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It’s Core 450’s ‘Time to Shine’ and Serve the Upstate
Casual, Chef-Driven Restaurant to Open this Spring at Cherokee Valley
“The Core” features inside looks at the people, plans and passion that will make Core 450 a unique dining experience and neighborhood gathering place. Stay up-to-date on our grand opening and other happenings with our Core 450 newsletter.
A lot has happened in the three years since Cherokee Valley Course and Club owner Matt Jennings put his dreams, and plans, into motion for Core 450.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has come and nearly gone. The Tigers have both won and lost a national championship game.
America has experienced a pandemic, developed a vaccine for the often-deadly disease and is about to enter a new era under a new president. And then there’s Tiger King … enough said.
“It’s been a wild but rewarding ride so far,” Jennings says. “From day one we’ve been committed to the long-term plan for Cherokee Valley and Core 450. Sometimes that means swimming upstream.”
Jennings is all about swimming upstream, zigging when others zag, heck, even having the tail wag the dog if they see a method behind the madness. Rebels with a cause, if you will, as long as the cause is great golf, great food and good times.
But neither could have foreseen that as of Dec. 1, 2020, more than 110,000 restaurants in the U.S. have closed either permanently or long-term due to Covid-19, according to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association. Over the past 90 days alone, more than 10,000 have shuttered.
In Greenville, restaurants have been legally cleared to operate at full capacity since mid-May after being ordered to close their dining rooms last March due to the onset of the coronavirus. But making up for nearly two months of lost revenue has been a struggle for many.
Jennings, who grew up in the industry in California and Ohio working in his family’s restaurants, has a deep empathy and appreciation for what other owners, operators and frontline employees are going through.
Always optimistic, he sees a bright light at the end of a short tunnel.
“The timing could not be better to shine,” he says. “This area needs a place that is a safe beacon to enjoy great food in a welcoming atmosphere. We have the opportunity to serve our guests in our open-air, indoor dining room along with dining outdoors while enjoying beautiful views and music.”
Core 450 won’t just be welcoming guests when it opens this spring, it will also be contributing to the North Greenville County economy through the hiring of new employees. Forty to 50 to be exact, according to Jennings.
“We want those in the restaurant industry to know we have numerous positions open in the front and back of the house, and that Core 450 is going to be an exciting and dynamic place to work with a fun, family atmosphere,” Jennings says.
Those who have played Cherokee Valley over the past few weeks, or even toured through the community, have seen Core 450 coming to life at the far end of the parking lot.
The horizontal lines of its mountain lodge style roof channel Frank Lloyd Wright while floor-to-ceiling windows hint at the amazing views that will be available of the golf course and Blue Ridge foothills.
“Architecturally, it is shaping up just how we envisioned it,” Jennings says. “The atmosphere is going to be unpretentious and fun and our service will be refined but relaxed.”
And if there’s a common theme across Core 450, from the interior and exterior to the service and menu, it’s “open.” An expansive outdoor patio overlooking the 18th green is the perfect place for a family meal or après golf libation.
Flip-out windows between the restaurant’s interior and outdoor bar will create a convivial, open-air environment. An open kitchen located at the center of Core 450 will house custom show pieces (like a 6,500-pound pizza oven) and allow culinary staff to show off their talents.
“I finally have my dream kitchen after working for years in this industry,” Jennings says. “Our team will be able to create delicious dishes while entertaining our guests. Core 450 will be more than a restaurant, it will be a place for families, couples, golfers and friends to gather and enjoy a wide-variety of fun dining experiences.”
Adds Jennings: “Whether you come by golf cart, car, bicycle or Harley, or if you’re wearing a suit and tie or coming over from the pool in your beachwear, we have a spot for you. This is an opportunity for us to be good neighbor and business partner and we look forward showcasing quality ingredients this region has to offer.”
Core 450 will also feature up to 20 different craft brews with rotating taps, including several local offerings. Jennings has even hinted at partnering with a Greenville area brewery to create a Core 450 themed beers.
