PHILIP BOLLHOEFER
Executive Chef
Philip Bollhoefer began his time at The Montford in the summer of 2016 as Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Director for The Montford Rooftop Bar and Hyatt Place Asheville. Bollhoefer has been recognized for his menu creation and kitchen operation expertise and is a true champion of locally-sourced cuisine. Bollhoefer has developed several key partnerships with local farmers, volunteers for the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, and oversees our Chef’s Garden with the assistance of our friends and partners at Ivy Creek Farms.
Bollhoefer arrived in Asheville in 2014 to join the culinary team at The Omni Grove Park from its sister property, Omni Chicago Hotel, where he served as Executive Sous Chef and expanded the hotel’s house-made charcuterie program to an award-winning level. Before his role in Chicago, he also spent a year and a half as Chef de Cuisine at Omni La Mansion Del Rio in San Antonio, Tex., overseeing the AAA Four Diamond-rated fine-dining restaurant Las Canarias.
Prior to joining to moving to Asheville, Bollhoefer worked for Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport where he held multiple chef positions. Bollhoefer has been working in professional kitchens since 2005.
Bollhoefer is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando.
THOMAS GRIFFIN
Sous Chef
Thomas Griffin Began his time at The Montford Rooftop Bar in April of 2017. Since joining, the team Griffin has helped elevate the food program at The Montford Rooftop Bar. Griffin is instrumentals in seasonal menu changes as well as the development of new local partner and farm relationships.
Griffin Moved to Asheville in 2010 and fell in love with the local food scene. Griffin has been part of multiple successful culinary team since arriving in 2010. After 2 years as a line cook at Storm Rhum Bar, Griffin earner the position of the opening Chef de Cuisine at MG Road. In 2013 Griffin took the Sous Chef position at Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, and in 2014 he joined the culinary team at the Omni Grove Park Inn where he worked side by side with Philip Bollhoefer where they began their culinary partnership.
Born in Washington, D.C., Montford Sous Chef Thomas Griffin began cooking professionally at age 14, working summers at a German restaurant in Newport News, Virginia. Always called to cooking, at age 18 Griffin moved to New York City to attend culinary school at the Institute for Culinary Education, with a focus on French cuisine and charcuterie. After interning under Chef Jimmy Bradley at the Red Cat in Chelsea, Thomas worked at several prominent Manhattan restaurants, including Town, Blue Smoke, and Brasserie.
Miranda Escalante
Beverage Manager
Miranda Escalante began her time at The Montford Rooftop Bar in of July 2017 as Beverage Director. Escalante has been recognized for her cocktail creations, beer, and wine knowledge and customer service. Since joining the team Escalante has flourished in an environment where she is empowered to put all of her time, energy, and passion into guest interactions and individualized training to staff. Her heart goes into the handcrafted, both simple and complex seasonal cocktails for every palate.
Escalante has been in Asheville since 2004 when she moved to study Creative Writing. Escalante joined the Asheville food and beverage scene in 2008 at the iconic Grove Park Inn where she held many positions in multiple outlets from bartender to the General Manager at Edison Craft Ales + Kitchen, a new restaurant concept that she was instrumental in launching.
Opening a new restaurant allowed Escalante to utilize both her role as a bartender and manager in creative ways, focusing on the importance of service and training. During this time Escalante truly honed her passion for classic cocktails, North Carolina breweries, unique wine, and local ingredients. Ten years at the Omni Grove Park Inn helped to solidify the mentality that the best cocktails and memorable dining experiences come from passion, knowledge of spirits, and locally sourced ingredients.