Chefs and restaurateurs have the difficult job of crafting unique signature recipes, continuously innovating to keep up with the latest industry trends, and all while running a business (even in a pandemic!). These pros deserve our applause and gratitude for all the hard work they put into supporting their local community and keeping us fed.
Our hometown of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania happens to have many outstanding and talented chefs—several of which are even friends and partners with Martin’s (the company) AND fans of Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls and Bread products.
So, to honor our local culinary talent in the Chambersburg, PA area, we put together this Chef & Restaurant Showcase, which highlights a few local chefs, their culinary background and philosophies, and their signature dishes on Martin’s Potato Rolls!
Preview of Showcase:
- Kim Eshleman – Mrs. Gibble’s Restaurant
- Sonny Burger, Pulled Pork Sandwich, and Homemade Croutons
- Karin Fitz – Store Manager, The Butcher Shoppe
- Fennel, Radish & Orange Salad (+ Signature Crab Cake Sandwich)
- Mike Hobbs – Chef, GearHouse Brewing Co
- Bacon Blueberry Burger
- Bryan Lucas – Executive Chef, Menno Haven – Northgate Commons (Brookview)
- Polynesian Pork Sandwich
- Eric Monn – Chef de Cuisine, The Orchards Restaurant
- Southwest Crab Cake with Guacamole Aioli
- Mike Richards – Head Chef, Roy-Pitz Beer Stube
- Blended Cheeseburger
Kim Eshleman – Mrs. Gibble’s Restaurant
Restaurant Bio / Background
Mrs. Gibble’s Restaurant in Greencastle, Pennsylvania is a family-owned and operated business. Since 1976, Sonny and Vernice (Gibble) Eshleman have been serving food to the area community. Named after Vernice’s mother, Mary (Meyers) Gibble, Mrs. Gibble’s is known for their delicious home-cooking. They take pride in the fact that they create their own recipes, and this is something that has made them well-liked among the locals. In 1995, Sonny and Vernice passed down ownership of the restaurant to their son, Rod, and his wife, Kim. Rod and Kim continue the family tradition of making delicious home-cooked foods using their own recipes.
Product Description / Philosophy:
There are many entrées that Mrs. Gibble’s is known for, however their number one product has always been their Grilled Pork Tenderloin. It is seasoned with the family’s secret seasoning which gives Mrs. Gibble’s its unique position in the restaurant industry. One of the highlights of going to eat at Mrs. Gibble’s is their delightful endless Corn Fritters! No meal is complete without them!
Mrs. Gibble’s believes that serving wholesome and delicious foods is the most important part of any food establishment, along with giving the guests a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere. Their desire for quality has led Mrs. Gibble’s into a long business relationship with Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls. As far as rolls are concerned, Mrs. Gibble’s will not serve their sandwiches (either dine-in or catering) on any other roll. “What I love about the Martin’s Potato Roll is that it enhances our product,” says Kim Eshleman. “All of our recipes are our own and we take pride in using quality ingredients, and Martin’s Potato Rolls are part of that quality. Their rolls are simply the best!”
Featured Dish #1: Our Sonnyburger
Recipe Overview: 6 oz. of our own twice-ground beef burger flavored with our famous secret seasoning, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and our homemade sonny-sauce. All piled high on a toasted 4-inch Martin’s Potato Roll!
Featured Dish #2: Our Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich
Recipe Overview: 8 oz. of our own smoked pork which is marinated overnight, then slow-smoked on our smoker. It is then pulled and seasoned with our own barbeque sauce. We then place it on a delicious Martin’s 4-inch Potato Roll, even though Kim likes to put hers in a yummy Martin’s Long Roll!
Featured Dish #3: Our Homemade Croutons
Recipe Overview: At Mrs. Gibble’s, we make our own seasoned croutons using Martin’s Potato Rolls and Bread! We first cut the rolls/bread into cubes and then we season them with our own recipe of spices and bake them until they are crunchy! Having these tasty croutons paired with our house salad dressing adds a unique flavor that tantalizes your taste buds!
