Glen Mayville & Lester Blumenthal

Chef Bio

Glen Mayville began cooking at age 12. He learned canning and preserves from his mother and hunted and harvested big game with his father near their home in Syracuse, NY. After working in the food industry, Glenn attended Paul Smith College in Saranac NY at age 24, and earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management. After several years of work in The Purchasing Department at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, MA, Glen yearned to return to his roots: "naturally raised food from local people." Mutual friends led him to Grill 7 owner Lester Blumenthal, where he has been chef since 2007.

Lester Blumenthal started life in Brooklyn, NY. A graduate of Stuyvesant High School and Hamilton College, he learned early on about the beauties of Berkshire County (camp for a 10οΎ–12 year old has lasting effects). A self proclaimed "foodie" and commercial design industry entrepreneur and executive, he decided to trade in his real job for a chance to root himself into the local community and work with local farmers and suppliers. A new restaurant is born with a true spirit of local.

 Glen Mayville & Lester Blumenthal

Route 7 Grill

Great Barrington, MA

www.route7grill.com

About the Restaurant

At Route 7 Grill, everything, including stocks, soups, dressings & desserts, is made from scratch. The barbecue menu features foods smoked in-house over hickory and other local hardwoods. Their philosophy is inspired by Berkshire Grown, as well as the Slow Food movement. Route 7 Grill is deeply ingrained in the community and believes in helping local businesses and farmers. The restaurant is proud to provide fresh, local food. All of their meat is naturally raised from local farms or small family farms, forming relationships they believe will have a positive effect in preserving local farming traditions.

Route 7 Grill, nestled in the Housatonic river valley of the Southern Berkshires, offers a full service dining room, a full bar with an outdoor patio, and beautiful outdoor facilities for Pig Roasts, Special Parties and general relaxation. The restaurant also offers BBQ by the pound and has a large catering business, which can serve anywhere from 4 to 200 people.

Route 7 Grill is open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday between 11:30 and 3:00. It is open for dinner Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 5:00 and 9:00, Friday through Saturday between 5:00 and 10:00, and Sunday between 3:00 and 8:00. The Grill is closed on Tuesdays.

Recipes from Episode 711