By means of Barbara M. Houle
When James (Jim) Nicas named me previous 7 days to mention the deal to advertise the Fort Eating place used to be sealed the scoop used to be bittersweet.
In his 70s, Jim claimed it used to be time to shift on, detailing that he and partner Denise ready to burn up additional time in retirement with their grandchildren and to adventure. Although he didn’t disclose the name(s) of the women and men who purchased the Leicester assets, he emphasised they have been being “actually, in fact a really perfect partner and youngsters.”
The Fort cafe skilled been within the Nicas family for extra than 70 a number of years. Nicas and his sister, Evangeline, took over ownership and the process of the cafe after their mothers and fathers, Stanley J. Nicas and Helen Nicas, passed. The Nicas’ different son, John S. Nicas, used to be the Fort’s government chef previous to his death.
A lot more:How a large number of of those former Worcester eating places do you do not overlook?
I interacted with the members of the family friends by the use of the a very long time, playing Sunday Jazz at Sundown at the patio and sharing Escoffier dinners, wine tastings, meals judging competitions and different culinary gatherings.
Frequently, most likely a little or no gossip on a get involved with with Stanley or proper after a meals competition. A famend chef and restaurateur, the individual learned nearly all folks within the corporate, website hosting celebrated chefs from the USA and Europe thru his existence time. He used to be a founding member of the Prominent Surfing Chef Machine at Johnson & Wales Faculty in Windfall, and chaired the gadget till in the end his death. He launched an apprenticeship way on the Fort within the early Fifties, doing paintings with the Culinary Institute of The united states in Hyde Park, New York, and Johnson & Wales College in Windfall for extra than 40 years. His awards and accolades are endless.
Further:Fort Eating place in Leicester bought to change into upscale Spanish eating place
On time limit, I couldn’t reach out to the entire cooks who began their remarkable culinary professions on the Fort, I used to be able to the touch base with fairly a couple of who shared recollections of the partner and youngsters and the cafe.
Executive chef/owner Invoice Brady of Brady’s in Leominster were given engaged to his partner, Kim, in 1993 within the Camelot Area of the Fort. “The Nicas’ family and pastry chef ended up in at the wonder proposal, mentioned Brady. “I steered Kim I had bought a unique dessert. The hoop used to be hid underneath a spun sugar, bell-like masking manufactured by means of the pastry chef. What an evening. Linen tablecloth, roses, the works!”
The couple returned to the Fort in Might smartly for his or her twenty eighth anniversary a few months previous to the Fort completely closed.
Brady preliminary fulfilled Stanley Nicas within the overdue 80s when he returned to the realm from New York and inquired about club within the Massachusetts Culinary Affiliation. “Stanley used to be the hyperlink for just about the rest in any respect culinary,” reported Brady, who within the 90s used to be president of the MCA.
“Stanley used to be a cooks’ mentor for a very long time,” discussed Brady. “He skilled a forged serve as ethic and shared his experience. He used to be the 2 a pal and instructor. I will be able to normally take into account running with him in making plans a reception for Barbara Bush simply after she spoke at a fundraiser at Mechanics Corridor in 1992. And, of analysis path, culinary icon Julia Kid’s night time meal take a look at to the Fort.”
In November, Brady and Keith Boston, vice chairman of meals pieces corporate and culinary operations for Cumberland Farms Inc, will host the once-a-year supper of the Joseph Donon Bankruptcy of Les Amis d’Escoffier Society, began by means of Stanley Nicas. Jim Nicas will induct new shoppers. Govt chef Justin Smith of Brady’s will oversee the meals.
Robert (Rob) Fecteau of Worcester’s BirchTree Bread Co. worked on the Fort as a dishwasher and busboy despite the fact that in upper college and later did an apprenticeship beneath Stanley Nicas. Because the Fort’s sous chef, Fecteau won the Judges’ Variety and Other folks’s Selection Awards in a Worcester’s Best Chef Ranges of festival.
“Stanley used to be tricky, however fair,” defined Fecteau about working for Nicas. “He skilled a regular and envisioned the comfort folks to stick to. I assume some chefs may just say he may just put you on account of the ringer a little or no, however the experience you won used to be valuable. He worked beside you. As an proprietor, he wasn’t within the corporate simply to earn a living.”
Fecteau claimed a unforgettable time for him used to be when he labored together with Nicas on a Mom’s Running day. “Heads down, 5 a number of hours, we killed it and hardly skipped a defeat. The fellow’s like in his 80s, safe in sweat and cooking for 150 other folks. On the finish, Stanley turns to me, appears to be me within the eyes and states, ‘Yeah, we simply kicked some ass.’”
Fecteau claimed he continuously felt like component of the Nicas family members when he worked on the eating place. “On the shut of a shift on some evenings we might all sit down on the bar and Jim would open up a bottle of wine and train us concerning the wine we ended up consuming. It wasn’t about slugging again a eat. We exposed about wine, high-priced wine. “it used to be a considerable amount of a laugh. Time invested on the Fort indisputably performed the most important serve as in my activity trail.”
Fecteau afterwards labored the eating place and resort scene in Boston and Central Massachusetts. In 2014, he and his spouse, Avra Hoffman, opened BirchTree Bread on Eco-friendly Highway, deemed an individual of the most efficient bakeries and cafes within the the town.
