Matt Cross Tap Takeover Episode
Ash Management owns and operates many, many restaurants and bars across the Central Coast, including the Frog & Peach Pub, Mother’s Tavern, Shell Beach Brewhouse, Rooster Creek Tavern, Mason Bar & Kitchen, Creaky Tiki, Milestone Tavern, and Bull’s Tavern. In fact, Bull’s Tavern is where it all began for Ash Management owner Billy Hale, who started as a janitor there while studying at Cal Poly University in the 80s. Billy leans on two critical people to keep the Ash Management properties on point: Jason Gable and Eric DeMatteo. These two are sort of the yin and yang of management, Jason focusing on the back of house and Eric focusing on the front of house. The two of them sat down with me and Matt to talk about their humble beginnings, how they’re raising a generation of employees, and how Californians are different from East Coasters.
*Note: Ash Management owns too many properties to list — besides, that list keeps changing! Here, I’ll list the main spots we chat about in the episode.
Shell Beach Brewhouse / @shellbeachbrewhouse
Rooster Creek Tavern / @roostercreektavern
Mason Bar + Kitchen / @masonbarandkitchen
Central Coast Meat Market & BBQ / @centralcoastmeatmarket
McConnell’s Ice Creams, Michael Palmer, Santa Barbara, CA
Topa Topa Brewing Company, Jack Dyer, Ventura
Life coach + SLO County Farm Bureau, Kiah Twisselman Burchett + Brent Burchett, Carissa Plains
The Range owners Jeff, Lindsay, + Jade Jackson, Santa Margarita
Beth Vukmanic, Program Director + fitness influencer, Vineyard Team/SIP Certified + Bethercize, San Luis Obispo, CA
Jill Hammond + Joey Baxter, owners, Farm & Harvest + The Howdy, Los Osos, CA
Messermeister Premium Kitchen Knives, Chelcea Dressler-Crowley + Kirsten Dressler-Wilson, vice presidents, Ojai
Corazón 805 Tacos, Pedro Arias Lopez and Crescencio Villar, San Luis Obispo, CA
Dr. Stephen Lloyd-Moffet, author, The Spirit of Wine, San Luis Obispo, CA
Libbie Agran, founder, Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo,CA
Benny’s Pizza, Ben Arrona, San Luis Obispo
Winemaker Samra Morris, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Buellton, California
Heather Daenitz, founder and podcaster, Craft & Cluster, Orcutt, California
Stephy Terrizzi, viticulturist, Giornata Wines, Paso Robles, California
Robin Puricelli, sommelier and winemaker, Locura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, California
Sonja Magdevski, winemaker and owner, Casa Dumetz, Clementine Carter, The Feminist Party Wines, Los Alamos, California
Alondra Torres, vineyard management supervisor, Coastal Vineyard Services, Santa Maria, California
R.H. Drexel, wine writer and publicist, Atascadero, California
Sharde Shepherd, cellarmaster, Santa Barbara County, California
Riley Roddick, winemaker and owner, Hubba Wines, Paso Robles, California
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