About Us

Michael Scherzberg – Owner, Perennial Restaurant Group

Michael was raised in Kansas City, working in restaurants through his teens, before moving to Scottsdale, Arizona to attend Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 1998. While earning his degree in culinary arts and restaurant management he met his future business partner and friend, Kyle Ketchum. The two stayed in close contact over the next two decades despite living thousands of miles away from each other at times. After graduating from culinary school at the top of his class, he travelled the world working with the best in the business including Patrick O’Connell at The Inn at Little Washington, Joël Robuchon at l’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in New York City, Joachim Splichal at The Patina Group in Los Angeles, and Jonathan Wright at The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. Along the way he picked up an Advanced Diploma of International Restaurant Business from Le Cordon Bleu in Adelaide, Australia. In addition to working with established chefs Michael has helped develop and open luxury properties on both coasts – The Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, as well as The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley. Both properties have received top honors from Forbes Travel Guide, AAA, and the Michelin Guide (for Meadowood). His specialty is going into distressed properties and turning them around. Twice he has helped hotels turn around their flagship restaurants which were losing hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by making them profitable while earning the Forbes Five Star Award and the AAA Five Diamond Award.

If Michael’s passion is hospitality, then his hobby is wine. He has passed the Advanced Exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers and has sat the Master Sommelier Exam a number of times. He has developed world-class wine programs for a number of restaurants around the world and holds a number of certifications related to wines and spirits.

Kyle Ketchum – Co-Owner, Perennial Restaurant Group

Kyle was raised in San Antonio, Texas, where he started his culinary career working up to the position of Executive Sous Chef of the AAA Four Diamond Fairmont Hotel before moving to Arizona in 1998 to attend Scottsdale Culinary Institute. After graduating at the top of his class, Kyle took a position with The American Restaurant in Kansas City working as a Sous Chef under James Beard Award winning chefs Michael Smith and Debbie Gold where he spent two years. From there he spent three years as the Executive Chef at The Lark, a Forbes Four Star restaurant outside Detroit where he was named “Best Chef in Michigan” by Hour Detroit Magazine. Kyle then moved to New England and accepted the role of Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director at The Chanler at Cliff Walk, a luxury boutique hotel in Newport, Rhode Island “Voted Number 4 Best Small Luxury Hotel and in the top 100 hotels in the world with a near perfect score” by Condé Nast Readers Poll Gold List. After his time at The Chanler Kyle served as a Culinary Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu in Boston, opened a number of boutique hotels and restaurants in and around Boston, and, most recently, opened and operated the highly-successful Bostonia Public House.

In addition to cooking at the James Beard house in New York City, Kyle has been a featured chef at the Nantucket, Charleston, and Newport Food & Wine Festivals as well as a guest chef for the “Gourmet Culinary Series” at Cap Juluca, a luxury resort in Anguilla, British West Indies.

Megan Downes – Consultant

Megan is a native of the Kansas City Metro Area. She worked her way up through the front-of-house in numerous restaurants in Kansas City. In 2011, she joined Michael Scherzberg in opening Gram & Dun, an upscale gastropub concept in Kansas City, Missouri. She quickly became one of the most valuable team members and was tasked with training new hires and leading the service team. She was encouraged to explore her interest in wine and spirits and began the process of sitting the exams for certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as the French Wine Scholar program. Megan was offered the position of Wine Director for the highly lauded destination restaurant Justus Drugstore, north of Kansas City. She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a leadership culinary organization composed of women who have not only achieved success in their professions, but who contribute significantly to their communities.

Megan’s specialty is marketing, developing bar programs, and front of house training. She has opened and trained staff for a number of upscale concepts and holds a number of certifications, including being BarSmarts Advanced certified. Megan holds a degree in Food & Beverage Management to round out her experience, making her a valuable member of our team.