CATTARAUGUS — Nick and Ashley Rhinehart formally took ownership of the well-liked Jenny Lee Feed Mill on Aug. 1 when it was up and running — all set to go.
The improve of arms was a clean changeover concerning the Rhineharts and previous owners, Paul and Linda Macakanja, who resolved to retire. In accordance to Ashley, the Macakanjas shut the restaurant July 30 but the shop was nonetheless open on the 31st. On Aug. 1, the Rhineharts opened the store facet for a few shorter several hours just to get their feet damp.
The Macakanjas were in the diner and foods business enterprise for 16 several years, running a different Jenny Lee in South Dayton. For nearly 14 yrs, they owned and operated The Jenny Lee Nation Retailer & Diner in Cattaraugus, then opened The Jenny Lee Feed Mill in August 2019. As a tribute to all the aged, hardworking millworkers and manufacturing unit workers, they produced a feed mill-themed restaurant reminiscent of times absent by.
Nick claimed the Macakanjas wished an individual community and with practical experience to get the put. He went to university with their little ones and has been excellent close friends with the household for a very long time. Since of their culinary schooling and cafe encounter, and Cattaraugus is his home, he and Ashley made the decision to invest in The Jenny Lee.
They equally gained restaurant encounter as young young children. Nick begun cooking with his grandmother when he was 9 or 10 a long time outdated. At 14, he begun working at Victory Gardens, a bar and cafe in Cattaraugus.
Ashley, from Salamanca, grew up in the business due to the fact her father owned the bar and cafe Terry’s River View, in Allegany, now identified as Randy’s Up the River. She claimed he also experienced the Beer Hut and the Oxbow in Salamanca. At 15, she began functioning at Eddy’s Cafe in Good Valley.
When in significant faculty, they attended the Vocation Tech Heart in Ellicottville for two years in which they satisfied in culinary arts course. Nick excelled positioning 1st in the New York Point out SkillsUSA level of competition in his junior calendar year.
Following receiving their Culinary Arts degrees from the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, they moved home. Nick labored at the Dudley Hotel ahead of having a job at the Seneca Allegany Resort & On line casino. Right after that, he was head chef at the Public House in Ellicottville for a although. Then he opened The Legacy restaurant in Springville.
“We had generally retained our eyes and ears open up for this put (The Jenny Lee) and it just took place,” Ashley explained. “Nick and Paul ended up normally generating jokes to every single other about Nick purchasing this area, but then Paul and Linda made a decision that they’d been in the small business very long enough.”
The Rhineharts explained they are retaining The Jenny Lee Feed Mill name, and the location will stay a feed mill-themed cafe. As their slogan states, “The Jenny Lee Feed Mill will go on to be a great area to meet up with and consume.”
The restaurateurs claimed the common pub-form menu is being the identical for now, but they inevitably prepare to incorporate some entrées like steaks. Other upcoming designs include expanding the cafe with an outdoor dining location. Nick reported he’d like it to have a distillery-concept to go alongside with the feed mill décor.
“When I think of a feed mill, I believe of the old-timers building moonshine from the grain in the mill, so I’d like to have a Moonshine-variety of matter outdoors,” he claimed.
With two little boys to are inclined to, one particular 6 and one 10 months outdated, the Rhineharts have a busy existence. Nick reported now that they are performing closer to residence, they will have much more time off to devote with the children.
Ashley mentioned they have a large amount of family members guidance so support is offered, if essential. Nick’s father does some routine maintenance for them and her dad, with his cafe experience, provides them ideas and pointers. Nick’s mom will most probably appear in and decorate on occasion, and both of those of his brothers are professional servers.
Breakfast is presently accessible at the keep Saturdays and Sundays starting off at 10 a.m. Beginning Sept. 13, they program to have the shop-aspect open up Mondays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The shop will be open up 7 days a 7 days and will finally supply breakfast each individual early morning.
The Jenny Lee Feed Mill is located at 19 North Major St. Business several hours for the retail outlet are at this time Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The cafe is open up Tuesday as a result of Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, 3 to 9 p.m. For a lot more facts, phone (716) 257-3333 or email jennyleefeedmill@gmail.com.