SEBASTIAN — After three years, Chill and Grill, the little restaurant with the intensely devoted following, is moving from its Indian River Drive in Sebastian location to be closer to Vero Beach.
Diners need not worry because the restaurant is only going down the road a bit to the former Pipa Movida location about six miles south on the west side of U.S. 1.
The popular restaurant is owned and operated by Chef Scott Birch, the former chef at Windsor and the Biltmore estate in Ashville, N.C., his wife, Csilla, and sons, Cullen and Taylor.
The restaurant is looking for a soft opening in October.
Csilla (prounounced Sheila) Birch called the restaurant a family affair. The Birches can’t imagine being in another business and they look on their customers as family as well.
“When a regular doesn’t show up,” she said. “I worry.”
The move to the smaller facility is a financial decision, Csilla Birch said.
As much as they loved being in such a picturesque location across from the lagoon, “We were lost on the river.”
She mentioned the several bars and nightspots around their current business.
Although all the neighbors were great, the restaurant marched to a very different beat.
Describing the restaurant, however, is challenging, even for Scott Birch.
And the name doesn’t help.
Initially, Birch said the restaurant did a lot of BBQ.
“And the name seems like we’re a bar and grill, but we’re not a bar, we’re a restaurant that happens to have some nice beer and wine.”
The BBQ is gone, but customers are familiar with the name so they will keep it.
“We serve happy, comfort food. It’s southern comfort with a twist. And it’s all from scratch. A current popular dish is braised short ribs with crab cakes risotto. The first time we made it, we served all of it. Every bit.”
Birch said it’s important for customers to know, “I’m cooking for them, not for me. It’s what I do.”
“Yes, we’re constantly adjusting,” added Csilla Birch, responding to customers’ preferences and requests.
In describing their dedication to provide what customers want, they like to say, “The answer is ‘Yes!’ What is the question?”
Although the menu is small, interesting dishes can be found on the chalkboard or by simply asking.
“My customers have become accustomed to checking the chalkboard for the specials,” said Birch. “They’ll come in and ask, ‘What’s for dinner?’ And ‘How are the specials chosen?’”
“It depends on my mood, on what’s in my head” he said with a grin.
No surprise, the dishes often involve seafood, which they buy locally along with their produce.
“I get 90 percent of the produce from Kroegels (long-time produce stand at the south end of Indian River Drive.)
As devoted as they are to providing customers with almost whatever they want, don’t ask for anything fried.
“You can get fish blackened, grilled, sautéed, but you can’t get fried fish here.”
Birch has always liked to cook and wanted to make it his career, but culinary arts schools were too expensive.
A chef friend, recognizing his natural talent, made an offer.
“I’ll pay you and teach you.”
From then on, Birch honed his craft at the side of some excellent teachers, including French Master Chef Rene Bajeux of Rene Bistro in New Orleans, whom he considers a mentor.
From Maui, Hawaii, where the couple met and married in 1990, the Birches began an odyssey that eventually led them to the Treasure Coast.
First came a stint as chef at Chicago’s Blackhawk Lodge, followed by serving as chef de cuisine for the Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans.
In a career high point, Birch opened as executive chef at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC., (a 4-diamond, 4-star establishment). That position resulted in the move to Sebastian.
Birch was recommended for the position of executive chef by the general manager of Windsor, a friend who’d been Assistant GM at the Biltmore.
He served in that position for six years, gaining fans because of his culinary skill until the opportunity presented itself to open his own restaurant in Sebastian.
Now, the family is preparing to move down the road to a location known over the years as Mama Mia’s, the Hardwood Grill and Pipa Movida.
Birch plans to “tinker” with the wood-burning grill still in the building and – with more land available – he’s considering outdoor BBQs, and live music, for an occasional change of pace.
“We’ve become part of the local scene here and we’ll still be,” says Csilla Birch, “It’s just down the road.”
For their Windsor fan base, it will be even closer.
Both sons have been in the family business pretty much all their lives and take it in stride.
Cullen is 19 and a freshman at Indian River State College. Like his mom, he’s adventurous, and very social. He might even try his hand behind the bar, said Birch.
Taylor is a junior at Sebastian River High School and – like his dad – is more a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. He’ll bus tables and work behind the line.
Chill and Grill will continue providing what their customers want in a welcoming, family atmosphere – Birch in the kitchen back creating epicurean magic, Csilla in front welcoming “my people,” Cullen and Taylor doing whatever is needed to keep the pace going – the same as always.
Just don’t ask for fried fish.
