The Huntsman Restaurant and Bar brings field and stream to table to Tallahassee

If antelope served with glazed mushrooms, steak sauce, pearl onions, and tomatoes piques your interest, then Tallahassee’s newest field and stream-to-table restaurant, The Huntsman Restaurant and Bar, is for you. Sitting with a “delicious” dry, sparkling chardonnay out of South Africa in front of him, The Huntsman general manager and one of three partners, Daniel Renninger, says, the unique North Florida restaurant will offer something Tallahassee residents simply haven’t experienced before.

The Huntsman concept came from executive chef Skylar Stafford along with Renninger and Kalen Williamson, who worked with Stafford and Renninger at other fine-dining restaurants in the area. Stafford, Renninger, and a third partner, Ben Williams, own the spot. As Renninger says, the idea came from “kind of a lot of different places.” Both Stafford and Williams grew up in Tallahassee, and the city holds a special place in their hearts.

Renninger is from the Jacksonville Beach area, where he says there’s “not a lot of hunting going on.” But at the same time, he admits, “I like restaurants, and we worked together running two other restaurants in town. That’s how we got to know each other and decided, ‘Hey, we work well together!’”

The fondness for the area and the health benefits of game animals prompted the three to transform their idea into a reality. The three found that a lot of game has higher protein and lower cholesterol than even chicken. “So, it will get your red meat fix without hurting your doctor’s feelings or ruining your next appointment,” jokes Renninger. “There’s also a kind of a giant drain on resources on cattle farming. Not that we’re against beef by any means, but we’re trying to diversify your profile, if you will.”

Menu staples at The Huntsman include Sitka deer street tacos, antelope sirloin, and seared scallops, all of which they’re trying to sustainably source. “We’ll be working with a lot of local farms trying to source sustainably farmed and sustainably harvested animals,” explains Renninger.

“We’re not looking to break the bank or over-inflate prices for the sake of doing it. We’re down-to-earth people who like nicer things and want people to enjoy it as well.”

— Daniel Renninger general manager at The Huntsman

“We’ve turned so many people on to red deer and our antelope products and our preparations of it,” says Renninger. “People who’ve never had it now say, “I would never have that. I would never order it. But after having it, I really enjoyed it.” That’s a really rewarding feeling.”

Wild game is going to make up only about 10% of The Huntsman’s menu. Broken Arrow Ranch out of Texas, Buckhead Meat out of Atlanta, and Inland Seafood out of Atlanta will supply clean, high-quality meat.

“It seemed right to be able to connect with them and offer Tallahassee something they’d never seen before,” Renninger says, adding that the restaurant wants to “showcase not only the animal, but we’ll also be working with a lot of local farms, doing a vegan tasting menu, just really showcasing what sustainability and permaculture have to offer.”

The Huntsman will also offer a lavish five-course tasting menu at all times, including a vegan version. This is something Renninger feels is an important focus.

“What I found working at other fine dining restaurants, both here and in Hawaii, was that a common thing to do with tasting menus is have them once, maybe twice a month,” Renninger explains.

What he has found through years of experience and discussions with restaurant-goers is that a lot of people must really plan in advance in order to attend these events.

“If any hiccups happen, they’re out of this experience that they’ve been looking forward to for so long. So, my thought process, and it’s definitely much harder on us, was to offer that type of experience at any time,” he adds. “If you have a Tuesday that you can get away with your significant other, you can come out and have a tasting menu experience and wine pairing with a really nice night without having to plan months in advance.”

Tasting menus will change weekly, so if you really enjoyed it one week and want to come back and try something new, you can. Or you can mix it up and try the vegan one within the same week and you’re guaranteed to have a diff erent experience.

Ultimately, Renninger says, “We’re people who enjoy good food, good beverage and quality time with friends and family. And that’s just what we’re looking to provide.”

While The Huntsman is going to be doing some fun, high-end stuff , “We’re not looking to break the bank or over-inflate prices for the sake of doing it. We’re down-to-earth people who like nicer things and want people to enjoy it as well.”

• The Huntsman will open its doors at 320 E. Tennessee Street come July 1. Make a reservation to save your seat by visiting their website, huntsmantallahassee.com.