Chef Rick Araujo leaves Off the Rails for Nichols College job
Rick Araujo recently left as executive chef of Off the Rails in Worcester to become executive chef at Nichols College in Dudley. His first day on the job was June 5, working for the college’s food service provider American Dining Creations.
Araujo in 2021 helped open Off the Rails, 90 Commercial St., with Worcester businessman and Worcester Railers HC professional hockey team owner Cliff Rucker. Off the Rails LLC announced the development of a live music venue with music hall and beer garden that summer. Araujo also was executive chef and a managing partner of The District Wood Fired Kitchen, 90 Harding St., Worcester, owned by Rucker, when he parted way with Off the Rails.
The chef in a telephone interview said his new job offers more work-life balance. He and his wife have a 2-year-old son and a newborn daughter. Also, Off the Rails was taking food in a different direction, he said, adding that he continues to have a good relationship with Rucker.
After several offers from high profile local and Boston restaurants, Araujo said he’s excited to work at Nichols College. Its on-site catering (President and alumni special events) offer him the opportunity to work “outside the box,” he said.
Araujo also recently partnered with Tricia May of the family-owned and operated Spring Ridge Farm in Boylston helping plan seasonal menus for prepared meals that the farm will sell onsite and at local farmers markets. The meals will be made with locally sourced ingredients and prepared at the Worcester Regional Food Hub.
It’s evident that Araujo’s more than 20 years of experience will always have a place in commercial kitchens. His chef-driven approach gravitates toward what’s fresh, local and innovative. He’s in constant communication with his “chef buddies,” he said, and he recently was the “fry guy” at a newly opened Princeton restaurant where one of his former sous chefs is now executive chef. “The fry cook didn’t show up for work on a weekend, and I was available and happy to help out,” said Araujo. At the Mass Food & Wine Sunset Wine Tasting (June 3) at Polar Park, Araujo worked with staff of Lock 50 in Worcester, where he was a former chef de cuisine. Tim Russo is Lock 50’s executive chef.
The award-winning Araujo was executive chef at Civic Food and Drink in Westborough when Tom Oliveri Jr. opened the gastropub in 2016. He competed and won the first -place award of $20,000 in the Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” with celebrity chef and host Guy Fieri in 2022.
Araujo said in Worcester he was energized by the massive change the city has seen in the past few years, especially the explosive growth of its restaurant scene. He is not looking to leave the food industry, he said.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Chef Rick leaves Off the Rails for post at Nichols College
