By Pam Johnson, Courier Senior Staff Writer:
It’s been a little over two years since chef/owner Andrew Speziale took over the controls of the airplane-hangar style Café Grounded on Church Street, but he’s already traveled a long way toward giving back to Guilford.
Raised on Long Island, New York, by a family that embraced the foods of an Italian heritage, Andrew first learned to cook with his mom and later trained as a professional at both culinary school and by working his way up through the ranks at restaurant and food service businesses. From his father, an international businessman and marketing expert, he learned the value of investing yourself in the town where you do business.
“He founded the Chamber of Commerce in our town and he taught me that givers gain. We’re a business in the community and we want to participate in it,” says Andrew, who now lives in Madison.
The philosophy earned Café Grounded the Guilford Chamber of Commerce “New Business of the Year” Award in 2007 or, as he likes to call it, “my Rookie of the Year Award.”
Andrew decided to buy Café Grounded from its former owners (the business has been in town more than five years) shortly after seeing success with his first local business venture–turning Madison Surf Club’s food service area into a booming seaside food pavilion. Andrew says he saw potential in Guilford.
“When we were thinking about taking this on, we actually went and walked on the Town Green to get a sense of the place. What I immediately noticed was that almost everybody we walked by said hello. Guilford is a great, small town where people know each other. We realized we could be a part of that idea.”
Andrew’s metro-style café has also been offering excellent fare since he came to town. In addition to Café Grounded’s breakfast and lunch menu, he began offering dinners on certain nights (with BYOB) in November 2007.
From the beginning, Andrew also made a point of making Café Grounded a good citizen, by helping out locally.
An out-of-the-box thinker, Andrew’s offers of assistance quickly earned notice.
“If I’m asked to give a Silent Auction prize, I’ll say, ‘Let’s try offering a three-course dinner for 10.’ If it doesn’t work, next time we’ll do the $50 gift certificate.”
It’s the same approach he takes with his cooking–offering something familiar, but with an irresistible twist.
“I like comfort foods. People order what they know–but there are also adventurous eaters. When I serve mac and cheese, it’s infused with white truffle oil and crab meat.”
Grabbing a seat at an upstairs table during a recent hectic morning rush at his Quonset hut “restaurant that serves coffee,” Andrew talks about why he’s now carving out time to offer kids and adults the chance to learn to cook at his side through a new program offered by Guilford Parks and Recreation, right next door.
“When they approached me about doing a program next door, I saw it as a real golden opportunity. I love kids and I have aspirations to become a chef instructor. I can’t keep this pace of life up forever,” he says, grinning.
Andrew’s first class for kids aged 8 to 12 was held in the fall and was a great success. Beginning Jan. 5, he’s now teaching a kids’ class and a new adult cooking class at the community center kitchen. More classes are planned for the spring.
“I’m actually very excited about working with kids and adults this time around,” says Andrew. “In the fall we held the first classes for kids. It was fun. My goal is so they can feed themselves down the road. When they get to college, if all they have for the week is $30, they can make a big pot of sauce and meatballs, boil some dried pasta, and it will get them through the week.”
The final fall session found the kids breading and frying chicken cutlets (Andrew teaches students to fry at “belly button level” and to use a fork, not tongs, to turn the chicken, because “everybody has a fork somewhere in their kitchen”). The fry-a-thon was followed by a field trip to his restaurant next door, something Andrew plans to end his winter session with, as well.
“I teach them to set a table–first I have them do it their way, then I show them how a formal setting should look. I teach them napkin folds, the whole thing.”
As far as working with adults, Andrew says, “I’m really excited about the adult class.”
He wants to give them some basic skills, but several levels above “boiling water,” he adds. “We’ll start with knife skills and make salads; from that we’ll make sauces and make soups–I always want them to be able to take food they’ve made home. We’ll get into butchery; cutting up a chicken, trimming a roast. The adult class I see as a good opportunity to really find my style in teaching. We’ll take baby steps and learn from our mistakes.”
To sign up for a future cooking class with Andrew Speziale, call 453-8068 or visit www.guilfordparkrec.com.
Pictured: Since the fall, Café Grounded chef/owner Andrew Speziale has
kicked his community participation up a notch by offering cooking
classes at the Guilford Community Center right next door.
Photo by Pam Johnson