“To be in the restaurant industry, you have to enjoy being on the precipice of great success or total disaster on an almost minute-by-minute basis.” – Rob Mosher

Sarah Grueneberg is Chef and co-owner of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago, which has been named one of Food & Wine’s “America’s Best Restaurants,” and one of Bon Appetit’s “50 Best New Restaurants”.

Sarah got her start at the iconic Brennan’s of Houston, where she became the restaurant’s youngest female sous chef.  She earned a Michelin Star for three consecutive years during her tenure as Executive Chef of Spiaggia restaurant in Chicago, and a James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Great Lakes.”  Sarah was also a finalist on Bravo’s “Top Chef: Texas”. 

Sarah is joined today by Rob Mosher, Managing Partner at Monteverde.  After graduating from Columbia University, Rob attended the Culinary Institute of America.  Rob’s path first crossed with Sarah while working as a line cook at Spiaggia.  He later became interested in wine, joining Tenzing Wine and Spirits in 2010.  Eventually, Rob teamed back up with Sarah and friends in 2015 to open Monteverde.

You can check out Sarah's cookbook here.

In our episode, Sarah and Rob will discuss:

(1:33) – What was Sarah’s upbringing like?

(3:26) – What lessons did Sarah take from her early career as a chef at Brennan’s?

(6:11) – What inspired Sarah to move to Chicago?

(9:25) – How did Rob’s family life inspire his entrepreneurial spirit?

(10:39) – How did Rob find his way to culinary school?

(13:10) – What were the early years at Spiaggia like for Sarah? 

(17:00) – What motivated Sarah and Rob to open Monteverde? 

(20:28) – How did Rob and Sarah’s paths cross?

(23:29) – What does it really take to run a successful restaurant?

(26:24) – What is the ‘why’ that drives Sarah and Rob to work in such a high-pressure industry?

(30:09) – What separates a home cook from a professional chef?