GREAT FALLS — After 50 years in the kitchen, Bill Goers is finally hanging up his apron—but not without The Wild Hare, which opened in April 2022 at 518 Central Avenue.
"I worked hard—a lot of hours—and I couldn't wait for this day," Goers stated. "Especially the last three, four, five years."
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
Goers, a well-known figure in Great Falls' downtown dining scene, formally retired from his culinary career in January after turning 65. His journey began decades ago in Cortez, Colorado, long before he dreamed his career would end in Montana.
"I first got into it when I was 14, started out washing dishes," he informed me. "That's when I first learned how the kitchen operates."
Though Goers initially studied in trade school to be a contractor and architect, a poor job market forced him to return to what he knew best.
"So I had to get back into the kitchen," Goers explained. "I found a place that was looking for some help, and that's where I met my mentors."
Those mentors took him across the country, from Colorado to Utah, and then to Lahaina, Maui, where he met Matthew Robb, the proprietor of The Wild Hare. That link eventually led Goers to Great Falls, a decision he acknowledges he was skeptical of at first.
"I was a little reluctant at first," he told me. "But after I got here… this is a great place to be."
Goers has spent the last decade working in The Wild Hare's kitchen, helping to create the restaurant's personality and operations.
While he is retiring from cooking, he will not be leaving totally, but will instead take on a new role as operations manager.
As Goers walk away from the kitchen, Executive Chef Matthew Black emerges with a new culinary vision.
"The plan is we have a little smaller, streamlined menu," Black told me. "We're going to be able to do a lot of cool specials and desserts and appetizers."
The new menu draws inspiration from the Gulf South, blending flavors from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
For Black, the transformation is extremely personal and represents a return to his roots.
"The first restaurant I ever opened over 20 years ago was called Bayou," Black recalls. "It was a Cajun Creole restaurant in Pennsylvania. So, 20 years later, we're coming full circle—bringing Bayou to Great Falls."
The new Cajun-inspired cuisine is now available all day during business hours at The Wild Hare, ushering in a new era for the restaurant. For visitors, it's an opportunity to see the next generation of chefs take the lead—while still being a part of the establishment he helped create.
With the end of a 50-year culinary career, The Wild Hare welcomes Great Falls diners to a new era of merging experience, history, and bold flavors.
