Suttle Lake restaurant reopening

John Bingham (left), recently appointed general manager of Suttle Lake Resort and Marina is shown here with Ronda Sneva, partner, and Robert Morf, newly hired chef for the lakeside restaurant. Photo by Tom Chace

A double "dream-come-true" unveiled itself here this past week with the announcement that the long-awaited permit to build new lodge facilities at Suttle Lake was issued by the Forest Service. Also, the original lakefront restaurant is re-opening this weekend under new management.

John Bingham has been appointed general manager of the total complex and will oversee the construction of the new lodge, six new "full service" (complete with bathrooms and kitchen facilities) cabins and the remodeling of the present restaurant, kitchen and boat marina.

"Six of our existing cabins will remain," Bingham said. "Of the six new ones, four will be right on the lake front. They should be ready by fall," he said. "There will still be six 'camping cabins.' Eight of the 14 cabins will have full baths and kitchens."

Partners Jim Schmit and Ronda Sneva, Sisters residents, received the go-ahead to start construction of their new lodge after 12 years of permit modifications and design changes.

"We're delighted," said Sneva, "that we are now in a go position and hope to start construction early this summer. We're ready to break ground and start on the infrastructure thanks to the wonderful people at the U.S. Forest Service, Ranger Bill Anthony, Maret Pajutee, district botanist, and Jeff Sims, special use coordinator.

"We really have a national treasure here in this magnificent lake area resort and we're glad to have a new 20-year lease to help preserve it. We're going to do our best to keep this a very special place, one that all can enjoy for years to come. That is our challenge and that is our dedication," she said.

The new chef for the restaurant and dining facility is Robert Morf who spent a year at the Merenda Restaurant and Wine Bar in Bend learning about the food business from Jody Denton.

Prior to moving here, he worked at the Brooks Lake Lodge, "about 60 miles from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in the Shoshone National Forest," he said.

"We're going to re-work the old menu once we get the kitchen remodeling completed. We'll still keep some of the wonderful favorites such as our home made pizza baked in our own brick ovens and a special chowder or two," he said. "I think our customers will like what we're doing here and will enjoy the new menu items."

He has 19 years in the food and restaurant business, doing "the full range of cooking assignments," he said.

"The restaurant will open this Friday for breakfast, lunch and dinner but with a limited or light menu. We're planning to have a full brunch on Mother's Day, May 11, and have our new menu in effect from then on -- if the remodeling of our kitchen is completed."

Bingham, who has 35 years in the food and beverage business, came to the Sisters area from Gleneden Beach where he worked for Salishan Resort between 1989 and 1997.

He was the host at the Tidal Raves Seafood Grill in Depot Bay for the past two years. As general manager of the overall operation of Suttle Lake Resort, "It will be John's responsibility to closely oversee the new construction of the lodge and the operation of the dinning room and other Suttle Lake facilities, including our six new cabins, which should ready by fall," said Sneva.

Her partner in the operation is Jim Schmit, a 12-year resident of Suttle Lake who actually lives in a cabin there. Schmit is also president of the U.S. Basketball Academy and the person who brought Yao Ming, the Chinese basketball sensation for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association, to the United States after keeping track of him since age 14.