About the team

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​ ​The Grey House is run by a wonderful team whose dedication and hospitality are the foundation of the restaurant’s success. Kim Yarger is the former owner and current General Manager whose 35 years of restaurant experience makes her an invaluable base of knowledge to the owners. Gina Kushlan is the backbone of the kitchen and has been with The Grey House for 23 years. Madeleine Zern is our events manager, social media guru, occasional host, and oracle for questions nobody else can seem to find answers to. We have many other team members whose warmth and friendly service make The Grey House one of the top dining experiences in Kitsap County.

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About the Grey House

 The Grey House has been a Port Orchard landmark since 1993 when it was built by Sandy O’Donnell, who founded Springhouse Dolls and Gifts and The Victorian Rose Tea Room.  In 2003 it was purchased by New York Times bestselling author, Debbie Macomber who continued as The Victorian Tea Room.  In 2016, Macomber remodeled the building, trading its pink exterior for a classic grey and the Tea Room was rechristened The Grey House Café.  It continued the tradition of Victorian charm that some fans said made them feel like they were stepping into a Debbie Macomber book. Port Orchard is Debbie’s hometown and, in her words, “I love it so much that I based my entire Cedar Cove book series on it”.  The restaurant is featured in many of her novels.

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About the owners

 Casey Blankenship and Nathan Landry both come from military families and met in the summer of 2011. While in high school they quickly became best friends and worked together as cooks here in Port Orchard. A mutual interest in food and entrepreneurship led to founding Casey’s Cookies in early 2019 and purchasing The Grey House in 2020.  Their shared goals are to run successful, environmentally sound businesses that give back to the local community.

Casey was born in Vancouver, WA, and has lived in North Dakota, Texas, New York, New Jersey, and South Carolina. He first got the entrepreneurial bug selling cookies in 2007 while living in Highlands, New Jersey. He credits his scientific approach to food and business to Alton Brown.

Nathan moved to Kitsap County in 2001 and has very strong roots in our community. He graduated from WSU in 2017 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a certified Engineer in Training. Nathan uses his background in engineering and love of numbers to streamline the restaurant’s activities.