Gary and Lorraine Papp aren’t Beebe Babies. They weren’t born in Lewes and live outside the city limits. But their history and talent are woven into the city’s culinary fabric. The couple moved to the beach in 1994 to open The Buttery in the historic district. Today, they own Harbour at Canal Square, which defines upscale classic cuisine.
Indeed, throughout their career, the Papps have elevated the cuisine in Lewes, says Clay Nelson, Harbour’s executive chef. “They took classic items and ran with them.” The road to Lewes, however, took a few detours, including a stop at a Pennsylvania inn and restaurant, where Gary and Lorraine shared a passion for food, hospitality—and each other.
A crash course
Lorraine Ellis Papp graduated from Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, near Levittown. She became enamored with the hospitality industry at a young age. “I’m a lifer,” she quips, showing her trademark dry wit. Although she didn’t attend culinary school, she became a skilled chef and respected pastry artist.
Meanwhile, Gary graduated from the Academy of Culinary Arts, part of Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey. They met when Lorraine hired him to be the sous chef at Wycombe Inn, a Victorian eight-room inn in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She was the chef. “It was middle-of-the-road but well-known in the area at the time,” she recalls. “It was typical 1980s food—beef Wellington, steak tartare, baked salmon—the real classics.”
Their friendship turned to romance, and in 1990, they catered their wedding. When longtime friends John Donato and Twain Gonzales decided to open a restaurant in Lewes, they hired the chefs, who moved to Delaware. Lorraine was eight months pregnant with her second son. The first was just 2 years old.
Building an icon
The original 12-table Buttery opened in 1994 in the New Devon Inn at 412 Second St. (The inn is now the Hotel Rodney, and the Rose & Crown occupies the restaurant space.) News Journal critic Al Mascitti called the business “unique.” It was open for breakfast, afternoon tea and takeout, including charcuterie. Come evening, the staff whipped out white linens and candles, and it was common to find a line waiting outside the door. It did not take long before national magazines, including Bon Appetit and Gourmet, featured the restaurant.
Needing more space, The Buttery moved to the corner of Second Street and Savannah Road in 1999. The circa-1894 Victorian, known as the Trader Mansion, was an elegant repository for the fine-dining eatery, one of few in Lewes in the 1990s.
“The Buttery was it for Lewes for a long time,” agrees Hari Cameron, who was a Buttery server before working in the kitchen. “Gary was cooking modern classics — really beautiful, well-presented, tasty food. The Buttery stood for an exceptional dining experience.”
He still remembers the lamb shank Gary created. “It’s a vivid memory I can still state in my mind,” he says. In 2001, News Journal critic Eric Ruth wrote, “the bold, brilliantly flavored and impeccably executed menu features a strong French accent and eclectic international flair.”
Dishes included coconut-poached halibut with ginger and lemongrass, beef tenderloin with a cinnamon-espresso rub, and Hudson Valley foie gras with caramelized apples on a frisee and baby oak lettuces dressed with lavender honey.
Like Cameron, many well-known area chefs have passed through The Buttery’s kitchen doors. Cameron jumped onto the salad station when a chef called out sick, and his culinary career was born. “They were great to work for,” he says of the Papps. “When I wasn’t working in the kitchen, they educated me—they were supportive leaders.”
Betwixt and between
All good things come to an end, and in 2008, the Papps left The Buttery to open The Essential Chef, a catering company. Donato and Gonzalez later sold the restaurant to Wilson Gates, who changed its name to Second Street Tavern before selling it in 2021. Megan Kee opened Bramble & Brine at The Buttery after extensive renovations.
Meanwhile, the Papps cooked for Gov. Jack Markell, then Sen. Joe Biden, and movers and shakers from the University of Delaware. “Their flatbreads in our backyard pizza oven for our son’s college graduation party remain one of my favorite memories ever,” says Diane Batchik, who has a Lewes home. Similarly, Donna West of Harbeson gets excited when she learns that the Papps are an event’s caterers.
Consulting was part of the services from the start. Gary is a talented instructor, having taught the culinary arts to children. He worked with the owners of The Brick Hotel to open a restaurant in the Georgetown landmark.
Needing a larger commercial kitchen, the couple opened Palate in 2016 in the same Route 1 shopping center as Safeway. “It was a small bistro restaurant, but the space was really an anchor for the catering,” Lorraine explains. Nevertheless, the eatery was a locals’ favorite, and many people discovered the Papps for the first time. “It was such a cozy neighborhood place to go,” says Janet Pietrovito of Lewes. “That’s how we first met them, and their greeting made us glad we moved here.” West, who did not know the chefs at The Buttery, also became a fan at Palate.
Meanwhile, Lorraine watched with interest as Gilligan’s Restaurant & Bar on the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal was razed to make way for a new building. The original structure was built on and around a boat that some say was from Key West. Although iconic, the structure was in poor repair.
Gilligan’s new restaurant occupied a similar footprint but was outfitted with the latest appointments, including a cozy fireplace. However, owner Cheryl Tilton announced Gilligan’s closure in February 2020. “I always had my eye on this location, and when it became available, we jumped on it,” Lorraine says. Harbour was born.
Back to Lewes
The Papps ran Palate and Harbour for a time but inevitably decided to focus on the larger Lewes site. Tim McNitt left The Back Porch to join them full time until his passing in October 2021.
Clay Nelson, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, joined the team, which also includes Stephen Myers. “We collaborate on many new, exciting menu ideas, specials and wine dinners,” Gary says.
Nelson, who was at Eden for 10 years, said working for people who’ve been in the trenches every night is rewarding. “It shows in every aspect,” he says of their firsthand knowledge. Gary oversees the restaurant operations, kitchen, staff development and menu. He also creates non-alcoholic cocktails. Lorraine is often in the front of the house and makes desserts, including her famous coconut cake.
Harbour is not the old Buttery, but there are similarities. “Our cooking styles continue to prioritize sourcing and utilizing fresh locally grown produce from specialty growers like Hattie Allen and sustainable local fish and shellfish,” Gary says. “We incorporate more modern cooking techniques such as brining, pickling, sous vide, occasional infusions and foams, and like to include rare or hard-to-find ingredients when possible.” If the fish isn’t fresh, the restaurant won’t serve it, Lorraine adds.
Plate designs showcase ingredients in contemporary and creative ways, Gary notes. “Our highest priority is to leave our guests with a very enjoyable dining experience from start to finish in this beautiful waterfront establishment.”
Given the chefs’ longevity in the area, it’s not surprising that they’ve formed close bonds with customers. “I love them like family and have for the 14 years that I’ve been here full time,” says Billy Kalcounos of Lewes. “They are two very special, talented chefs and people.”
The feeling is mutual. “The Lewes community has supported us the entire time,” Lorraine maintains. Fortunately, she and Gary don’t plan to leave the industry anytime soon. “Believe it or not,” she says. “I still love it.”
