A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jeff Groh moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2000 after attending Ohio State University. During his time in Ohio, Groh was employed with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. Once in Oregon, Groh headed to the Newport on the Oregon coast and was the food and beverage director for the Inn at Otter Crest. He commuted to Portland to attend classes at the International Sommelier Guild completing the fundamentals course and graduating from the diploma program with top honors.

 

In 2004, Groh moved to Portland and joined The Benson Hotel as Director of Restaurants, where he managed all restaurant food and beverage operations for the hotel. Acting as sommelier, he refocused the wine program to feature the highest quality producers and vintages

An active participant in the Northwest wine industry, Groh has served as a guest sommelier for the Classic Wines Auction, Salud, and the 2005 French Master Chefs Dinner. He has also been the Maitre d’Hotel for the prestigious International Pinot Noir Celebration.