Harley Peet

A 2002 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Executive Chef Harley Peet had a passion for cooking that started long before his years in Hyde Park. Raised on the shores of Lake Michigan and a long-time competitive sailor, he attended the Culinary Institute of America. Upon graduation, his love of the water took him to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where he fished and raced sailboats while rising to the rank of chef de cuisine at the Tilghman Island Inn.

Peet went on to refine his technique and mastery of kitchen management over the course of many years under acclaimed chef Mark Salter at The Inn at Perry Cabin, building lasting relationships with watermen who still provide him with their finest catch. In 2014, Peet was hired to head up the culinary program for newly formed Bluepoint Hospitality, where he now oversees operations and menu development for the group’s growing restaurant portfolio in Easton. Locale is a constant source of inspiration for Peet, who finds great satisfaction in serving fish caught in the Chesapeake just hours before service, or hand-selecting seasonal produce from local farmers.

In 2024, Peet became the first chef on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to be awarded as Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic by the James Beard Foundation Awards.