Links:
Karin Fitz – Store Manager at The Butcher Shoppe and Events Coordinator for Grant Street Loft
Chef Bio/Background
After spending 25 years in Long Term Care as an Activities Director and Volunteer Coordinator, I followed my interest in food and hospitality. I spent six years working at Main Street Deli and Catering in downtown Chambersburg, five of those years as co-owner. I briefly returned to Long Term Care in the role of Director of Dining Services for an independent living population. Following that position, I took some time off to consider what the next part of my professional path should be.
I found a position with The Butcher Shoppe and have now been there for seven years. This position has allowed me to bring all of my interests together. The Butcher Shoppe believes in family, supporting the local community, and offering quality products and customer service. Our President, Leo Schoenhofen, and his wife, Anne, represent the third generation to own and operate the store.
My Cooking Philosophy
What is my style of cooking? I like to think of it as “upscale comfort foods.” I love to give ideas for recipes and always encourage people to change or edit the recipe to meet their individual tastes. I consider recipes to be guidelines… thus the reason I’m not a baker! (Baking does not allow for casual substitutions.)
Featured Recipe: Fennel, Radish & Orange Salad
Recipe Overview: I decided to offer a light summer side dish that could accompany the crab cakes we sell at The Butcher Shoppe. It travels well, and I consider it a lighter option to many other side salads which are often heavy with mayonnaise.
Recipe Snapshot:
Ingredients:
- 4 Medium Fennel Bulbs, stalks trimmed off
- 1 lb radishes
- 4 navel oranges
- 1 medium clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Directions:
- Quarter fennel bulbs and cut out most of the core. Cut into paper-thin slices and transfer pieces to a large bowl.
- Trim radishes and cut into very thin slices. Transfer to bowl with fennel.
- Using a small, sharp knife, cut and peel (including white pith) from oranges. Working over a small bowl, cut segments free from membranes and squeeze juice from membranes into bowl. Transfer segments to bowl with fennel and radishes. (Handle gently to avoid breaking into tiny pieces).
- Using the salt, mash the garlic clove into a paste. Add that to the bowl with the orange juice. Add black pepper, olive oil, and cider vinegar. Whisk until well blended.
- Pour over fennel, radishes, and orange sections. Toss lightly to coat all pieces.
Tip: Serve as a side dish with The Butcher Shoppe’s signature Crab Cakes on Martin’s Potato Rolls!
Links:
- https://mybutchershoppe.com/recipes/fennel-radish-orange-salad
- https://mybutchershoppe.com/recipes/crab-cakes/
Chef Mike Hobbs – Chef, GearHouse Brewing Co
Chef Bio / Background
About Chef Mike Hobbs
I am a Chambersburg native. I started at GearHouse Brewing Co. as a bartender while also working as a mechanic at Letterkenny Army Depot. Support was needed in the kitchen, so I volunteered and have not been out since. This is the only kitchen that I have ever worked in, and I feel like I just have a knack for it. Before I assumed head duties, I trained with our former chef, Josh Fiddler. I was careful to pay attention and learn all that I could from him. The reward from teaming up with a group of people and bouncing ideas around to create something that brings joy to our customers is what I really love to do. Being new at this, I learn something every day, and that is what keeps me fresh.
My hobbies include spending time with my family—my wife, Amy, and children, Logan and Zoe—and listening to as much live music as time allows.
About GearHouse Brewing Co*
We are a small craft brew pub, aiming to produce high-quality, farm influenced ales and lagers with a focus on supporting our local resources and highlighting the Cumberland Valley region of Central Pennsylvania.
*Description sourced from https://gearhousebrewingco.com
My Cooking Philosophy
Our kitchen is a scratch kitchen that infuses many different cultures’ “home cooking” into what we feel any mother would be proud of. I loved watching and helping my mother cook when I was young. I was lucky enough to always have a home-cooked meal prepared by the best chef ever—my mother.
