FEATURED CHEF

John Westerhaus and Chase Wilcox from WestChase Grille

Posted: 1/1/2010

BIO:

WestChase Grille has offered contemporary American cuisine in a warm and elegant setting since November 2008.  It’s owners/Executive Chefs, John Westerhaus and Chase Wilcox, have been friends for 20 years. Wilcox attended the Western Culinary Institute in Portland and honed his skills in restaurants from his hometown of Albuquerque to Santa Fe and Beaver Creek, CO.  Westerhaus studied cuisine and pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, in Paris, and then worked in Vail and Beaver Creek. In 2007, the men decided to follow their dream, of owning a restaurant together. The two had visited Kansas City many times for the American Royal BBQ competition, and chose Overland Park over their hometowns of Albuquerque and Indianapolis because of the tremendous local support for independent restaurants.

PHILOSOPHY:

“Buy the best ingredients, prepare them simply with the proper technique, and let the quality of each ingredient speak for itself,” Westerhaus says. “We complement that with great service in a warm atmosphere,” Wilcox says. “We make our customers feel really welcome and comfortable here.”

FEATURED CHEF ARCHIVES

Anourom Thomson
from Hereford House (posted 9/1/2010)

Executive Chef Andy Ward
from b:2 a burger boutique (posted 8/1/2010)

Marshall Roth
from Cafe Verona (posted 7/1/2010)

Robert Padilla
from Trezomare (posted 6/1/2010)

Chef Michael Smith
from Extra Virgin (posted 5/1/2010)

Executive Chef Charles d'Ablaing
from Webster House (posted 4/1/2010)

Chef Bob Brassard
from The Broadmoor Bistro (posted 3/1/2010)

Executive Chef John McClure
from Starker's Restaurant (posted 2/1/2010)

John Westerhaus and Chase Wilcox
from WestChase Grille (posted 1/1/2010)

Jennifer Maloney
from Cafe Sebastienne (posted 12/1/2009)

Jim Dennis
from Jardine's (posted 11/1/2009)

Linda Duerr
from Zest (posted 10/1/2009)

Mano Rafael
from Le Fou Frog (posted 9/1/2009)

Don Pepe
from Johnny Cascone's (posted 8/1/2009)

Tomas di Gregorio
from Em Chamas Brazilian Grill (posted 7/1/2009)

Amy Presson
from Marina Grog & Galley (posted 6/1/2009)

English Renshaw
from La Bodega (posted 5/1/2009)

Ryan Kelly
from Garozzo's Ristorante (posted 4/1/2009)

Leon Bahlmann
from Cafe Trio (posted 3/1/2009)

Greg Hunsucker
from V's Italiano Ristorante (posted 2/1/2009)

Patrick Williams
from Pierpont's at Union Station (posted 1/1/2009)

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT INDEPENDENT CHEFS?

Independent restaurants mean fresher ingredients, chef dedicated to using the best ingredients in season, attention to detail, and many other things that you would expect.