eatdrink.ca - The Elm Hurst Inn & Spa
By Bryan Lavery, September/October 2011 for eatdrink.ca.
The Fresh Flavour of Oxford Heritage
The Elm Hurst Inn & Spa in Ingersoll
At its peak in the 1800s, there were 98 cheese factories in Oxford County. The first cheese factory in Upper Canada was located just outside Ingersoll. In 1872, James Harris built the Gothic Revival style mansion that has been transformed into The Elm Hurst Inn.
The James Harris Cheese Factory opened in 1865 and a year later was the site of the creation of a 7,300-pound block of cheese. The giant cheese was made by local producers to promote Ingersoll’s cheese industry and was exhibited at the New York State Fair in Saratoga and in England. Their unique marketing idea worked: Canadian cheese became a hot commodity and by 1871 the county was the dairy capital of Canada.
After the Harris family pioneered the cheese industry in Oxford County, they later added commercial apple orchards and the apple export business to their holdings. In fact, the vaulted buffet room is the original apple shed. Elm Hurst was the stately family manor house for nearly a century. The last Harris heir sold the property in the mid-1970s, and the house was transformed into a popular dining establishment that opened in 1979. A modern addition was added to the rear of the original structure five years later, with the 49-room Elm Hurst Inn & Spa being built in 1988 on the 33-acre property. The Inn is able to accommodate its diverse guests with nine distinct dining rooms on the main and second floors of the original mansion.
The refurbished adjoining 19th-century Carriage House has become a popular location for weddings and corporate events. A buggy discovered on the property during renovations now sits in its rafters. In 2009, London property magnate, Shmuel Farhi, purchased the Elm Hurst Inn and began a major transformation of the property and Inn by renovating and restoring the mansion and its grounds to its former splendour. Today, this mansion stands grand and dignified in a bucolic setting. New lighting, furniture, landscaping and an opulent copper roof was added to the building. The beautifully manicured gardens also feature a white marble gazebo that overlooks a pond with a fountain and a natural waterfall.
Local is very important to Chef Michael Davies and his staff, even when it comes to V.Q.A. wines and local beers. The Elm Hurst Inn received 2008 VQA Restaurant Award of Excellence presented by the Wine Council of Ontario. This award rewards licensees who are embracing local Ontario VQA wines, and inspiring their patrons with substantial VQA wine lists, tasting menus, VQA wines by the glass, winemaker’s dinners and staff training.
Chef Davies is an advocate of organic and locally grown food committed to innovative, rural-fresh cuisine. Chef sources ingredients from local and regional growers and producers to serve the finest and freshest Oxford County and regional produce, cheese and meats, including prime Ontario beef. Chef Davies apprenticed at Benmiller Inn, Goderich and has worked at The Church Restaurant and Key Stone Alley Café in Stratford, the London Hunt and Country Club, as well as Vancouver’s Convention Centre. Elm Hurst Inn & Spa Executive Chef since 1996, Michael Davies received classical training at Toronto’s George Brown College. He holds an Interprovincial Red Seal and is a certified Chef de Cuisine with Honours Standing.
Those looking for a relaxing sip and enjoy a drink or light repast are welcome to discover the James Harris room, located just off the Inn’s lobby. With its Cathedral ceiling, large picture windows and private second-floor balcony overlooking the valley it is the perfect place to spend a leisurely afternoon with a glass of VQA wine and the Inn’s Local Artisanal Cheese. An equally enjoyable pastime is the large patio for al fresco dining — an idyllic gathering place during warm weather months when the gardens are in full bloom.
The Elm Hurst Inn & Spa
415 Harris Street, Ingersoll
519-485-5321
Hours of operation
Breakfast daily 7–10:30 am
Lunch Monday to Saturday 11 am – 4 pm
Dinner Monday to Saturday 5 –9 pm
Sunday Brunch 10:30 am – 2 pm
Sunday Buffet 4:30 – 8pm
Bryan Lavery is a regular contributor to eatdrink.ca.