Restaurant History

The restaurant, housed in a 1950s stone cottage and nestled along a winding mountain road, has a long history. The stone cottage is the former residence of the Kepharts, founders of the historic camp Yonahlossee (founded in 1920), the oldest girls’ camp in North Carolina.  After Camp Yonahlossee closed its doors, the developer John Rice bought the camp and created  Yonahlossee Resort and Club, a 300-acre tennis club and equestrian resort community. The Kephart’s cottage became the Gamekeeper restaurant in 1987. John Rice has won numerous awards for his conservation of natural settings in property development.

The Gamekeeper truly became a dining destination when the Gordons purchased it in 2000. They have taken great care to preserve the old stone cottage working with the rustic charm rather than against it. Since then, the Gordons have steadily built a loyal clientele among locals and “leaf lookers”, who visit the region annually.