Hey y’all!
We’re back with another culinary-themed episode of Monroe Today. This month, Ms. Gilda sat down with Chef Robert Smith of Grits Cafe!
Born in New Jersey, Chef Robert has been workin’ in the culinary field since 1994. He grew up right outside Atlantic City, so his earliest experience was workin’ for some of the casinos. There he was involved not just in the kitchen and cookin’ food, but on the operational side of things as well. He learned about ordering, food costs, and other behind-the-scenes aspects of the restaurant business, which prepared him for his later roles.
In 2001, after 9/11, Chef Robert took a break from the culinary scene to work with Homeland Security. “One of my dreams growing up as a child was I wanted to go into the military,” Chef Robert shared. “However, I was medically disqualified and so that made me the first male in my family to not serve. That really kind of hurt. So when unfortunately 9/11 happened, it opened up an opportunity for me to be able to put some time in and do my time that I didn’t get to serve with the military.”
In 2004, Chef Robert was ready for a change of weather and moved to Florida, returnin’ to the restaurant business. He spent some time helpin’ build out concepts for a couple of mom-and-pop restaurants, as well as some time in Orlando’s parks, when an opportunity at Crystal Palace in Disney’s Magic Kingdom fell into his lap.
“It was one of the first restaurants that was there when the park opened. And it’s a buffet, but everything is made from scratch. We did on average about 18-1900 covers for dinner every night. So when you stop and think about it, you’re like, last week I was doing 200 covers and I was crying and now I’m gonna do 2000 covers. I’m not gonna survive! But it was fun, you know.”
And that’s how Chef Robert met his wife, Sarah—a woman from Forsyth who just so happened to be in Florida at that time, too!
“I went through a divorce where I had absolutely nothing better to do than work. […] I’d work in the kitchen from 2 to 11 and then I’d go work in pastry until 3 or 4 in the morning. […] And next thing I know, the whole team quit except for me. […] I ended up revamping our entire pastry department, hiring a brand new team, which is really funny because I met this young lady that was coming in doing the same thing I was. She was picking up overtime hours from another restaurant. And so yeah, we started getting along and […] next thing you know, it’s dating, marriage, kids, house, a minivan. […] The opportunity for Grits popped up—about two years ago now—and one of her friends was telling us that they were looking for some help. And, I looked at her and I’m like, ‘You don’t want to move back…’ And she’s like, ‘Put in for it!’ So, okay. So I put in my application.”
And we’re so glad he did! The move to Forsyth was quick for Chef Robert. After a successful interview and trial in the kitchen, he packed the car up, left his wife and kids at home, and started stayin’ with his in-laws right down the street.
“When I first walked into the building, I was just, I fell in love with it right away. I mean, not knowing the history of it at the time—Other than the fact that my wife never took me here in the nine years we vacationed here! I had to get a job here in order to eat here! You know, she talked about it all the time, but we never went.—But one of the things was like, ‘Look, we don’t want you to come up and change everything. It’s got a history.’ And I fell in love with the building the moment I walked in. The dining room was gorgeous. In my career, I’ve never had anything like this. And I’m a big history buff and to learn more and more about this restaurant and its focal point in the community for the last, well, 27 years, it’s really awesome. So I said, ‘Look, I’m not up here to make changes. What I want to do is preserve what’s there.’ […] The next thing I know, it was the week after Thanksgiving. I walked into the kitchen in 2024 and here we are now, what, 2026, almost two years later, and it’s been a great run so far.”
History is right! Grits has been a part of the Forsyth community since 1999, when it was opened by Wayne and Terry Wetendorf. It’s been beloved by the community, by the region even, for generations.
“I was blown away. I mean, I have the opportunity now where my kitchen is organized, where I’ll go out and walk the floor. I’ll sit down and talk with tables. And I’ve had tables come in at third or 4th generations. […] We did a wedding reception last year for a couple that their parents used to go there on dates. […] And then the amount of travelers that make it a bypass to come off of the highway to come here, it’s just like, how did you even find this 10 years ago?”
Chef Robert has introduced several new concepts to Grits, like the Supper Club! It started as a date night special—dinner for two, a little three or four course prefixed menu, a bottle of wine… That evolved quickly to a six-course, themed dinner party offered once a month. Supper Club dinners offer somethin’ totally different from what’s on the regular Grits Cafe menu.
“Our first dinner was an introduction of myself to the community. So it was all Florida, Caribbean, seafood, sweet, spicy, not anything you get around here. And it was really neat. So what we decided to do is put themes on all of the dinners. Each one turns into a little storytelling experience, you know, and so it’s gone over really well. We have sold out every single one of them this year. […] I get to come out, I spend time in the room with you guys. I get to laugh and joke with you. […] I’ve met so many people, and so that’s what’s kind of built into collaborations and more relationships.”
Collaborations like a partnership with Rocking Chair Ranch for Tuesday Night Steakhouse Night, and creating a custom fireside menu for Dogwood Creek Hunting Preserve.
“Just stay tuned to the Facebook page,” advises Chef Robert. “We’ve got more things coming this year. I’ve got more collaborations coming up, more partnerships that we’re building. Rocking Chair Ranch has been huge for us. Georgia Grown actually reached out to us and accepted us to be able to put the logo on the menu. I’m working very closely with them now. And I mean, we’ve got some big ideas coming this year. It’s gonna be great!”
Interested in hearin’ more? Give the full episode a listen below!
‘Til Next Time,
Your Storyteller
