WENTE FAMILY ESTATES GRAPEVINE
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SPRING/SUMMER 2017
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PROFILE
How long have you worked
at The Grill at Wente Vine-
yards?
i have been working at the
Grill for just over seven months. Before
that i worked for four-and-a-half years
in the catering department at Wente
Vineyards.
•••
What does your job entail and
what are your primary respon-
sibilities?
a little bit of everything. i
come up with new dishes, menu design,
r&d for new menu items, pricing, or-
dering, scheduling and during service i
usually expo [make sure everything is
running smoothly at all times], but i
have been known to jump on the line
and cook during service as well.
•••
How has your background pre-
pared you for this job at
Wente Vineyards?
Working at
Wente Vineyards in catering and being
part of the Wente family culture for the
last five years has made the move to the
Grill pretty seamless.
•••
What is your greatest strength
as a chef?
controlling the madness of
a kitchen and staying calm – which in
turn helps my crew stay calm when we
are in the weeds.
•••
What do you enjoy most about
working at The Grill?
the people i
work with and the beautiful surround-
ings.
•••
Favorite Wente Family Estates
wine?
the nth degree cabernet.
•••
How would you describe your-
self in wine terms?
earthy, smooth,
and well-balanced.
•••
What might someone be sur-
prised to know about you?
even though i am a chef, i hate eggs.
•••
Favorite go-to ingredient in
the kitchen?
i would say it has to be
bacon. Because, let's be real, bacon
makes everything taste better.
•••
What is your favorite dish on
The Grill menu?
the Pub nachos.
•••
What is the most popular
item on the menu?
it really
changes week to week, but right now i
would have to say our 1883 burger is
most popular.
•••
What is your No. 1 rule in the
kitchen?
"never sacrifice quality for
speed and never sacrifice speed for qual-
ity – be prepared for both."
•••
What's the best cooking tip
you've ever received?
"if you put
your heart and soul into what you cook
the guest will be able to tell."
•••
What do you consider your
greatest achievement?
so far in
my life it would be working my way up
from a prep cook to being the executive
chef at the Grill at Wente Vineyards.
"
Never sacrifice quality for speed and never
sacrifice speed for quality – be prepared for
both.
"
– JUSTIN BLOCK,
Executive Chef at The Grill
14 QUESTIONS WITH THE GRILL'S
EXECUTIVE CHEF JUSTIN BLOCK
