| Craig Common is Executive Chef and Owner of the Common Grill, Chelsea, Michigan. He began his career at the age of fourteen as a dishwasher in a Dearborn Heights restaurant and knew from the first day that a "restaurant was where I would hang my hat". A self-taught chef, Common worked for the C.A. Muer Corporation, eventually becoming Corporate Chef, overseeing sixteen Muer restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Florida. After twelve years of cooking in various kitchens, Chef Craig finally settled on one...
Craig had been sought out by Robert Daniels, the owner of Chelsea Lumber Company and father of actor Jeff Daniels. The idea was to open a restaurant in downtown Chelsea, a small town just outside Ann Arbor, where people could go to enjoy a great meal before or after taking in a play at the Purple Rose Theater; a small playhouse, also in Chelsea, owned by Jeff Daniels. On July 26, 1991, The Common Grill opened its doors to immediate success. Within two years, with the business booming, Craig decided to increase the size of the restaurant with an additional 48 seats and a carryout market in 1993.
In November 1997, Craig was invited to the James Beard House, in New York City, to demonstrate his culinary skills at a dinner for members and guests. The evening was quite successful. Also, in 1997 and 1998 Then Common Grill was featured in Gourmet Magazine's Top Table feature.
Since its opening, the restaurant has consistently received outstanding reviews and ratings from critics and patrons alike. Gourmet Magazine praised The Common Grill for serving "fresh, novel American dishes." The Ann Arbor News heralded it "one of the brightest jewels in this area's culinary crown", and the Detroit New described it as "uncommonly grand".
Craig's cookbook, The Common Grill Cookbook, which debuted in November 2000, includes many recipes of our patrons favorite dishes. The book has received rave reviews and another is in the works.
Craig's future plans include the opening of an upscale seafood restaurant, also to be located in Chelsea.
Craig highly commends his staff for their participation in the success of the restaurant: some still remain employed since the doors were opened in 1991.
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