Chefs Mike Long, left, and Matthew Krenz, right. Photo courtesy.

Matthew Krenz is leaving The Asbury next month, Unpretentious Palate has learned. He and his wife Rachel recently had a baby girl, and Krenz will stay at home with her after his wife returns to work.

The kitchen remains in good hands. Chef de Cuisine Mike Long will transition into the executive chef position, though the transition should not be too difficult. Long has been at the Asbury since 2016. He shares the commitment to using local ingredients the restaurant has held since Chris Coleman, now executive chef at Stoke, launched the concept.

Long is a Johnson & Wales graduate, and worked with chef Blake Hartwick at Bonterra before joining The Asbury. His cooking style is ingredient-driven, relying on pure execution and layers of flavor and texture instead of showy tricks.

The Asbury, an Uptown restaurant in the Dunhill Hotel, uses local ingredients to tell the story of the South and show off modern Southern cuisine. In our review of The Asbury, we mentioned the kitchen’s ability to serve consistently solid plates, thanks to Long and the talented staff under Krenz.

Also at The Asbury is pastry chef Miranda Brown, who trained under 300 East’s Ashely Boyd and went on to win this year’s pastry chef of the year award from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association.

As executive chef, Long will also be responsible for the hotel’s banquet services and hotel dining. Krenz’s last day at the restaurant will be in mid-November. —Kristen Wile