The Bench Brewing Company in Ontario invites guests to relax, learn, and experience the craft of brewing beer – and enjoy some great food while doing so. Established in 2018, Bench Brewing boasts multiple brewing systems, a tap and tasting room, an outdoor beer garden, a barrel cellar where beer is aged in oak wine barrels, and three acres of hops fields.
The Kitchen at Bench is led by Head Chef Justin Lesso and his team of 17 employees who provide guests and takeout customers with a delicious array of comfort food. The menu evolves several times a year, but some classics endure, like the overnight porchetta sandwich with roasted peppers, caramelized onions, pecorino cheese, parsley and arugula pesto on ciabatta.
The winter menu features a smoked beef chili with lime crema, jalepeno and asiago corn bread; braised lamb shank with herb roasted potatoes, root vegetables, and a red wine jus; a Korean rice bowl with BBQ pork and kimchi; slow roasted brisket tacos; and an overnight pastrami sandwich with cider cabbage, aged swiss and stone mustard aioli.
“Overnight cooking is the most important thing and the biggest reason we use the RATIONAL,“ Lesso said. “In the morning we have 12 pork butts ready to go.“
Consistency is also a priority. “The RATIONAL allows us to get the same consistency time after time, no matter who is cooking that day. We have a lot of regulars who order the same thing over and over, and it’s important that we always get it right.“
A self-proclaimed clean freak, he loves the cleaning function. “It is like a brand-new unit every time we do a deep clean,“ Lesso said. “We pretty much use our RATIONAL 24 hours a day. If we aren’t cooking with it, it is likely in cleaning mode.“
