A Soulful Shrimp & Grits Recipe From Fairview Dining Room

By Kyle Marie McMahon

Shrimp & Grits is one of those iconic dishes that defines Southern cuisine, but it’s a rare thing to find a version that truly stops you in your tracks. At Fairview Dining Room, the AAA Four Diamond restaurant inside the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, area executive chef Troy Stauffer has taken on the challenge of elevating this beloved classic. The goal, as the team describes it, is a dish that feels “equal parts soulful and sophisticated.”

While the foundation of the dish—creamy, flavorful grits and plump shrimp—never changes, the components around it are updated to reflect the best of the season. As fall approaches, the current version is a rich and comforting take. It features locally sourced grits from Cold Water Creek in Concord, Tasso ham from the late chef Paul Prudhomme’s company, and a refined Southern white gravy, all balanced by a bright, piquant green tomato relish.

“It’s a dish built south of the Mason Dixon line, except for the aged cheddar from Deer Creek in Wisconsin, because it’s simply too good to leave out,” says Stauffer. “The recent transformational renovation of Fairview Dining Room gave us the perfect setting to serve it. The refreshed space reflects the same balance of tradition and sophistication we aim for on the plate.”

This balance of tradition and sophistication is a perfect match for the restaurant’s newly renovated space. We spoke with Chef Stauffer to discuss how he approaches reinterpreting a Southern icon, the importance of amazing local grits, and his broader culinary philosophy. Following our conversation, he has generously shared the recipe for his Shrimp & Grits for you to try at home.

Midtown: Shrimp & Grits is a Southern icon. How do you approach the challenge of reinterpreting such a beloved dish for a AAA Four Diamond setting like Fairview Dining Room?

Stauffer: It all comes down to preparation and presentation. Shrimp & Grits is a signature item on our Fairview Dining Room menu, and while the foundation of the dish never changes, we update it throughout the year to reflect the best seasonal ingredients and flavor profiles. The challenge is maintaining its Southern soul while elevating it for a fine dining setting. We’ve debated whether such a casual classic belongs on the dinner menu, and the answer is always yes. When prepared with care and presented with refinement, it earns its place every time.

You source your grits locally from Cold Water Creek in Concord. How important is it to use local North Carolina products, and what do these specific grits bring to the dish that others don’t?

Not all grits are created equal, and I am passionate about the profile of the Cold Water Creek grits. The flavor, the texture, the aroma—all amazing. Just soak them overnight, skim away the chaff, and you get the creamiest, most flavorful grits. We do focus on using North Carolina products and partnering with local artisans as much as we can.

What was the development process like for this dish? Were there any ingredients or combinations you tried that didn’t make the final version?

There’s an amazing core group of chefs at the AAA Four Diamond Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club who work together to honor the legacy of Fairview Dining Room and its deep ties to the Duke and Durham community. Menu development is a true collaboration. We hold multiple tastings and refine each dish until it fits both our standards and the expectations of our guests. The Inn has its own distinct flavor profile, shaped by legacy recipes the Duke community has enjoyed for generations. Some dishes, like our Lil’ Devils with Goldfish crackers, carry real emotional connection. With that history in mind, creating new dishes or reimagining favorites becomes a fun challenge. Along the way, we test ingredients and pairings that don’t always make the final cut. Every adjustment brings us closer to the version that feels right for Fairview.

How has this unique take on Shrimp & Grits been received by guests, some of whom may expect a more traditional preparation?

Our clientele has embraced this fall-inspired version of Shrimp & Grits. They trust us to respect tradition while offering new interpretations of a classic.

Does this dish reflect your broader culinary philosophy as Area Executive Chef at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club?

Yes, absolutely. This dish reflects my broader culinary philosophy because every item on our menu goes through the same process of care and accountability. It’s never just about writing and testing a recipe. We ask ourselves: Are we proud to serve it? Can our team execute it flawlessly? Can our vendors source what we need? Can we deliver it consistently, even when every seat is full? When the answer to all those questions is yes, we know it belongs on the Fairview menu. At that point, the team is trained, the servers are proud to recommend it, and we’re ready to serve it to hundreds of happy guests after a Duke win. Then we start again with refining, reimagining, and improving. That’s what our culinary philosophy is all about: respect for tradition, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Chef Stauffer’s Soulful & Sophisticated Shrimp & Grits Recipe

There are four main components to the dish.

Tasso White Gravy

2 cups of the holy trinity mix, small diced: onion (50%), celery (25%), green peppers (25%)

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 cup Tasso ham, small diced

4 tablespoons butter

1.5 teaspoon creole seasoning

¾ cup white wine

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream

¼–½ cup roux (gluten-free, if required)

• Sweat the trinity and garlic in butter in a 1-gallon pot over medium heat.

• Add Tasso and cook for 5 minutes. Add creole seasoning.

• Deglaze with wine.

• Add stock and bring to a simmer.

• Add cream and roux, bring to a simmer, and stir regularly.

• Let thicken.

• Adjust seasoning with salt.

Green Tomato Chowchow

1 quart apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt

3 cups green tomato, small diced

¾ cup red bell pepper, small diced

¾ cup white or yellow onion, small diced

½ cup celery, small diced

• Bring the first six ingredients to a simmer and let stand for 30 minutes.

• Place the diced vegetable in a bowl and mix together.

• Strain the hot liquid (removing the mustard seeds and bay leaves) over the vegetables.

• Cover tightly with plastic wrap for 60 minutes.

• Stir and adjust salt content.

Cheddar Grits

3 cups stone-ground grits, soaked in water overnight and strained

3 cups water

2 cups whole milk

1 cup aged white cheddar, shredded

1 tablespoon salt

• Cook grits, water, and milk over low heat, stirring regularly.

• Add salt and cook until desired doneness. Add more liquid if needed.

• Add cheddar, season again, and reserve, keeping warm.

Shrimp

32 shrimp (16/20), peeled and deveined, tails off

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

¼ cup white wine

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

2 teaspoons salt

• Sauté shrimp with garlic and butter.

• Deglaze with white wine.

• Add parsley and salt

A Soulful Shrimp & Grits Recipe From Fairview Dining Room

There are four main components to the dish.

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