Josh Suprenant, hospitality director at Indian Ranch and Samuel Slater’s Eating place in Webster, defined he used to be number of a wild kid in his 20s when he were given hired on the Fort in 2001. “I used to be on the proper position at the right kind time,” he claimed. “On a whim, I walked throughout the door to inquire a few profession. Helen used to be on the entrance table and Stanley arrived in every single place the nook, seemed me up and down, puzzled me about my earring, defined to me to do away with it, pass family, cleanse up and are available again to fulfill his son. The first actual drawback Jim requested after I fulfilled him used to be if I skilled black pants, a white blouse and a jacket. No to the jacket. Jim then disappears and returns with simply one among his black tux jackets. I’ve saved it these kinds of a number of years.”
Suprenant, who used to be a waiter on the Fort “off and on” for approximately 20 a long time, claimed his largest 2nd on the cafe used to be the night time in 2003 when Jim Nicas steered him he skilled a cell phone name. “The message used to be that my son Aiden were born,” defined Suprenant. “I’ll by no means ever overlook it. The baby arrived prior to now than anticipated, and it strike me like a ton of bricks. I had to take a seat down, however I concluded desk fortify proper earlier than I closing.
“Once I think about it, the Fort used to be now not only a place of business, relatively it grew to become portion of our lives,” discussed Suprenant. “We have been family members, and the Nicases taught you the proper solution to do issues, appearing very best along side you within the trenches. Without a query, I will be able to certainly not overlook about their forged serve as ethic.”
Suprenant claimed Joyce Pijus, who labored on the Fort for greater than 35 a very long time, taught him and different servers high quality eating etiquette. “We have been a really professional workers,” he reported.
“I’m completely positive numerous folks tear up once they believe concerning the Fort and the memories they’ve shared there,” added Suprenant. “Weddings, anniversaries, unique occasions and weekend dinners. There ended up so a large number of widespread visitors.
“I’m content material for Jim and Evangeline as they shift on. I’m additionally reminded of ways a number of chefs began off in the market. Rob Fecteau and executive chef Ryan Marcoux at Grill 23 & Bar in Boston between them.”
Come with govt chef Jason Rollman of Anya eating place in Thompson, Connecticut, to the record. He began his activity on the Fort in 2016, appearing for 2 a number of years as sous chef. “After inquiring a number of events for a conceivable chef opening, Chef (Jim) Nicas took me underneath his wings and gave me the chance to get the activity accomplished there,” claimed Rollman.
He discussed his fondest occasions comprise working side by means of side with Nicas, finding out French tactics, nice consuming, wine pairing and tastings, as completely has acquiring been inducted by means of him into the Escoffier Trendy society. “Nicas is a very good chef and sommelier,” he discussed.
Rollman is also an extra chef “venerated to have labored for the Nicas partner and youngsters.” His running enjoy on the Fort has benefited and assisted his professional profession as a chef of high quality eating and French approaches, he said. Rollman grew to develop into executive chef at Anya in 2020.
The Nicas family members participated and donated to a lot of community fundraisers. As participants of the Greek St. Spyridon’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral, they served get able and serve meals at the once a year festival.
Gus Giannakis, operator of the Pickle Barrel Eating place in Worcester, reported he labored beside the Nicas family at a number of cathedral events. “They’re an incredible family members,” he reported, introducing that he serves one specific of Stanley Nicas’ recipes at his cafe. “Our do-it-yourself corned red meat hash is a Stanley unique,” defined Giannakis.
So a number of memories, so a large number of tales. As a member of the Escoffier Society, I seek ahead to the bankruptcy dinner in November and sharing a lot more.
In a Fulfill the Chef column printed within the Sunday Telegram in 2017, Jim Nicas defined, “The Fort has been the benchmark for high quality eating and world-classical cuisines of the arena for some 68 a long time. The classics are where all of us began, it’s our base of operation.” He conceded, having mentioned that, “that one need to at all times appear on the long run and embody the prevailing.”
With Greek Competition postponed, St. Spyridon set for Gyro Cheap
On Oct 2 and three, St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 102 Russell St., Worcester will cling its first of all Gyro Excellent, a cultural and meals stuff tournament converting the cathedral’s annual Greek Competition, rescheduled for 2022 on account of the pandemic.
The Gyro Cheap is a bit of smaller than the once-a-year pageant we’re all made use of to but if it arrives to traditional Greek foodstuff and live new track, fair-goers received’t be upset.
The development with without spending a dime admission is scheduled from midday to 11 p.m. Oct. 2 midday to eight p.m. Oct. 3. Gus Giannakis, George Gourousis, Father Christopher Stamas, presiding priest at St. Spyridon, and faithful volunteers aided prepare the fundraiser. Giannakis credit “George (Gourousis) because the “man in price.”
Meals stuff can be able and served in an enormous outdoor tent, in line with Giannakis, who said the gyros can be created to buy. The Greek gyro recipe will combine lamb and red meat with tzatziki sauce and slices of tomato and onion wrapped in vintage pita. Different components may also be further, on request. The general aspect dish is Greek fries sprinkled with sea salt and seasoned with dried oregano. Greek pastries additionally can be purchased, along with fried dough, hamburgers and sizzling canine, and many others.
Two bars can be established up within the meals tent, where beer and wine can be to be had. Giannakis said there can be seating inside the cathedral and are living new track in an outdoor tent each days of the fair. Father Stamas is scheduled to direct on a regular basis cathedral excursions. Take a look at for time postings.
In spite of the pandemic, St. Spyridon proceeds to provide philanthropic plans in lend a hand of the cathedral and the Worcester staff. The Gyro Honest now not handiest is an excellent fundraising technique, additionally it is a partner and children-friendly tournament.
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