Newest East Hills establishment–
to open on September 20

Essence Restaurant Group announces Grove as its 3rd area dining concept

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH – Locally owned Essence Restaurant Group, owner of The Green Well Gastro Pub and Bistro Bella Vita, announces that its newest establishment Grove, will open on September 20 at 5pm. This "earth-to-table concept," as Essence managing partner James Berg describes it, features modern, authentic cuisine with fresh, natural sauces and a tilt towards sustainable seafood.

"Grove is unlike any other dining establishment in the region," Berg says. "We are offering a sustainable food system approach that avoids commoditization of food and emphasizes focused cuisine," he adds, referencing Grove's commitment to offering food with purpose.

The menu focuses on three- and four-course meals with first courses ranging from $5-13 and artisan snacks in the $6 range. Main courses range from $17-29 and feature "center-of-plate" proteins with in-season accompaniments, mainly from sustainable sources.

Grove is still awaiting its liquor license but expects it to come soon. "We're having fun with the fact that we don't yet have the license by calling it a temporary prohibition," says Berg. They are offering guests a "prohibition card" that entitles them to a special gift when they provide their email addresses in order to be notified via email when the liquor license is in place.

The restaurant will be open from 5-9 pm Tuesday through Saturday. The hours are likely to be extended in the future. Grove will accept walk-ins, but it's recommended that patrons make reservations. The main dining area accommodates seating for 65 people and a bar area seats another 16.

Guests can make reservations by calling Grove at (616) 454-1000 or by using the online reservation system on the restaurant's website: www.groverestaurant.com. An outdoor seating area is being planned for opening in 2012.

A total of 25 staff will be employed at Grove; however parent company Essence Restaurant Group hired an additional 10 new employees corporate wide to accommodate Grove.

Grove follows the successful "local first" formula that has made Bistro Bella Vita and The Green Well popular with sustainable food advocates by offering its hallmarks: impeccable service and fresh, natural ingredients sourced from local, family and sustainable farms. "We responsibly source and purposefully prepare every ingredient to demonstrate our commitment to and respect for how our farmers raise or grow their products," Berg says.

Grove opens on Sept. 20

"Grove offers dishes that are innovative with a hint of classic encompassing four elements of cuisine: Local, Exploration, Classics, and Conscientiousness," notes Essence partner and executive chef Patrick Wise. "We will guide our guests through a unique culinary journey with each visit."

Chef Wise will manage the day-to-day kitchen operations at Grove while continuing to oversee all culinary efforts at Bistro Bella Vita and The Green Well, whose culinary teams each have over 20 years of combined experience working with Chef. Grove's chef team consists of Bob Waterbury, Mike Sullivan, Erin Keener, Pete Davidson and Carl Diehl.

"Chef Wise will assist all three teams in driving the culinary excellence and the creative edge that Essence guests have to come to expect," notes Berg. See a listing of kitchen and front-of-house staff below.*

"Our success at Essence Restaurant Group is a product of our organizational commitment to Servant Leadership demonstrated by our Chef and Service Management teams led at Grove by General Manager/Partner Rob Tamburello, Restaurant Manager Drew Archer, Lead Trainer Julie Wise and Bar Manager Tyler Kershek," notes Berg.