Morgan is a Dayton native who attended Colonel White High School and Greenville High School. He graduated in 1993.
In 1999 at 24 years old, he applied for a job at LongHorn Steakhouse.
“My younger brother started working at LongHorn in Beavercreek when it first opened and invited me to join him,” Morgan said. “Before applying, I went in for dinner to try it and thought the food was high-quality, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was welcoming.”
He has worked at the Beavercreek location, 2710 Towne Drive, for 25 years.
“When I joined LongHorn, I started at the salad and starter station, but I always watched the Grill Masters, admiring them and thinking that I wanted to be at the grill like they were,” Morgan said.
Within a year, he was.
“Once you’re at the grill, you learn the subtle nuances that result in a correctly grilled steak,” Morgan said. “Beyond new Team Member training, we rely on in-the-moment coaching and our annual Steak Master Series, an internal grilling competition that tests our quality standards.”
Morgan says the secret to grilling a good steak is having patience.
“A lot of people fuss with the meat too much,” Morgan said. “You have to let it cook and you have to let it rest.”
Resting makes the steak tender no matter the cut. His advice for those grilling steak at home is to keep an even heat — not too low or not too high — and don’t rush the process.
“LongHorn Steakhouse prides itself on serving fresh, never frozen steaks, which is something many guests don’t realize,” Morgan said. “Each steak is expertly cooked by Grill Masters and seasoned with a signature blend of spices to bring out the bold flavor LongHorn is known for.”
Morgan said he and his team in Beavercreek are thankful for the support they’ve received from the community.
“They’ve always kept us crazy busy,” Morgan said. “Guests would drive 30 to 40 minutes to get a perfectly grilled steak because LongHorn was the only steakhouse in town.”
Morgan is known for his leadership, heart and craftsmanship.
His team described him as being reliable, dedicated and respected. They said he consistently takes pride in ensuring he delivers outstanding food that is expertly grilled every time.
To celebrate this achievement, Morgan was honored with a special gold chef coat, a $5,000 award and $1,000 annually for as long as he remains employed with LongHorn. He also received a visit from LongHorn Steakhouse President Laura Williamson.
“If you love something, master it,” Morgan said. “Cooking and grilling stuck with me, so I put in about 10,000 hours to perfect it. I grew up cooking with my parents, and it became a part of who I am. If you love something and do it every day, keep going.”
He added, “More importantly, find a team who encourages you.”
MORE DETAILS
Grill Master Legends is a nationwide program that was launched in 2019 to recognize LongHorn Steakhouse grill masters who have reached the milestone of grilling one million steaks.
The company works with its finance team to determine the number of steaks employees have cooked based on the restaurant’s volume, steak sales and how many shifts the employee has worked.
This year’s class includes honorees from restaurant locations in Ohio and Georgia. A total of 35 grill masters have been recognized since 2019.
LongHorn Steakhouse serves 55 million steaks per year across all 598 restaurants. The company has plans to open new locations in 2026.
Natalie Jones writes about food and dining in Southwest Ohio with an emphasis on the Dayton region. She may be reached at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.
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