Bob Bennett

Bob Bennett has been cooking up honest plates in Ann Arbor for more than two decades. As Chef at Zingerman’s Roadhouse, where he’s worked for 22 of his 23 years with the Zingerman’s family, Bob is all about Good Meat® values—meat raised right, butchered with reverence, and cooked with respect. He believes every plate tells a story, and he’s spent his career making sure his guests can feel good about what’s on theirs. Whether it’s whole hog BBQ, a ribeye steak for a special occasion, or bringing underdog cuts like hog’s head and beef shank to the spotlight, Bob’s commitment is simple: no shortcuts, just good food done right.

Where do you live/work?
Ann Arbor, Michigan

What is the name of the place you work at?
Zingerman’s Roadhouse

How long have you been part of that operation?
I have been working for the Zingerman’s for 23 years, starting at our deli and then for the last 22 years at Zingerman’s Roadhouse

What places have you worked at in the past in which you use your chef skills now?
I have spent nearly all of my professional career in the kitchen at the Roadhouse. With a few culinary classes as a base, I have learned almost everything on the line at the roadhouse and through an ever-growing cookbook collection.

How do you define your Good Meat® values?
I think the first thing that comes to mind is the idea of an honest plate. I love being able to tell our guests about everything that goes into making the dish that is in front of them. I think there are a lot of situations out there where it’s just a burger or just a pork chop. I think having a piece of meat that you can feel good about is at the core of good meat. It is also my belief that when the animals are raised the right way, fed the right way, butchered with reverence, and cooked with respect, they taste really darn good.

Why do you serve meat that aligns with those values in your restaurant, and does Zingerman’s Roadhouse encompass all of those values?
I really think it’s the only way and not really a choice. If we think about how we show up in the community and what we are teaching those that come after us, this is the model we want to pass on. I think we try to hold ourselves accountable to those values every day.

What is one thing you wish your customers knew about the food on their plates?
"Good meat" is work. It is good work, it is fulfilling work, but "good meat" doesn’t just happen. It starts with raising animals, to butchers, to chefs. Every step along the line takes attention to detail, and there are no shortcuts.

What meat, or meat dish, do you eat most regularly and what do you eat for a special occasion?
I eat a lot of pork. On the daily, I probably consume our whole hog bbq more than anything else. If I am out for an occasion, it’s a ribeye steak. It is bar none the best cut of steak in my eyes.

What cut of meat do you think is most undervalued or underutilized?
Well, on the hog, it’s the head. There is really a lot of good stuff that can come from that, from posole, guanciale, to fried ears, to name a few. On beef, I really have been loving the shank and what can be produced from that with stews, braises, and ossobucco. It takes some work, but it’s worth it.

What is one of the biggest challenges you face as a chef committed to your Good Meat® values?
I think it’s really taking the time with our team and our community to spread the word about what these values are and why they are important to us.

What are some songs you listen to in the back of house? (Song Title and Artist)
I don’t listen to a ton of music in the kitchen, but if I were to, it would be:
-anything by Tool
-Swimming (whole album) by Mac Miller
- Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (whole album) by My Chemical Romance