After graduating from the New England Culinary Institute, Jeff Masten refined his skills as chef at The Roof restaurant in (the now closed) Hotel Utah and then went on to be executive chef at Market Street Grill and Red Rock Brewing Company. Then he wanted something of his own. 

Jeff Masten opened Left Fork Grill in 2006 after transforming the historic Kramer’s Diner into a hub of gourmet dining.  

His daughter, Melissa Masten, grew up in the restaurant business. From a young age, she knew that’s what she wanted to do when she grew up. When Jeff Masten opened Left Fork Grill, Melissa Masten was in high school and took every opportunity to work there that she could. 

“Throughout the years, it just became something that I loved,” she said. “And slowly, but surely, I started learning more and more about the business itself.” 

In 2023, a new chapter began when her dad decided to retire and Melissa Masten took over the helm. 

“There was no question,” she said. “I grew up in the restaurant [and] a lot of my customers have known me since I was a 15-year-old girl.” 

Melissa Masten now had to uphold the business her dad kept running for years. He founded the restaurant with one thought in mind, and that was his love for “home-cooked meals.” 

“He learned a lot from my grandma back east in New York and a lot of that style is still what we cook at the restaurant,” she said. 

Many of the recipes used in the restaurant come from Jeff Masten’s mother. They use her pie recipes, her homemade coleslaw recipe and her homemade chili sauce. 

“A lot of new chefs are always trying the new and up-and-coming style of food, but with my dad, his passion is home-cooked food,” Melissa Masten said. 

As Melissa Masten steps up to take over, she has no plans of changing that about the restaurant. The tradition of home-cooked food will live on, although she will be adding new recipes along the way. 

“That is what made my father so successful in the beginning,” she said. “It wouldn’t be smart if I decided to change up the whole menu and try something new.”

A big step Melissa Masten is taking is moving the restaurant. The new location isn’t out yet, but Left Fork Grill will be finding a new home. 

Melissa Masten’s dedication to upholding the high standards her father set, combined with her own ideas and commitment to the family legacy, ensures customers that every visit to Left Fork Grill remains a memorable experience. 

“As far as Left Fork goes, the food is always going to stay the same and the consistency will always be there,” she said, “and I am 100% positive that is why we have been so successful.”  λ