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INTERVIEW WITH PETE RYMSHAW, RAMMYS 2018 EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

May 7, 2018

The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) presents Pete Rymshaw, an Employee of the Year finalist for the 2018 RAMMY Awards Gala on June 10. The Employee of the Year award is given to someone who serves as a model employee by displaying outstanding service, an excellent work ethic and a positive image. This excludes managerial positions, giving house employees an opportunity to display their hard work. ​

Name and Position: Pete Rymshaw. Bartender at The Salt Line; Pete has been a staple in the DC area since 1998 when he started at Paolo’s Georgetown. In 2005, when friends were opening Town Hall, he took the challenge of honing his skills by serving Bud Lights and Red Bull vodkas to Glover Park residents on the weekends. When Fireball became a big thing, he decided it was time to move on. Pete left Paolo’s after over 16 years to work weeknights at Pennsylvania 6 in McPherson Square, which was maybe the most rewarding part of his career in terms of respect and professionalism. In May of 2017, Pete left Town Hall and Pennsylvania 6 for the new adventure of opening The Salt Line.​ While working at Town Hall, Pete met his future wife, Morgan Krumeich, who is the Intensive Outpatient Coordinator at The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt, and they currently reside in Bowie, MD.​

How did you get started in the business? I was selling henleys and rugby polos one summer on college break at Britches Great Outdoors in Springfield Mall. The floor manager told me he was leaving to be a server at Mick’s, a new restaurant opening in the mall, and that I should apply. I did and was hired. It gave me the opportunity to become great friends with one of the servers and later joined him at Paolo’s Georgetown where he was a manager, and ended up staying for over 16 years.​

What was your first job in the industry and what did you learn from it? I poured beers at a hole in the wall dive bar in college, just to make beer and pizza money for the weekends. After about two weeks, the owner gave me the keys! I was a little shocked he gave me that responsibility, and it made me take it more seriously than I had anticipated.​

Where do you see yourself in five years? Maybe I’ll run a country club beverage program. Maybe I’ll be starter at a golf course. Maybe a dealer at a casino. There a lot of roads to go down out there. I really don’t know what avenue I’ll choose.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? It wasn’t really advice, but when I was a kid mowing the lawn, I kept trying to be precise to mow only our side and not the neighbor’s (there was an odd boundary line). My dad basically told me to not be so lazy. It’s translated to my work, although not necessarily to my everyday life.​

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? When I was a kid, I always said I wanted to be a marine biologist.​

What is your favorite ingredient? Chareau. It's this liqueur from California made from aloe, cucumber, and muskmelon. I’m borderline obsessed with creating something totally different with it. It’s tough when they put 20 recipes on their website though.​

What insider foodie tip do you have for diners? If something is wrong, don’t let it ruin your experience.  Tell someone as all we want is to be able to make it right.​

You’re hosting a dream dinner party. What three people would be at your table? My wife and my parents.​

It’s the last meal of your life - what’s on your plate? Chips and salsa from the casino bar at Aria with a Pacifico and a Reposado, a well marbled rib-eye with a glass of Blue Eyed Boy, and a flourless chocolate cake with a nice Kentucky bourbon.​