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About your hosts, Damian and Betsy Heath |
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About your hosts, Damian and Betsy Heath |
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Damian Heath grew up in Berkeley Springs, the son of award-winning artists Jonathan and Jan Heath. His career began not at a culinary institute, but at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he studied philosophy and art history.
After two years of undergraduate studies, he went to the renowned Baltimore International Culinary College. While in culinary school, he trained in Europe under Executive Chef Peter Timmins, now head chef of the world-famous Greenbrier Resort. When he returned from Europe, he worked at the Yellow Brick Bank Restaurant in Shepherdstown as sous chef when he met his future wife, Betsy a waitress/hostess at the restaurant. Betsy also grew up in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, in Berkeley County. She was attending Shepherd College, pursuing a BA in Fine Arts, when she and Damian met. After a whirlwind courtship, they decided to move to Charleston, South Carolina, where Betsy again pursued a BA in fine arts, this time at the College of Charleston. Their first year there, Damian worked in several upscale restaurants while there, as well as doing catering in his spare time. Betsy worked catering on weekends and for the Gibbes Museum of Art Studio full time during the week. After leaving the studio, she went to work full time helping to open Plaza Grill,a new upscale restaurant. Once open, she bartended and waited tables. |
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two were approached to open and run an upscale restaurant (for the first
year) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They decided to go for it,
and once again Betsy's college career was put on hold!
In December 1997, they moved to Buxton, NC to open the Labrador Oceanic Bistro. It took four months of preparation and on April 2, 1998, the restaurant opened. Damian's menu was revolutionary for the area, business was wonderful and they had a great season. But Damian's vision for his ideal restaurant remained in his hometown of Berkeley Springs, knowing that it would be a great environment for a small, upscale and eclectic restaurant. In January of 1998, an old house on Warren Street in Berkeley Springs (where Lot 12 is now) went up for sale. The Heaths had been discussing their future and knew that Berkeley Springs was their destiny. Once they saw how perfect the house was, it was settled. In November of 1998, when their obligation to the Bistro was fulfilled, they moved back to Berkeley Springs and after getting married in November of 1998, dove head first into the business and haven't looked back! Lot 12 Public House opened for business on August 12, 1999. |
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about the beer & wine ~ tour lot 12 ~ directions |
Lot 12 Public House Open Wed-Sun, 5pm. Closed Mon, Tues and January. Winter Hours May Vary. Serving fine contemporary cuisine, distinctive wines, microbrews and fine spirits. Full bar available. |
