Restaurant Week 2018 at The Woodfire Bar and Grille
Welcome to Woodfire!
I enjoy delicious food and appreciate exceptional service. I prefer classy, yet comfortable décor. This is what we provide at Woodfire Bar and Grille. I learned early on that a "hickory" wood fired grill adds an unparalleled taste dimension to any expertly seasoned steak, chop, burger, seafood or vegetable. We source all of our grass-fed beef, pasture raised pork and trout locally. All of our chefs take pride in every dish that comes out of the kitchen. We look forward to serving you.
The Woodfire Bar & Grille offers local breweries on tap, craft cocktails, oak aged wines and several choices of liquor for the discerning palate.
Chef Bio:
Executive Chef Jason Krueger brings his seasoned culinary skills to the Woodfire Bar & Grille by preparing an American cuisine that utilizes the very best sustainably sourced ingredients, seasoned and grilled to perfection.
He began his culinary career, straight out of high school, at the newly opened Lancaster Brewing Co. in his hometown of Lancaster PA. What he lacked in experience, he made up for in passion. Starting as a prep cook, he rose quickly up through the ranks being mentored by some of the best chefs in Pennsylvania. He was picked up by the Keares Restaurant Group and spent several years rotating through their steak houses. He was promoted to executive chef at age 26 when the Keares Restaurant Group acquired, strangely enough, the Lancaster Brewing Co. A full circle experience.
By the age of 30, already feeling the long days and hundreds of hours on his feet, Chef Krueger moved to south Florida to live by the beach and change careers. He spent 6 years in the mental health field primarily helping addicts and alcoholics recover. It was a very rewarding experience.
In 2011 he moved to Charlotte NC and helped launch a raw juice and food company. The culinary bug was back and he was excited to be creating again. After three years honing his vegan repertoire, he sat up in the middle of the night and felt led to move to Asheville. As he hiked and explored his new home he thought about the restaurant business and his career path. Asheville and its many excellent restaurants inspired him. Little did he know, he had been guided to one of the fastest growing culinary cities in America! It seems, that 6 year hiatus helping people was going to be followed by an awesome culinary opportunity at the Holiday Inn Biltmore East.
Chef Krueger was presented with such an unusual opportunity that he almost passed it up. It can be difficult for a chef obsessed with farm to table and the freshest ingredients to imagine working a corporate gig. The hotel's owners, foodies themselves, wanted to break the Holiday Inn mold and offer their guests, and the local community, something extraordinary. The only component they were sure about was the addition of a wood-fired grill and they spared no expense making it happen. Now, all they needed was an executive chef with a vision. Chef Krueger's concept for the Woodfire Bar & Grille won them over. In a city where a significant part of the population is vegetarian, he would seek out the finest, locally sourced meat, fish and vegetables for the hickory wood-fired grille. He would focus on drawing out the mouth-watering flavors from the quality ingredients, rather than relaying on an abundance of spices and elaborate sauces to provide flavor. A pure and simple formula.
The Woodfire concept was accepted and the restaurant opened to rave reviews. It has quickly become a local favorite and has been nicknamed "Asheville's hidden gem" due to its unexpected location inside the Holiday Inn Biltmore East. Not only that, hotel guests who used to flock to downtown Asheville find themselves staying in night after night for the fabulous cuisine. Stop by tonight and taste the difference!
