The Grove Grill

Chef Jeffrey Dunham and his wife Tracey have owned and operated The Grove Grill since 1997. Both are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, 1986, and have a combined 75 years in the foodservice industry. Over the past 15 years, The Grove Grill has been consistently recognized as one of Memphis best restaurants. Chef Dunham was recognized by the Memphis Restaurant Association as Restauranteur of the Year in 2009. And in 2005, the Tennessee Restaurant Association named The Grove Grill the Restaurant of the Year. In 2002, Chef Dunham received the Silver Plate from the International Food Manufacturers Association for operator of the year. And in 2003 The Grove Grill received the Ivy Award in 2004 from Restaurant Institutions Magazine. Dunham served as a Board member for The Memphis Restaurant Association for 7 years and its President from 2005-2007. Chef Dunham served as Executive Sous Chef at The Windsor Court Hotels Grille Room in New Orleans and Chef de Cuisine at the Crescent Hotel in Dallas. While in Dallas, The Conservatory, a restaurant Chef Dunham was hired to open in1990, was rated as one of the years best new restaurant by Esquire Magazine. As Chef/Partner at the The Meeting Street Grill, in Westport Connecticut, Dunham received 2 Stars from the New York Times in its first year. Dunham has provided consulting for Northwest Airlines and served on Advisory Boards for Tyson Foods, Ore-Ida, Sara Lee, Sargento Cheese and Land O Lakes Food Service. Other positions held include, Executive Chef for Methodist Hospitals in Memphis and Director of Research and Development-Executive Chef for Perkins Family Restaurants.