Chef and co-owner Joey Churchman has left the kitchen at Bramble & Brine, along with Pastry Chef Dru Tevis, Sous Chef Keegan Dolan and other kitchen personnel. Bramble & Brine remains open, and hopefully will continue to do well.
Robert Peck is now in the kitchen.
Apparently the facts I reported above (just facts — not gossip) have created a rather hysterical reaction on Facebook and in the comments section of this post. Too bad. I expected more from Bramble & Brine.
I just saw this post this morning and I’m wondering what all the hubbub is about? This website provides “restaurant news and reviews.” Chefs leave, chefs come on board, chefs change restaurants – that’s restaurant news and this website has been reporting that for about 6 years now. The post was factual and to the point, with no opinion other than wishing the restaurant well.
Why all the screaming? If these people wanted to keep this a secret, they probably shouldn’t have blasted it all over social media which probably gave it a lot more attention than this one little news post. Well, my 2 cents.
Interesting. All you did is report the fact that the chef has left the restaurant — something of interest to past and future diners — and you’re called a “gossip queen.” Since when did facts become equivalent to gossip? Obviously they love the publicity when the news is good; but when trouble strikes, you’re supposed to remain silent and leave out inconvenient or uncomfortable facts. Who does that serve, other than them? Certainly not your viewers. Thank you for reporting the facts and keeping us up to date about our local restaurants. Obviously it’s a labor of love.
I am going to be the odd man out on here and as a business owner, I must say the everyone in the Rehoboth community does their best to do a great job to please everyone. I am a big fan of Bramble and Brine, but I am a big fan of the Rehoboth Foodie and his view and commentary on food and the places he dines and reviews. I never saw on his posts that Bramble and Brine was closing their doors, the article about the changes was his job, he is a foodie and a reporter it was only a few sentences long.
Megan you may not be helping yourself with this reply, by this I mean actions speak louder than words, you keep on serving your food and serving everyone as best you can and keep your standards up. As a reader of his, I know these posts to him has made me a little uncomfortable as a customer of yours. This is Rehoboth …a small town with GREAT people who want to support ALL the great venues a town has to offer. This response is now going to take on a “he said” “she said” spin from the your customers and community. I know it is not an easy thing anytime we go through personal things as a business owner we have to put on “our show must go on” face and use our backs and elbow grease to make our living pleasing our great clientele.
I saw ONLY facts in his article and NONE of the fiction people are mentioning. If it were me, I would just welcome guests remove the post and the public decide for themselves. I hope this helps in some way, or maybe if you reread your posts you will see this is feeding the fire that can only really harm you. Please do not be upset with my posts, I like Bramble and Brine and I like the Rehoboth Foodie.
Dear Foodie: I’m so terribly disappointed to see you deleted all of the positive replies in the “Shake up” post on your website including mine, and only left negative replies regarding Ms. Churchman’s post. This is not journalism. This is sensationalism. This is not fair and equal reporting. You are not being honest if you only tell half the story and then delete the positive replies. Your actions speak for themselves. Shame on you! A good journalist does fact checking from both sides. Next time, do your homework and get both sides of the story. How could you not know that by writing and posting your first original post a lot of people would not like it and there would be a backlash of positive remarks which you removed. You deleted it and reworked your piece and reposted it to make yourself come out smelling sweet. Have you no scruples? The positive comments were not hysterical, they were positive. Many of us who have been loyal to you as followers are very disappointed in the way you’ve handled this.
Jamie…
I am quite aware of where most of these positive posts came from. I have been doing this way too long to not recognize a post from a chef’s/owner’s wife or close friends/relatives of the restaurant. I posted a few, but when I get about 20 more in an hour, all similarly worded, I know what’s going on.
Nobody has promoted this restaurant more than I have, and until this hysterical outburst this morning, I had no reason to think that B&B would be any different than it was, and I had planned to come in and write positively about the new incarnation (assuming it was, indeed, good).
That is now not going to happen. I have deleted the old review from the website and my travel app. I am the one disappointed so see such a hysterical reaction to three sentences that stated nothing but the facts. I expected more from Bramble & Brine. Insults and ridiculous accusations will not result in a fair review. These people and/or “friends” posting here are not doing Megan any good. And frankly that makes me sad, as I enjoyed helping B&B become what it became.
This nonsense has gone on long enough. Until somebody actually reads the original post and stops spouting off stuff they’ve heard from wherever, I am turning the comments off on this post.
