At Fife ‘n Drum, 40 years and a new book

KENT — This is a story of love and business. In 1973, Audrey and Dolph Traymon lived in Locust Valley N.Y. Audrey was a saleswoman for a greeting card company. Dolph was a musician and partner in a Long Island restaurant.One day, Audrey had to make sales calls on some stores in Connecticut. Her husband came along to keep her company on the ride.After one sales call at a store in Kent, she and Dolph wanted to eat lunch. That day there were no restaurants open in town. Being a good businessperson, Audrey felt there was an opportunity for a fine eating establishment in the village.The Traymons contacted realtor Virginia Conboy, who still lives in Kent and recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Conboy showed them several properties, but none were what they were looking for.As a last attempt to show them something they might like, Conboy showed them what Audrey described as, “an empty, funny-looking saloon.”Being creative people, the Traymons saw the possibilities in that building and purchased it to create what has been the Fife ‘n Drum restaurant and bar, a Kent institution for 40 years.Dolph Traymon has been a piano player since he was 5 years old. He is now 93 and still delights in playing one of his four Steinway pianos every day. Though he is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, the first years of his career were spent at the keyboard at resorts and clubs in the Catskill Mountains.Dolph has since played the piano professionally all over the world, including for royal audiences in Europe. He has performed as an accompanist for Frank Sinatra, Dorothy Lamour, Peggy Lee, Joel Grey and Rudy Vallee.He comes to his talent naturally: His father was a violinist and his mother a singer. When asked what he likes to listen to, he said, “Chopin.”The Traymons met in March, 63 years ago, and were married eight months later. They have two daughters, Elissa, who currently operates the restaurant, and Tracey, who is a vice president in the trust division of a New York City bank. They have three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.Dolph has just written a new book, “From the Top,” which tells the story of his life. Its publication was timed to coincide with the Fife ‘n Drum’s 40th anniversary, on Jan. 20. But the Traymons don’t need a whole book to explain the secret of their restaurant’s longevity. Audrey said the key is, “Dolph playing the piano every night and excellent food.” She also said, “We have the best help in the business. We treat them like family, and they treat us like family.”As an example, Dolph explained that Tony Hernandez worked at the Fife ‘n Drum for many years. When he had the opportunity to purchase The Villager restaurant, just across Route 7, several years ago, “Tony came to me and asked for my blessing. Of course we wished him well. He told us The Villager would be open for breakfast and lunch every day, but open for dinner only on Tuesday evenings when the Fife ‘n Drum is closed. That is family.”Dolph said their chef has been with them for 15 years and most members of the waitstaff for 15 to 18 years. “Two of our well known dishes are our Caesar salad made from scratch and our roast duck,” Audrey said, adding that she and Dolph have met people when traveling who, when they learned of their association with the restaurant, said, “You have the best Caesar salad!”The Traymons are also very proud of their wine list, which Audrey said, “is second to none.” The Traymons live in a home adjacent to the business. They also own a vacation home in Boynton Beach, Fla.In the early 1980s, the Traymons opened the Fife ‘n Drum Inn on the north side of the pro- perty, with eight guest rooms.Both Traymons recalled celebrities who have dined at the Fife ‘n Drum over the years including Eric Sloane, Gregory Peck, Perry Como, who joined Dolph at the piano and sang several songs, Dr. Henry Kissinger and Vladamir Horowitz when he lived in Kent.For information on the Fife ‘n Drum, go to www.fifendrum.com. For reservations call 860-927-3509.