Jeremy Goes Home
Last updated 6/26/2019 at 3:22pm
Rams Hill Executive Chef Jeremy Manley, having made his mark in Borrego Springs cuisine these past two years, is returning to his hometown up the hill in Julian at the end of June, to take over the full-time operations of his fine-dining restaurant, Jeremy’s On the Hill, one of San Diego’s best dining experiences since 2007.
Chef Jeremy’s sister Brigita became his eyes and ears managing the day to day operations of his namesake restaurant beginning in 2017, so he could focus his Cordon Bleu-trained expertise and creative vision on the Rams Hill clubhouse experience. The exceptional tastes, variety and creative presentations he brought to the Rams Hill menu were of great enjoyment to Chef Jeremy, his staff and the club’s members and guests. But Brigita is about to have a baby, and then she will be attending school to go after her Master Sommelier certification to become a wine steward, so priorities weighed as did family bonds.
“I have to keep my eyes on the restaurant up there,” Manley said.
Asked what was most fulfilling about his time at Rams Hill, Manley responded, “Taking on a whole new restaurant in a world I was born to. I’d never worked in a clubhouse environment before, so understanding how clubhouses work, the style of cuisine, menu staples, and what makes a clubhouse was a learning experience. It was almost like going back to school and learning how to do pretty much the same thing, but under a different roof.”
Noting how he had grown to love Borrego and its people, Manley then offered up what he as many others he has met from the world over are deeply drawn to in Borrego Springs, “There’s so much open space and room to breathe. I love it.”
Rams Hill General Manager and COO Harry Turner will not be saying a permanent goodbye to Chef Jeremy, expecting to have a “welcome back” conversation with open arms “in a couple of years.”
Borrego wishes Chef Jeremy well in his transition back to Jeremy’s On the Hill full-time; many Borregans will stop by for his famous Brussel sprouts (yes they are that good), and keep an eye out for his welcome return to Rams Hill, even if just as a guest executive chef.
