Sous Chef, Greg Balch

Ratcliffe on the Green Sous Chef, Greg Balch, and Chef/Owner, Mark Hibbs, have more than their love of cooking in common. Also shared is the indelible experience of being raised on a family farm where the meals were made from meats and vegetables that were harvested at home.   Greg watched as his grandmother successfully ran the family restaurant and catering business using the ingredients from their farm.  This childhood experience solidified Greg’s belief in the importance of creating meals from locally grown sources.

Following in his grandmother’s footsteps, Greg began his career at the renown catering company, Sisters Catering in Raleigh.  There he was influenced by his first mentor, Executive Chef Robby Lilly who inspired him by his constant quest for culinary knowledge and his devout love of cooking. In 2004, Greg moved to Charlotte to open the café, NoFo on Liz.  Determined to advance his cooking skills even more, Greg attended Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte where he earned an Associate in Culinary Arts degree.

Greg and Mark forged their friendship at the Cantina Mexican Café in Charlotte and then grew it into a working partnership when Mark purchased Ratcliffe on the Green in 2007.  Greg credits Mark with keeping him motivated and knowledgeable in the ever-evolving culinary business.  As a mentor, Mark has increased Greg’s cooking expertise with innovative techniques and is constantly introducing him to new cooking concepts.

The best part of working at Ratcliffe on the Green, according to Greg, is doing what he loves by “creating memorable meals with the freshest ingredients” available while evoking warm memories of his past.