Jamie, I went back through my revisions and nothing was reworked except that I added the name of the new chef in the kitchen after somebody emailed that information to me. Not sure how that “makes me come out smelling sweet” except that I just reported yet another fact. I have been very faithful to these two owners and went over and above to bring people into their restaurant using whatever small influence I might have. I should be the one who, in your words, is “terribly disappointed.” And yes, I am.
Reporting like this short and simple post effectively prevents gossip. She should be thanking you for your candor as far as journalists go. She was one Facebook post away from this all blowing over… Unfortunately bramble will be permanently marked by her response. She should have let her restaurant’s performance speak for itself.
Finally! Some sanity. Thanks. I guess it comes with the territory! :o)
Dear Rehoboth Foodie,
Everybody loves a good story, especially a story filled with drama, and that is exactly what you heard and told everyone in your column when you repeated that story which was very much filled with fiction and very little fact. Just remember: there are always two sides to every story.
With regard to Bramble & Brine, to set the record straight and clue you up on what really transpired, here is the “other side” of the story:
My ex husband and I mutually agreed to a divorce because unfortunately we were unable to reconcile our differences. This is personal business which is between he and I and unfortunately, people who are not directly involved in our divorce, and who do not know exactly what transpired or any personal details have taken it upon themselves to gossip and spread rumors which are quite contrary to fact.
As for Joe and the kitchen staff walking out, yes, they did. The chef and staff left of their own accord, they were not asked to leave and it greatly saddened me that they chose to leave in the middle of dinner service. As everyone knows, sometimes divorce can be tricky and quite sticky, especially when emotions are involved.
Even though this event occurred, Joe and I have parted amicably. This is a fact. We are adults and have decided that despite our differences and the gossip which seems to whirl around the community, we are taking the high road and continuing to evolve, grow and follow our hearts to new and exciting adventures. I wish Joe the best as he has outgrown Bramble & Brine and desires new challenges which will inspire him. I only the want the best for him and I wish him luck, love and laughter as he embarks on his new journey.
Now, let’s put the rumors to rest: Bramble & Brine is not closing our doors. Bramble & Brine continues to serve the best food and deliver the best possible service to a hungry public who enjoys the warmth within our walls, the ambience of our establishment, and our unique menu with delectable morsels which we hope will be enjoyed time and time again. It’s our intention to put our customers first, to accommodate and fascinate their palettes upon each and every visit.
We invite you to stop by and dine with us nightly. Dinner is served at 6:00 PM Thursday – Monday. We are closed Tuesday and Wednesday evenings through winter. We look forward to serving you!
Sincerely,
Megan Churchman
Megan…
I very much appreciate your email. However I still don’t know what you or your friends posting here mean by “gossip.” Will you enlighten me as to what was “gossip” in my 2-3 sentence post? I made no mention of divorce or anything personal like that. I simply stated what you actually stated here, but with much less detail. I am wondering if you even read the post. NOBODY has supported B&B more than I have in the past, and I am a little concerned that you feel what I wrote was anything other than the truth and what I regularly report about any and all changes at the local restaurants.
Gossip? Rumors? Divorce? Megan, would you enlighten me and quote from my post what is gossip and/or rumors or any mention of divorce? All I reported was that you had a change in personnel in the kitchen. Period. It’s what I do and have done for almost 6 years, long before Bramble & Brine. I’m sorry you have chosen to take this path. I really liked your restaurant.
I was in last week and the food was just as amazing as always!!!
If Foodie was a gossip, he’d be telling you WHY Joey left, but he’s just reporting the facts. We went there last month and were very disappointed. Still love the place and will keep going; hopefully the kinks will get worked out.
Thank you, Jennifer. If I printed everything I actually know about this and other local restaurant dramas, I would have to move out of state! I am very careful about what I print. I’m here to promote Rehoboth dining, not bash it (unless bashing is the only alternative :o).
What are you? The gossip queen of the culinary world? How distasteful. I was just there for dinner last night and the food was nothing more than amazing.
Dear angry…I report on all chef and personnel changes. Apparently that is “distasteful” when it involves somebody you know or like? Did you think that this would be a secret in a small town like this? I wrote nothing but the facts.
Say it ain’t so! Does this mean that Joey’s wife is gone as well? I was just putting together my list of favorite Rehoboth eateries for a friend going later in November. I told her not to miss B&B.
Crossing my fingers that whatever happened gets sorted out for one of my new favorite restaurants.