Featured Recipe: Bacon Blueberry Burger
Recipe Snapshot:
Ingredients:
- 2 – 3oz chuck patties
- 3 strips of bacon
- 3 oz Point Reyes blue cheese
- 2 oz blueberry/yuzu compote
- Buttermilk gochujang fried shallots
- Fresh spring mix
Directions:
- Smash the 2 patties on flat top.
- Once you get that seared crust, flip the burgers and divide blue cheese on both patties.
- When cheese is melted, place bacon on bottom patty and add 2nd patty on top, sandwiching the bacon between the patties.
- On a Martin’s Potato Roll, place fresh spring mix, followed by the double patties.
- Top the patties with blueberry/yuzu compote and fried shallots.
You can find this and other great items on their menu.
Links:
Chef Bryan Lucas – Executive Chef, Menno Haven – Northgate Commons (Brookview)
Chef Bio / Background
About Chef Bryan Lucas:
It is hard to believe that at the young age of two I had a calling for the kitchen. My twin brother and I both apparently had a love for sitting on the kitchen counter playing with food…Well, here I am 46 years later, living my dream as a chef and loving every minute of it! While most kids were watching cartoons when they were younger, I was up on Saturday mornings watching Justin Wilson, Graham Kerr, Julia Child, Jeff Smith, and countless other chefs featured on PBS.
While still in high school, I was able to begin my dream of becoming a chef by enrolling in the newly expanded vocational program that offered culinary arts and becoming a cook at a hometown Italian restaurant. Following graduation from culinary school, I continued to improve my craft while working as a line cook, sous-chef, production manager, executive chef, director of dining, general manager of dining, and district manager.
I have worked in many facets of the foodservice industry: restaurants, college campus dining, healthcare, and church. In all of these areas, I have learned the importance of attention to detail, planning, coordinating, and delivering both the expected and unexpected, always striving to exceed the guest’s expectations. I believe that the role of a chef is to create lasting memorable experiences through food and service.
I, along with my wife, Heidi, and two children, Ryan and Ashton, reside here in Chambersburg, PA. We also have an older daughter, Erin, who recently graduated from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. I am currently the Executive Chef at Northgate Commons on the Brookview Campus of Menno Haven and the Director of Culinary Services at the Presbyterian Church of Falling Spring.
My Cooking Philosophy
When asked what I like to cook the most or what my favorite dish to cook is, I don’t have an immediate answer because, honestly, all types of foods and cultures around the world interest me. While I might gravitate towards Mediterranean or Italian cuisines, I wholeheartedly feel as though preparing a dish is more about how the chef feels at that particular moment… an ingredient that inspires a recipe, a piece of art that can be emulated with food, a memory of personal experience, etc. Just think: food is such an important part of almost every event in our lives and has the ability to invoke memories of days gone by and new experiences that we hope not to forget.
Featured Recipe: Polynesian Pork Sandwich
Recipe Overview: Pork butt marinated in pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, etc. and slow roasted until pull-apart tender. Served on toasted Martin’s Sandwich Potato Rolls, topped with a homemade pineapple-cabbage slaw, sauteed peppers and onions, and sliced avocado.
Try the recipe!
Sandwiches
Polynesian Pork Sandwich
View Full Recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/polynesian-pork-sandwich/
Image Gallery:
Links:
Chef Eric Monn – Chef de Cuisine, The Orchards Restaurant
Chef Bio / Background
About Chef Eric Monn*
“Chef Eric Monn was born and raised in Rouzerville, PA. Chef Eric has a culinary background of over 25 years, spanning from the kid cleaning the outside parking lot to the executive chef. He started culinary arts at FCCTC as a high school student which fueled his passion to then attend culinary school at La Cordon Blu, which he graduated from in 2006. When speaking to Chef Eric about his menus, he says, “I like to start with just one ingredient and then let my mind go from there on which direction I should go.” Chef Eric is in charge of food production which includes menu making, ordering products, and substitute teaching for Costa Academy.
