After 23 years leading the team at Jackson’s iconic restaurant, Drew is retiring at the end of the winter season.
Snake River Grill’s Jeff Drew, who has held roles as executive chef and managing partner, is retiring from the renowned Jackson Hole restaurant at the end of the month. In celebration of Drew’s 23 years, the Grill is serving weekly specials through the end of March, bringing back some classics and long-time customer favorites from his time as executive chef.
The restaurant asked for input from customers and staff on some of their favorite menu items throughout the past few decades, and is bringing back dishes like crispy pork shank, Wyomato pizza, veal Milanese and sweet corn crème brûlée. Each week until the end of the season (The Grill closes its doors for off season from April 1 until May 10), The Grill is rolling out three-to-four specials for the week, calling back some of the tried and true recipes Drew developed.
“It’s such a trip down memory lane, and really fun to be out in the dining room interacting with customers who have been with us for 15 to 20 years,” says Drew. “It was one of those things where my business partners wanted to throw me a going away party, but I just don’t love to be the center of attention, so Katie [Cooper] and I came up with this idea which has truly just been so fun.”
Drew is passing the torch to longtime Snake River Grill partner Katie Cooper, who has been at the restaurant for 25 years. “I feel good knowing that it’s in really good hands,” adds Drew, who is relocating to Atlanta for the time being to care for his mother. “There’s really no one who could take me away from this restaurant except for my mom, but Katie is going to do such a great job, she really understands the restaurant and is so passionate about the staff and customers.”
Starting on March 21, the weekly specials will include the crispy pork shank, which has been a signature dish for a number of years. “I used to have it on the menu year-round, but I’d change it four to five times to reflect the different seasons and the products available,” says Drew. This rendition is a summer-inspired red chili barbecue pork shank with a roasted corn and black bean salsa. White gazpacho is another fun throwback, a Moorish monk recipe from the 1600s that Drew modernized for a few summers. The veal milanese is a twist on a classic, a thinly sliced veal sirloin, breaded and pan fried and topped with toasted walnut aioli and arugula salad with a blistered tomato vinaigrette. Sweet corn creme brulee is making a comeback this week as well, topped with blueberries and lemon.
Drew says that while they have a few classics – like the potato pancake – that have been on the menu since the beginning, he’s always strived to find a balance with keeping customer favorites but also evolving and serving something new. “That’s something that’s so special about Snake River Grill – they’ve been here for 30 years but are still always evolving – which can be sometimes hard to balance as a business owner,” he says. “So this is the going away party that I wanted: cooking for all my friends.”
