The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our July 2026 issue.
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Jessica Wilson (Photo courtesy Grace)
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The counter and open kitchen at Grace (Photo courtesy Grace)
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A seasonal dish from Grace (Photo courtesy Grace)
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A seasonal dish from Grace (Photo courtesy Grace)
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The patio at Grace (Photo courtesy Grace)
Kitchen Essentials
“Anchovies, always. I’m open to any kind but love Spanish. Literally every bite of my pizza, I’m adding an anchovy. Bubbles — wine, and also soda water. Hot sauce, kimchi, yogurt, eggs, Maldon sea salt and then any vegetable I picked up at the market.”
Edible Ethos
“Grace practices intimate farmhouse cookery rooted in the land; we’re deeply seasonal. We work so closely with farms and the waters around us. I pick up at Birdhouse Farmers Market and St. Stephen’s farmers market every week.”
Jessica Wilson (Illustration by Abigail Giuseppe)
Sustainability Steward
“One of the most underrated things in hospitality is resourcefulness. We are a minimum-waste restaurant, from our vegetable tops, stems, peels, seeds, bones, by-products; things that might normally be overlooked but still carry flavor, nourishment and possibility.”
Setting the Tune
“At the restaurant, [music is] layered without overpowering the room. At home, it might be old-school rap, Maggie Rogers, Little Feat, Talking Heads, Clay Street Unit, Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush, Joni Mitchell. I grew up with lots of vinyl and live music.”
Cozy and Close
“We are a walk-in restaurant, and hospitality is deeply personal to us. Sitting at the counter is one of my favorite ways to experience the restaurant; the kitchen is open and is designed to feel warm, personal and communal.”
Virginia Delights
“During summer, everything’s alive. I’m sourcing tomatoes, berries, peaches, melons, field peas and sweet corn. I love simple summer food, cold, just sliced up — a little salt on the tomato, even on the fruit — and outside cooking.”
Of the Land
“I’m inspired by ingredients and techniques that have existed for generations, like millet, cereal grains, benne seeds, soy, old ways of preserving and fermenting and cooking, like over a fire, and using ingredients fully and thoughtfully.”
Classic Meets Culinary
“I’m kind of a purist with ice cream. My go-to flavor is vanilla with olive oil and salt, maybe a little benne seed on there.”
Summer Memories
“I grew up in New England. I loved the long shadows, going to Maine to the beach, or when I used to work on Martha’s Vineyard, hopping in the cold Atlantic, just being in a garden, or taking it easy. Long days, hanging out, hands outside the window.”
From the Earth
“I love foraging during any season. I like honeysuckle, lilacs, collecting little treasures here and there like rocks, twigs and branches, and then it comes to Grace [as decor].”
Wish List
“There are so many restaurants on coastal parts of New England that I’m especially drawn to, small kitchens that inspire me. I want to go road tripping, put myself in the terrain and experience places like small villages in Japan. And Scotland is my new love.”
Finishing Touch
“I use a lot of olive oil in my background in Mediterranean cooking. A lot of desserts are more savory, but there’s always a finish of salt and olive oil on them, no matter what, just like a little kiss.”
Off Days
“I love nature, seeing live music, dancing with my partner, cooking meals for friends, drinking wine, road tripping, visiting farms and food communities, and getting my hands dirty.”
