Formerly unhoused and addicted, Salem restaurateur Gregg Peterson receives First Citizen award

After riding 3,000 miles on a Greyhound bus, Gregg Peterson arrived in Salem with only one purpose: to be with his 5-year-old daughter. 

The girl’s mother had moved to Salem to be closer to her brother, taking their daughter with her, so Peterson followed. 

The new beginning wasn’t easy. He faced alcoholism, drug addiction and homelessness until he formed healthy connections in Salem who could help him recover and stay on track.

To this day, he thanks God for those connections.

Originally from Connecticut, Peterson has lived in Salem for over 30 years and will soon receive the First Citizen Award for his work in the local community and restaurant scene. He is the founder of Broadway Café and executive chef of the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center. 

Following his worst moments in Salem, he got sober and got help at the Union Gospel Mission, where he reaffirmed his faith in God and got closer to his daughter. 

“If I got my life back in order, get a job, find a place to stay,” Peterson was promised, “they wouldn’t put my daughter in foster care.”

After recovering, he worked at several restaurants in Salem, proving himself and impressing his coworkers. 

His childhood dream, however, was not only to work at a restaurant, but to run it. Members of the community saw his hard work ethic and determination, and decided to invest $75,000 for Peterson and others to build the Broadway Café at 2860 Broadway St N.E., which has since relocated to Independence, Oregon.

“It was like somehow God was giving me a second chance,” he said.

Peterson saw potential in using the restaurant as a ministry and after-school safe location for Salem’s youth. 

“We did Young Life Ministry, and we had kids in there every week from middle school and high school that were coming to our restaurant to learn about Jesus Christ,” he said. 

To this day, he feels privileged to have had the support of the Salem community when recovering from addiction and homelessness, and wants to provide the same for others. 

“I learned early on that business owners have a responsibility to give back to the community,” he said. 

With every venture and through work in the community, Peterson reaffirmed his Christian faith. Religious fellowship for him is “about people just coming together, no matter what happens. God always intended us to do it with somebody else. He never intended us to be alone.”

Most people Peterson has hired in his restaurant are in similar situations as he used to be, such as juveniles in the court process or adults experiencing addiction. He enjoys giving second chances as others did for him.

Peterson hopes that in an “active, vibrant, collaborative community” such as Salem, seeing someone with his background be recognized will inspire others who are struggling to improve and get involved.

“No matter how far down you go, you can also achieve success,” he said.

His mother taught him that success doesn’t come from having a prestigious job or being wealthy, but from working hard.

“She didn’t talk to us about college. She talked about work ethic and being the best at whatever your job was,” Peterson said. 

Peterson has served on boards and organizations such as the Salem Leadership Foundation, United Way and Marion County Children and Families Commission.

As a Black person in America, his mother also taught him how to act around the police and stay safe “no matter what.” Now, he works with Black youth in Salem so they can be safe and reach their aspirations too. 

Peterson has served as president, vice president and treasurer of the Salem-Keizer NAACP, and is currently the executive director of the Be Blac Foundation, which supports Black-owned businesses and nonprofits in Salem.

Praise for Peterson also comes from other members of the community. 

Tom Hoffert, the chief executive officer of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, describes Peterson  as a “community builder” who is youth-focused. 

Peterson excels at bringing people together during challenging times and including everyone in the conversation when making important decisions, Hoffert said. 

“He is a very inspirational leader for me,” Hoffert said. “He’s had a great impact, not just on the business community, but on the social fabric of Salem as well.”

Peterson is highly driven by the Christian faith and a love for improving the world around him through food and dining, said Salvation Army Captain Jeff Walters. He described Peterson as a very welcoming person who jokes often with anyone he works with. 

Peterson “is the kind of person that you expect to win awards like this because of his impact on the community,” he said. 

And apart from being generous and selfless, he is good at making business decisions and operating large, fast-paced kitchens, according to Walters.

The Chamber of Commerce will formally present Peterson the First Citizen award at the Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 8, at 6 p.m. at the Salem Convention Center. 

The Chamber will also grant Distinguished Service Awards to Derek Gilbert and Ronnie Brooks and the Outstanding Young Professional Award to Andrew Holbert. 

Peterson found out that he had won the First Citizen award when a group of close friends, including 2024 First Citizen Sam Skillern, surprised him at a restaurant where he thought they were going to have a regular business meeting. A camera crew recorded his reaction and the video will be played at the Awards Banquet.

Contact reporter Alan Cohen: [email protected].

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