Chef Tyler Leeson has wanted to own his own restaurant on and off ever since he was 18.
He now has that opportunity after taking over the lease at the Broadway Deli.
Leeson and his wife, Michelle Grenier, seriously started looking into getting involved with a restaurant in the village about two years ago.
“We actually looked at the golf course quite seriously at one point, but the deli has always been the one that’s been at the back of my mind,” he said. “I think it’s got a lot of character and a lot of potential, and I’m really happy it turned out to be that place.”
The deli will be closed for two and a half weeks while renovations take place. He’s not making structural changes, but some storerooms need to be fixed up a little and the kitchen will be expanded. Because Leeson makes everything — including curing, smoking and cooking — he will need extra space for more tools.
Tables and chairs will stay the same, along with some of the paint. Leeson added new lighting in the kitchen will be installed.
The menu will stay the same, with breakfast and lunch, with a few alterations.
“The hash browns will be olive oil and herbed potatoes,” he said. “I’m going to do paninis, a rice bowl that’s going to change every day, depending on what’s available at that time, and we’ll have lots of gluten-free options.”
The plan is to start with a small menu with the option of adding to it as time goes on.
One thing to note is there will be no deep fryer. Leeson said he wants to offer something the village doesn’t have.
“I find a lot of menus have a lot of similarities in them, and I want to stay away from that,” he continued. “I don’t want to tap into the market that’s already being saturated, I’d rather just create my own market.”
