Andrew Morgan. Photo provided.
The owners of New Richmond’s Front Street Café have announced a new executive chef and restaurant expansion project.
Kerry Stamper and Neil Reissig are co-owners of the restaurant.
Stamper shared the news that Andrew Morgan has joined Front Street Café as executive chef.
She said, “[Morgan’s] vast knowledge of fine dining cuisine and restaurant experience as a whole is why we selected him. He will help guide Front Street Cafe into being on the level that we are continuously striving to achieve.”
Reissig, the restaurant’s former executive chef, will remain an active partner and back-of-house manager.
Morgan grew up at Morgan’s Canoe and Outdoor Centers in Brookville Indiana. He graduated from the Midwest Culinary Institute, and after graduation, he joined his family’s catering chef with the Cincinnati Bengals. Morgan later helped open Latitudes Cafe in Milford and Anderson. He then joined Vitos Cafe in Ft. Thomas as sous chef, and after six months, he was promoted to executive chef. He went on to work at the college of Mt. St. Joesph as executive chef and food service director and then went to Via Vite in Cincinnati as executive sous chef, where he also volunteered his time doing events like Mardi Gras for the homeless and provided avenues for other restaurants to feed the homeless and those in need.
When starting a family became a priority, Morgan moved into a career in restaurant design and sales for Trimark. Then, after moving to New Richmond, and dining at Front Street Cafe several times a week, Morgan acknowledged that he was missing being in the kitchen.
Morgan said that he fell in love with the cafe and agreed to come on as executive chef to not only elevate the food but the overall dining experience.
Morgan started his position on Oct. 9.
“Front Street Cafe is always looking for new ways to level up the experience for all of our guests. Chef Drew will provide a new direction by elevating our culinary experience with his expertise and passion,” Stamper said. “We are committed to bringing our guests an unforgettable dining experience, while preserving that cherished hometown feel that makes Front Street Cafe so special.”
She added, “We are confident Chef Drew will execute this with his unique blend of quality and our familiarity which sets us apart. Staying true to our mission statement, we strive to continue to innovate, surprise, and provide the best dining experience for our guests.”
Stamper said that The Front Street Café will have some menu changes, and they have already implemented Morgan’s new Italian Night menu on Wednesday evenings, pairing wine selections with each course.
She added, “We also will be making a few changes to our Winter menu starting on Nov. 24.”
Looking to the new dining and kitchen expansion project, Stamper said the growth will not only benefit the café but provide more jobs to our community and revenue.
“We are very excited and eager for our new dining and kitchen expansion,” she said.
Details of the project included adding a total of 1,100 square feet to the existing restaurant. The additional square footage will increase indoor dining occupancy by 40-percent, adding 50 guest seating with the option of private event space.
The kitchen will relocate to the new space providing double the square footage of the restaurant’s current kitchen, allowing for the current kitchen to transition into a catering and prep kitchen.
Elaborating on this, Stamper said, “Another asset we are excited to introduce is Front Street Catering.”
Stamper said that is hard to give an estimated completion date at this time due to supply chain and other factors, but demolition has begun and they are hoping to be finished by summer 2024.
In the meantime, the restaurant is not planning on closing at any point for this project.
“We cannot guarantee anything, but with the plans we have made thus far with our general contractor, we will be open throughout the duration of the project,” Stamper explained.
She shared the reason for the expansion.
“Our business is constantly growing and we want to accommodate our guests 100-percent in all aspects of the hospitality industry, including private event space and catering. This expansion will not only benefit the cafe, but the New Richmond community as an entirety, attracting new customers to our riverfront business and to other family-owned and operated businesses,” she said. “Our goal is to increase both locals and visitors to experience what New Richmond has to offer from eateries, quaint boutiques, attractions, Airbnb’s, and of course the rich history of New Richmond on the Ohio.”
She added, “Being a local resident and business owner, my dream is to see New Richmond thriving as it did so well in the mid-1800s, being the hub of Clermont County. My goal is to achieve an increase of employment and to contribute tax income to our school district and village allowing our community to grow and our visitors to have the fullest experience possible.”
As the project nears completion, The Front Street Cafe will advertise the specifics of what positions for which they will be hiring.
Stamper said, “We cannot thank enough all of our supporters who have contributed to Front Street Cafe’s growth. Your loyalty, feedback, and support has made this journey unforgettable and honestly the best years of my life. We look forward to continuing the growth of the cafe and providing the best dining experience to all of our guests. We greatly appreciate you all being part of Front Street Cafe’s success.”