Press Release
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke Hotel Appoint Culinary Veteran Troy Staffer as Area Executive Chef
Longtime chef continues legacy of fine dining and Southern hospitality at Duke University’s family of luxury hotels
DURHAM, N.C., July 19, 2021 – The AAA Four Diamond Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke Hotel, both located on the campus of Duke University, have appointed Chef Troy Stauffer as Area Executive Chef. Effective immediately, Executive Chef Stauffer is assuming culinary leadership responsibilities previously held by Executive Chef Jason Cunningham, who is pursuing new opportunities after a dynamic and impactful 20-year tenure.
In his new role, Stauffer is overseeing culinary operations at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, JB Duke Hotel and The Lodge at Duke Medical Center. Chef Stauffer’s responsibilities include menu conception, planning and development, and directing daily operations for the award-winning Fairview Dining Room and the Bull Durham Bar at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, in addition to The MarketPlace, MarketPlace Barista Bar and the J. Chou Lobby Lounge at the JB Duke Hotel.
Chef Stauffer has served the Triangle community for more than half of his 23-year culinary career. First joining the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in 2007, Stauffer served as the banquet chef for three years. Following this stint, Stauffer next managed two prestigious culinary operations in downtown Raleigh, The Cardinal Club and its sister property, The Capital City Club, before returning to Durham as the executive chef at the JB Duke Hotel in 2018.
“Troy is already an integral part of our hospitality family. He has demonstrated proven leadership skills and brings a distinctive culinary perspective while also honoring the traditions fostered at the Washington Duke Inn,” said Randy Kolls, area general manager and partner for the three Duke Universityowned properties. “While we will always value and appreciate Jason's contributions to the culinary legacy of the Fairview Dining Room, which has come to define Durham fine dining, we are privileged to have Troy stepping into this new leadership role.”
Stauffer’s food philosophy is globally inspired with Southern influences. Over the past several years, he has infused creativity, bold flavors and fresh, locally-sourced ingredients into the menus at The MarketPlace and J. Chou Lobby Lounge, establishing JB Duke Hotel as a local culinary gem. Stauffer is continuously aware of emerging food trends and customer preferences. He has incorporated menu items that accommodate plantbased and omnivore diets, as well as worked to find opportunities to use sustainable ingredients whenever possible.
Stauffer started his career in northern Wisconsin, where he was accepted into an American Culinary Federation (ACF) culinary apprenticeship program at the AAA Four Diamond Paper Valley Hotel in partnership with Fox Valley Technical College. After working throughout Wisconsin, Troy moved to North Carolina to open Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, another AAA Four Diamond awarded property. Outside of work, Stauffer enjoys spending time with his wife Sarah and their two sons, Dominic and Dylan, along with their four members.
The AAA Four Diamond Restaurant Award winning Fairview Dining Room at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club has come to define Durham fine dining. Known for its regional American specialties and impeccable service, the Fairview Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and traditional Afternoon Tea (reservations required). Visitors can enjoy fresh, thoughtfully crafted food and drinks in the dining room or outside on the property’s expansive patio, with views of the Duke University Golf Club and Duke Forest.
