Jen's Garden goes back to its roots

When Jennifer and TR McCrystal chose Sisters as their home, a big part of their decision was the lifestyle that only a small town can bring. They opened their restaurant, Jen's Garden, and began building a business that helped put Sisters on the map as a culinary destination in Central Oregon.

Last August, TR accepted a job offer working for Deschutes Brewery in Bend. Working at Deschutes Brewery was a positive experience. But when it came down to it, TR made the decision to rejoin Jen and return as head chef at Jen's Garden. "Deschutes is a great place to work and a great career move for someone. We're making lifestyle decisions right now and we want to focus on the we more than the me," said TR.

On Tuesday the 12th, TR worked his last day at Deschutes Brewery. With nothing but good things to say about the business and his co-workers, McCrystal left because it was the best thing for his family. He will be back at Jen's Garden officially on Saturday, March 16. Before donning his chef's hat, McCrystal will spend a few days with his family and will definitely fit in a little fishing, too.

For Jennifer and TR, family comes first. Choosing a small-town lifestyle was important as well.

"But even in a small town, the pressure to be successful can be alluring," said TR. The couple has learned that listening to too many "shoulds" from well-meaning friends and associates can be highly overrated.

"We chose a slower, quieter pace for a reason, that's why we chose Sisters," said TR.

"There's a lot of societal pressure to keep getting bigger, do more and be more to everyone but yourself," said Jennifer from their kitchen in Sisters. "There's a lot of pressure to have it all, and that can get you off track and eventually leave you with less of what's important."

"Success has a different meaning for me now," said TR. "With Jen's Garden, we can share responsibilities so we have more time as a family. We can run the restaurant well and have fun with our kids. We're so appreciative of our Jen's Garden family. We get so much from our worklife relationships. We have made many lifelong friendships because of Jen's Garden," he smiled.

To keep their lives balanced and Jen's Garden running strong, the McCrystals hired Chef Brad Wood, formerly of Ten Below in Bend at the Oxford Hotel. Wood will collaborate with TR in the kitchen and help create the Jen's Garden menus.

"Brad's style is very similar to TR's style," said Jennifer. "Jen's Garden is going back to the classic Jen's Garden menu. We're celebrating our return to the roots of Jen's Garden. We'll be celebrating TR's return on March 20 and 21. We invite everyone to come on in and celebrate with us," said Jennifer.