About Assembly

Assembly is built on a simple idea: do the work, do it right, and don’t cut corners.

The restaurant comes from a long working relationship between Matthew Gillett and Executive Chef Jacob Welch. They first worked together at Dusty’s, where Jacob was in the kitchen and Matt was serving as AGM. When Saddleback was getting started, Jacob would come help out in the early days.

Now, they’re bringing that same work ethic to Mason.

Jacob is originally from Haslett and is moving back to the area from Grand Rapids with his wife and two kids. After culinary school, his experience includes kitchens across Michigan, most notably as the executive chef at Butcher’s Union in Grand Rapids.

The food at Assembly is familiar, just done the way it should be. Burgers, fish and chips, steak frites, good drinks, a short menu built with care. Nothing overcomplicated.

Assembly will be a small restaurant, about fifty-five seats, with a bar and dining room meant to feel warm, comfortable, and well run. A place for a weeknight dinner, a night out, or a meal you know you can count on.

We’re not trying to be the fanciest place in town.

We just want to build something solid for Mason, something that’s well run, consistent, and worth coming back to.

The name Assembly is a nod to the history of this area, where R.E. Olds helped pioneer one of the first automotive assembly lines. Assembly also reflects what we’re trying to do: bring people together around a good meal.