focused restaurant will offer window views looking out over the river and sunset, hence the name “Golden Hour.”

Luxury-style draft cocktails will be featured on the bar menu.

The dining menu will feature a variety of small plates incorporating fresh, locally sourced vegetables, like skewers.

“The other half of the menu, think center of the plate chophouse stuff ― big proteins cooked over the wood grill, both individual sized and big family-sized, table-sized sharable portions,” Sessoms said.

Guests can sink their teeth into an extra-large steak, whole chicken and lobster and more kissed by the fire.

The finalized menu will be closer to the opening, but Sessoms intends to present seasonal dishes ‘Country Captain’ corn salad, barbecued Japanese sweet potato skewers and North Carolina fish crudo, slow-grilled porchetta and Carolina Wreckfish and Brasstown beef ribeye.

Small bites may include crawfish beignets, calamari and deviled crab dip.

“It’s meant for that convivial party ― sharing dining-focused vibe,” Sessoms said.

The Roof

The Roof, a 125-person capacity rooftop bar, will be on the sixth floor and overlook the RAD and the French Broad River.

“It’s wonderful west-facing views from the rooftop, so the perfect sunset spot,” Sessoms said.

Guests also will find an easygoing cocktail program and small bites of farm-fresh ingredients and innovative regional dishes.

“The Roof is about fun and fast. The environment up there, I want people to get up there and have fun and get drinks quickly,” Sessoms said.

Afterglow, Golden Hour and The Roof are slated to open by late October.

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The Radical

Where: 95 Roberts St., Asheville.

Opening: Tentatively October 2023.

Info: For more, visit theradicalavl.com and follow on Instagram at @theradicalhotelavl.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: The Radical opening in RAD with new concepts by Chef Jacob Sessoms