Ian Griffin

Growing up in Pittsboro, NC, Ian Griffin, unlike Gina, didn't really form that "my lifelong dream has always been to open a restaurant" story. Food and cooking were never about much more than a necessity to survive in his family.

After graduating high school, Ian went on to college and got a degree in psychology-a subject he loved learning about. He moved back home but decided he wasn't ready for a "real job." He wanted to go back to school for culinary arts. But an application meant he first needed six months of restaurant experience, so he used his family connections to get a job in the back-of-house at local restaurant Panciuto.

After his first week, Ian knew he had found his career. He loved everything about it-the late-morning starts and late-night ends, making things with his hands, the math and science, all of it. Cooking opened up a creative side in Ian that allowed him to manipulate food and flavors in a fun and unique way. Ian decided after 6 months that he was learning more than enough on the job and that school was not the right path for him. He spent nearly five enjoyable years at the restaurant working his way up to sous chef before he decided to move on and see what else was out there. He put in his notice and started saving money to travel, but a few weeks before his last day, the restaurant hired Gina and his life changed forever. The two fell in love and made a pact to open a restaurant together.

Ian then left to travel for about 3 months, came back and got a job as kitchen manager at City Market Sushi, then took on a role at Garland. He spent his time there cooking thoughtfully crafted food in a higher-volume restaurant. But after 6 months, he and Gina moved to Asheville to start their new lives. Ian started working at All Souls Pizza and the two continued to work diligently on making their restaurant dream a reality.

Ian is excited to open Griff's Kitchen & Bar because it will be a place for the community to gather around food and where his employees can grow, learn, and set themselves up for the future they want. An experimenter in the kitchen, part of Ian's approach to cooking is using those tried-and-true techniques from around the world and applying them to the local food of the area. His career in restaurants has provided him with many of the things he wants in life. Now it's his turn to create a place that will give others what they want-a place where people are proud to work.

When he's not in the kitchen, Ian is teaching his new baby boy, Coen James Griffin, the tools of the restaurant trade.