By all accounts, the past decade has been one of the most challenging on record for independent restaurants. But throughout it all, Hook & Hoof (4125 Erie St.) in Willoughby has not only weathered the slings and arrows, but come out on the other side in a more secure and stable position.
Much of the credit for that long term success goes to partners Hunter Toth and Chaz Bloom, who opened the bistro in early 2017. Chef Toth’s passion, commitment and grasp of an ever-shifting culinary marketplace have helped navigate the restaurant through the choppiest of seas.
And now, as the restaurant enters its ninth year, Toth is ready to leave on a high note. This Saturday will be his last with Hook & Hook.
“After much discussion with my wife, family and closest friends, I’ve made the decision to step down and move away from the restaurant completely,” Toth says. “My son was born the summer before we opened so I never really got to settle into what my new life outside the restaurant was. This place has been my identity for 10 years.”
Willoughby is a tough nut to crack for operators, as evidenced by a lengthy list of ambitious but short-lived eateries. But Toth says that not only did Hook & Hoof make waves locally, it cast a wider net, attracting devoted regulars from all over Northeast Ohio.
Toth says that he is leaving Hook & Hoof in a better position than where it started. Not only is his business partner standing firm, but his sous chef and right-hand man, Kevin Lanning, will move into the executive chef role.
“This will be a really cool next step for the restaurant,” adds Toth. “He’s extremely talented and will help rejuvenate Hook & Hoof.”
The passage is a bittersweet one for Toth, he says, but he’s looking at it through an artist’s lens.
“I went to art school and the way I look at it is, this is me transitioning away from a painting that I created,” he explains. “It’s time to hang that picture on the wall and let people appreciate it, but let’s get a new canvas going. Honestly, I’m more excited for what’s going to happen in the next 10 years of Hook & Hoof than I am for the past 10 years.”
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