The Family & Team
“This is our family’s home, and we hope you let yourself make it your own during your next visit.”
– Mary Celeste Beall
About Sam
Sam Beall spent the early years of his life at Blackberry Farm and returned to make it his home and to become its proprietor until his untimely passing in 2016. Because of his love of gracious hospitality at its best and of food and beverages that are closely linked to stewardship of the land and dedication to craft, Blackberry became a world-renowned destination under his leadership.
Sam began his career after culinary school in California with an insatiable curiosity and passion for learning at some of the very best restaurants, hotels, vineyards, wineries and creameries in the Napa Valley, an experience that forever shaped his vision for this very special place in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and that inspires the Blackberry Farm Foundation and the causes it supports.
Mary Celeste Beall
Proprietor
Mary Celeste Beall is the proprietor of the acclaimed resort hotels Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. For more than a decade, Mary Celeste has lived and worked on the family-owned properties. She first joined her late husband Sam as he led the transformation of Blackberry Farm into a renowned wine, food and wellness destination. As Proprietor, Mary Celeste, alongside her father-in-law, Sandy, and the Blackberry team, drove the creation and opening of Blackberry Mountain as it evolved into a haven for preservation and personal exploration in relaxation, wellness and adventure. She led creative direction for launching the brand’s print magazine, Blackberry Magazine. Unique in the resort industry, Blackberry Magazine is a creative-driven editorial project that shares original stories, art, interviews and more inspired by life at Blackberry. She continues to share her vision for the expansion of the Blackberry brand, continuing a longstanding reputation for renowned hospitality and celebrated wine and food.
Over the years, the Blackberry brand has garnered industry praise, including Blackberry Farm’s three James Beard Awards for Best Chef—Southeast, Outstanding Wine Program and Outstanding Service. Blackberry Farm was also named Bon Appetit’s No. 1 Hotel for Food Lovers. Blackberry Mountain is adding to the brand’s awards with recognitions including ELLE Décor Travel A-List – Best New Hotel, Hideaway Report – Hideaway of the Year, and inclusion in Travel + Leisure’s It List for best new hotels in the world.
Sandy Beall
In 1976, Sandy Beall, a young entrepreneur, bought Blackberry Farm alongside his wife Kreis and moved his young family to live full time at the nine-bedroom inn. Sandy had founded the restaurant Ruby Tuesday just four years prior while still a student at the University of Tennessee, eventually growing the casual-dining corporation to include nearly 850 restaurants in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, as well as 14 foreign countries. His current investments and advisory roles span a large range of hospitality, restaurant, education, non profits and foodservice companies. Sandy’s diverse set of business skills and knowledge helped to grow Blackberry Farm from the happy nine-bedroom inn into one of America’s most celebrated luxury hotels. As an investor and advisor, Sandy continues to offer his business expertise back to the family-owned and operated business at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Kreis Beall
Kreis Beall was 23 years old and had one child and another on the way in 1976 when she and her husband Sandy purchased Blackberry Farm as their family home. Inspired by her grandmother’s work ethic and love for food, and her mother’s sense of beauty and style, Kreis fell in love with the art of entertaining and wanted Blackberry to be an extension of her own home. Her life has always represented the same sense of southern hospitality. Kreis transformed the original nine-bedroom farmhouse into a Relais & Chateaux estate and restaurant.
After retiring from the inn in 1999, she opened a photography studio and returned to Blackberry to lead various design projects. Kreis is currently working on several creative projects.
The Team
Blackberry is run by a tenured senior leadership team of executives and a strong and diverse management team of artisans, chefs, designers, corporate support and hospitality experts. Together, Proprietor Mary Celeste Beall, President Matt Alexander and the Blackberry team continue the family’s tradition of hospitality, service and providing unimaginable opportunities and memories for each guest.
Our Team across the property consists of a variety of individuals, all experts in their fields, including our team of chefs, gardeners, preservationist, beekeeper, sommeliers, guest service men and women, concierge, housekeeping, corporate support, retail personnel, as well as grounds and maintenance teams all working to create a uniquely authentic Appalachian experience for our guests.
With more than 750 team members, Blackberry Farm strives to provide the utmost in hospitality and guest experience. To become a member of our team, visit our careers page and learn about openings on the Farm.