Meet Our Team | Caffè REL

Meet Kaitlin and Nate

At Caffé REL, our staff is more than just a group of employees; they’re a passionate and dedicated family committed to providing you with an exceptional dining experience. Get to know two of our key team members, Kaitlin and Nate, who bring their unique backgrounds and enthusiasm to our restaurant.

Carrying the Legacy

Chef Richard Long, founder of Caffe REL, left behind six figure salaries, and luxurious restaurant environments to bring fine food and service to the average American's palate. In 2003 he relocated to Franklin, NC to open Caffe REL, an upscale casual restaurant attached to a Hot Spot gas station. Over 20 years of success later and after his passing, his legacy is carried on as Caffe REL made its expansion into Hendersonville, NC.

Meet Chef Nate

Executive Chef Nate Lewis is local to Western North Carolina, with 6 years of experience in upscale dining. After working closely with the restaurant's founder Chef REL, he strives to carry on the restaurant's mission of making great food available for everyone. Chef Nate hopes to bring modern ideas together with the refined techniques of his predecessors.

Kaitlin Fitzgibbons

Kaitlin started at Caffe REL in 2021 as a hostess and worked incredibly hard with the previous and new owners. When Caffe REL expanded to Hendersonville, she joined the journey of the new location as a manager helping the business thrive and remain true to its origin.