AT THIS RED BANK BREWERY, AN EXECUTIVE CHEF TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES, WHERE HE HARNESSES THE SUPERPOWERS OF HYPER-FRESH INGREDIENTS AND SIMPLE TECHNIQUES TO CRAFT DISHES THAT COMPLEMENT THE VAST RANGE OF AWARD-WINNING ALES AND LAGERS

BY ERIK SCHONING • PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO.

A great craft beer can stand on its own, but pair it with the right dish, and its flavor will truly shine. At Triumph Brewing in Red Bank, Executive Chef Matt Grote has worked for years to perfect a menu that does justice to the brews on tap. Whether cravings call for a chewy pretzel, a juicy burger, or something more substantive, diners are in for something special.

Fans of Triumph know the brewery has long been renowned for its inventive and broad roster of beers. But during the height of the pandemic, the brewery underwent a period of reinvention; it was then that owner Adam Rechnitz first met Grote.

“I didn’t know anything about Triumph and they didn’t know anything about me,” Grote said. “So it was kind of interesting. As Adam put it: ‘It’s kind of like we’re speed dating right now. We’re getting to know one another a little bit at a time.’ And from there it evolved into a really good relationship.”

Grote proved to be the perfect chef to lead Triumph into its next era. An alum of the Johnson & Wales culinary program and a protégé of famed New England chef Jasper White (whose passing the culinary world mourned in the spring of last year), Grote built in the early years of his career a strong foundation in sensible, ingredient-forward cooking with a special focus on seafood.

In his two years helming the ship at Triumph, Grote has worked hard to give the menu a strong identity and clear direction. At a brewery, this is no small feat. As the explosion of craft breweries across the country in recent years has shown, breweries are popular precisely because of their inclusivity. At Triumph, groups of young and old, men and women, and families and singles alike share beers at any time of day. But this sets up a tricky problem for chefs: how do you craft a menu that appeals to everyone while still maintaining a clear vision? For Grote, the answer has been to rely on his core principles.

“We have an eclectic menu,” he said. “There’s something for everyone. But I keep it very simple. I let the ingredients themselves be the star of the show. If you have seasonal products and fresh ingredients, you don’t need to hide it.”

Just about everything at Triumph is made from scratch, from the house made chicken apple sausage to the seafood bouillabaisse a labor of love packed with cod, scallops, mussels, clams, and shrimp served in a lobster saffron broth and topped with a red pepper rouille. True to Grote’s roots, a lot of attention goes to the seafood on the menu; in a nod to his time up north, you’ll find a best-selling New England clam chowder on the winter menu.

Grote’s guiding lights are simple: seasonal, local, and sustainable. The menu at Triumph includes a detailed sourcing list for all proteins and vegetables, and Grote gives special attention to often under looked fish like monkfish and haddock. As Grote explained, “You want to surprise your guests; you want to give them something they’ve never had before.” It’s a smart way to incorporate sustainable, under-harvested fish into a menu while still expanding diners’ horizons.

But the heart and soul of Triumph’s menu remains its sandwich offerings. A sandwich and a beer are a beloved all American combination, and Grote’s menu does it justice with a diverse slate of options. Fan favorites include the Cubano with fried sweet plantains, and a blackened grouper sandwich served on toasted ciabatta and finished with pickled red onion, shaved cucumber, and arugula.

“The grouper is one of those sandwiches we can’t take off the menu, because it’s just that popular,” Grote said playfully. “I think people would probably start rioting out front if we did.”

Breweries are lively, inclusive spaces, and Grote works hard to ensure that same atmosphere extends to his kitchen. As he looks toward another year at Triumph, he wants to see the menu continually elevated, pushing his chefs to be the best they can be.

“I’ve been in kitchens where the chefs bark,” Grote said. “For me, it just doesn’t make sense here. I think you get more out of the staff when you treat them the way you want to be treated in life. This way, we can push these guys and challenge them creatively more than they have been in the past. So if everyone’s down for it, it’s going to be a different level of execution.”

Aside from continuing to elevate the menu, Grote plans to work more closely with the brewing team to develop more synergistic pairings of food and drink. On New Year’s Eve, for example, the kitchen put out a black forest cake made with Triumph’s in-house porter. And while Triumph’s beer portfolio is so diverse that everything already has a natural pairing on the menu, it’s Grote’s hope that the two sides of the business can work even more closely together, whether incorporating more beer into the cookery or brewing beers designed for specific menu pairings.

Triumph is, at its core, a place for people to enjoy good food, good company, and good beer. But for Grote, a casual atmosphere doesn’t equate to casual cooking. On the contrary, he’s always looking for ways to push the envelope.

“When I started, we were in a rebuilding phase,” Grote said. “Considering where we were, I think we’re going in the right direction. We want our menu to be elevated, but not to the point that it feels stuffy. Again, we’re not trying to hit a certain demographic. We need to reach everybody.”

Reaching everyone is no small task for a chef. But in two short years, Grote and his team are well on their way.

Triumph Brewing Company 1

Bridge Avenue, Red Bank

732.852.7300 / triumphbrewing.com/red-bank