"He didn't say why he left," says co-owner Eva Esparza. "He just said, 'Thank you very much,' and left."
Today was Grubb's first real day in the kitchen at Fleur, and his only plans are to add items to the brunch and lunch menus -- although he's not yet sure what they will be. "I'm just going through the kitchen trying to get organized and establish vendor relations," he says. "The food is good and people like it so there's no reason to change it."
Fleur serves casual American cuisine, and such items as baked peppadews stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, and braised short ribs with blueberry compote have been early hits. "We are still offering the same things," says Esparza. "We have amazing food, great ideas and great ingredients."
Esparza will be taking a more active role in the restaurant, she says, and overseeing the day-to-day operations -- a role formerly filled by Bart Jones, who is now what Esparza calls a "passive partner."
Explains Esparza: "We had a general meeting and he decided to go."
