2 Iron Hill Employees You Need to Know — Sarah Harsh & Tom Speigel

by | 11/29/2022

While handcrafted beers and from-scratch new American cuisine are our top priorities here at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our talented staff. They’re skilled, friendly, courteous, helpful, kind, fun and—of course—they know their beer.

So sit back, relax and get to know two of our finest.

Sarah Harsh, Private Events Coordinator and Server in Lancaster

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You’re the face of Iron Hill to customers; share a story with us that shows the trademark Iron Hill customer service.

One of my favorite customer stories is from a banquet that I organized and had the pleasure to also work. The event was for one of our regular customers whose father had passed away, and the family was holding the funeral in our area. They chose to have the after-funeral dinner here at Iron Hill in our West dining room. The event ended up being larger than we had originally expected, but the other server, Nevin Stoltzfus, and I made sure that everyone was taken care of and it worked out great.

This event took place two years ago and the couple is still traveling from New Jersey on a regular basis to come to see us in Lancaster and say “hi” to both Nevin and me. They loved the event so much that they thank us every time we see them for helping to celebrate their father’s life in such a great way. They are awesome people and make us want to continue to help others.

What’s your biggest personal success story at Iron Hill?

I love working on private events and making customers’ special days even more special. I’m proud I’ve helped increase the number of our private events too.

Why do you enjoy working at Iron Hill?

I like working at Iron Hill because the company is great to work with and really strives to make sure employees are happy. Iron Hill is always asking about our personal goals and finding ways to try to help us achieve them.

What’s one thing no one else would know about you that you’d like to share?

This is a tough one; I think most people know a lot about me. So, here is something that my customers probably don’t know and some of my co-workers don’t know: I have four young boys and they are all very active in sports. They play baseball, basketball and golf. One of the things that people always find interesting is their names. They’re all named after sports players from the Hall of Fame or those we’re sure will be there one day. Their names are Gehrig, after Lou Gehrig; Peyton, after Peyton Manning and Walter Payton (his middle name is Griffith, for Ken Griffey Jr.);  Maddux, for Greg Maddux (his middle name is Tomlinson, for Ladainian Tomlinson); and Chase, for Chase Utley (his middle name is Musial, for Stan Musial).

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Tom Speigel, Executive Sous Chef in Maple Shade

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What does your job at Iron Hill entail?

I oversee the day-to-day operations, ensure a safe and clean work environment for staff and customers and handle a lot of planning for events and dinners.

What do you love about your job?

I always love helping out children with allergies. I had one little girl who had every allergy under the sun. Rather than take a chance at miscommunication, the girl’s father asked to speak to me. So I came out to talk to the little girl and her parents. After lots of questions from me, we finally were able to come up with a dish that she would be able to eat. Afterward, the server gave me a thank you note, written on a napkin, from the little girl.

What’s your biggest personal success story at Iron Hill?

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Besides my advancement in the company, I’d say my biggest accomplishment so far would be the planning and execution of my first beer dinner. I received a lot of praise from the regulars who attended, and they proclaimed it was the best they’d attended. Whether that’s true or not, it always feels great when you’re complimented on your food.

Why do you enjoy working at Iron Hill?

I love the life. I have lived in a kitchen since the age of 12. Iron Hill provided me with almost the same education you would get from culinary school. The only difference is I got paid for it. But seriously, everyone in this company is great. There is a real “helping hands” culture at Iron Hill. This is my favorite restaurant experience to date.

What’s one thing no one else would know about you that you’d like to share?

I enjoy cinema musicals. Some of my favorite movies of all time are musicals, like Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors and The Sound of Music, to name a few.

No matter where you live and work, there’s an Iron Hill near you. Pop on in and sample superior service from caring employees like Sarah and Tom. We bet you’ll find the experience as satisfying as the food and drink.

With 11 locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, there’s an Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant near you. We specialize in handcrafted beers and fresh, from-scratch New American cuisine. Monthly releases vary by location, so scout out our beers on tap and visit us soon.

Nina Malone