“I do think this is the best collection of talent that’s been assembled in Michigan in a long time,” says Echelon executive chef Joe VanWagner. Back row, from left: Ben Brown, Ben Robison, and Nate Wegryn. Front row, from left: Taylor Johnson, Dario Silerio, VanWagner, and Emily Habib. | Photo by J. Adrian Wylie
Echelon Kitchen + Bar, the latest addition to downtown’s fine dining scene, took over two years from lease to launch. Its managing director calls that “a blessing in disguise.”
The chic yet homey remake of the former BD’s Mongolian Grill at S. Main and Washington opened February 6, offering locavores a dynamic menu of farm-to-table, wood-fired cuisine.
Owners Bill Stein of Ann Arbor and south Floridian Doug Zeif—instrumental in the growth of the Cheesecake Factory—hired Emily Habib back in January 2023 to spearhead the concept. “There is nothing like this in the city of Ann Arbor or in the surrounding areas,” she enthuses.
Habib says they knew the hundred-year-old building, originally a Kresge five-and-dime, needed structural work, but they didn’t anticipate finding five layers of asbestos under the kitchen, requiring removal of the subfloor. Nor did they realize that the roof wouldn’t support their HVAC and hood equipment without steel reinforcement.
“The majority of that [cost] fell on us, which we’re happy to do, because we did sign a twenty-year lease, and our intent is to be there for many years to come,” Habib says. The upside is that it gave them plenty of time to recruit a leadership team, build a supportive employee culture, gain experience cooking with wood in their Level Up food truck, and cultivate relationships with more fifty local and regional suppliers. These range from Argus Farm Stop and Tantré Farm to Detroit City Distillery and such Michigan wineries as Shady Lane Cellars, Left Foot Charley, and Stranger Wine Company.
Executive chef Joe VanWagner, whose career includes stops in Paris, New York City, Chicago, Detroit, and most recently the Dixboro Project, says “I’ve been looking for this opportunity my whole life … the draw of wood-fired, vegetable-forward, hyper-local—I think a lot of culinarians, a lot of hospitality professionals, that’s something they really want to get behind. A lot of people talk about it, but I don’t think a lot of people really do it.”
The daily give-and-take with a myriad of producers is key to coordinating a fresh, creative menu that changes nearly as often as the weather. “The farmers are now taking on part of a chef role, and the chefs are taking on part of the farmer’s role,” VanWagner says.
They expect to burn through over 250 cubic feet of Michigan fruit woods, primarily cherry, per month in preparing complex recipes that minimize food waste by incorporating what might otherwise be scraps into oils, powders, and vinegars.
Relying on the wood-fired oven and grill “has been like relearning how to cook all over again,” VanWagner says. “Smoke and char are some of the most cloying flavors. If it’s there, it’s never going away,” he explains. “So how do you create a dish that has the nuance of smoke and char but it’s still light and bright, has the proper salinity, has the proper seasoning? It’s an immense challenge.
“And then also, there’s no [temperature] knob that you’re controlling this with. It’s an elemental experience, because you are feeling how hot things are, you’re seeing the texture of the food that you’re cooking. You have to be constantly in tune with all the sensory things.”
The menu features about eighteen shareable plates of various sizes, along with four desserts. Habib anticipates an average bill of about $55 per diner, plus drinks and tip (no cash accepted). From the counter area in view of the wood-fired kitchen, six-to-nine course chef’s tastings ($110) are available for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike, with optional wine pairings for $55.
VanWagner’s kitchen staff of seventeen includes executive pastry chef Ben Robison, whose two-day fermented flatbreads figure to be a menu fixture.
The beverage program is directed by sommelier Taylor Johnson, steeped in all facets of restaurant hospitality as the daughter of one of Detroit’s most prominent chefs, Jimmy Schmidt. “It’s just been so exciting to work with these very, very small producers and to allow them a platform alongside our amazing culinary expressions,” she says. “Although we’re not going to be the largest list in the state or the country, it’s very intentional.”
Later this year, they expect to open an as-yet-unnamed speakeasy tiki bar in the basement, with a separate entrance off Washington.
“If there wasn’t Echelon, I can guarantee you, I probably wouldn’t be in Ann Arbor,” VanWagner says. “I wouldn’t be in Michigan anymore, and I could comfortably say the same for about 75 percent of the kitchen. I do think this is the best collection of talent that’s been assembled in Michigan in a long time.”
Echelon Kitchen + Bar, 200 S. Main. (734) 469–3799. Thurs., Sun. & Mon. 4 p.m.–9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 4 p.m.–10 p.m. Closed Tues. & Wed. echelonkitchenandbar.com
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