BILLINGS - The Billings Petroleum Club has been a community staple since 1954, welcoming members to its current location high atop the DoubleTree Hotel for more than 40 years now.
But things are changing-the club recently welcome a new executive chef, who has some fresh ideas for the menu.
"My name is Chef Jeremy Evans, we're up here on the 22nd floor of the Double Tree in the Petroleum Club," Chef Evans said, "It's got a beautiful view of my hometown and I love it. And so after cooking for so many years it's good to kind of have my own feet in my own restaurant."
Through offering some fresh perspectives to well known classics, as well as utilizing local resources, Evans hopes to offer a more accessible menu.
"The fancy elegant food, and the kind of food I like, I'm also a burger and pizzas kind of guy. So I'm trying to find the middle ground between what the new generation wants and what the old generation wants," Evans said, "Things like Monte-Cristo, and the French Onion Soup."
Evans is excited to continue building relationships with community members and partners and establishing even more local ties.
"And then I'm doing some newer local beef. Some salmon that we got fresh," Evans said, "We have a peanut butter burger which is something I haven't done before but I wanted to try out and we've been getting rave reviews on it so far".
Now, obviously there is more to running a kitchen than just the food.
"So I can be back there and joke with my boys and then we get a big rush and we all power through and it feels really good at the end of it. And so that's the big thing, is I'm not here to be an overbearing boss, to get the work done," Evans said.
The chef said that he can't take responsibility for all of the creations in the building, as many result from collaboration.
"I know that everybody has some creativity whether they believe it or not. A big thing with my team is that I let them kind of create stuff, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn't, I play with it and throw in some ideas or another cook will throw in some ideas," Evans said.
When asked about how he liked the view, "Honestly, I am terrified of heights, so this is probably the worst place for me,"Evans said, "It does feel good to come out here in the morning when the sun is coming up or when the sun is going down, and kind of look out at the place I've spent my whole life.
Evans says that throughout the pandemic, the demand for catering, small groups, and events has been a new and welcomed challenge
