Four Star Staff

Allow me to introduce Lavonte Johnson. Lavonte is a dream employee - first of all, he shows up for work everyday ready to work. He is our Day Porter and his job involves just about everything - dishwashing, housekeeping, pot washing, prep cooking. He takes on new tasks with ease and confidence - I really don't think there is anything he wouldn't do for the restaurant if Kevin asked him; he is just that kind of guy. He's also a Dad, to three year old twins Nysir and Nyriha. In his free time Lavonte likes to cook; he is an avid food show watcher and enjoys trying out new recipes on his family. Thank you, Lavonte, for making our lives and the lives of our customers so much better!

This would be Pete Fortenbaugh, part clown, part Super Bus Boy, part waiter-in-training. Pete is another very willing employee and his energy knows no bounds. Neither does his appetite - if any food shows up for the staff to "share", look out for Pete! You gotta get your bites in before it disappears into his always hungry mouth!! Pete is graduating from Gunston this spring. This summer he'll continue to play on his "highly ranked" baseball team, which travels throughout the tri-state area competing. Next fall he hopes to spend some time traveling and doing volunteer work, before he eventually ends up as a Washington College student.

Anne Fernwalt is a very familiar face to many local residents - she works at the Chestertown Post Office all week. Her weekends are spent waiting on you here at the Brooks Tavern. Anne is always the calm one - no matter how hectic things might get in the dining room and kitchen, she is like a little oasis of peace. I don't think anything could rattle her! She's a newlywed, being married only since November, with two grown sons and two step children in college and high school.

Valerie Maitland is a legal secretary by day, and the weekend bartender here at night. In moving to Betterton from Delaware County PA with her four border collies a few years ago, Val was looking for " a new adventure", with the lure of the beach just down the street. She spent many years of her youth as a Scottish Dancer - just look at that Irish red hair! - performing all over the east coast. Currently she is hoping to take up the bagpipes again, with lessons on the pipes originally played by her grandfather. All of that serves her well on the bar, where she has learned to make everything from Pear Cosmopolitans and Ruby Fizzes, to Dry Martinis Up With a Twist. She serves all of the bar diners and makes the drinks for the dining room staff's customers as well. When I filled in for Valerie a few Saturdays ago, I was terrified I wouldn't be able do her job!!


These four Brooks Tavern employees are celebrating a birthday as well - they have worked with us since we opened. Actually, since before we opened - we started interviewing on St.Patrick's Day 2007 and opened over two months later. Pete and Lavonte, Anne and Val sat through all the meetings, helped get the dining room and kitchen set up, went through hours of training and practicing and waiting. Especially waiting, waiting to get their new jobs started. They lived through the first few weeks when all of us were new and green and learning the routines that would eventually become, well, routine! We salute them and all of their comrades here as well, for helping make Brooks Tavern into a restaurant.

We are lucky to have so many terrific people on our staff - sometimes, on a rocking night, when everything is crazy crazy, I look around and I am amazed that these people work so hard trying to do their best so that the guests in the dining room have a positive experience. It is not an easy job, working in a restaurant, and everyone has to work together to make it possible. Thank you, Brooks Tavern Employees! We look forward to celebrating many more birthdays together.