Press Release: New General Manager at Greg’s Grill
Got this in the contact form yesterday. Not entirely sure if I should be reading more into it or not; though it’s interesting to see the new happy hour going into effect. I don’t see any details about that on the website (yet); anyone want to report when it goes live?
John Churm, a successful local restaurateur with 26 years of experience in the hospitality industry, has been named general manager of Greg’s Grill.
Located in the heart of the Old Mill District in Bend, Greg’s Grill opened last spring and is owned by Greg and Teresa Hubert of Seattle.
Churm is a partner with the Huberts in two popular and thriving Bend restaurants, Red Robin, also located in the Old Mill District, and Carino’s Italian, situated in the Cascade Village Shopping Center on the city’s north end. Churm moved to Bend in 2000 from Portland, where he had worked for Pacific Coast Restaurants, Inc., and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.
While he will maintain an active role with the operations of both Red Robin and Carino’s, Churm said he is enthused about getting the chance to guide Greg’s Grill.
“This is clearly one of the region’s most beautiful restaurants, with the stunning Northwest-style architecture and the views of the Deschutes River,” Churm said. “It will be my job to make sure locals and visitors alike associate our restaurant with excellent food, friendly and capable service, a fun, upbeat environment and value for the dollar.”
Signature dinner entrées at Greg’s Grill include prime and choice-cut steaks, cedar plank salmon and rotisserie chicken. A wide selection of items from the grill, pastas and burgers, along with appetizers, soups, salads and side dishes, round out the diverse menu.
The ensuing weeks will mark the introduction of “some exciting changes” to both the luncheon and dinner menus, Churm noted, as well as the new (“It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere”) bar menu available from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Greg’s Grill features both indoor and outdoor seating for more than 350 people, as well as seating at its spacious bar. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It also has a private dining area for private parties.
Churm and his wife, Cathy, and their two youngest children, Alex and Maddy, reside in Bend. The couple’s two grown sons, Chris and Max, live abroad. A native of San Clemente, Calif., Churm is active in the community, and sits on the board of the Youth Choir of Central Oregon and, in conjunction with Red Robin, has been a school sponsor of Sparrow Clubs USA for the last five years.
For more information about Greg’s Grill, call (541) 382-2200 or visit www.gregsgrill.com.
I also know that they got rid of their executive chef there (he’s a good buddy of mine). They left on good terms, giving him a letter of recommendation. But I’d expect the menu to be tweaked, their big portions to change, and much of the kitchen staff to change (as sous chefs are generally loyal to their executive and many of those sous chefs came with him). I read into it that rent is stupidly high on that gigantic place and they’re trying to cut costs, and this guy is a good friend of the owners and will probably work cheaper as he’ll make money elsewhere.
Hopefully he” be able to turn this place around. I’ve had two of the worst & most expensive meals in Bend. Bad food, cold food, terrible! service. Great views, great atmosphere but nothing else. The executuve chef should have been shot, not let go.
As one of the owners, I assure you that our portion sizes will not be smaller. Our new GM and our new head chef will both be working on quality food every time, great service and and to create very happy guests. We are not cutting any costs at all and are willing to do whatever it takes to make Greg’s Grill your first choice in restaurants. Our new Happy Hour menu and drinks are open for suggestions, as are any of our menu items. We want to give Bend what it wants in a restaurant and we think we already have in the building and location. Let us know what you want and we will see if it is feasible and if so, we can make it happen. As for John working cheaper…..NOT! He’s the best and we are paying him as such.
Thank you for the insight "owner". We had a terrible experience there and are looking forwad to the improvements there. (service lacking, less than average food) Great space and we would want to go back if it warrants.
The place definitly needs this, or some other overhaul. I’ve never seen it crowded there, (in contrast: see next door at anthony’s any night of week).
The one time I ate there my prime rib was poor quality (fatty, chewy, etc) and the pile of potatoes and wilted veggies seemed thrown onto the plate.
Portions? Yeah they’re really nice. Except the gouging of alcohol prices. Over $4 for pint of Deschutes! Or wait, no…they don’t serve pints, just skinny 14oz glasses.
PASS! When’s PF Changs coming?
As for "turning the place around", I’m not so sure! My family and I dined there last weekend and were just as unimpressed as we were the first time we dined there right after they opened. The fish was chewy, the batter was tough, and my son received something completely different than what he ordered. Hint to the wait staff. . . keep a note pad and write your orders down. It doesn’t make us think your a prodogy just because you think you can remember every order. In fact, it just makes us irritated. Especially when you get our order wrong and we have to wait while everyone else at the table is almost done eating by the time we finally get what we ordered. I have dined at Greg’s about six times since they opened, and I think I’ve given them just about all my hard-earned money that I’m going to give. And believe me, six times at Greg’s with a family of five is close to a thousand dollars total!
I know that some restaurants have bad nights, but all six times? If the new GM is going to "change" Greg’s, he better hire some secret diners and start testing the work of his chef’s. A restaurant cannot run on atmosphere alone!
I will give Greg’s another try, but I will probably wait a few month’s to see if the new GM will actually make any worthwhile changes. In the mean time, I will happily continue to dine at Anthony’s. Because not only do I enjoy their atmosphere, I have never been dissatisfied with any meal there. In fact, I have always had a mouth-watering meal there!
. . . maybe Greg’s should clone Anthony’s head chef. . . just a thought!
Well, Gregs grill isn’t as bad as "Seasons" restaurant. New chef (if you can call him that) Mark Perry is the worst thing to happen to that place … seriously just don’t go there. eating from your childs playdough factory in their room is more eclectic than this place.