“Hi, I’m Chef Eric Monn and I’d like to say ‘thank you’ to everyone that has helped me along the way. I wouldn’t be here without my family. In my free time I love to hang out with my family and friends and enjoy life. What [being] a chef [means] to me is hearing a server say the customer loved the food, a server coming back to let us know that the guest wants to see us—I think those connections are what fuel my fire. Whenever you eat my food, I want you to feel like you just got a hug from family.”
*Bio sourced from: https://www.orchardsrestaurant.com/our-team
About The Orchards:
The Orchards Restaurant is a fine dining restaurant in South Central Pennsylvania that has been owned and operated by the Kalathas family since its opening in 1994. For over 25 years, they’ve served their community a menu featuring sophisticated flavors and innovative pairings. They believe that a meal is about more than the food itself—a meal should be an experience.
Featured Recipe: Southwest Crab Cake with Guacamole Aioli
Recipe Snapshot:
- The Crab Cake: Jumbo crabmeat, peppers, onions, cilantro, citrus, spices
- The Guacamole: Onions, avocado, tomatoes, peppers, citrus, garlic, spices
- The Bun: Martin’s 12-Sliced Slider Potato Rolls
Image Gallery:
Links:
Chef Mike Richards – Head Chef, Roy-Pitz Beer Stube
Chef Bio / Background
About the Chef
My name is Mike Richards, and I am the Head Chef at Roy-Pitz Beer Stube. I grew up in Chambersburg and have been eating Martin’s Rolls almost my entire life. Whether it was a cold cut sandwich or a burger it was definitely my go-to bun. I graduated from Northampton Community College for Culinary Arts in 2011 and have worked in the field now for over 10 years. I opened the kitchen at Roy-Pitz in 2013 using my knowledge and drive for food to come up with the best menu possible, using our Liquid Art Beer to incorporate with our food. It is hard work, but it is all worth it in the end when you are making your customers happy. I am Mike Richards and cooking is my passion.
About the Restaurant
Roy Pitz Beer Stube is an American brewpub & restaurant located above the Roy-Pitz Brewery in historic Chambersburg, PA, featuring Roy-Pitz Liquid Art and American pub fare.
My Cooking Philosophy
Burger description: I have always been fascinated with the “All American Burger”—from the complex flavor of the burger to the all-around balance using the freshest ingredients possible. I love the blended burger idea just from the balance of taste you get, from the flavor of the bacon which draws that smoky, cured flavor blending perfectly with the gaminess of the lean beef, which brings out the natural sweetness of the burger. The ratio blend of lean to fat gives you that amazing flavor. With such a flavorful patty in hand, simple toppings do the trick. You can never go wrong with grilled sweet Vidalia onions that you can cook on your skillet at home or on the grill for a family cookout. Next, would be those crunchy, but ever-satisfying, sweet pickles providing acid and texture to your burger. Last but not least, the staple of the burger in my opinion is the cheese. One of my favorite cheeses to use is American cheese, which binds everything together to create that ever-so-satisfying melting goodness. Finally, no burger is complete without a tasty Martin’s Potato Roll to hold everything together and give you the perfect blended burger. Don’t forget to always season your burger with salt and pepper to taste, and add your favorite toppings and secret sauce to tie everything together.
Featured Dish: Blended Cheeseburger
Recipe Overview – 50/50 Blended Burger: This unique 4 oz. burger consists of a 50% blend of ground bacon and 50% ground beef patty topped with grilled sweet Vidalia onions, pickles, and American cheese.
Recipe Snapshot:
- The Burger: A freshly-ground custom burger blend – 85/15 prime chuck from Steely Meats, ground smoked bacon
- The Cheese: American Cheese
- The Toppings: Grilled Vidalia onions, pickles, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato (optional)
- The Bun: Martin’s Potato Rolls!
Image Gallery:
Links:
We hope you enjoyed this local restaurant showcase! On your next visit to Chambersburg, PA (or neighboring towns), be sure to stop by these restaurants for a taste!
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