My City June 2022

MYEATS Continued from pg. 33 

R edwood now operates two food trucks, as well, and o -site catering is 20 percent of the business. ey also o er take-out lunch boxes. “If our customers can’t come to us, we go to them!” Fernandes exclaims. “We have made a lot of adjustments, but the biggest thing is that I will not jeopardize quality,” notes the executive chef. On the fourth Monday of every month, a wine tasting event highlights †ve di erent wines. And, of course, many regular customers come to Redwood Steakhouse & Brewery for the beer! Many of the house brews have garnered international awards, and Redwood was most recently named 2022 Michigan Brewery of e Year. That aspect of the restaurant is now overseen by a new Head Brewer, Rockne Van Meter. Van Meter has become highly respected within the industry and known for his dedication to making quality beer true to style. “He has won quite a few awards,” Fernandes points out. “His product is phenomenal.” Fernandes brings much experience to his current restaurant. He and his wife, Theresa, started out in the ‘90s with a restaurant in Linden called Broadstreet, which they operated for ten years. “She made the desserts and I did the cooking,” he shares. He remembers one day when a group of diners came to the restaurant on motorcycles. One of them happened to be Molly Abraham, a food critic from the Detroit Free Press . She gave the restaurant a four-star review. “That is when business really took off for us,” he remembers. “It all started at Broadstreet.” In the Redwood kitchen, two chefs work under Fernandes, as well as eight line cooks who are all trained to work in di erent areas. “We are known for our food quality,” says Fernandes. “We have worked hard for our reputation.” Fernandes is now one of the restaurant’s †ve managing partners. “I thank them for giving me the opportunity to run the show,” he states. “I’m hands-on and they trust me to do what I am doing. Our customers are very loyal.” And many of the Redwood sta have been there for a long time. “I have a great support sta ,” says Fernandes. “We are a tight-knit group and work hard to make your visit to Redwood a memorable occasion.” ®

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