Meet Steve Singleton, GM of the Burr Ridge Eddie Merlot's

Steve Singleton, General Manager of our new Burr Ridge, Illinois, location comes to us with some considerable background in Eddie Merlot's. He was a frequent customer of our Indianapolis location for years before he came to work with us.

Steve is a veteran of the restaurant industry, traveling all over the country to open restaurants. He's opened nine restaurants all over the nation, and he's worked in such big restaurant cities as Las Vegas. About seven years ago, he opened a new establishment in Carmel, Indiana (a suburb of Indianapolis) and one day, he drove past Eddie Merlot's. He decided to try it out.

He was immediately impressed with the decor - but still wondering if the food and service would live up to it. Having been in the restaurant industry for more than a decade by then, it took a lot to impress him - but we did. He loved it. He came back, again and again. "There was a lot of thought put into the layout and decor in the restaurant," Steve tells us. "It was open and airy and not crowded, and not dark like a lot of other restaurants. And the food was incredible, and the service was really attentive. Eddie Merlot's gives you a full experience from the front to the back of the house."

Steve has opened nine restaurants during his career. He was living in Las Vegas and longing to get back to the Midwest, so Eddie Merlot's was the perfect opportunity for him. Eddie Merlot's hired him in August. We sent him to Cincinnati to train in the kitchen and Columbus to train in the front of the house.

In addition to enjoying greeting the public and helping make the guest experience memorable, Steve loves to cook, and he loves to eat great food. One of his favorite dishes at Eddie Merlot's is the bone-in ribeye steak. "The carmelization and that little hint of sweetness combined with the seasoning makes it a terrific steak," Steve says. "That dry-aging process enhances the flavor and really brings it out."

His favorite side dish is the macaroni and cheese. He enjoys wine as well, broadening his horizons recently to get away from his favorite, Cabernets, to explore a wider range of wine. "I can enjoy a great Champagne and I had a great Malbec that I loved the other night," Steve says.

From the Eddie Merlot's wine list, he enjoys the Honig Cabernet Reserve and the Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir. He often finds that Eddie Merlot's guests are delighted by the quality of the restaurant's private label wine, which he thinks is one of the best bargains on the wine list.

We're delighted to have Steve on our team. Say hi when you're at our Burr Ridge location.