When FOODE founding partner and Executive Chef Joy Crump moved the restaurant to its current location at 900 Princess Anne Street in Fredericksburg, she took great care to keep the original layout of the building.
The only feature that was removed as part of the business’s 2015 transition was a set of steps outside the entrance known as the “Lincoln Steps,” where President Abraham Lincoln addressed the Union troops during the Civil War.
The steps were replaced by the same type of limestone, and the original steps are on display outside the Fredericksburg Area Museum, as they would not have been able to withstand the volume of customers who dine at FOODE.
The owners’ commitment to historic preservation helped FOODE become one of 50 restaurants nationwide to receive a $50,000 grant from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a part of its “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” program. The funds from the grant are to be allocated to rejuvenate, innovate, and expand their businesses while ensuring that the legacies of the historic buildings they inhabit remain intact.
“This particular grant is specifically for preserving the use of historical buildings for restaurants,” Crump explained. “Not many people understand that restaurants like mine bring a lot of volume and different uses to a building that may not be used to it.”
Since the program’s inception in 2021, the grant has awarded $3 million to 75 historic restaurants to assist them in addressing critical needs amid ongoing economic challenges.
Prior to FOODE’s arrival, the building on Princess Anne was home to the National Bank Building, also known as the Farmer’s Bank of Fredericksburg. The restaurant partnered with JON Properties, a real estate development company that does residential and commercial restorations around the Fredericksburg area, to restore the building, which was originally constructed in 1819.
“We didn’t change a single thing on the layout of the building when opening FOODE,” Crump said. “Instead, we uncovered the original floors, crown molding, archways, and windows of the building. It was a massive undertaking, and [JON Properties owner] Mike Adams did it with the utmost respect to the original building.”
In addition to being the executive chef and co-owner of FOODE since its establishment in January 2011, Crump also competed in season 12 of “Top Chef: Boston in 2014”.
“It was a very surreal experience, but taught me I am not a competitive chef by any means,” Crump said. “I have always viewed cooking as more of a collaborative experience and like to plan and take my time, which wasn’t what was going to win that competition. Every chef on there was amazing, but it just wasn’t my playing field.”
In an Instagram post announcing the grant, it was noted that the funds will be used to do behind-the-scenes work to ensure that the building can be maintained for years to come.
“Having been in this building for almost a decade, we need to care for some of the unsexy stuff the customers won’t usually see,” Crump said. “We are going to be working on the exterior door, as it is still the original door to the building and must meet certain standards, according to the City of Fredericksburg, since it is one of the very first things you see, along with some electrical and air conditioning work that is needed.”
FOODE serves seasonal new American food and uses local seasonings and produce to craft their menus, which include lunch, dinner, and brunch.
“As we watch all these new restaurants open around us along with the classic downtown restaurants that have been open for years, we just want to remain an important part of the downtown Fredericksburg restaurant scene,” Crump said. “People should come to Fredericksburg to see everything we have to offer here, not just to eat. Grants like this are life-changing as no one has the money around to do this and we are so thankful for this opportunity.”
