& Ash, Monarch and Kessaku and, with Grant and Winn, returned to their plans for expansion, which had been on hold. Giving up the once-four-unit Etta concept hurt, said Grant. “Etta was my baby. It was very personal to me. It was sad to let go,” he said. “But, as you make decisions and look to the future, those are the hard ones you need to make.” Since the separation, Maple Hos- pitality has added the new Eight Bar to the first floor of the original Ma- ple & Ash in Chicago. The more casual Eight Bar is an option for diners who want to swing by on a whim, where Maple & Ash is more of special occasion that re- quires booking well ahead and “ti- dying up.” “Maple & Ash is more a planned, celebratory evening out. Eight Bar can be, ‘What should we do tonight? Oh, let’s go to Eight Bar,’” said Grant. “I can take off my tie and roll
up my sleeves.” In Miami, both concepts will open together, with Eight Bar on the first floor and Maple & Ash upstairs. Grant said it is being designed to become the “crown jewel” of the group. The location is almost twice the size of the unit in Chicago. The Miami Maple & Ash will be about 5,500-square feet in a new development across the street from the stadium where Miami Heat play basketball, so people can pop in after a game. “Miami will be the biggest restaurant that we’ll, quite possible, ever open—though whenever I say ‘ever,’ I end up saying later, ‘Well, I was wrong there,’” said Grant. The location will also include extra space for the members club events or special activations. And the availability of space gave Grant the opportunity to create the kitchen of his dreams, he said. “This will be a new toy I can really
push the limits on.” There, for example, he will have the chance to develop a menu specifically for Eight Bar, diving into the Japanese and French influences that Grant said has long held a sweet spot in his heart. Miami Maple & Ash’s menu will also include more dishes “on the delicate side” that fit with the climate and clientele, he added. “Sometimes when you’re grilling, it eats a little heavy. So we’re looking at using steamers and cooking things a bit more gentle.” Fundamentally, Grant said the group has its house in order. Now it has a second chance to refine the vision and fix missteps. “Any kind of divorce, whether business or personal, is not enjoyable in any capacity. But having that behind us is huge,” said Grant. “And anytime you do something the second time around, you do it better.”
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JANUARY 2025 RESTAURANT BUSINESS
PHOTOS COURTESY: MATT HAAS
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