I recently had the opportunity to sit down with restaurant chef/ owner of Grange Kitchen and Bar’s, Brandon Johns. A former UofM graduate and Wolverine football player, Johns adds a unique flavor to Ann Arbor’s restaurant scene. Through innovative and eco-friendly culinary creations such as brioche crusted walleye and French fries fried in duck fat, Johns’ ingenuity rises supremely among the monotony of other menus around town.
      Chef Johns began his restaurant career as a waiter during college and quickly moved on to working as a chef at Real Seafood Company in Ann Arbor. He says that by “working hard, showing up, and possessing some skill,” he was able to work toward his desire to become a chef. After learning that he had a passion for working with food, Johns moved to New York City to attend the Institute of Culinary Education.  He claims, “It was one of the best decisions I ever made.” This definitive statement highlights the impact that culinary school training had on his future. Johns went on to say that working as a chef in The Big Apple opened many doors for him and gave him numerous connections.  He also commented, though on the grueling almost hazing-like process of working tirelessly for long hours to make salads and other less interesting dishes while working his way up in the restaurant business. With little or no pay to start out, Johns pointed out how much passion he needed to remain interested in the culinary world.

  After a brief period of time spent in New York, and then Chicago, Johns and his wife moved back to Ann Arbor to be closer to home.  That’s when he opened Grange, a restaurant that focuses on locally produced ingredients, homemade quality, seasonal cooking and the method of using all the parts of an animal for his dishes. He explains, “We throw almost nothing away in the kitchen,” and Grange’s fried pig’s head with mustard and sauce gribiche exemplifies this technique. His restaurant and cooking style allow for an array of menu delicacies and make for extremely delicious results.
      When I asked Mr. Johns why he found locally-bought foods to be the way to go, he stressed the importance of establishing relationships with the people whose food he buys as a means of using high quality and better tasting items. He also proclaimed, “It just makes sense to buy from neighbors rather than someone in Florida.” As a consumer, I find his style appealing in that the dishes are fresh, tasty, environmentally conscious, and economically beneficial for our community. I would say these perks make it an easy decision when trying to decide where to go for an appetizing meal in Ann Arbor.
      Not only does Grange offer an ever-changing dinner menu, soon offering winter squash and hearty meat dishes for the winter months, but Grange also includes beautiful desserts, an extensive wine collection, and an incredibly novel cocktail menu. Johns gives his sous-chef the luxury to create cocktails involving unbelievable combinations of ingredients. Johns nicely states that, “It takes a village to write a recipe,” and this mind-set is present in the communal work of his pastry and of his sous-chef. The GKB Manhattan cocktail, however, which involves bacon, maple syrup and orange flavors is a special creation by Johns himself.
      Clearly, with a love of fresh, quality foods and innovation, Johns succeeds in creating an exciting choice for a fulfilling meal. Grange is a definite yes on my list of favorites in Ann Arbor.