Asheville Chef Opens Fifth Restaurant Inspired by New York Childhood

The Majestic, a new Chinese American-style eatery, is set to debut in North Asheville this spring.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 9:04am

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print of a steaming bowl of Chinese noodles repeated in a tight grid pattern, capturing the comforting and nostalgic essence of the new restaurant.The Majestic, a new Chinese American-style restaurant in Asheville, aims to bring the comfort food flavors of Scheffer's New York childhood to the local dining scene.Asheville Today

Chef Eric Scheffer, a longtime Asheville resident and native New Yorker, is opening his fifth restaurant concept, The Majestic, a Chinese American-style eatery set to debut in late May in North Asheville. The Majestic will be the fourth brand under Scheffer's restaurant group, joining Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian, Jettie Rae's Oyster House, and the recently acquired Gan Shan.

Why it matters

Scheffer's new restaurant aims to bring the comfort food and neighborhood counter service style of classic Chinese American restaurants from his New York childhood to the Asheville dining scene, which he feels has lacked that type of offering despite the city's growing diversity of Asian cuisine.

The details

The Majestic will be located at 319 Merrimon Ave. in a space that previously operated as a bakery in the 1960s-70s, fitting Scheffer's vision for a counter service restaurant. The menu will feature dishes like Shrimp and Lobster Sauce, Crispy Orange Beef, and Szechuan Dumplings, as well as batch cocktails like Mai Tai. The 26-seat restaurant will offer dinner service daily, likely opening as early as 3:30 p.m., with a walk-up service window for quick pickup orders.

  • The Majestic is tentatively set to debut in late May 2026.
  • Scheffer recently celebrated 25 years in the restaurant industry.

The players

Eric Scheffer

A native New Yorker and longtime Asheville resident who is the owner of The Scheffer Group, which includes Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian, Jettie Rae's Oyster House, and the recently acquired Gan Shan.

Ray Hui

The executive chef of Gan Shan, who is a first-generation Chinese American and will consult on the development of The Majestic.

Kaya Rehnberg

The executive chef of The Majestic, who has been with The Scheffer Group for more than three years, most recently as Hui's sous chef, and has an extensive culinary career in Asian restaurants across the nation.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of what I've done here in town is connected to my childhood growing up,”

— Eric Scheffer, Chef

“There's been decent Chinese restaurants that have come and gone here in Asheville in the past 31 years that I've been here, but nothing that really exemplifies the comfort food you'd find on Mott Street, New York or in Brooklyn or Long Island,”

— Eric Scheffer, Chef

“Here's a great opportunity for us to serve more of Asheville, be in my hood -- I live in North Asheville -- and do what I've always wanted to do, which is bring old school Chinese American food to Asheville that I grew up on,”

— Eric Scheffer, Chef

What’s next

The Majestic is expected to open in late May 2026, offering dinner service daily.

The takeaway

Chef Eric Scheffer's new restaurant, The Majestic, aims to bring the familiar comfort and neighborhood feel of classic Chinese American cuisine from his New York childhood to the Asheville dining scene, filling a gap he sees in the local market.