The Cru

A wine guy from Chicago. A whippersnapper from Holland. An artsy former wine-retailer from Grand Rapids. A locally-inspired Chef from Fennville. A French Culinary Institute graduate from Kalamazoo. A butcher and charcuterier-extraordinaire. What do all these people have in common?

A restaurant called Reserve.

Wine and food have a way of bringing all kinds of different people together. Take our staff for example. While they each traveled different paths, their roads converged and lead them to Reserve, where they have come together to create an experience like no other.

Peter Marantette
General Manager peter@reservegr.com
What’s your story?

I’ve spent the last nine years in Chicago. The last four of those nine I was bartending and managing at Bistro 110. At the moment, I am studying for my Court of Master Sommelier exam. Why? Because I love wine. Wine is a conversation piece. It’s a social stimulant. It’s an integral part of the dining experience. A bottle of wine can mark milestones in your life & preserve memories. On another note, in my spare time, I enjoy Irish whiskey.
Brandon Joldersma
Assistant General Manager joldersma@reservegr.com
What’s your story?

My interest in the dining experience was first piqued when I began waiting tables at Alpenrose in Holland, MI. I’ve always loved food, but getting on the other side of service turned me on to how quality service as well as a quality product hugely impacts the dining experience, and how wine plays an important role in complimenting and enhancing a meal. From there I was fortunate enough to move down the street to Butch’s Dry Dock, where I was Assistant General Manager and Sommelier. It was there that I dove head-first into the wine scene, and I’ve never bothered to come up for air since. As I immersed myself fully in the restaurant world, my passion for the industry became fully realized, and it is that passion that makes me proud to work at Reserve amongst people who feel the same.
Emily Van Rooy
Private Events Sales Coordinator emily@reservegr.com
What's your story?

My father is my biggest inspiration. He has taught me everything that I know about the culinary world, hospitality, and how to be the ultimate entertainer. From sourcing locally to slow-food cooking, to being very detail oriented and what fine service really entails. Overall, my father has taught me to be a passionate and cultured individual. I am so proud to be surrounded by the talented and creative staff at Reserve. Our team believes in the same fundamentals about sourcing locally, stimulating local economy, changing seasonally, and being cutting edge. As a bona fide foodie/winegeek, I certainly feel right at home here. I look forward to creating a unique experience for you, call and book an event today!
Matthew Millar
Executive Chef matthew@reservegr.com
What’s your story?

I’m a twenty year veteran in restaurant service. During more than a few years as owner and chef of Journeyman in Fennville, Michigan, I became enthralled with the farmers and artisans of West Michigan. Cooking with locally raised and seasonally sourced foods became an ethic that remains with me now. When I’m not in the kitchen, I enjoy spending time with my wife, Amy Lee Cook, in Fennville where we live.
Mathew Green
Sous Chef green@reservegr.com
What’s your story?

I did not realize that I needed to be a chef until my mid-20s. My original career goal was to be a stuntman, but I actually went to college to become a scenic designer, and then left college to become a video store clerk. The common thread is that I’ve always been working to put on a show, to provide an exceptional experience that transcends the everyday. I’m fascinated by the intersection of craft and art that occurs in a kitchen and the collaborative process that brings food from our farmers to your table. My culinary training includes the French Culinary Institute, working at Food Dance and Journeyman, and cooking with my wife. When I’m not at work I am with my two sons, singing and dancing in the living room and building Lego towers.
Brandon Sturm
Butcher/Charcuterier brandon@reservegr.com
What's your story?

My earliest memories of food were of pork sausage that my grandmother would buy from a local butcher shop on the other side of the block from my great Aunt’s house. The memories of the shop itself are not clear, but I remember being excited to go there, to see where this food was coming from, not fully understanding at the time why it was only at that store it could be obtained. Later in my mid-twenties I had worked in restaurants for several years. Ingredients and sources were fundamentally the same, only different plating amalgams. Lifestyle changes at this point contributed to my abandonment of commodity food and desire to work in harmony with these convictions by joining Journeyman in Fennville. The spirit of individuality in the food and honesty of flavors resonated with and awakened those childhood memories from the old butcher shop and I knew then I had found what I wanted to do.